Goddess Chronicles Ch. 01

My name is Rhea. I am the incarnation of the Goddess upon Earth. Or I have been for the past thirty years. This is the chronicle of my journey. The story of the true forces of light and darkness at work in the world. They are not what you think. Nothing is as it seems. But that is my tale too.

Why have you never heard of my Goddess? Why, instead, do male gods rule this world? Jesus, Muhammed, Buddha, Confucious, Zeus, Thor, and too many others to name? That, too, is part of Her fable.

Who is She? What does She stand for?

She had many names over time: Inanna, Ishtar, Isis, Gaia, Chirakan, Pachamama, Saraswati, Freya, Cerridwen, Spider Grandmother, and of course, Rhea. She is all of these and more.

She is the hidden thread that is woven through those other tales as well. Search deep, beneath the religions, into the spiritual side of those others, and you will find Her there too. She has always been, and She always will be.

She is the Yin, but not dark as the world thinks of it. But, yes, She is mysterious and hidden. She is the earth, and She is woman. She is mother to all, protector, and She can be fierce when She must. But at Her core, She is love. She is the purest form of creation, life, and yes, sexuality.

Sex -- that is Her greatest gift to Her creations. It is also the most feared and polluted by them, and especially those among you who seek to rule and control.

Have you ever wondered why all those religions exalt celibacy, abstinence, virginity? Or why corporations use sexuality, especially the female body, to sell their things? Both know and recognize Her power, and seek to defile it.

She is everywhere. If you only look, seek Her. But like you, I did not know of Her. I was blissfully ignorant. Until...

***

Like the Goddess, I am not what you would think. I am not a supermodel or actress. I am not beautiful, at least not in a classic way. I am certainly not thin. Zoftig, curvy, big beautiful woman, pleasingly plump, or fat, you choose the word for I no longer care.

True beauty is so much more than skin-deep. It flows from the soul. At its heart is compassion, understanding, acceptance, unconditional love. It sees beyond the physical, be that beautiful or ugly to the pain that we all carry inside. It is a balm to that pain.

You could pass me on the street and not notice me. Not unless you were seeking...

I am the one that smiles at strangers. The one that dares to make eye contact. And if you take the time to speak with me, well, you may well fall into Her spell. Words are the magic that She uses to draw people in.

I am generous with my touch, as well. A light brush on the arm, let's you know that you have my full attention, that I hear, not merely listen. A hug offers you comfort, like cookies warm from the oven on a cold, rainy day. A brush of my lips upon your cheek is like a butterfly sunning its wings after emerging from its chrysalis. And should she honor you with one of my kisses, you will know that you have been blessed. If She leads me to take you into my arms and my bed, well, Her love rarely fails to transform.

Though it has, those are my saddest moments. You see, She will coax, but never controls through fear or rules. She, among the gods, believes most in the free will of Her creations. And though it hurts Her deeply, and me, love is freely given. Without strings. And just as readily rejected. As I have learned over the years.

It is so incredibly easy to be deceived, to look only at the surface, at what they want you to see. A moment. One decision. It can change your life and destiny forever. As it has mine. As it did that night. So long ago, but only yesterday.

***

Rhea stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection. For a woman of fifty, she supposed it was not all that bad. The white robes of her office flowed about her zaftig figure. She had always been a 'big girl.' She smiled as her hands smoothed imaginary wrinkles from the white silk draped across her ample hips. Those insecurities might have cost her everything.

Closing her eyes, she could feel that night. Three decades. Thirty incredible years serving the Goddess. And it had all began on this night — this most blessed of times when the barrier between this realm and the other was at its lowest. Even now, she could feel the power of the Goddess strumming through her, from toe to head, bursting forth in divine wisdom. Wisdom, she would need to choose her successor.

But that, too, was as it should be. It was time. Time for a new incarnation of the Goddess. A younger woman to step into the role that had commanded her loyalty for all of her adult life. In some odd way, she looked forward to this next phase. Laying aside the responsibilities of her office, having once again the luxury of choosing her Fate, and her lovers.

Oh, but she envied her successor, too. Never had the time been more fertile for the resurgence of power. Rhea had felt it building the past decades. As the outer world appeared to spin deeper and deeper into chaos and darkness, the light within grew stronger. It was not hers though to finish what had begun millennia ago. That honor would belong to this new priestess.

"Goddess Mother of all things, be with me this night. Guide my mind and heart. Light my path. Show me the way, your will. Be with me now as you always have been and always will be."

Rhea sighed as she felt peace surge through her mind. Her right hand touched the font of power, tracing the ancient symbol across her womb -- an inverted triangle. She was ready.

Definitely more ready than she had been that night...