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Starting tomorrow morning and through the weekend I'm hosting a party for the launch of my book, Goddess Connections. The event will take place on the Love of the Goddess Facebook page. Come join the party and connect with your goddess sisters and brothers! There will be three giveaways including a copy of the book, a free guided meditation and a print of one of the illustrations from the book. You get to choose which goddess you would like a guided meditation or print of.
The giveaway for a copy of the book is on Goodreads and the link is already up on the event page. To check out the event and RSVP simply click here. There will not only be giveaways but we will also be posting our own personal stories about how the goddess changed our lives. This is a great way to meet like minded people and connect with others who honor the Great Mother. This party lasts all weekend long after which the
winners will be announced. Share with your friends and fellow goddess
sisters! Let's celebrate our love for the goddess together!
Nemetona is a Germanic-Celtic goddess of the forests and groves. In the ancient Celtic world deities were worshiped in the groves as these were considered to be their sacred places. Nature was where they did their worship and these natural areas were said to hold the spirit of the deity. Especially Nemetona as she is known as a goddess of the woods. She was venerated as a guardian of the trees and forests and any open-air place of natural worship.
Evidence of her worship has been found along the Rhine as well as in Bath, England. In Bath there was a shrine which was found erected in her honor which portrays her as a seated figure holding a scepter with a ram alongside her. Her name derives from the Celtic word nemeto which roughly translates to refer to a consecrated religious space. She was also worshiped by the Nemetes which was a Germanic tribe living along the Rhine who also revered many other gods. The places where Nemetona protected were viewed as sacred. And since the ancient Celts did not build temples, these sacred places were found in nature.
She was also known to be revered by the Romans who associated her with the god Mars.
Nemetona was primarily worshiped in Gaul which is present day Germany and France. Although as discussed earlier her worship spread far and wide reaching Rome and England. She is not the only deity the Romans adopted as one of their own. Other Germanic-Celtic deities revered by the Romans were Epona and Brigantia.
Although not much is known about Nemetona because the Celts passed down their stories orally, we do know that she was a goddess of healing. She was associated with the Hawthorn tree which was said to be sacred to her. She was also associated with the Oak and Ash trees and this particular trio was sacred to the Druids. When one enters the groves of Nemetona, a sense of peace and calm is said to come over you and the healing power of nature takes hold. Since these areas were seen as protected by Nemetona, you could consider yourself to be in a safe place when worshiping her.
To honor the spirit of Nemetona one must venture to the natural places. Where trees grow wild and free. Where the quiet comes over you and all you hear are the birds and the sway of the tree branches in the wind. Where you feel the primal connection to nature. That is where you will find Nemetona.
Image courtesy of Dark Tear on Deviant Art
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| Moon Goddess Mandala |
I'm having a giveaway for one of my goddess mandala printable coloring pages! You get to choose which one you want. Once the winner is announced I will email you a PDF file which you can download, print and then color. The winner will be announced Sunday morning.
To enter, please go to my etsy shop and find your favorite mandala. Come back here and leave a comment stating which one you like. Also be sure to leave your email address or a way for me to contact you if you win. Feel free to share this with your friends! Good luck!
