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Welcome to the Temple of Cybele
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Introduction
Hello, my name is Jean, and I'm a transsexual Priestess in service to the Goddess
Cybele. I've created this website to provide you with some information about the
history of the Goddess, and the modern revival of Her religion.
In brief, Cybele is descended from a primordial Mother Goddess, whose origin can be
traced back to the Neolithic period of 6000 BCE. Often referred to as the "Great
Mother", Her worship is mankind's oldest known religion, predating all others by
thousands of years.
Born in the "cradle of civilization" (ancient Turkey), our beliefs focus on a love
of nature and respect for the Earth, as well as direct personal experiences with
the divine. Although classified as Pagan, the religion is monotheistic (one deity
only). In addition, it has some unique metaphysical aspects, primarily in the form
of visions and prophecies. Moreover, the Priestesses who serve the Goddess have very
often been transsexuals.
Sit back and prepare yourself for a journey to an ancient land of mystery and miracle,
as we discover why this amazing religion was once the most popular and influential
faith in the known world... and why it's experiencing a significant revival today.
Early Evidence
One of the many interesting places where early evidence of the Great Mother has been
found is at the Neolithic site (circa 6000 BCE) of Catal Hoyuk, which is located in
central Turkey, near the town of Cumra. In it's day, Catal Hoyuk was undoubtedly the
largest city in existence, with a population of about 10,000. Here we find the earliest
known woven fabrics, carved wooden bowls, systems of agriculture, domestication of
animals, and a formalized religion.
The houses were built of mud brick with timber frames. Kitchens had cooking ovens built
into the walls. Baskets of grain, tools and other supplies were kept in storage rooms below
ground. Agricultural products included wheat, barley, and various fruits and vegetables.
Cattle and goats had been domesticated, and hunters brought in deer and wild pig. Objects
made from obsidian, calcite, alabaster and marble indicate that the townspeople traveled
several hundred miles from the settlement on a regular basis.
Work on the Catal Hoyuk site is still in progress, however of the 300 houses excavated
so far, fully 88 have contained shrines dedicated to a Mother Goddess, and dozens of
primative carved figures of the Goddess have been found. She is usually represented
seated on a throne, surrounded by a pair of lions... clearly the image that we know
today as the Great Mother Goddess Cybele.
(left) Mother Goddess statue from Catal Hoyuk, circa 6000 BCE. Note the lions.
Without a written language, we shall never know what the people of Catal Hoyuk called
themselves, or what they called the Goddess, but it is quite clear that they existed
in central Turkey, around 6000 BCE.
From 6000-4000 BCE the region remained peaceful. Some migration of the indigenous
peoples may have occurred, but it is more likely that the spread of the religion of
the Great Mother resulted from trade, which developed with nearby areas such as the
Balkan countries to the north and the Middle Eastern countries to the south. One
way or another, a common religious heritage was known to exist throughout the region,
during this period.
The Kurgan Invasion
Beginning around 4000 BCE, waves of nomadic tribesman began to invade Eastern Europe
and the Middle East, from the area we now call the Ukraine. This has been confirmed by
an evaluation of DNA, as well as linguistic and archeological evidence. One possible
motivation for this invasion was a change in the Earth's climate known as the Piora
Oscillation, which involved a drop in global temperature that made it harder for the
Kurgans to find or produce food in their original location.
At that time, Europe and the Middle East were populated by peaceful, egalitarian
settlements that had never known organized warfare. The people were agrarian, sedentary,
spiritual, and artistic. Their settlements had no defensive walls, they had no standing
armies, and weapons of war had yet to be invented. By contrast, the Kurgan society was
patriarchal and warlike, and they had domesticated the horse, which they had learned to
ride. The horse allowed them to travel great distances, and to launch rapid surprise
attacks on unprepared people.
It is at this time that we see the advent of defensive fortifications, and the creation
of organized military forces in Europe and the Middle east. Whether it was from the
success of the Kurgan attacks, or the defensive reaction to them, the ancient world was
changed profoundly. As the concern for warfare became predominant, the role and position
of women in society was also very seriously compromised.
During the period of approximately 4000-3000 BCE, the Kurgans conquered all of Europe
and the Middle East. They believed in a supreme warlike male sky-god, who they installed
as the primary deity in the conquered lands. In general we may say that male gods, gods
of the sky or the sun, and violent gods of war are descended from these Kurgan gods, and
were obviously created to sanction and glorify their warlike and patriarchal attitudes.
Thus, peaceful societies were forced to abandon their monotheistic beliefs, and adopt
more complex and violent ones... however, in the area of central Turkey, religion did
not undergo this sort of a change. Perhaps because the population in that region was
widely dispersed and difficult to dominate, they were far less often affected by warfare,
and the religion of the Great Mother was able to remain much more intact there.
Recorded History
Turkey was somewhat late in the development of writing, so the first mention that we
have about their civilization comes from their nearby neighbors, around the year 2400
BCE. They refer to the area as the "Land of the Hatti", and say that the people there
worshiped a Great Mother Goddess called Kubaba. In addition, they mention that the
Goddess was served by transsexual Priestesses.
The Hatti controlled the central and southeastern parts of Turkey, including northern
Syria and Lebanon, until about 1700 BCE. After that, a different ethnic group from the
same general area became dominant, who were known as the Hittites. The transition from
Hattian to Hittite control of the area was peaceful, and the Hittites continued to
observe many of the same religious practices as the Hatti, using the same name (Kubaba)
for the Great Mother.
In about 1200 BCE, the Trojan war broke out between the Hittite empire and the western
states of Turkey. The Hittites were defeated, but the victory of the western states
was brief, because they were attacked and defeated by the Greeks shortly aferwards.
The Greeks then began to construct colony cities in western Turkey, while the former
territory of the Hittites was taken over by a group called the Phrygians, who came
down from central Europe.
The Greeks and the Phrygians got along well. Although they both worshiped some warlike
male sky gods, they also allowed the people of Turkey to continue to observe many of
their older religious traditions. Thus, the worship of the Great Mother survived.
The Phrygian empire lasted from about 1200 BCE to about 500 BCE. From about 500 BCE to
about 300 CE, a series of other powers conquered the area, but allowed the Phrygians
to rule as their proxies. Finally, around 300 CE, the Christian persecution of Pagans
began, and within a few centuries the religion of the Great Mother had been destroyed.
The story of the Greek colonies in the western states was similar. After 500 BCE, those
areas traded hands a number of times, and the Greeks were alternately forced out then
returned. From the standpoint of religion, however, the worship of the Great Mother
continued mostly without uninterruption there, until Christian times.
Let's take a closer look at some of the more significant events in the history of the
religion. These include the spread of the faith as a result of contact with the Greeks
(and later the Romans), the emergence of the Sibyls, and the creation of the myths of
Apollo and Attis.
The Greeks first began trading with the more advanced civilizations of Turkey around
3000 BCE. This resulted in many benefits, for example they learned how to make bronze
from the Turks, as well as techniques of architecture that would enable them to
construct the large buildings and temples that they would later become so famous for.
During the Greek colonial period, the Greeks continued to strengthen cultural ties
with the local people, and embraced their religious beliefs. They eventually merged
aspects of Cybele with their own deities, and generously re-built many of the temples
of Cybele that had fallen into disrepair or been dammaged during the war.
Even the name "Cybele" comes to us through the Greeks. They translated the Hattian
or Hittite name Kubaba into Kybebe, and later the Romans translated that into Cybele,
which is the modern name that we now use.
One of the more interesting features of the religion of Cybele was the ability of
some of the High Priestesses (known as Sibyls) to foretell the future, through dreams
or in a state of trance. Exactly when this practice began is unknown, however we find
references to it from very early times.
The Greeks were especially impressed with the concept of prophecy, and maintained
some 7 major temples in the region of the Aegean Sea that had Sibyls. Each temple
was independent, and there were some variations in their operation, but in general
the Sibyl was served by her own staff of Priestesses from the temple of Cybele, and
supervised another group of Priestesses, known as the Oracles, who worked at a nearby
temple dedicated to Apollo.
The Oracles of Apollo gave out the more mundane and relatively unimportant predictions
to the common people, whereas the Sibyl herself only prophesied for higher ranking
persons such as wealthy patrons, military and political leaders, etc.
Apollo, by the way, is often thought to be a Greek god, however he actually originated
in Turkey, before 1300 BCE. The Turks called him Apaliunas, and his subordinate
relationship to Cybele and feminine appearance strongly suggests that he was created
by Cybele's transsexual Priestesses. In his role as a god of prophecy, Apollo (and
the Oracles) apparently were intended to act as a buffer, to keep the masses of
ordinary people from making excessive demands on the Sibyl herself.
This may be a good time to mention the myth of Attis, since he was a character in some
ways similar to Apollo. His myth was added to the religion during the Phrygian period,
around 600 BCE. The myth generally states that Cybele had an adopted son, who She fell
in love with. When he became involved with another woman, Cybele got angry, and Attis,
out of remorse, castrated himself and died. Cybele missed Attis, and so She resurrected
him from the dead, as a woman.
The myth was obviously created by the transsexual Priestesses as a teaching tool, and
it contains some interesting lessons for anyone considering joining their ranks... for
example, it seems to imply that a romantic involvement with a woman is inappropriate,
and might "make the Goddess jealous" (as well as causing obvious social complications).
In addition, since castration in ancient times was probably very dangerous, the myth
seems to offer courage, by promising resurrection (in the desired gender) if anything
goes wrong.
The myth of Attis also provided an excuse for several additional celebrations and feast
days. The "Dies Sanguinis" ("Day of Blood") corresponds with the spring equinox, and is
considered to be the day that Attis died. That is marked with wild displays of grief and
sacrifice. Then, 3 days later, the "Hilaria" occurs, which is considered to be the day of
Attis's resurrection, and is marked with a festival of intense rejoicing and ecstasy.
Unfortunately, as we shall see later, the myth of Attis eventually caused some problems...
but for now, let's continue with the story of the Sibyls.
Most of the Sibyls were of Turkish origin, as were the Priestesses who served them. The
Greeks gave these Priestesses the amusing name of "Melissae", which means "honey bees",
and indeed, they seemed to swarm about the temple in a state of constant activity, much
like honey bees around a hive.
Inside the temple, on a raised pedestal, would be found a large statue of Cybele. In
the back of the statue there would usually be a small hollow area where a meteorite would
be kept. Since meteorites had fallen from the heavens, they were strongly associated with
the Goddess, for obvious reasons. Placing a meteorite inside the statue was believed to
animate it, and connect it more directly to Her.
The daily life of a Priestess was full and happy. When not occupied with the maintainance
of the temple or the performance of rituals, she would spend time in artistic ways, such
as the making of beautiful clothing. Long flowing dresses made of colored silks would have
been typical. The Priestesses also made fine jewelry, usually from silver and gemstones
such as sapphire and jet. In addition, they composed poetry and music, made wine, hosted
parties, and engaged in grooming and pampering each other on a regular basis.
An interesting practice of the Sibyls was to disguise themselves as a peasant and travel
around the countryside, in order to gain insight into the mood and feelings of the common
people. This earned them a very favorable reputation, by demonstrating their concern for
their followers, and showed that they possessed both the humility and the courage to do
something like that. It also caused peasant women in general to be well treated, as there
was always the possibility that they might happen to be the Sibyl in disguise.
The temple complex at Delphi, in central Greece, was one of the most famous locations
to have a Sibyl. It had been in use for religious rites since Neolithic times, although
the first Sibyl did not actually arrive from Turkey until about 1300 BCE.
At first the Sibyls of Delphi worked alone, and consequently they were unable to keep
up with the demands of the common people, and prophesied only for the rich and powerful.
Eventually, around 800 BCE, they adopted the solution already in use in Turkey, and
added a temple of Apollo, with a staff of Priestesses to serve as Oracles. This enabled
them to issue an adaquet number of prophecies to meet the needs of the ordinary people.
The accuracy of the prophecies of the Sibyls of Delphi was legendary, and some of the
stories are really quite fascinating... the story of Codrus, King of Athens, is a good
example.
In 1068 BCE, when the Dorians were invading Greece, they paused at Delphi to inquire
as to what the outcome of their attack would be, and were told that provided that
the King of Athens himself was not harmed, they would be successful and would rule
the land. But if Codrus were to be killed, they would suffer a terrible defeat.
Word of the prophecy reached Codrus, and after disguising himself as a peasant (much
like the Sibyl herself was known to do), he made his way to the Dorian encampment,
where he deliberately provoked a quarrel with a group of soldiers and was killed. As
soon as the Dorians realized that they had killed the King of Athens, they reversed
their course and retreated from the country as quickly as possible. So great was their
belief in the prophecy, that Codrus was able to save his entire nation by simply
sacrificing his own life.
Codrus was the last King of Athens. His people decided that no one could possibly be
worthy to succeed him, and so the title of King was abolished and the title of Archon
was substituted for it. The first Archon of Athens was Codrus's son, who ordered the
renovation of the old temple complex at Erythrae, on the central west coast of Turkey.
The Great Mother had been worshipped at Erythrae for thousands of years before the
Greek renovation. When the new temples were completed in about 1000 BCE, they followed
a pattern that was to become typical... the Sibyl was served by her Priestesses at
the temple of Cybele, and supervised another group of Priestesses, known as Oracles,
who worked at a nearby temple dedicated to Apollo.
The Island of Samos, located off the southwest coast of Turkey, was home to another
famous Sibyl. The Great Mother had also been worshipped there long before the Greeks
took over the temple complex, around 1000 BCE. As usual, the Sibyl supervised the
Oracles at the temple of Apollo.
Concerning the Persian Sibyl, once located somewhere in ancient Babylon, very little is
known. Even the location of the temple complex has been lost to us, although it certainly
existed long before the Greeks arrived. We are told that when under Greek control it
consisted of the usual pattern, with the Sibyl supervising the Oracles at the temple of
Apollo. Perhaps archeologists will one day discover the remains of these temples, and
we shall be able to learn more about them.
The Libyan Sibyl was located at the Siwa Oasis, in the Libyan desert... which is in the
western part of modern-day Egypt. Again, little is known about this Sibyl, beyond the
fact that she supervised the Oracles who in this case worked at the temple of Zeus-Amon.
It is said that Alexander the Great once inquired of the Libyan Sibyl concerning his
right to rule Egypt, and she wisely advised him that he was divinely selected to do so.
The Hellespontine Sibyl (also referred to as the Sibyl of Troy) was located in the town
of Dardania, on Mount Ida, near Troy, on the west coast of Turkey. The temple complex
was built in approximately 700 BCE, and followed the usual pattern. The first Sibyl of
Troy wrote the "Sibylline Books" in about 650 BCE. These books were a collection of
prophecies of great world events, and would have a profound effect on the history of
the religion of Cybele and the Roman empire.
The Cumaean Sibyl (also known as the Cimmerian Sibyl) was located at Cumae, which
is near Naples, Italy. This was originally a Greek site, built about the year 1000 BCE,
and consisted of the usual arrangement of a temple of Cybele adjacent to a temple of
Apollo. In this case we know that there was a beautiful underground palace for the Sibyl,
which today is open to the general public. A brief description of the palace may prove
interesting.
The entrance to the palace begins 75 feet up the side of Mount Cumae. This narrow
passage is over 400 feet long and trapezoidal, an ingenious design that is earthquake
resistant. It was lit by a series of windows cut through the rock on either side. The
main chamber itself has a 60 foot high ceiling, with 6 galleries that opened onto the
sea, providing ventilation. Passages lead to the Sibyl's audience chamber, as well as
to Mount Avernus with its ancient volcanic crater, and to a set of fresh water cisterns.
The palace was also equipped with natural geo-thermal heating and hot springs. Paintings,
mosaics and tapestries presumably decorated the floors and walls, and undoubtedly statues
and objects of art, many made of solid gold, were present in abundance.
Between the year 650 and 530 BCE, the Sibylline Books, which had been written by
the Sibyl of Troy, were moved first to Erythrae, and then to Cumae. When the Sibyl of
Cumae decided to sell them to the last King of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, in about 530
BCE, there were 9 books in the set. At first the King refused to buy them, so the Sibyl
began to burn them. After she had burned 6 of them, the King relented, and purchased
the remaining 3 volumes for an astronomical price.
The books were kept under guard, supervised by Priestesses from the temple of Cybele
and the temple of Apollo. Thus, the possession of the books, which had been written by
a Sibyl who served the Goddess Cybele, and referred to religious practices and rites
that the senators of Rome were not familiar with, forced them to learn many details
about the religion. This paved the way for the future entry of Cybele into Rome.
The books were consulted on numerous occasions over the centuries, to obtain advice in
dealing with earthquakes, pestilence and plagues. Finally, in about 200 BCE, Rome was
under heavy attack by the forces of Hannibal, and the Sibylline Books were consulted
again. The Books prophesied that if Rome would accept the religion of Cybele as their
official state religion, they would be saved, and Hannibal would be defeated. At the
same time as this was revealed to the Roman Senate, a message arrived from the Oracle
of Delphi stating exactly the same thing.
The Senate therefore adopted the religion of Cybele as the official religion of Rome,
and Hannibal was miraculously defeated, just as the prophecies had foretold. A temple
for Cybele was built on Palatine Hill in Rome, and Her religion spread throughout the
empire, reaching as far as England and Germany soon afterwards.
This was an extremely significant event, in the sense that a heavily Kurganized
society such as Rome elevated a peaceful, ancient Mother Goddess to a position above
their own warlike male gods... and clearly reflects an admission that the metaphysical
abilities of the Sibyls exceeded anything that their own Priests were capable of.
Consequently, for the next 500 years, the worship of Cybele remained the most popular
religion in the known world, and Her Sibyls would continue to council and prophesy for
Kings and Emperors alike.
Finally, a few words about the so-called "mystery cult" that developed around the
worship of Cybele might prove interesting. This could best be described as a center
for advanced learning, which enabled people to attain a more prestigious position
among followers of the religion, without actually becoming a Priestess. It took the
form of a series of initiations, each of which was said to result in some type of a
special enlightenment or benefit.
The center for this activity was the island of Samothrace, which is located in the
northern Aegean. The building of the temple complex was begun around 700 BCE by the
Greeks, and was expanded over time by others, including the Phrygians and the Romans.
It was visited by many powerful patrons over the centuries, such as Philip of Macedonia,
Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Hadrian, etc. all of whom were initiated.
Unlike other mystery schools, the temple complex was open to all... in fact, persons
of every social status and rank mixed freely and were treated as equals while there.
Temples for lesser goddesses such as Hecate, Demeter and Aphrodite were also present,
and of course many of the same basic rituals found in other Greek temples were practiced
there as well. In addition, in mid-July a very popular special festival was held,
which featured numerous sacred dance and theatre events.
Initiations into the mysteries were given whenever an applicant presented themself.
In the first stage, simply called "the myesis" ("the mysteries") certain secrets and
symbols were revealed to the applicant, and they were given certain protective talismans
such as a red sash, or a ring made from magnetic iron ore that was present on the island.
The second stage was called "the epopteia" ("the contemplation") and required the
applicant to make a public confession of their misbehaviors, followed by an absolution
and a ritual cleansing. The applicant was then required to stand on a platform and
recite the doctrine of the religion while displaying the objects that they had received
during the myesis.
Little is known about the third stage, other than that it involved some type of a
private transcendental experience that was induced by the use of hallucinogenic drugs
such as DMT, LSA, or psilocyben, which the Priestesses produced from various local plants
and mushrooms. Excavations currently in progress on the island are yielding a wealth of
artifacts, and hopefully more information will soon become available to us.
In addition to those locations already mentioned, some very large and significant
temples of Cybele also existed at the following cities in Turkey: Aizani, Pessinus,
Hierapolis, Sardis, Pergamon, Ephesus, Didyma, Priene, Smyrna, Magnesia, Gordium,
Phocaea, Claros, and on the islands on Chios, Delos and Lesbos. Other major temples
also existed in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, France, England, Egypt and throughout the
Middle East.
Now let's close this chapter with the description of Chloreus, as found in Virgil's
epic "The Aeneid". Chloreus was a legendary High Priestess of Cybele and a Sibyl of
Cumae. She rode with the Trojan forces into battle around 750 BCE, to defeat the
Latins and establish the city-state of Rome.
Virgil's use of "politically incorrect" male gender pronouns for Chloreus is useful in
this case, since it serves to illustrate that the High Priestess was in fact transsexual.
Note also the reference in line 8 to Chloreus as "the diviner"... a reference to her
status as the Sibyl of Cumae.
"Chloreus, sacred to Cybele, her Priest,
With deadly wounds he gall'd the distant foe,
Gold was the casque on the diviner's head,
The flowers which were embroidered on Chloreus's hose were obviously a tribute to
her namesake, Chlorus, the Greek goddess of flowers.
A High Priestess riding into battle is certainly very unusual, and must have given
the Trojan forces a tremendous boost in confidence. In addition, Virgil's description
of Chloreus, although using incorrect gender pronouns by today's standards, clearly
demonstrates the respect and affection that the Roman people felt for her, as one
of the great founders of their city.
Transsexual Priestesses
In the ancient world, many of the Goddess religions employed transsexual Priestesses.
The religion of Cybele was certainly the most noted for it... although of course many
genetic female Priestesses also served Cybele as well.
Historians sometimes incorrectly identify transsexuals as genetic females. Many of
the Priestesses lived as women, used feminine names, and were very "passable"... for
example, the Sibyls, who usually lived in isolation, were often mistaken for genetic
females. However, if we examine Michelangelo's paintings of the Sibyls, as found in
the Sistine chapel, we clearly see them portrayed as transsexuals.
The Sibyl of Erythrae, by Michelangelo. Note her muscular arms and lack of breasts.
So what then was the general attitude of ancient civilizations towards transsexuals ?
Why were so many of the Priestesses transsexual, and what was it about them that made
them suitable for the job ? Let's briefly consider those issues...
From the beginning of time, there have always been persons whose psychological gender
did not match their physical gender. This occurs because of a rare variation in human
genetics. Scientists today have discovered that there is a difference in the DNA of
transsexuals, as well as in the actual structure of their brains. In addition,
transsexuals often posses a high level of intelligence... and although it is difficult
to prove, they also seem to posses more sensitivity to psychic and metaphysical energies.
In the ancient world, this was considered to be a gift of the Goddess, and transsexual
Priestesses had a mystical and honored place in society.
Since a transsexual woman may feel uncomfortable about having a male body, it is a
logical development that she should desire to be castrated. Once this practice became
commonplace, it was found that it often had the effect of increasing the psychic or
metaphysical sensitivity of the individual. Therefore transsexuals, who frequently already possesed above adverage psychic senses, became even more capable following castration...
and this helped them to become excellent Priestesses and Sibyls.
Many historians altogether lack this crucial understanding of the transsexual Priestess,
for a number of reasons. First, they have no real experience with the matter, and second,
they seem to have a natural aversion to the concept of castration and frequently portray
it as the result of mental illness, or as an act of excessive religious fervor. Fortunately, these trans-phobic misconceptions are no longer being accepted by the modern public, who
are now beginning to adopt a more accurate and enlightened point of view.
Other Incarnations
Let us now examine a few specific examples of how the concept of the Great Mother
was modified and corrupted in some of the areas surrounding Turkey which were very
heavily affected by warfare during the Kurgan invasion.
The area of southeastern Turkey, northern Syria and northern Iraq was originally the
home of the Halaf, and later the Hurrian cultures. They originally worshipped a Mother
Goddess known as Hannahannah, but by the year 2500 BCE, things had changed. A new set
of Kurganized gods and goddesses had been adopted. The primary god was now Teshub,
a horse-riding, weapon-bearing male god of sky and storm... and Hannahannah, once
Queen of all creation, was transformed into Hebat, the subservient spouse of Teshub.
Farther southeast lies Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates
rivers, located in present-day Iraq. This area was once home to the Sumerian, Akkadian,
Assyrian, and Babylonian cultures. Around 4000 BCE they were known to be worshipping
a common Mother Goddess called Nammu, but by 3000 BCE each culture had adopted a new
set of Kurganized gods and goddesses. In Sumeria, for example, the primary god was now
Anu, a destructive and judgemental male sky god... and the Great Mother Goddess Nammu
was transformed into Ninhursag, the subservient spouse of Anu.
Directly to the south lies Canaan, the land west of the Euphrates river. That consists
of western Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. The area has an incredibly complex
history, and no definite records of the early Mother Goddess have survived. By the year
2500 BCE the primary god in the area was El, a promiscuous, jealous and violent male
god of the sky. The name of El's spouse varies slightly, depending on the area and the
dialect... for example it was Athirat in Ugarit (northern Syria) and Asherah furthur
to the south. It seems very probable that these wives of El were derived from the
original Mother Goddess in much the same way as it occured elsewhere.
We may consider the reduction in status of the Great Mother, in becoming the spouse
of a Kurgan male god, as an initial compromise between the conquerors and the conquered
people. In some ways, that allowed these "first generation" modified versions of the
Great Mother to retain many of their original characteristics. As time went by, however,
a series of new "second generation" goddesses would be created, who would have far more
violent and Kurgan-like qualities.
The union of the male sky-gods with the Mother Goddess created the possibility of them
having children, in the minds of ancient peoples. In this way, a large "family" of new
gods and goddesses developed. For example, from the union of the Sumerian god Anu and
the goddess Ninhursag came the grandchild Inanna, frequently classified as a goddess of
"love, sex and war".
If we examine the poetry of the Sumerian High Priestess Enheduanna (2285-2250 BCE)
who wrote extensively about the goddess Inanna, we see her portrayed as a rather
blood thirsty and frightening entity, far removed from the benevolent Mother Goddess
archetype. Other second generation goddesses such as the Assyrian goddess Ishtar and
the Canaanite goddess Astarte also have similar disturbing qualities.
At this point it seems apparent that man had begun to fabricate gods and goddesses
to suit the attitudes of the new Kurganized society. Naturally, that is not the way
things really work. I once asked the Great Mother if any of these other deities had
any merit, and this is what She told me: "All that man has created is false... only
I am real, and I am alive and living within you." I believe that needs no furthur
explanation.
So, the invasion of the Kurgans, with their false patriarchal gods that were obviously
created to sanctify their acts of murder, rape and pillage, initially subjugated and
later corrupted the original peaceful and benevolent Mother Goddess religions which
had been indigenous throughout Europe and the Middle East.
The Mother Goddess cultures were neither inclined nor prepared to fight, so they
yielded to the invaders, while attempting to maintain their traditions. In some
areas, however, the invaders were not satisfied with that, and wished to do away
with the Goddess cultures entirely. The story of Canaan is a good example, since
it is well recorded by many sources.
About the year 1200 BCE, a group of nomadic raiders called the Habiru (later known
as the Hebrews) attacked and conquered Canaan, and installed a series of Kings. They
worshipped a male sky-god known as Yahweh, who was identified with El. For several
centuries, the Hebrews allowed the Canaanites to worship Asherah, as the spouse of
Yahweh, and also Astarte. Over time, however, their levite Priests came to see this
as a threat to their power, and declared that the Canaanite deities (later referred
to as "Pagan" deities) were corrupting their people. They then asserted that only
the worship of Yahweh was acceptable, and that the worship of any other deities
must be eliminated.
In about 900 BCE, the Hebrew King Asa began by destroying all of the Pagan temples
in Judah, and murdering all of their Priests and Priestesses. Then, in 840 BCE, the
Hebrew King Jehu mass-murdered every Pagan in Samaria, killing over 30,000 men, women
and children, and destroyed all their temples. Next, in 620 BCE, the Hebrew King
Josiah outlawed all Pagan religions, destroyed all the remaining temples, murdered
their Priests and Priestesses, and even went so far as to force the Pagans to dig up
the graves of their ancestors and burn their bones.
The Final Years
By about 300 CE, the winds of change were beginning to blow across the ancient world.
Rome at this time was experiencing major economic problems, as any empire based on
greed and conquest on such a large scale might expect to encounter. Christianity was
gaining political influence, and eventually a pro-Christian Emperor by the name of
Constantine came to power.
In 313 CE Constantine issued several edicts which brought Christian church clerics into
power within the government, and adopted their ecclesiastical laws as official Roman
laws... similar to the way that the Taliban government in Afghanistan adopted Islamic
religious law as their state law, and gave Islamic clerics local legal authority.
It was not long until the persecution and murder of Pagans began. The temple of the
goddess Astarte in Palestine was destroyed, and all the transsexual Priestesses were
murdered. Next, the transsexual Priestesses at the temple of the Nile were murdered,
and when the population rioted, the temple complex was also destroyed along with the
library, and the female Priestesses were all raped and murdered.
Pagan Persecution Under Constantine - Part I
Pagan Persecution Under Constantine - Part II
The temple of Asclepius was the next to be destroyed. By 350 CE it had become illegal
to practice a Pagan religion, and temples were being looted and burned. This proved to
be a profitable experience for the now bankrupt Roman empire, since temples often
contained religious objects made of gold which could be melted down and turned to coin.
All across the empire, people were forced to convert to Christianity or face torture or
the death penalty. In 386 CE the temple of Zeus in Syria was destroyed, followed by the
temples at Carrhae and Hieropolis. In 389 CE Theodosius became emperor, and continued
the destruction. The temple of Isis in Alexandria was next, followed by the temple of
Tanit in Carthage, and innumerable smaller temples.
In 390 CE Theodosius issued orders that all transsexual Priestesses were to be murdered,
by torturing them to death or burning them at the stake. Christian death squads roamed
throughout the empire, eager to carry out these horrible orders. The religion of Cybele
was especially hated by them, due to it's popularity and prominence of it's transsexual
Priestesses. By 397 CE virtually every temple in Turkey, Egypt and the Middle East had
been destroyed, and their Priestesses murdered.
Pagan Persecution Under Theodosius - Part I
Pagan Persecution Under Theodosius - Part II
In 410 CE the western Roman empire began to collapse. Looting the temples had provided
some quick cash to keep it going for a while, but when that ran out, the completely
bankrupt empire, with it's old social fabric destroyed and it's people terrorized by
their own government, quickly fell to an attack by the Vandal chieftain Alaric.
The eastern Roman (Byzantine) empire would survive a great deal longer. During the 5th
and 6th centuries, under emperors like Justinian and Tiberius II, the destruction of
the last remaining Pagan temples continued... as did the murder of their Priests and
Priestesses, and anyone else who refused to accept Christianity.
Pagan Persecution Under Justinian and Tiberius
Many great teachers, doctors, scientists and intellectuals perished in the genocide.
This had the effect of plunging the world into what we now know as the "dark ages",
a period of nearly 1000 years of poverty, disease, and ignorance. By the time the
human race managed to recover from this holocaust, the Christian empire had secured
complete control over virtually every aspect of life, and all record of our ancestors
beliefs had been altered or destroyed.
An Evaluation
Let's briefly review the qualities that made the worship of Cybele the top religion in
the ancient world, and kept it there for so many centuries.
The first noteworthy characteristic of the religion is it's age. We have indisputable
evidence of the Goddess dating back as far as 6000 BCE, which certainly pre-dates any
other known religion. As time went by, and more complex religions with their myths and
traditions came about, people would always remember that Cybele had been there first,
and that would lend a sense of both respect and credibility to Her worship.
Next, we have the concept of the Great Mother Herself, envisioned as a force which gave
birth to all things, and which governs all of the creatures of this world. She is nature
personified and made divine, at a time when nature, not mankind or technology, obviously
ruled. This simple concept has broad and universal appeal, and enabled the religion to
cross all social and cultural lines quite effortlessly.
The support of the transsexual community, who were regarded as possessing a divine gift,
was considered as further evidence in favor of the Goddess. Moreover, when some of these
transsexual Priestesses evolved into oracles (the Sibyls), with their cryptic prophecies
and visions that had an uncanny way of coming true, it was regarded as still further
evidence of the power of the Goddess.
Finally, the actual worship of Cybele was a very pleasant and simple thing, relative to
other religions. She required very few special observances, nor did She issue any stern
commandments. She endorsed all the basic pleasures of life, so long as nobody was harmed
in the process, and Her celebrations and feast days were well known for good food and
drink, merry music and openly hedonistic sex.
Now let's discuss the changes that occurred in the last few centuries of the religion,
which partially contributed to it's downfall.
By the year 100 CE the Roman empire had become large and unwieldy, and it's capitol
contained a veritable circus of religions, all vying for popularity and economic support.
Prompted by a public desire for a more prominent male god, Attis was elevated from a
minor figure to a god fully equal to Cybele Herself. This was certainly the worst and
most arrogant blunder in the history of the religion.
Next, when the concept of life after death became popular, the temple of Cybele began
to promise it to selected individuals. Around 150 CE they instituted the ritual of the
Taurobolium, which was supposed to confer immortality upon the recipient by anointing
them in the blood of a sacrificial bull.
Later, public fascination with the stars and planets prompted the religion to change the
role of Attis again, this time into the god of the moon... and later they changed him yet
again, to the god of the sun. This lead to a great deal of confusion among the followers.
Clearly, there was heavy competition among the Pagan religions of the time, and they
seem to have engaged in blatant pandering to the public on virtually any level that they
could. Soon, their overall complexity reached a mind-boggling level, and their willingness
to alter their practices and beliefs to suit the whims of the popular imagination began
to seriously erode their credibility.
This therefore created a desire for some sort of a new religion... and Christianity, with
it's simple and relatively more plausible doctrine of a single deity, appeared to be the
answer.
The Modern Revival
The worship of Cybele is experiencing modest growth in the Pagan community, however
the number of followers is still fairly small, and they are widely scattered. At the
moment, the religion seems to appeal mainly to transsexuals and women. Of course, the
worship of Cybele originally also had a strong appeal to men, and I do hope that in
the future more men will become involved.
Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation on the internet about the
practices and beliefs of the religion, and it's very difficult to find a coherent
account of anything there. One of my goals in the creation of this website was to
provide an accurate history of things. I've tried to stick to easily verifiable facts,
which can be quickly confirmed using Wikipedia, although in a few cases you might have
to do a little more research.
I highly recommend the work of Marija Gimbutas, a world famous archeologist whose
research in the areas of Neolithic culture and Mother Goddess worship is highly
acclaimed and enlightening. Another wonderful author is Leslie Feinberg, whose book
"Transgender Warriors" presents an excellent account of the role of transsexual
Priestesses and Shamans throughout history, and in many cultures.
Regarding the Goddess Cybele Herself, unfortunately very little useful referrence
material is available. The works of modern scholars such as Lynn Roller, Maarten
Vermaseren, and Philippe Borgeaud are of limited value. Those authors are generally
hostile to the Goddess, and obviously lack any personal experience or appreciation
of Her.
In my case, I was "called" by the Goddess through a series of dreams and visions.
I questioned Her with an open mind, and received answers from Her each time. It
became clear to me that my experience was completely genuine, and after very deep
and careful consideration, I accepted the calling, and became Her Priestess. This was
a tremendous and unexpected honor, and has profoundly changed my life in many ways.
There is, of course, a more ordinary way to come into the service of the Goddess.
After a suitable period of study and reflection, a person may make an intellectual
decision to commit their life to Her. This is certainly also a very valid path.
Let me try to outline the basic beliefs of the religion, as I understand them. I
base these statements not only on my study of history, but also on my personal
experiences with the Goddess, and the insights that She has given me.
First, our religion is essentially monotheistic. We believe that the Great Mother
is the divine creator of the universe, and that She is the one and only genuine deity
who exists. Of course She has been known by many names, at different times and places...
for example Gaia, Artemis, and Isis, to name just a few.
Next, we believe that the Goddess has placed a little of Her divine spirit within
each of us... and indeed, in all forms of life that we see around us. Consequently,
we posses a deep respect for nature and the Earth, and we hold joyous celebrations
on the solstices and equinoxes, to mark the natural cycles of growth and renewal that
link us to our planet, our heritage, and our ancestors.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of our religion involves direct personal contact
with the Goddess, during ritual. Each follower will usually have an altar or a small
shrine in their home, where they will make a daily offering to the Goddess. At that
time She may appear to them, and for a few beautiful moments they are one. The
experience is so profound and moving that words simply can't describe it.
Beyond that, we manifest our reverence for the Goddess through proper daily action.
We strive to lead an honorable life, to treat others with respect, and to engage in
reasonable behaviors... such as healthy eating, moderate drinking, and safe and
responsible sex.
Next, I think it's clear from historical evidence that the myth of Attis ultimately
became problematic, and therefore we tend to disregard it. The same can be said about
the ritual of the Taurobolium, and the concept of the "mystery cult". None of those
things are helpful or beneficial to the modern practice of our religion.
Next, we believe that all living things have spirit-energy. It has historically been
the responsibility of the Priestesses to insure that these energies are properly dealt
with. If they are not, people may not find peace after death, which is the cause of
so-called "apparitions" or "ghosts". Fortunately, the Priestesses of our religion are
capable of resolving such matters.
Next, the phenomena of prophetic dreams and visions has already been mentioned. This
is a way in which the Goddess often communicates with Her people. A genuine vision is
always quite clear, and needs no complex interpretation. There are some very typical
characteristics of these visions which I will not reveal here, in order to prevent
any possible falsifications. Suffice to say that these things play a very significant
role in our religion.
Regarding the concept of "after-worlds" such as the Summerlands, Heaven, Hell, etc.
we believe those things are entirely the product of man's imagination. This is the
only world which the Great Mother has given us. We are born from the spirit of the
Great Mother, through the Earth, and to Her we are intended to one day return. At
that time we shall find peace, but not in any conscious way.
By the same token, we do not believe in reincarnation. Events from the past can be
remembered through information stored in our DNA. These events occured during the
lives of our ancestors, not in any actual lives of our own. Therefore, remembering
events from the past does not imply that we will somehow be reborn or live again.
Finally, let's remember that the religion of the Great Mother does not have any
precise set of rules and regulations. Our philosophy is that each person should
establish a direct relationship with the Goddess, come to know Her will, and then
use their own judgement in dealing with their personal affairs. And of course a
Priestess can always offer guidance, if you request it.
Duties of a Priestess
A modern Priestess will face many difficult challenges. She must be prepared to discuss
the beliefs and philosophy of her religion with the public. She must be able to provide
advice and comfort to those who are experiencing difficulties with issues such as family
conflicts, death and dying, etc. Her behavior must set a good example for others, and
inspire respect in the community. She must maintain an altar, observe regular rituals,
and be ready to perform special rituals when the occasion arises. And of course she must
posses the necessary credentials to perform services (such as marriage) legally in her
state of residence.
The regular rituals involve such things as marking the solstices and equinoxes, and such
phases of the moon as she may deem appropriate. Special rituals involve things like the
initiation of new followers, the elevation of a follower to a Priestess, the dedication
of altars, handfastings (marriages), and services for the spirits of the dead.
A Sibyl is a Priestess who has received special gifts from the Goddess, of exceptional
intelligence, leadership and an ability to prophesy. As such, she may be considered to be
very closely linked to the Goddess, and her advice and council should be highly regarded.
A Sibyl will generally live in seclusion, and devote herself to the contemplation of
subjects of an ethereal nature, issuing prophecies at a time and in a manner of her own
choosing. In addition, she can assist and advise the other Priestesses, if required.
Preparing for Service
Those who are destined to become a Priestess or a Sibyl have a special role which I feel
requires some preparation. In many ways they become a representative and interpreter of
the will of the Goddess, and therefore certain human frailties, which would otherwise be
considered acceptable, should be eliminated from their personality and behavior.
Egotism must be changed to humility, prejudice to objectivity, patience must be acquired,
and the mind must be taught to open to certain metaphysical energies. I have found that
the practice of Zen is very valuable for this, since it was developed for many of those
same reasons.
Zen is a philosophy with a set of core beliefs, as well as certain methods of putting
them into practice, which will require a fundamental "re-programming" of our conventional
thought process. The first step simply involves learning the core beliefs. These have to
do with understanding how ego works, and what it is. Soon we can see that most ego is
false, and can be terribly dangerous in the hands of anyone who holds power.
A similar realization is required regarding the perception of true reality. Most people
have "filters", in the form of prejudices and other pre-conceived ideas, that interfere
with their ability to see things as they really are. That can be another very dangerous
problem.
And of course, there is the issue of patience. It is not in our nature to be patient,
yet we have all seen the problems that can be caused without it. Every undertaking of
value will require patience, and so it is clearly something that we must acquire.
Once we have seen the shortcomings of our ordinary ways of thinking, it is necessary
to improve things. That is the really difficult task... but for that purpose, Zen has two
powerful methods. One is meditation and the other involves contact with a teacher, who
monitors and corrects us. Many people don't have access to a qualified teacher, and so
meditation is their only option.
Proper meditation simply means sitting still and quietly reflecting on the issues that
I have mentioned, and on your situation, your motives, goals and progress. It is neither
necessary nor is it expected that any immediate results will occur. As your subconscious
mind "processes the data", things will eventually begin to fall into place. What is most
needed is just a regular period of peace and quiet to allow it to happen, and a certain
degree of honest introspectiveness on your part.
When a person achieves a state of mind where they are free of ego-driven actions,
sees reality as it truly is, and has a certain degree of patience, they are said to be
"enlightened". At that point, they are well qualified to become a Priestess or a Sibyl,
and a deeply rewarding metaphysical journey can truly begin.
The Rituals
While a belief in the Great Mother is an intangible thing, it is in ritual that we make
a very real connection to Her divinity. That, of course is ritual's greatest value. In
addition, as a physical act of devotion, it provides an outward sign to others of our
beliefs, and contributes a certain formality to our practice.
Naturally it must be understood that rituals are created by people, not the Goddess.
Consequently, they depend on the ideas of a person, and there is considerable latitude
for variation in what different people may think is appropriate or acceptable. I have
tried to keep my rituals very simple and direct, avoiding any excessive theatrics.
The performance of a ritual in enhanced by the use of an altar which contains various
symbolic objects, such as an image of the Goddess, lions, eagles, offering bowls, a
tympanium, a flute, or cymbals. The Priestess should wear a ritual robe of some sort
to signify that she is engaged in a sacred activity. I allow non-believers to attend my
rituals for educational purposes, or to accompany friends.
My Contact Info
When I accepted the "calling" and became a Priestess of the Great Mother, I dedicated
my life to helping others and doing Her work. If you have any spiritual or metaphysical
concerns, or you merely wish to ask some questions or make a few comments, please
feel free to email me. I'll be glad to help, if I can.
Thanks for visiting, and Many Blessings !
____
(right) Roman statue of the Great Mother Goddess Cybele, made 6000 years later.
in Phrygian arms shone glorious from afar.
Urging on his foamy steed, its saddle-cloth
with brass scales feathered, clasped with gold,
in foreign purple, darkly draped he rode.
launching Gortynian shafts from Lycian bow;
a saffron scarf rustling with gauzy waves
his hair bound into knot of tawny gold,
and golden hose on his legs he wore,
with flowers of needlework covered o'er."
