Goddess Astarte
Astarte is one of the oldest goddesses in recorded history. She has a shrine at Byblos which dates back to the neolithic age. As her popularity spread through the ages she was known by many different names in different cultures. Some worshipped her as the goddess of fertility and motherhood, whilst others believed she was a strong female figure and a goddess of war. Astarte has been associated with goddesses such as Artemis, Aphrodite and Inanna and indeed these goddesses could represent Astarte under a different name. Her name is also synonymous with the Goddesses Ishtar and Ashart.
According to legends Astarte fell from the stars to the earth. She has been know as known as the ‘Queen of Stars’, ‘Morning Star of Heaven’, and ‘Venus in the Morning’ Another story is that she was the mother of all souls: the moon surrounded by her star children to whom she gave their astral bodies. In Egyptian mythology she first appeared as the daughter of the god Re. She was adopted by the Babylonians and Phoenicians as a particularly strong goddess symbol representing the productive power of nature.
Scholars who have studied Astarte say that she may be recognised as one of the ancient prototypes of the virgin Mary. In Syria and Egypt she was celebrated on 25th December with the dramatisation of the re-birth of the solar god from the celestial virgin.
Along with her many attributes, there are understandably many symbols associated with Astarte. Amongst these are the dove, star, lion, horse and sphinx. You can draw upon the ancient goddess power of Astarte by visualizing the light of the stars pouring down through your crown chakra surrounding you with an iridescent aura and filling you with her bountiful energy and protection.
Just as Astarte drew upon her inner strength and wisdom to face what lay ahead of her, so can we embrace this power. She is a symbol of the independence and spirit that gives birth to our creativity and encourages us with our successes. Astarte is both the maiden and mother goddess and personifies the passion of life, the beauty of our mother earth and the sacredness of all beings.
