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While thousands of books with millions of words have detailed the alluring topic of the Goddess, I personally am far more interested in the embodied and emotional aspects of Her “beingness” versus reading primarily intellectual pursuits. The leading question for me is, “How can the individualities, powers, and wisdom meanings of the various Goddesses actually live within us in a deeply visceral way?” Not in the sense of some kind of channeling, but as a faculty of self within us. How can we incorporate the Goddess in body, mind, and soul so that Her expression is walking and living within us, instead of solely existing as a concept of the mind?
It appears to me in our present time–certainly in modern Westernized cultures–that while we may worship the body as per the Olympic Games or in other sports, or in sex (even through pornography), that we’re not really “in” our bodies at all. Or certainly not in a deeply integrated way. So where are we if we’re not in our bodies? It seems that we mostly float in the demands and addictions of the digital world while being tethered to screen culture. Metaphorically speaking, most of us through work demands or personal choices have replaced the heartwarming hearth of Hestia with the coolly attenuated and impersonal Wi-Fi signal. These online cultures and worlds promise, and do deliver much (in their own ways), but leave many of us feeling disconnected from the Goddess and Her realms, and somehow disassociated from the deeper impulses of life too.
Living within the electronic airwaves
The Goddess is (amongst other things) a representation of authentic embodiment, and for us humans, this is suggestive of our capacity to represent a quality or idea so thoroughly that it becomes internalized in our souls too. Yet in our 24/7 digital world it can be extremely challenging to fully value such a physical and spiritual incarnation. When online we’re mostly exposed to self-improvement courses promoting a Goddess mindset (pandering to the narcissistic self) or Her likeness gets enlisted to sell more makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrances. By releasing the Goddess from Her entombment within the desolate realms of intellectualized or superficial abstractions, She becomes actualized in our deeper selves, instead of only floating around the human mind or acting as a lip gloss brand ambassador.
Multiple research studies point to an epidemic of loneliness that’s currently sweeping across the world. Alongside experiencing this loneliness epidemic, many adolescent girls and women feel trapped in commercialized online spaces that are constantly selling them idealized, filtered, “in vogue” images of the feminine. These spaces exert pressure to adopt a persona, disposition, and guise that places heavy emphasis on outward appearances, yet all the while a more authentic and deeper self lies dormant, desperate to emerge and bloom in genuine and meaningful connection.
The Goddess Universe is alive
Joseph Campbell writes in Goddesses: Mysteries of the Feminine Divine, “In the older view the Goddess Universe was alive, Herself organically the Earth, the horizon, and the heavens. Now She is dead, and the universe is not an organism, but a building, with gods at rest in it in luxury: not as personifications of the energies in their manners of operation, but as luxury tenants, requiring service” (xxiii). The latter sentence encapsulates the modern view that the Goddess Universe is dead and that nature has suffered disenchantment. But I’m asserting that the Goddess Universe is fully alive and is merely awaiting our conscious recognition.
Screen thin Goddess content
Social media is full of content selling Goddess vibes, “glow up” guides, affirmations, and so on. But this content cannot suffice for the Goddess actually being incorporated within us. The teenage girls and women that I mention above usually don’t fully appreciate, let alone embody, a genuine Goddess archetype. She hovers as a purely mental projection or lingers as a seductive, fantasy image. For example, clickbait headlines read, “Want to look divine? How to dress like a Goddess!” rather than tangibly detailing how to embody Her ethos and principles. But when a true transmission of the grace of the Goddess occurs in us, She not only ennobles our personal selves, She also inspires and encourages us to higher levels of service, which is to assist the planet and others around us for their flourishing too. In this way She becomes an empowering presence for all.
Awakening an archetype through physical incorporation
While in this MythBlast I’m arguing for the soul interiorization of the divinities, unfortunately mostly in the Western media landscape these deities are commercially and neatly packaged as attractive but dimensionless commodities to meet shallow spiritual trends. We could say Marilyn Monroe, or rather her manicured persona, was deliberately “Godessified” by the mass media for commercial consumption ... an artifact Goddess! And while many people have an intimate knowledge of the lives of screen celebrities like Monroe, fewer have familiarized themselves with the characteristics and deeds of some of the thousands of divine Goddesses available to them from mythological antiquity.
And while we can study the female deities, their myths and archetypal energies, or create altars for the purpose of worshiping specific Goddesses, sadly, the study of Her qualities and “ways of being” often remains no more than a trivial mental activity. I’m proposing here that we cultivate a deeper resonance when incorporating the divine feminine into our bodies, hearts, and minds. For it’s only when we encapsulate the Goddess in our thoughts, feelings, actions, choices, and behavioral patterns that we may become an expression and extension of Her mission. Only then do we become a temple in which She may dwell. When Her life force truly pulses through us, we’re not just mimicking Her persona, we’re actually bearing Her identity affirmation to the world.
I’m proposing here that we cultivate a deeper resonance when incorporating the divine feminine into our bodies, hearts, and minds.
So why does any of this matter?
And why would we even want to bear an internalized expression of the Goddess? Well, from a skin deep perspective, we might–by Gen Z slang standards–“slay” or “pop off, queen” on social media, but it’s not just a matter of Goddess imitation through adopting a gimmicky persona or beauty and dress code. From a more rounded perspective, by having the presence of the Goddess within us, it allows Her identity to be felt and experienced in the world. Our lives become invigorated when each of us exudes the principles of the deities in our own unique ways.
We could also consider what Goethe implied with these words from Faust, “The eternal feminine draws us on.” Goethe here is not referring to any particular Goddess, nor even to Gaia Herself. Rather, he is referring to the feminine spirit. What’s more this spirit of ceaseless, self-generating energy, creativity, love, nurturance, power, and grace exists within us all. And as Campbell ardently states in Goddesses, “People often think of the Goddess as a fertility deity only. Not at all–She’s the muse. ... She’s the inspirer of the spirit” (36).
MythBlast authored by:
Kristina Dryža is an ex-futurist, author, TEDx speaker, archetypal consultant, one of the Joseph Campbell Foundation’s Editorial Advisory Group, and a steward for The Fifth Direction. Based between Australia and Lithuania, her work focuses less on the future and more on the unknown. Presence. Not prediction. What’s sacred? Not only what’s next. Kristina is passionate about helping people to perceive mythically and sense archetypally to better understand our shared humanity, yet honor the diverse ways we all live and make meaning. To learn more about Kristina, you can view her TEDx talk: Archetypes and Mythology. Why They Matter Even More So Today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o4PYNroZBY&t=525s
This MythBlast was inspired by The Power of Myth Episode 5, and Goddesses
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In this episode, we are joined by Mollie Adler—a podcaster, writer, and existential thinker whose work deeply explores the complexities of human experience. As the creator of the podcast Back from the Borderline, Mollie challenges us to move beyond surface-level conversations and engage with our innermost selves. Influenced by mythology and the transformative work of Joseph Campbell, her approach is rooted in emotional alchemy—embracing the belief that from the ashes of suffering, something new can arise. Mollie often discusses mental health issues, encouraging her listeners to view mental health symptoms as messengers rather than flaws, guiding us toward alignment with the deepest yearnings of our souls. Drawing from her personal journey, she diverges from mainstream psychiatry’s tendency to "pathologize", offering instead a path of personal transformation and healing that acknowledges trauma, shame, and the challenges of modern life. Through her work, Mollie creates a space for vulnerable conversations, exploring the darkest parts of the human condition in pursuit of self-compassion and renewal. In this episode, she and JCF’s John Bucher discuss her life, her journey into mythology and soul-centered work, and how she has been influenced by Joseph Campbell. Mollie also opens up about her personal struggles with mental health and the topic of suicide. Listener discretion is advised, as sensitive themes are addressed. Find out more about Mollie here: http://www.backfromtheborderline.com/
This Week's Highlights
"People often think of the Goddess as a fertility deity only. Not at all––she's the muse. She's the inspirer of poetry. She's the inspirer of the spirit. So she has three function: one, to give us life; two, to be the one who receives us in death; and three, to inspire our spiritual, poetic realization."
-- Joseph Campbell