5 Pagan Goddesses To Work With: For Witches And Mystics

Goddess energy is widely thought of as receptive, intuitive, and attractive energy within yourself and the larger universe. Historically, Goddesses are depicted as multidimensional, skillful, wise, generous, and protective. Often referred to as the Divine Feminine, Goddess energy is deeply personal, dynamic, and impossible to define. Regardless of your gender identity or your personal understanding of feminine energy, you can look to the depictions of Goddesses throughout time and connect with them through your spiritual practice to become a more powerful witch.

Working closely with a particular Goddess, or contemplating Goddess energy in general, can help you become more aware of their purpose and their contributions to the world around you. Working with this energy can also allow you to embody the traits of the Goddess and exhibit their qualities and talents yourself. When reflecting upon the Goddesses you would like to connect with, consider what aspects of yourself you would like to grow, and study deities who embody these traits.

How will you connect with the Pagan Goddess that lives within you?

How to Discover the Goddess For You 

As Goddess energy is universal, shapeshifting, and multifaceted, many of the same Goddesses appear across cultures, taking on different names throughout time. You may resonate with one particular depiction of a Goddess as she was known in a specific time or place. You may research the transformation of a certain Goddess over centuries and honor all of them as the same entity. Many witches honor a more general, all-encompassing Goddess as one comprehensive aspect of the Divine. 

As there are infinite interpretations of Divine femininity, there are endless Goddesses and emanations to learn about. Working with Goddess energy can help you awaken the Goddess within! It is highly important that you reflect on your inner divinity and develop a relationship to your higher self to develop awareness of the type of energy you would like to cultivate. It can also be very helpful to reflect on your own ideas of gender identity and energy. These journal prompts can aid you in connecting with your needs when it comes to working with Goddess energy:

–> What beliefs do I hold when it comes to the terms “masculine” and “feminine”? Are these beliefs limiting or inspiring?

–> Which traits in myself do I want to strengthen or transmute? Do I view these traits as masculine or feminine, and why?

–> Do I associate my feminine traits as positive or helpful? Why or why not?

–> How have women, and mothers in particular, inspired me?

–> Which aspects of my gender identity have I had difficulty accepting or expressing? Which Goddess exhibits these traits in a way I understand or admire?

–> Which aspects of myself do I consider “Divine”? 

–> What skills, talents, or spiritual gifts do I want to honor in my practice?

How Do I Choose My Goddess?

Many beginner witches ask, “How do I pick my Goddess or Matron/Mother Deity?” Many experienced witches say you do not choose your Goddess, rather you get chosen by her. If you keep an eye open to the signs and synchronicities around you, reflect on the recurring themes in this stage of your Divine path, and meditate to allow spiritual messages in, a Goddess will likely make herself known to you. If a specific symbol, animal, or name has appeared to you repeatedly, this may be a deity trying to come through. Search for deities associated with these motifs, and you are likely to find a Goddess who has shown you more than one sign! It’s important to note that you are not required to work with any deities as a witch, but if you choose to open your heart to Divine energy, it can be extremely beneficial to your practice!

Have you been seeing signs and synchronicities, suspecting that they may be from a Goddess of the Witches? Are you ready to begin your research into the Dark Goddesses available to support your craft? Here are 5 Pagan Goddesses who are loved amongst witches…

Hecate
One of the most worshiped and accessible ancient Greek Goddesses is Hecate, who is heralded as “Queen of the Witches.” She is thought to have originated in Egypt as the Goddess Heqet, a popular Goddess who rules magick and fertility. As she is a powerful sorceress, she helps all witches who contact her manifest their dreams, become confident in their spellwork, and be supportive of one another with their magickal talents. She is a Goddess who encourages you to take matters into your own hands and use your tools to affect change in your community and protect yourself. If you are interested in sorcery, spell work, esoteric studies, and helping others with your magick, Hecate is the perfect Goddess to begin your journey with! Like her mother Nyx, Hecate is associated with the Triple Goddess Symbol. However, she is often associated with the Maiden phase of the Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

If the following signs appear to you, Hecate may be initiating you into her craft:

–> Ravens

–> Black dogs

–> Black Cats

–> The Moon

–> Torches

–> Bonfires

–> Matches

–> The Triple Goddess Symbol

In this video, our magickal guide Rebecca Phoenix will show you how to dedicate an altar to the Goddess Hecate, should you choose to work with her! 

Nyx

Mother of Hecate and primordial Greek Goddess of the Night, Nyx is another beloved Goddess who is protective and encouraging. As she is believed to have mothered over 1,000 deities and taken several lovers.. A maternal role is one you can expect when you accept her nurturing and fiercely protective energy into your life. As she created affection, magick, sleep, death, and much more, her powers are expansive. However, she is most recognized for her psychic abilities and can help her followers grow in their divination practices. 

Nyx was so protective of her gifts that she stayed in a shielded cave in Tartarus, the depths of the underworld. Only those dedicated enough to embark on a treacherous journey to her cavern could receive her wisdom. This speaks to her nature as a matron deity– if you don’t heed her advice with care, you may be subject to psychic chaos! She is a tough matron, but can help you increase your confidence, beauty, sensuality, psychic abilities. She will also encourage your protection spells, such as banishing, revenge, and psychic shielding rituals. Represented by the Triple Goddess, Nyx embodies all phases of womanhood but is most often depicted in her role as the mother.

The following correspondences may be a sign that Nyx is offering her Divine wisdom to you:

–> Owls

–> Bats

–> Horses

–> Bulls

–> Chariots

–> Stars

–> Horned and winged creatures

–> The Moon

–> The Wheel of Hecate Symbol

–> Labyrinths

–> The Triple Goddess Symbol

A depiction of Nyx pulling the night across the sky in her chariot of black horses from a vase ca. 500 B.C., courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum.

Aset (Isis)

The Egyptian Aset, more commonly known by the Greek translation of Isis, is another popular Goddess who is largely known for her healing and resurrection abilities taken from the Sun God Ra. When her jealous brother Seth murdered and dismembered her lover King Osiris, out of her true love and mourning, Aset transformed into a bird and found the scattered pieces of her husband in order to revive him. Being empowered by the Sun, Aset and Osiris conceived their son Horus, who is depicted as having the head of a falcon. Because of his father’s undead state and subsequent reign of the underworld, Horus was said to have both Aset’s Solar Energy paired with Osiris’ powers of darkness.

Her miracle child, devotion to her husband, and close relationship with her supportive sister Nebet-Het all speak to Aset’s prioritization of family and her determination to keep her family unit together. She is a wonderful Goddess to work with if you are interested in heart healing, growing in confidence and determination, working with spirits of passed loved ones, manifesting a devoted partner, healing family issues, or reviving a past situation via magick.

If you encounter these signs and synchronicities, Aset may be initiating you under her wing:

–> Eagles

–> Cows

–> The Sun

–> Mummies

–> Thrones

–> The Tyet Symbol, also known as the Knot of Isis

–> The Ankh

–> The Eye of Horus

–> Horns

Queen Nefertiti being lead by Isis by Charles K. Wilkinson, -1213, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum.

Baba Yaga

If you’re interested in working with Crone energy, the Slavic ogress Baba Yaga is a Goddess of Death who offers the unhinged power of a woman who rejects feminine beauty standards and gender roles with reckless abandon. Not only does she allegedly kidnap, cook, and eat children with her two identically named sisters in their forest hut decorated in human skulls, she flies around in a mortar and pestle, smoking a pipe and guarding the waters of life as a companion of Death to feed on fresh souls. In some descriptions, she is said to have knives for teeth and eyes that can turn you to stone. Despite her naturally haggard appearance, she uses a beauty elixir, but only in order to trick or misguide others. 

Needless to say, Baba Yaga is fearless, unforgiving, and disorderly in her approach. Those who are pure of heart can earn her good graces and receive magickal gifts and wise advice from her. Many who study Baba Yaga awaken to the cyclical nature of life, seeing that creation and destruction go hand in hand. If you practice chaos magick, are reworking your relationship to feminine standards, or would like to embody the shameless energy of the Crone, you may consider opening yourself to her limitless power. Baba Yaga can help you shake up your creative process, experience ego death, unlearn limiting beliefs, release shame, and surrender to your most primal desires.

These signs and synchronicities may be a sign that Baba Yaga is entering your practice:

–> Howling Winds

–> Tea Kettles

–> Black Tea

–> Russian Foods and Desserts

–> Hunting Birds

–> Skulls

–> Cauldrons

–> The Sun

–> Hansel and Gretel tropes

–> Chickens and chicken legs

Crafting a horrible little hut for Baba Yaga on your altar is a wonderful way to honor her in your practice– if you can handle it!

Brighid

Brighid, the Celtic ruler of Hearth and Home, is another popular Pagan Goddess. Associated with the element of fire and the spring season, this adored matron deity is yet another emanation of the Triple Goddess, though she is most often depicted as the Maiden. As the Maiden, she is always expanding her knowledge of earthly matters and talents. She is known for being a charming poetess and a gifted creator of any domestic craft. She is skilled at cooking, playing instruments, and performing all forms of divination.

If you are looking to become an expert on any creative subject, Brighid can boost your domestic talents and passion for the material. If you are a witch in a creative rut, she can provide you with inspiration, skill, and motivation! Brighid is the perfect Goddess for those who want to manifest or improve their home, become an impressive host, fortify their physical health and nourishment, beautify themselves or their surroundings, have children, or grow their abundance!

These signs and symbols may be a sign from the Fire Mother Brighid:

–> Serpents

–> Rabbits

–> Fireplaces

–> Wheat

–> Spring Flowers

–> Flower Crowns

–> Basil

–> Instruments

–> Baby animals

–> Eggs

Weaving a Brighid’s cross is a lovely way to connect to the Goddess while crafting a protection and prosperity symbol that can be placed above your doorways or at your altar.

How To ‘Work’ With Your Goddess

So, you’ve recognized the presence of a Goddess in your life. Now what? Well, just like any friend in the earthly realm, you need to work to bond with your Goddess. There are endless ways to do this, and each witch’s relationship to a Goddess will be personal and unique. Here are some of the most common ways to bond with a deity in order to gain their wisdom and keep their presence a powerful and benevolent force in your practice.

1. Give her an offering.

2.Depending on the Goddess, the nature of this offering will vary. Many common offerings to Goddesses are food, baked goods, tea, fruit, fresh flowers, homemade art, figurines, jewelry, poetry, shells, stones, or water. Make sure to research your Goddess to find out what they like, and take note of their presence following the offering to learn what works and what doesn’t!

3. Build your Goddess an altar.

If you work regularly with a Goddess and want to honor her in a more permanent way, you may choose to create her an altar space. Consecrating a sacred space just for her offerings and rituals is a wonderful way to prove your dedication to maintaining a relationship. Altar items may include a photo or figurine of your Goddess, her favorite flowers, animals, and colors, offerings, and specific tools you use when working with her. Be sure to keep this space tidy and refresh offerings frequently to make it a welcoming space for her.

5. Connect to her through Divination.

Goddesses are enigmatic and serve a unique purpose in every witch’s life. To receive personal messages from your Goddesses use divinatory tools. Some examples are tarot and oracle, pendulums, tea leaves, meditations, or any other form of divination you prefer. Divination can reveal visions from your Goddess and give you psychic insight directly from her! 

In this video, Rebecca Phoenix will share with you the best divination tool for communicating with any Pagan Goddess or just the general archetypal energy of the Goddess. She also demonstrates a divination ritual for you to connect with your deity!

4. Speak to your Goddess often.

The easiest way to keep an open line of communication with your Goddess is to speak to her out loud and let her into your heart. Tell her directly what you are thinking and feeling and trust that she can hear you. If you are struggling to hear her response or are unsure of her presence, ask her to show you a sign, such as an animal she is associated with.

5. Research and read about your Goddess.

As much as you communicate your desires and feelings to her, it is important that you show the same interest and commitment to her by learning her story, her varying emenations, her roles in society throughout history, and her correspondences. This will ensure that she can make herself known to you in endless ways, and that you are honoring her in the correct ways.

Closing the Circle

Be patient and open minded when seeking a Goddess to work with in your practice. Remember that it’s completely normal for Goddesses to come and go throughout your life. There may be times when you strongly feel her presence, and times when she seems quiet, or even absent. It’s very common for a connection with Deity to ebb and flow, as it helps to lead you to your next destination. Do not panic if a Goddess does not seem present in your life – she will probably return at some point, and the timing will be perfect when she does. These absences can also be an opportunity to connect with another Goddess for this season of your life.

I’m sending you so much encouragement and positive energy as you tap into Goddess magick. May it supercharge your practice and bring you the wisdom and support you seek to enhance your journey!

With Love,
Galena Stormrider