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Sheela Na Gig; How the Divine Feminine has always been able to project her seed better than the Masculine
Here we reclaim the Goddess Sheela Na Gig as she should be seen and explore how this energy is seen within you, and how to ensure the Toxic Mother within, does not effect her. This is a second of three Lillith shift articles for you. I would love to hear your thoughts and please sign up to get the next installment.Catch up on the first here!
Sheela na gig is the deity which displays her vulva; you may have seen her image in lots of cultures, and this is her Celtic name. You have likely read that she is waiting for the seed of her man, patriarchally interpreted, as a friend told me recently, by Victorian archaeologists & historians, as an image of a fertility religion. (ewww, what victorian gentleman wants to think about that hot sticky mess?!)
We know that the pagan gods and goddesses represent so much more than fertility, but also the interpretation of the Sheela na gig as a woman laying prostate waiting for a man, any man, to validate her existence in this world through making her a mother, is an insult to every woman.
With Beltane embers still smoldering in the damp air, now is the time to fully explore your personal connection to the Divine Feminine within and the Sexual Self she inhabits, no matter your gender identity. Too long have we danced around the May Pole . . .
When I connect into this figure, the Goddess Sheela Na Gig, I get it full flat in the face, that she is not waiting for anyone. She is birthing. She is not birthing a child, that fallacy which women have been made to believe is our divine purpose on this planet, the toxic mother within all of us currently. Instead what she reveals to us is that our divine purpose is to use that energy centre which we have, which can create life, is to manifest, and to create for ourselves.
Her belly is not generally depicted as full. There is no seed of the male in site. Instead we see a woman, The Divine Mother, owning her femininity, owning the way that her vagina looks without apology. Displaying her cosmic vulva, for all to see; her gateway to the Universe hidden within the delicate and intimate folds of herself.
As this energy bursts into the world and projects out into the world, everything that she is. This is her divine action in being. This is her divine motion and projection and externalisation.
The penis of her male counterpart, interpreted very differently. A phallus for all to see and worship; some sexually frustrated victorian male imagining scenes of ‘women bowing down to his, I err mean it’s, majesty’. 😉 So why was this this never applied to the feminine?
When we instead reflect upon how both of these figures manifest we see two different attitudes and results.
The male spreading it’s tiny seeds all over the place, ready for other people to grow. The majority of them thrown away without a second thought. And those that do catch, do they even know what becomes of them? Traditionally it is seen that it is far easier for a man to simply disown the seed which grows into a child, than a woman is able. Some very practical and evolutionary reasons behind this. My feeling behind the Divine Masculine God which stands behind is phallus is the seed is a gift, given to you. You spend your time and energy initially growing it, but he provides the fertile ground for it to flourish, tending in a guidance and mentorship, but giving divine sovereignty back, not just to the person that grows it within, but primarily allowing the seed; the child, project or venture (I am not equating a child to a project; I am talking about symbolism and energetic starts) to do exactly as it needs to, without much interference. Allowing it to follow it’s own path and knowing it will become exactly what it needs to.
What we now see with the divine feminine figure is instead; placing her own seed within her womb. She grows it, cares for it and nurtures it. She nurtures herself in preperation for it. And after several month, when it is mighty and great and ready, and only when it is ready, she births it into the world.
So let’s think again about the Sheela Na Gig within; about what type of a manifestor and projector are you?
The Divine Feminine; finding is hard to let go, nurturing and caring, until you are sure it is ready to fly? And when it does fly, still holding that space for care, nurture and love. Be careful with the Toxic Mother. She can over nurture, not allowing any space for them to learn to trust themselves, instead learning to rely on ‘mummy’. She may not care for herself; pouring everything into her produce and forgetting that you can only give not from a full, but an overflowing cup. Forgetting that she is herself the Goddess, and her offspring need to be shown that to worship her, is to watch her worshipping herself.
Or the Divine Masculine? An easier more trusting guidance, not holding much attachment to that which doesn’t work out, but being there when needed. Ensuring the Toxic Father energy of not caring in practical or emotional ways does not overbalance; moving onto the next project too quickly.
The truth, that balance comes from embracing both of these in balance within ourselves.
First of all though, let’s remember that we are at a time where the need to allow the Sheela Na Gig to direct us in balancing the Toxic Mother and Toxic Father; her story and message being long forgotten and long not spoken.
To connect into the Sheela Na Gig; find an image you like and pop it on your screen saver on your phone or other device; even better print it out and offer her a candle, flowers, herbs or burnt offerings. Sing to her; she shows me damp and cold long barrows and tombs where singing was performed in her honour. Ovular shapes, art or sculpture bringing her energy closer.
Mostly she shows me self love, self care, self honour. From the moment you look at your face in the mirror in the morning, and wash and adorn your body in it’s varying ways, to those who you let see your secret spaces. Her power makes those who are weak turn away from her; forcing them to see a part of herself which is all they are capable of understanding. But you are only an aspect of her and must be more gentle with your energy; only allow those who are worthy to see and explore your secrets spaces. Whether that is the intimacy of your vagina (other secret sexual spaces are available!) or the new ideas which have yet to be birthed; watch who you allow close. As you learn who to allow close and who to banish, you lean in closer to her. As you feel her energy course through your Sovereign self, what she shows you is how to display your intimacy and use it to make those who are not worthy of you to turn away, and those that are to sit down and worship you, as in turn you sit down and worship them.
She shows me more: newly birthed mothers brought to her for healing; babes which passed before their time placed in her care in the tombs. How the Mothers would come to her and pray for the lives of their children in times of crisis. How she would inspire them on the whisps of the wind in their hair, feeling their wishes and wants on the ripples of the water, aborbing their sorrow in their tears as they wept and screamed into the deep, dark recesses of the earth, and how the fire ignited their sexual self and desire through the licking heat of it’s flame.
The Sheela Na Gig is the Goddess within, and she wishes to be seen once more.
I personally loved this article in the guardian where in Ireland the Sheela Na Gig has faced a project to artistically address the unmarried mother and baby scandals which were sadly perpetrated by the Catholic Church. Just the name of the article is great; an important read. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/08/big-vagina-energy-the-return-of-the-sheela-na-gig
As always I relish your thoughts, resonances and opinions. Please like and comment!
Love as always
Rachael x
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