Eve by Lucien Levy Durmer

Eve, the Mother Goddess, the Goddess of Avebury

Avebury Moon Walk ~ Goddess Walk

2008 New Moon dates

Charge of the Goddess

The Moon Goddess

Other Goddesses

2008 Full Moon dates

Phases of the Moon

Women's Moon Lodge

More information on Goddesses

Eve, the Mother Goddess, the Goddess of Avebury Avebury, the ancient stone circle in Wiltshire, was built around 2000BCE. It was originally called Evebury, the place of Eve, the snake Goddess. It later developed into Aubury which means ‘Serpent Sun', and from there 'Avebury’. The name 'Eve' means 'life', 'life-giver' or 'the mother of all living'. Her name was derived from the Hebrew name Chivim, which means sons of the female serpent. Today we know that several ‘dragon lines’, or ‘ley-lines’, pass through this site. The dragon is also a representation of the snake as a winged serpent. Not far from Avebury lies Hackpen Hill, which translates as ‘Snakes Head Hill’, and today is known as Dragon Hill. Phillip Gardiner suggests that the pre-Christian peoples of the world were Serpent Worshippers, who the Christians referred to simply as 'snakes'. According to the stories of St. Patrick, Ireland was once ‘riddled with snakes’, as was Malta, Rhodes, Greece and India. Here we see similarities with the snake of the West and the Kundalini energy of the East.

The Mother Goddess was identified with the figure of a single snake. Her messenger, Hermes the snake God, was depicted as the double snake, the male and female (Ida & Pingala of the Kundalini system). He was symbolised by the Caduceus. Hermes was originally a Babylonian God, a god of Spring and fertility, and was associated with the Spring sun. Here we see the link once more with Aubury - the Serpent Sun. The Gnostic Christians saw Eve and Adam as the two necessary parts within each human. Adam represented the soul, ones consciousness, and Eve represented the spirit. Adam represented the intellectual functions of the personality, while Eve represented the spiritual consciousness, ones higher self. Their sacred marriage was necessary to create the perfect whole. According to the gnostics Eve gives life to Adam, not the other way around, as she is the creative/creator energy, the life giver.

In Sumeria around 3,500bce, the last Matriarchal era, the serpent symbolised regeneration and eternal life. It represented not only the earthly cycle of life but spiritual renewal also. In these times property and the family name was passed through the woman. Women were equal both politically and socially, and held authoritative positions in the temples as Priestesses. Unfortunately, at the turn of the patriarchal era, a cycle that occurs every 2000 years, the energies became more masculine, changing the way men viewed women. With political manipulation, the Hebrews and Christians concocted the story of Eve eating a forbidden fruit, blaming her for the downfall of mankind, and plunging all her descendents into an Earthly life of toil and struggle, and cursing all women with the pain of childbirth. Eve was portrayed as a weak willed woman, the source of 'original sin', and her snake energy was transformed into the manifestation of the 'devil'. This effectively severed women from their powerful snake energy, and ensured that they would turn away from their own powerful feminine energy. Eve was now portrayed as a sexual temptress, and men were forbidden to associated with the Priestesses of the temples, for worshipping the feminine, the goddess, was also forbidden. Where priestesses had once celebrated the sexual creative force of the goddess by making love in the temples, sacred sexuality was now looked upon as shameful and sinful. Goddess of Life by Consuelo Gamboa

Now, after a long 2000 years, the patriarchal era is coming to an end, and the matriarchal era is once again reclaiming its position. I believe wholeheartedly that this is the time for both women, and men, to reconnect with the goddess, and our own inner goddess.   In India the Serpent Mother is still revered today. Their devotion to the Goddess of Snakes signifies the importance of divine female power.

My Journey to Eve

In the spring of 2007, I was taken on a powerful Healing Shamanic Journey, where I was able to pass healing light through my lineage; passing through the essence of my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother, and so on and so on, until I reached far back in time to the first woman in history, the ancestor of all women. By healing the wrongs done to the first woman, the healing light quickly spread to all women on earth. To me this signified the great healing, the Matriarchal shift, that is currently taking place on Earth. It was an incredibly moving moment. I then 'arrived' at Avebury to be greeted by the Goddess Eve, the Great Mother of mankind, the Mother of all women. She stood before me, her light swirling around her. I knelt before her in reverence, and made my vows as a Priestess of Eve.

I spent the following year strengthening my connection with her.

In the Spring of 2008 during a channelling session, the energies began to rise as an extremely strong feminine energy started to come through. I felt the name ‘Eve’, but it was vague. She began to speak:

'Feel the energy that surrounds you…'

::::It feels like snake energy::::

'Feel these energies around you, breathe in this energy, allow it to fill your body, allow it to penetrate every cell in your body, for this energy is my essence. As you breathe in my essence I become part of you. Allow me just to be with you, for I am not accustomed to communicating in this way. It is because of the energy you have created this evening between the four of you, that I am able to come through and connect with you this evening. 

'Who are you?'

'I have many names, but you will know me as Eve. I am a goddess, who is present in most cultures of the world, though each knows me with a different name. I am an Ancient One, who has been forgotten. In this area I am linked with the Temple of Avebury. But it is no longer a Temple of Light as it once was. For though many try to bring the Light to this place, there are many that trample it, and hide it with their dark forces, using it for their own means. But as more people bring their light to Avebury l begin to feel stronger and gradually I will once again come alive. I have been cocooned for many years, centuries, millennia, shut away, suppressed, forgotten, and thanks to your help, and the help of many others, I am breaking free of the cocoon and I am shedding my skin. I am experiencing a rebirth, and eventually I will be reborn, refreshed, renewed, with the strength that I once had, and Avebury will once again become a place of Light, a place of happiness, a place where people can connect in safety and not in fear.'

'How can we help you?'

'To remember who I am is enough to bring me life. Spend time at Avebury, walk the circle, sit in meditation, draw down the Light, carry out ceremony if you wish, but anything that you do there, hold the intention that only Light will enter, and that the darkness will be pushed away. And as this Light grows stronger then new people will come to this area, and a new wave of energy will begin. The feminine energy will come back to this place, the energy of nurturing, of healing, of caring and sharing. People will first feel it in their heart, then it will spread throughout their body, and when it reaches their mind something will change within them completely. Their way of thinking will change; their way of thinking, their way of feeling, their way of behaving. It will all change. And those that are unable to change will move away for they will no longer have a place in my Temple.

I bless you all with my light this evening for you have blessed me with your presence and your acknowledgment that I am here, which has given me strength. And I know that that strength will grow, and that strength will benefit the whole of mankind, eventually.

I leave you with my love and my honour and know that I will come again to visit you. When you visit Avebury I will welcome you and you will feel my presence beside you. I look forward to that day.

Avebury Moon Walk ~ Goddess Walk

Each day at the time of the New Moon we meet at 11.30am at the Red Lion at Avebury. From there we walk the Stone Circle in silence, in honour of the Goddess. You are welcome to join us.

The dates of the 2008 New Moons and Goddess Walks are as follows:

We celebrate The Full Moon on the following dates:

Charge of the Goddess

Listen to the Words of the Great Mother,

The Ancient One with many names;

Brigid, Arianrhod, Astarte...

Isis, Wadjet, Dione, Athene,

Artemis, Diana, Aphrodite...

Cerridwen, Eve, Melusine,

                                      and, by many other names.                         Blue Isis by Samuel Edelstein

Whenever you are in need of anything,

Once a month when the moon is full, gather in some secret place,

And adore the Spirit of Me, Who is Queen of the Wise.

You shall be free from slavery,

And as a sign that you be free, you shall be naked in your rites.

Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in my Praise,

For Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and Mine also is joy on Earth.

For My Law is love unto all beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it,

Let nothing stop you, or turn you aside;

For Mine is the secret door, which opens on the land of youth,

That is the Cauldren of Cerridwen, the Holy Grail of immortality.

I Am the Gracious Goddess,

Who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.

Upon Earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;

And beyond death I give peace and freedom,

and reunion with those who have gone before.

I demand no sacrifice, for behold, I Am the Mother of all living.

And My Love is poured out upon the Earth.

Hear the Words of the Star Goddess,

The dust of Whose feet are the hosts of Heaven,

Whose body encircles the Universe;

I Who Am the beauty of the green Earth,

And of the white moon among the silver stars,

and the mysteries of the waters,

I call upon your soul to arise and come into Me,

For I Am the soul of nature, that gives life to the Universe

From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all must return.

Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices,

For behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.

Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,

Honour and humility, Mirth and reverence within you.

And you who seek to know Me,

Know that the seeking and yearning will avail you not,

Unless you know the Mystery:

For if that which you seek, you find not within yourself,

You will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning,

An I Am That which is attained at the end of desire.

by Doreen Valiente (adapted by Evelyn Whitebear)

 The Moon Goddess

The 13 Goddesses of the Moon

Every culture in history has had a goddess that was associated with the moon. The most well known are Selene, Diana and Ishtar. As the world becomes smaller and our races intermingle, we are now acknowledging the goddesses of many different cultures. Each face of the moon symbolises a goddess from each culture which include Luna, Isis, Hathor, Aphrodite, Cybele, Dana, Freya, Juno, Kali, Lakshmi, alongside Selene, Diana and Ishtar/Astarte/Inanna.

Other goddesses associated with the moon are: Aine, Ariadne, Arianrhod, Bast, Changing Woman, Demeter, Lileth, Maia, Venus, White Shell Woman, Wahini-Hai.

Goddesses of the new/dark moon: Hecate, Nemesis, Nephthys, Pasht (Bast), Cerridwen  

Introduction to the Moon Goddesses

Phases of the Moon

Women's Moon Lodge

A women's Moon Lodge is a special place where women may take a little time out during their time of menstruation or 'moontime'. When they gather together at this time they honour this special time of cleansing and renewal. At one's moontime it is beneficial to take time out from the normal duties and pressures of day to day life, from work, from running the home, but unfortunately, in modern times it is difficult to do this. In times past, and today still in eastern countries, women during their monthly cycle were taken out of the village and cared for in a special place, where they could rest and honour their femininity. Sharing this time with other women, with no day to day pressures, women find that PMT/PMS is greatly reduced. But, in the modern west women are expected to carry on as normal, with little understanding or support from family, doctors or their employers.

Women's Moontime was traditionally a sacred time when she was honoured as a Mother of the Creative Force. This was a time of cleansing and renewal, when old energy was released, and new fertile energy was given from the Earth Mother. At one time everyone, including men, honoured this sacred time as it was understood that women were the carriers of fertility and abundance. With the coming of the patriarchal era of the last 2000 years, women's powerfulness of this moontime was seen as a threat, and the honour they were given was withdrawn as people began to view the moontime as a time of uncleanliness, or even as 'a monthly curse'. In some eastern cultures, although women are still allowed their space and time away from home in a caring environment, they are separated because they are seen as being unclean. They are not allowed to cook for their family in case others are contaminated. It is such a sad turnaround. It is only more recently that people have become more open to the occurrence of the menstrual cycle, and with the arrival of the new matriarchal era, women are at last being able to regain their power and speak truly about their moontime.

Working with the New Moon

When there are two or more women living in the same home, often their moon cycles will alter until there are in time with one another, all menstruating at the same time. It is even more beneficial if one can time these cycles with the moon, for the most beneficial time to menstruate is with the new moon, every 28-29 days. When the moon is new there is a calmer atmosphere, there are less positive ions in the atmosphere which means less tension in the air. When the moon is full you are likely to bleed more heavily. There are more positive ions around us, which causes negative energy to invade our bodies. Even men are affected by the changes of the moon, and can become less patient, sometimes more aggressive, at the time of the full moon. So an impatient partner and a pre-menstrual woman are not the perfect combination. Altering ones menses in alignment with the new moon would benefit everyone concerned. The woman's cycle affects everyone within a household, and therefore everyone, even the husband should work to help alleviate the stress however possible. Women become more sensitive during their moontime, and this should be worked with and not against.

For more information on Goddesses

visit Lunaea's Goddess pages