HER story: The Creatrix, Matriarchy & The Great Goddess
“Her story” was never an option available to us at school.
It’s still not. And I wonder if it ever will be.
I remember sitting in a Religious Education class, aged 11. Our teacher handed us all a sheet of blank white paper, and packets of colouring pencils.
“I’d like you to each draw a picture of God. He can look however you like. He can even be a She.”
I drew an old, white man with a beard. As did 95% of the other children in my class. Sadly, it wasn’t a coincidence. This is what we’re taught as children, so this becomes what we believe. And most adults don’t stop to give it a second thought, or question the origins of those teachings.
When we think of religion today, we think of religions which all have a male figure as their supreme creator.
When we’re asked to think of God, Source, or our divine Creator – whatever you choose to call it – most of us imagine a man.
We also choose to refer to the human race as mankind.
But long before these patriarchal constructs were implemented and popularised, there were other spiritual ways of life that existed where the supreme Creatrix was female.
So, why is this information kept hidden from us, and not popularised?
In one word: history.
History predominantly teaches us what happened in the few thousand years before and after Christ, with the records before being extremely limited. The accounts and records that do exist were written mainly by Western white men.
We must ask ourselves, what was their agenda at the time of writing?
We must also remember that women were rarely even allowed to write until the nineteenth century, after the suffragette movement demanded that women be given an equal place alongside men in society.
If the men writing these accounts wanted to ensure male domination, and were subsequently a part of actioning this, then who knows what was kept hidden and what was embellished, for what they believed to be the “greater good” of society?
Little to nothing has been written about female deities who were revered and worshipped during ancient periods of civilisation; while the material that does exist is largely ignored to this day. So I’m here writing about it, because every girl and woman deserves to know her truth.
Instead of a sea of pictures of old white, bearded men, we’ll see little girls drawing glorious Goddesses like Gaea, the Great Mother of all creation; Aphrodite rising from the sea; or Hecate, the one who ruled the night skies.
And maybe then, girls will learn how powerful they truly are.
This is her story.
This is your story.
It’s my story.
And this knowledge will begin to awaken you to the great power which you hold – and have always held – within.
Enter, The Great Goddess.
Archaeological evidence – in the form of statues, murals, inscriptions, clay tablets and papyri – has proven that the Goddess religion not only existed, but flourished for thousands of years in the Middle East, before the patriarchal Abraham appeared on the scene. She was worshipped as far back as 25,000 BC, with the last standing Goddess temples finally closing at around 500 AD.
The Venus of Willendorf – a small limestone carved statue of a fertile woman, with large breasts and a round stomach – was discovered during archaeological excavations in Austria in 1908. It is believed to have been carved during the European Upper Paleolithic period, more than 32,000 years ago. She is said to be a representation of the Mother Goddess, or fertility goddess worshipped at the time.
The earliest medicine, agriculture, architecture, wheeled vehicles, textiles & ceramics, law & government, and written language were all initially developed in Goddess-led societies where she was worshipped.
Yet so many of us still believe that a masculine-dominated society is the fastest, most logical route to progress.
Why is that classical Greece is seen as the first major culture in our history, when written language was clearly in existence in thriving cities, which were built a staggering 25 centuries earlier?
The Age of Pagan religions – which worshipped female deities, and also the origin of witchcraft – is often portrayed in records and the present day as being a dark, mysterious and evil time. Then male religions came along much later, supposedly bringing light and reason with them, and saved the day.
That’s what we’re told, and so that’s exactly what many “educated” people continue to believe.
We’re not told that on numerous accounts, the female Creatrix is credited with creating our entire Earth, along with the birth of the first people to inhabit it.
Female deities all over the world were in prominent roles as healers, midwives, herbal specialists, and keepers of the sacred land.
Because woman magic and earth magic are the same; woven with the same threads.
We give birth to human life, the same way our earth gives birth to plants – birthing and nourishing are two wondrous female qualities.
This is why during the Age of the Goddess, women were honoured, loved, and deeply respected.
They were viewed as magical, magnificent creatures with a vast connection to Earth, and between the worlds.
Born with great gifts, and trusted with the greatest truths.
They held ancient wisdom in their wombs, and this wisdom was treasured, the same way women were.
It was a matriarchal society, with community and collaboration at the root.
When people hear the word matriarchy, they often make the mistake of thinking it’s the opposite of our current patriarchal society; but it’s not.
Over the years, matriarchy has developed many negative connotations to it. Words like chaotic, hopeless, and man-hating are just a few I’ve come across. In contrast to patriarchy, which is assumed to be natural and optimum for society.
If we are negatively conditioned towards the idea of matriarchy, we are less likely to question the way things are today or try to change them; which is in the interest of agents of the patriarchy.
They want men and women to not only drink the kool aid, but convince others to drink it too.
The real definition of matriarchy is a society where the feminine is valued, respected, and contributes equally – and is viewed in equal importance – to the lives of both sexes.
And women and mothers play a central, rooted role in society.
What it’s not about is female domination, or women ruling or oppressing men.
This is what most men fear of if the patriarchy were to collapse. A total reversal where women take on the same oppressive role that men have played for the past two thousand years.
But this is not the case.
This is not what most of desire or hope for as women. Because we realise that true equality and harmony can only be restored if the feminine and masculine work and rise together.
Power and greed don’t make the top of our wish lists; nurturing and community do.
All we’re really asking for is the chance to feel into and fully open our hearts once more.
To let her in – the divine feminine – and not be ridiculed or labelled as crazy for doing so.
And to be witnessed, and to be heard.
To know that our voices matter.
And live in a world where we no longer exist in fear, but flourish in our freedom.
To be like her once more; the Great Goddess.
And reconnect with her story.
Because her story is our story, too.