Myth of the Goddess (tradition, bless, Wicca, Celtic, witchcraft)

[pensive]

I copied the following out of The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner. (As someone who tends to lean to the "British Traditional Wicca" side of things, you'll probably find I'm fond of quoting and referencing this and Gardner's other book.) I thought it'd make a nice addition to the various information in this forum.

Now, G. (the Witch Goddess) had never loved, but she would solve all the Mysteries, even the Mystery of Death; and so she journeyed to the Nether Land.

The Guardians of the Portals challenged her. “Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels, for nought may ye bring with ye into this our land.”

So she laid down her garments and her jewels, and was bound as are all who entered the Realms of Death the Mighty One. (Note: There was a Celtic custom of binding corpses. The cord which had bound a corpse was useful in learning the “second sight.”)

Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and kissed her feet, saying, “Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways. Abide with me, let me but place my cold hand on thy heart.”

She replied, “I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?”

“Lady”, replied Death, “‘tis Age and Fate, against which I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time I give them rest and peace, and strength so that they may return. But thou, thou art lovely. Return not; abide with me.”

But she answered, “I love thee not.”

Then said Death, “An thou received not my hand on thy heart, thou must receive Death’s scourge.”

“It is Fate; better so”, she said, and she knelt; and Death scourged her, and she cried, “I feel the pangs of love.”

And Death said, “Blessed be”, and gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, “Thus only may ye attain to joy and knowledge.”

And he taught her all the Mysteries. And they loved and were one, and he taught her all the Magics.

For there are three great events in the life of man; Love, Death, and Resurrection in a new body; and Magic controls them all. For to fulfill love you must return again at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die, and be ready for a new body; and to die you must be born; and without love you may not be born. And these be all the Magics.

[robin3]

blessed be and hi

[MagickIsFun]

interesting story...

[morgan]

I love that myth..i did find out that its considered an "Inner Mystery"