Listen to the words of the Dark Goddess, She of Many Names.
Whenever you have need, take yourself to a private place and call upon me. Better yet, adore me when the moon is new, for I am the Queen of Shadows.
You will know no shame. You will tell no lies. As a sign of your freedom, let your soul be naked in my rites. Sing, dance, feast, make music, and make love in my presence. I take joy in your joy, and all acts of pleasure are my rituals.
My law is that you love all beings. I am the darkness of the womb, and I am the darkness of the tomb. All comes from me, and all returns to me. In this all creatures are united, from the smallest to the greatest. I am the beauty of the soil and earth. I am the depth of the oceans and the space between the stars. I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe, and I have breathed life into every being in existence. I need no sacrifice but self-compassion and kindness to one another.
Contemplate this, and you will know the greatest of my Mysteries: what you cannot find within yourself you will never find without. I have been with you from the beginning, and I will be with you to the end and beyond. I am the peace that is attained at the end of desire.
(Original Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente, adapted by William Briar. Image by lightstargod on pixabay.)