Click the audio play button above to hear me talk about the Star Goddess discovery.
Meeting the gaze of the Goddess
The Star Goddess rediscovered…
Noticingthismakesitnecessarytolookatwhat happensonthehorizoninthatarea.Clearly,ifit’s notsolarorlunarthen,itmustbestellar.This insightledtotheidentificationofalonglostimage, inthenightsky,ofahugefemalefigurelooming overWadenHillandstandingonSilbury.Itseems likelythattheNeolithicpeoplewhobuiltthehenge also saw and respected her
She rises from her sea of stars again,High in the south on midwinter night.With arms spread wide to bless all here on earth,Our lady gazes down with eyes so bright.
I am she that rises with the Dog star,I am she that is called Goddess by women,I divided the Earth from the Heaven,I show the paths of the stars,I order the course of the Sun and Moon.Extract from hymn of Hellenistic Egypt, c.2200 BP
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Orion walks over Waden Hill reaching out to Taurus.
Night comes up with her many eyes,Looking for a spot to rest,Filling the sky with beauty,Filling the water with her darkness,Oh Night, immortal Goddess, look with favour on us here,We who occupy these lands where you have walked.Indian Vedic hymn
withtheplaneoftheecliptic(thepathofthesun andmoonandalltheplanets).Thestarsreachthe highestpointintheirpathacrosstheskythereand seemtotravelfromeasttowestinanarcabove Waden Hill
Look! I see her with my own eyes,The Mother Queen of the West,Look! I see her silvery hair,The Mother Queen of the West,I see her, in her arched home,The Mother Queen of the West.I see the three legged raven who servesThe Mother Queen of the West.Poem by Ssu Ma Hsiang Ju China cira c. 2150 bp
InpreVedicIndiatheyweretheeyesofAditi.This areaoftheskyisknowninIndianastrologyas Punarvasu,themansionofAditi.Shewasoneof theveryfewGoddesseswhowereprominentinthe Vedas.Sheis“theWideEyedOne”,“Infinity”,the “UnboundedSkyGoddess”andisdescribedinthe Vedasashavingherlegsspreadwidetogivebirth totheGods.IftheGodsareseenasrelatedtothe wanderingplanetsthentheyallvisitHerfromtime to time as they traverse the line of the ecliptic. AditisharesmanyattributeswithDurga,thefirst Goddess,whowasbroughtintoexistencetoactas championfortheGodswhowerelosingtheirbattle withthedemonsatthebeginningoftime.She arrivedridingonatigeranddefeatedtheleader andlastofthedemons,whohadtakentheformof abuffalo,byforcinghimintotheground.Thepiece ofskyweareconsideringisflankedbythe constellationsofLeoandTaurusandTaurus appearstosinkbackintotheground,underthe handofAditiortheGoddess,asthestarsturnto the west
Drawings based on primal serpent goddess from Crete circa 1600 BC
She is a dark woman unto herself,She is as beautiful as Dawn,She is as beautiful as a full moon,She is a dark woman with four faces.Her hips are as wide as the valley,Her breasts are as full as the hills.She is a dark woman with four arms,On them she wears bracelets and bangles Of brilliant jewels, emerald and sapphire.She is dark as a thundercloud.She is the bearer of all blessings.Indian Mahabharata Virata Parvan
Her“eyes”,whichsetintothehillsinthewestjust asthesunroseintheeast,suggesttheappearance ofthe“EyeGoddess”imagesfromtheNeolithicera. Infact,asshownintheaccompanyingillustrations byJamieBlackwater,manyofthearchaicimages fromacrossEuropeandoutasfareastasJapan show this woman of the stars.
Hail to the Goddess, the sky torch, the pure one.Hail to heaven’s noble one, crowned with great horns.Hail to the moon’s oldest daughter, heaven’s greatest queen.I sing of her greatness, her beauty, her nobility.I sing of her brilliance in the evening sky.I sing of her rising, to shine down on all our lands.Babylonian incantation
Itisdifficulttobelievethatourancestors,from prehistorictimes,didnotrespondtothepowerful combinationofvisualimage,significanttimingand locationofthislongneglectedgroupofconstellations onthegalacticplaneandattheintersectionwiththe plane of the ecliptic. AlthoughtheGoddessishardertoseeintheskymade dimmerbyman’slightpollution,thosewitheyestosee canstilllookuptoHer.Thebesttimeisduring November,whenSherisesintheeastaftersunset, throughDecemberandtheSolsticeandJanuarywhen Sherulesthefrostyskiesofmidwinter.Directpersonal experienceofHerpresencechangestheabstractionof drytexttoaheartwarmingreality.TheGoddessis universal,commontoallcultures,pathsandtimes. ClotheHerasyouwillSheremains“theUnbounded One”andcannotbehijackedbyanyonespiritual,social or religious system. Like the stars She is eternal.
Heaven and Earth at Avebury
Althoughthestarsseemfixedintheireternal courses,thewaywehumanshavenamedthe constellationsoverthemillenniahaschanged. ThesedaysmostpeopleintheWestare accustomedtothepredominantlyGreekand Roman classical names f
Atmidwinteraverysignificantpartoftheskyis visibleintheSouth.ThestarsofOrion,Castorand Pollux(Gemini),Taurus,Cancer,Leoand,climbing upfromtheeastSirius.AboveOrionisthepointof intersection of the Milky Way
Bearinginmindthat,becauseoftheeffectofthe precessionoftheEquinoxes,allthestarsinthis partoftheskyhaveseemedtohaverisenslowly higherandhigherfor13,000years.It’spossible,by usinganastronomicalcomputerprogramme,to seewheretheywerein2500BCE.Atthattime Orion,followedbyhisdogsSiriusandProcyon (CanisMinor)appearedtowalkoverthetopof WadenHillandhisfootRigel“landed”onSilbury.As hemovedforwardtothewestTaurus,theBull, backeddownintotheearth.Overhisheadarched theMilkyWay,whichcouldbeseenastheWild Huntorthepathofsoulsintothewest.Allofthis wouldhavebeenamagnificent,nightlong, ceremonialspectacleforpeopleinthesouthcircle at Avebury.However,muchmorecanbediscoveredhighabove OrionwherethetwinstarsofGeminishinebrightly and,atmidnightarehorizontal.Thesewereknown byatleasttwoancientculturesaseyes.Inthe NorsetraditiontheyaretheeyesofThiazi,agiant from the beginning of creation.
Theseideasleadnaturallytoadirectobservationof themidwinternightskyatmidnightwhenCastor andPolluxarehorizontal.Assoonasonelooksup atthestarsofGemini,withtheconceptofeyesin mind,themajestyofagiantfigurewitharms outstretchedstandsaboveandlooksbackdownat you.ThehandontherightismarkedbyCapella, abovetheheadofTaurus,whichistheonlypartof thisfigurewhichremainsvisiblethroughoutthe year.ThehandontheleftisProcyon,alsoknownas CanisMinor.Thebreastsarecleartoseejustrising abovethe“foam”oftheMilkyWaydrapedacross herbody.HerwideskirtreachesdownpastOrion herchildandthe“Hunter”toherfeet,thestarRigel andthehorizonhereaboveSilburyHill.Thefigure marksthelimitofthepathofVenusasanevening starandisvisitedbyMars,JupiterandSaturnas wellastheMoon.DuringthesummertimetheSun invisiblybrushesacrossherbreastswhenshe spendstimeintheunderworldintheSouth,after joining him in the Spring. AtAveburytheraisedhorizoncreatedbyWaden HillensuredthattheGoddessreallydidwalkonthe earth;andinmoreancienttimes,whentheearly inhabitantsoftheareabuiltthelongbarrows,she would have been more firmly rooted in it.
Thechangesmadetothewaythestarsinthesouth wereseen,broughtaboutbyprecessionoverthelast 12,00years,canbedetectedinthewaythedepictionof theGoddessaltersintime.IntheearliestperiodShe wasseenasmuchsquatterorsittingdown.LaterShe wasseenasatallerstandingfigure,sometimeswith outstretchedarms.Intermsofthedevelopmentofthe mythos,anothereffectwasthatthestarsofOrion, alwaysamalefigure,onlybecamevisibleinabout5000 BCE.Thismayhavecoincidedwiththeriseof patriarchaldominanceinreligions.AsthestarsofOrion rosesothathestoodupontheearthhebegantousurp theauthorityofhis“Mother”andtookontheroleof thehero,bullslayerandgod.Healsoadoptedthedogs thathadoncebeenHecate’scompanionsasshecarried hertorchesthroughthenightskytostandatthe crossroads of the heavens.Atmanytimesthroughoutthehistoryoftheworldthe constellations,theplanetsandtheSunandMoonhave providedtheimageryformythandreligion. Understandingthesignificanceofthisisvitally importantasitopensupawealthofpossibilitiesfora greaterawarenessofthedepthofancientsymbolism and belief systems.
Thetextofthisarticleisnecessarilyabbreviatedandcondensed forpurposesofmagazinepublication.Thereisalotmore backgroundresearchmaterialrelatingtotheconcept.Inaddition therearemanyfurthercrossreferencestoGoddessmythology and archaeology from a wide range of cultures.Someofthiswillbeaddedasanappendixhereandmuchmore awaits fuller exposure in book form. AtmidnightonthewintersolsticetheStarGoddesslooksdown overAvebury.HereyesareCastorandPollux(Gemini),theMilky WaycrossesherbodyandshestandsonSilburyHill.Rugbasedon the star map for 2800 bce.
Click the audio play button above to hear how to contact me…
Click the audio play button above to hearme talk about the Star Goddess discovery.
2010
Meeting the gaze
of the Goddess
The Star Goddess
rediscovered…
WorkatAveburyHenge,thatgreatrivaltoStonehenge16miles tothesouth,revealedanextraordinaryandunexpecteddrama intheheavensatMidwinter.Mostofthealignmentsto astronomicaleventsathengesaretoplacesonthehorizon wheresolarorlunarrisingsandsettingsoccur.Howeverhereat AveburytwoofthempointsouthandbracketWadenhill,one leadingdirectlytoSilburyHillthatuniqueoutliertothis enormouscomplex.Noticingthismakesitnecessarytolookat whathappensonthehorizoninthatarea.Clearly,ifit’snotsolar orlunarthen,itmustbestellar.Thisinsightledtothe identificationofalonglostimage,inthenightsky,ofahuge femalefigureloomingoverWadenHillandstandingonSilbury. ItseemslikelythattheNeolithicpeoplewhobuiltthehengealso saw and respected her
She rises from her sea of stars again,High in the south on midwinter night.With arms spread wide to bless all here on earth,Our lady gazes down with eyes so bright.
The Star Goddess rediscovered
I am she that rises with the Dog star,I am she that is called Goddess by women,I divided the Earth from the Heaven,I show the paths of the stars,I order the course of the Sun and Moon.Extract from hymn of Hellenistic Egypt, c.2200 BP
Althoughthestarsseemfixedintheireternalcourses,theway wehumanshavenamedtheconstellationsoverthemillennia haschanged.ThesedaysmostpeopleintheWestare accustomedtothepredominantlyGreekandRomanclassical namesfortheimagesformedbygroupsofstarsinthenightsky. Howeverdifferentculturesthroughouttheyearshavefound other ways of seeing and identifying them.
Orion walks over Waden Hill reaching out to Taurus.
Night comes up with her many eyes,Looking for a spot to rest,Filling the sky with beauty,Filling the water with her darkness,Oh Night, immortal Goddess, look with favour on us here,We who occupy these lands where you have walked.Indian Vedic hymn
Atmidwinteraverysignificantpartoftheskyisvisibleinthe South.ThestarsofOrion,CastorandPollux(Gemini),Taurus, Cancer,Leoand,climbingupfromtheeastSirius.AboveOrion isthepointofintersectionoftheMilkyWaywiththeplaneof theecliptic(thepathofthesunandmoonandalltheplanets). Thestarsreachthehighestpointintheirpathacrossthesky thereandseemtotravelfromeasttowestinanarcabove Waden Hill
Look! I see her with my own eyes,The Mother Queen of the West,Look! I see her silvery hair,The Mother Queen of the West,I see her, in her arched home,The Mother Queen of the West.I see the three legged raven who servesThe Mother Queen of the West.Poem by Ssu Ma Hsiang Ju China cira c. 2150 bp
Bearinginmindthat,becauseoftheeffectoftheprecessionof theEquinoxes,allthestarsinthispartoftheskyhaveseemed tohaverisenslowlyhigherandhigherfor13,000years.It’s possible,byusinganastronomicalcomputerprogramme,tosee wheretheywerein2500BCE.AtthattimeOrion,followedbyhis dogsSiriusandProcyon(CanisMinor)appearedtowalkover thetopofWadenHillandhisfootRigel“landed”onSilbury.As hemovedforwardtothewestTaurus,theBull,backeddown intotheearth.OverhisheadarchedtheMilkyWay,whichcould beseenastheWildHuntorthepathofsoulsintothewest.All ofthiswouldhavebeenamagnificent,nightlong,ceremonial spectacle for people in the south circle at Avebury.However,muchmorecanbediscoveredhighaboveOrion wherethetwinstarsofGeminishinebrightlyand,atmidnight arehorizontal.Thesewereknownbyatleasttwoancient culturesaseyes.IntheNorsetraditiontheyaretheeyesof Thiazi,agiantfromthebeginningofcreation.InpreVedicIndia theyweretheeyesofAditi.Thisareaoftheskyisknownin IndianastrologyasPunarvasu,themansionofAditi.Shewas one of the very few Godesses who were prominent in the Vedas.Sheis“theWideEyedOne”,“Infinity”,the“UnboundedSky Goddess”andisdescribedintheVedasashavingherlegs spreadwidetogivebirthtotheGods.IftheGodsareseenas relatedtothewanderingplanetsthentheyallvisitHerfrom time to time as they traverse the line of the ecliptic. AditisharesmanyattributeswithDurga,thefirstGoddess,who wasbroughtintoexistencetoactaschampionfortheGodswho werelosingtheirbattlewiththedemonsatthebeginningof time.Shearrivedridingonatigeranddefeatedtheleaderand lastofthedemons,whohadtakentheformofabuffalo,by forcinghimintotheground.Thepieceofskyweareconsidering isflankedbytheconstellationsofLeoandTaurusandTaurus appearstosinkbackintotheground,underthehandofAditior the Goddess, as the stars turn to the west
Drawing based on primal serpent goddess from Crete circa 1600 BC
She is a dark woman unto herself,She is as beautiful as Dawn,She is as beautiful as a full moon,She is a dark woman with four faces.Her hips are as wide as the valley,Her breasts are as full as the hills.She is a dark woman with four arms,On them she wears bracelets and bangles Of brilliant jewels, emerald and sapphire.She is dark as a thundercloud.She is the bearer of all blessings.Indian Mahabharata Virata Parvan
Theseideasleadnaturallytoadirectobservationofthe midwinternightskyatmidnightwhenCastorandPolluxare horizontal.AssoonasonelooksupatthestarsofGemini,with theconceptofeyesinmind,themajestyofagiantfigurewith armsoutstretchedstandsaboveandlooksbackdownatyou. ThehandontherightismarkedbyCapella,abovetheheadof Taurus,whichistheonlypartofthisfigurewhichremainsvisible throughouttheyear.ThehandontheleftisProcyon,also knownasCanisMinor.Thebreastsarecleartoseejustrising abovethe“foam”oftheMilkyWaydrapedacrossherbody.Her wideskirtreachesdownpastOrionherchildandthe“Hunter” toherfeet,thestarRigelandthehorizonhereaboveSilbury Hill.ThefiguremarksthelimitofthepathofVenusasan eveningstarandisvisitedbyMars,JupiterandSaturnaswellas theMoon.DuringthesummertimetheSuninvisiblybrushes acrossherbreastswhenshespendstimeintheunderworldin the South, after joining him in the Spring. AtAveburytheraisedhorizoncreatedbyWadenHillensured thattheGoddessreallydidwalkontheearth;andinmore ancienttimes,whentheearlyinhabitantsoftheareabuiltthe longbarrows,shewouldhavebeenmorefirmlyrootedinit.Her “eyes”,whichsetintothehillsinthewestjustasthesunrosein theeast,suggesttheappearanceofthe“EyeGoddess”images fromtheNeolithicera.Infact,asshownintheaccompanying illustrationsbyJamieBlackwater,manyofthearchaicimages fromacrossEuropeandoutasfareastasJapanshowthis woman of the stars.
Early 4th Millennium Goddess figurines
Early 4th Millennium Goddess figurine
ItisnotonlyatAveburythatthisvisionoftheGoddesswalkingon earthcouldbeexperienced.OthersitesinsouthernEnglandwhich lendthemselvestoitareatUffington,belowthewhitehorse, WilmingtonoverthedownsabovetheLongmanandovertheTor atGlastonbury.There,upatthetopofthelanewhichleadspast ChaliceWell,theviewtothesouth-south-westdidanddoesreveal theimage.Alittleconsiderationofthelandscaperequirementsof thismidwinterceremonialexperiencerevealsthat,for10,000years, ithasbeenavailableandvisibletopeopleanywhereinthe northern hemisphere right round the world.
Hail to the Goddess, the sky torch, the pure one.Hail to heaven’s noble one, crowned with great horns.Hail to the moon’s oldest daughter, heaven’s greatest queen.I sing of her greatness, her beauty, her nobility.I sing of her brilliance in the evening sky.I sing of her rising, to shine down on all our lands.Babylonian incantation
Thechangesmadetothewaythestarsinthesouthwereseen,brought aboutbyprecessionoverthelast12,00years,canbedetectedinthe waythedepictionoftheGoddessaltersintime.Intheearliestperiod Shewasseenasmuchsquatterorsittingdown.LaterShewasseenasa tallerstandingfigure,sometimeswithoutstretchedarms.Intermsof thedevelopmentofthemythos,anothereffectwasthatthestarsof Orion,alwaysamalefigure,onlybecamevisibleinabout5000BCE.This mayhavecoincidedwiththeriseofpatriarchaldominanceinreligions. AsthestarsofOrionrosesothathestoodupontheearthhebeganto usurptheauthorityofhis“Mother”andtookontheroleofthehero, bullslayerandgod.Healsoadoptedthedogsthathadoncebeen Hecate’scompanionsasshecarriedhertorchesthroughthenightsky to stand at the crossroads of the heavens.Atmanytimesthroughoutthehistoryoftheworldtheconstellations, theplanetsandtheSunandMoonhaveprovidedtheimageryformyth andreligion.Understandingthesignificanceofthisisvitallyimportant asitopensupawealthofpossibilitiesforagreaterawarenessofthe depthofancientsymbolismandbeliefsystems.Itisdifficulttobelieve thatourancestors,fromprehistorictimes,didnotrespondtothe powerfulcombinationofvisualimage,significanttimingandlocationof thislongneglectedgroupofconstellationsonthegalacticplaneandat the intersection with the plane of the ecliptic. AlthoughtheGoddessishardertoseeintheskymadedimmerby man’slightpollution,thosewitheyestoseecanstilllookuptoHer.The besttimeisduringNovember,whenSherisesintheeastaftersunset, throughDecemberandtheSolsticeandJanuarywhenSherulesthe frostyskiesofmidwinter.DirectpersonalexperienceofHerpresence changestheabstractionofdrytexttoaheartwarmingreality.The Goddessisuniversal,commontoallcultures,pathsandtimes.Clothe HerasyouwillSheremains“theUnboundedOne”andcannotbe hijacked by any one spiritual, social or religious system. Like the stars She is eternal.
Click the audio play button above to hear how to contact me…