Welcome to the Temple of Cybele
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Introduction
The worship of a Great Mother Goddess is by far the oldest form of spirituality
known. Although the earliest archeological evidence comes from the area of southern
Turkey, around 7000 BCE, the belief has also been found in virtually every other
Neolithic culture that we have discovered, throughout the world. The fact that a
Mother Goddess was perceived independently by so many different groups of people
is quite a remarkable and significant thing.
Around 4000 BCE, worship of the Mother Goddess was common throughout Europe and
the Middle East, however nomadic warriors from Asia began to invade the area,
bringing with them a violent male war-god. From the merging of these two belief
systems came the various pantheons of deities that most people usually think of
as "pagan". Eventually, the followers of the war-god Yahweh (i.e. Christians)
gained control, and systematically persecuted and destroyed all of the other
religions.
For many centuries, their powerful clergy maintained a strict control over
popular beliefs. Only recently have people attained the right to practice the
religion of their choice, and to speak more openly about it. In addition,
modern communication, the mass media, and especially the internet, are making
information available which would have been suppressed in earlier times.
Consequently, as people begin to see the true nature of the patriarchal
religions, they are turning away from them, and re-discovering the genuine
spirituality of peaceful ancient paths such as ours.
This website is part of that spiritual re-awakening. It was created to help
people to learn more about the religion of the Great Mother Goddess. I've tried
to present a well-documented and accurate history, free from the bias and
misconceptions so often found in other sources. Following that, I've provided
detailed information about the modern revival of the religion, which is now
in progress.
The Temple of Cybele welcomes people of all genders, orientations, and
gender-identities. Our practice follows classic ancient form. Our gracious
Goddess is responsive, personal, and accessable to all... and our religion is
just as rewarding now as it always has been, for it's truth and beauty touches
the hearts and minds of all who encounter it.
Many Blessings !
Priestess Jean
Early Evidence
On a windswept and lonely hill in southern Turkey stands one of the oldest and
perhaps most significant archeological sites on Earth. Built around 7000 BCE,
Catal Hoyuk
was mankind's first true city... a fully equiped residential masterpiece, with a
population of over 5000. Here we find the earliest woven fabrics, systems of
agriculture, the domestication of animals, and the first clear evidence of the
Goddess.
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
underground storage rooms. 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 6200 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 southern Turkey, as early as 7000 BCE.
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 evaluation of DNA, linguistic and archeological evidence. One possible motivation
for this invasion was a climate change known as the
Piora Oscillation
, which caused 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 allowed them to
travel great distances, and launch rapid 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.
Between approximately 4000-3000 BCE, the Kurgans conquered all of Europe and the
Middle East. They believed in a supreme warlike male sky-god, which they installed as
the primary deity everywhere they went. In general we may regard patriarchal male gods,
violent gods of war, and gods of the sky or the sun, as being descended from the
original Kurgan gods.
Thus, peaceful ancient societies were forced to modify their Goddess-based religions,
and adopt more patriarchal and violent ones. However, in the area of central Turkey
(and a few other isolated areas) religion did not undergo this sort of a change.
Perhaps because the population was widely dispersed and difficult to dominate, their
older religious beliefs remained much more intact there.
Recorded History
The earliest records that we have concerning Turkey begin around 2400 BCE. From
them we learn that the central and southern parts of the country were occupied by
an artistic and peaceful group of people known as the
Hattians.
They were indigenous to the area... the descendants of the Neolithic culture that
had built such magnificent cities as Catal Hoyuk. Unfortunately, our knowledge about
their religious practices is rather limited, except to say that they appear to have
developed a small pantheon of deities, within which the Great Mother Goddess played
a major role.
Around 1700 BCE, another ethnic group known as the
Hittites
entered Turkey, most probably from the general area of the Ukraine. The Hattians
recognized the military superiority of the Hittites, and wisely chose to befriend
them and cooperate with them, allowing them to take control of the area without any
resistance. As a result, a good relationship developed, and the Hittites eventually
adopted many of the Hattian cultural and religious practices. As time went by, the
Hittite pantheon was expanded to include deities from several other cultures in the
area, however the Great Mother Goddess always continued to play a major role.
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
Mycenaean Greeks
soon afterwards. The Greeks then began to construct colony cities in western Turkey,
while the former territory of the Hittites was taken over by another group called the
Phrygians
, who entered the area from the eastern Balkans.
The Greeks and the Phrygians got along well. Although they mainly worshiped warlike
male sky-gods, they allowed the people of Turkey to continue to observe their own
religious traditions. In fact, the Greeks and Phrygians eventually came to respect
the Great Mother, adopted Her into their pantheons, and built many beautiful new
temples for Her.
Even the name "Cybele" comes to us from the Greeks. On the central west coast of Turkey
(which was the primary area of the Greek colonies) the Great Mother was known as
Kubaba.
The Greeks translated that into Kybebe, and the Romans later translated it into
Cybele... the modern name that we now use.
The Phrygian empire lasted from about 1200 BCE to about 700 BCE. From about 700 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 the
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 700 BCE
various wars occured, and the Greeks were alternately forced out and then returned.
From the standpoint of religion, however, the worship of the Great Mother continued
without interruption, until the Christian persecution of the pagans began, in about
300 CE.
Now let's take a look at some of the more significant aspects of the religion, such
as it's association with prophecy, the spread of the faith as a result of contact
with the Greeks and the Romans, the myth of Attis, and the esoteric "mystery cult"
which later developed.
The ability of some of our Priestesses (known as
Sibyls)
to receive prophetic communication from the Goddess, through dreams or in a state
of trance, is perhaps one of the most fascinating and impressive qualities of the
religion. Exactly when this practice began is uncertain, however we find reference
to it from very early times. It should be noted that a prophecy, in the ancient
world, was not a prediction of the future... it was an answer to a question, advice,
or guidance with some particular problem.
The Greeks were especially interested in the concept of prophecy, and maintained
some seven major temples in the region of the Aegean Sea that had Sibyls. Each temple
was independent, and there were slight 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 issued the more mundane and relatively unimportant prophecies
to the common people, whereas the Sibyl herself only prophesied for higher ranking
persons such as wealthy patrons, military and political leaders, etc.
Although Apollo is often thought to be a Greek god, he actually originated in Turkey
before 1300 BCE. The Turks called him
Apaliunas
, and his subordinate relationship to Cybele and feminine appearance strongly indicates
that he was created by Cybele's Priestesses. In his role as a god of prophecy, Apollo
(and the Oracles) were apparently intended to act as a buffer, to prevent the masses of
ordinary people from making excessive demands on the Sibyl herself.
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... therefore, 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 her 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 woman,
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
courage to do something like that.
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 not able 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 from
the temple of Cybele, and supervised the Oracles, who worked at a nearby temple
dedicated to Apollo.
The island of
Samos
, located near 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. They rebuilt the main temple on three occasions,
until it ultimately became one of the largest in the ancient world. The temple was
officially dedicated to
Hera
, which was a name used for the Great Mother by Greeks from the area of
Argos.
As usual, the Sibyl supervised a group of Oracles, who worked at a nearby
temple of Apollo.
Concerning the Persian Sibyl, once located somewhere in northern Iraq, very little is
known. The exact 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 arrangement, 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, very 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 about 700 BCE, and it
followed the usual pattern. The first Sibyl of Troy wrote the
Sibylline Books
, in about 650 BCE. These books were a collection of prophecies about great world
events, which 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 colony, built around the year 1000
BCE, which consisted of the usual arrangement of a temple of Cybele next 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.
The entrance to the palace is located 75 feet up the side of Mount Cumae. The narrow
passage is over 400 feet long, and trapezoidal... an ingenious design that is earthquake
resistant. It is illuminated by a series of windows cut through the rock on either side.
The main chamber has a 60 foot high ceiling, with six galleries that open 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 is also equipped with natural geo-thermal heating and hot springs. Paintings,
tapestries and mosaics presumably once decorated the floors and walls, while statues and
other objects of art must have been present in abundance.
Between the year 650 and 530 BCE, the Sibylline Books were moved 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, 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 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. Consequently, for the next
500 years, the worship of Cybele was the most popular religion in the known world,
and Her Sibyls and Oracles continued to prophesy for Kings and Emperors alike.
In addition to the locations already mentioned, some very large and significant
temples of Cybele also existed at the following cities in Turkey: Ephesus, Sardis,
Didyma, Priene, Aizani, Smyrna, Magnesia, Hierapolis, Claros, Phocaea, Pergamon,
Gordium, Pessinus, and on the islands on Delos, Lesbos and Chios. Other places
where temples could be found were Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, France, England,
Egypt, and throughout the Middle East.
Next, let us briefly mention the myth of
Attis.
He began as a minor deity who was added to the religion of Cybele around 600 BCE,
at the city of Pessinus. His mythology is complex, and has a number of variants,
however the general idea is that Cybele fell in love with Attis, and when he became
involved with another woman, She got angry, and out of remorse Attis castrated himself
and died. Cybele missed Attis, and so She resurrected him from the dead, as a woman.
The myth was apparently created by the transsexual Priestesses as a teaching tool,
and it does contain some interesting lessons for anyone considering joining their
ranks... for example, it seems to imply that romantic involvements with women are
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. Unfortunately, the myth of Attis eventually
caused some serious problems, which we will discuss in more detail later.
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. 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
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 that was found 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.
Now let's close this chapter with the description of Chloreus, found in Virgil's epic
poem
"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 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 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
common, 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 offensive misconceptions are no longer accepted by the modern public, who
are now beginning to adopt a more accurate and enlightened point of view.
Other Incarnations
Let us now consider a few examples which show how the definition of the Great Mother
was modified and corrupted in some of the areas surrounding Turkey, as a result of
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 introduced. The primary deity was now
Teshub
, a horse-riding, weapon-bearing male god of sky and storm... and Hannahannah, once
Queen of all creation, had been transformed into
Hebat
, a 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 the home of 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 deities. For
example, in Sumer, the primary deity was now
Anu
, a destructive and judgemental male sky god... and the Mother Goddess Nammu had been
transformed into
Ninhursag
, a 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. This area has an extremely 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. El's spouse was called
Asherah
(or Athirat in northern Syria). 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 Mother Goddess, in becoming the spouse
of a Kurgan male war-god, as an initial compromise between the conquerors and the
conquered people. However, once the concept of mutliple deities became accepted,
societies began to fabricate all sorts of "second generation" gods and goddesses,
who would often posses much more violent and Kurgan-like qualities.
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 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.
Most of the Kurgan cultures were satisfied with attaining military and political
dominance in their area, and so long as their particular war-god was the highest
ranking deity, they were unconcerned with any other beliefs that the conquered
people might have. Yet, in one case, a group of invaders decided to engage in
a much more radical and intolerant behavior.
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 violent male sky-god known as
Yahweh.
For several centuries, the Hebrews allowed the Canaanites to equate Yahweh with El,
and to worship Asherah and Astarte as spouses of Yahweh. Over time, however, their
levite Priests came to see this as a threat to their power, and declared that the
Canaanite religions were corrupting their people. They then asserted that only the
worship of Yahweh was acceptable, and that the worship of all other deities must be
eliminated.
In about 900 BCE, the Hebrew
King Asa
began by destroying all of the Canaanite temples in Judah, and murdered their Priests
and Priestesses. Next, in 840 BCE,
King Jehu
mass-murdered every non-Hebrew in Samaria, and destroyed their temples... killing
over 30,000 men, women and children. Then, in 620 BCE,
King Josiah
outlawed all non-Hebrew religions throughout Canaan, destroyed all of the remaining
temples, and murdered all of their Priests and Priestesses.
The Hebrews were the first people known to commit religious genocide, yet their
behavior was largely confined to the area of Canaan at the time. Later however, as
the worship of Yahweh spread, a similar pattern of religious genocide would be
repeated... but on a much larger scale.
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
conquest and exploitation will eventually encounter. The government was faltering,
and a nervous population was searching for some form of salvation. As a result, the
worship of Yahweh and the Hebrew prophet Jesus (i.e. Christianity) was gathering
both social support and political influence.
Eventually a pro-Christian Emperor by the name of
Constantine
came to power. In 313 CE, he issued several edicts which brought Christian clerics
into the Roman government, and made their ecclesiastical laws into 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 non-Christians (now referred to
as "pagans") began. The temple of the goddess Astarte in Palestine was destroyed, and
all it's transsexual Priestesses were murdered. Next, the transsexual Priestesses at
the temple of the Nile were murdered, and when the population rioted, the temple complex
and the library were also destroyed, and the female Priestesses were all raped and
murdered.
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, because of it's popularity and the prominence of it's
transsexual Priestesses. Over the next few years, nearly every major temple in
Turkey, Egypt and the Middle East was destroyed, and their Priestesses murdered.
A civilization which had once been so advanced, in terms of it's art, literature,
science and philosophy, soon lay in ruins... it's great temples and libraries, it's
culture and traditions, gone. The temple of Apollo at Delphi, once the heart of the
ancient world, was ordered closed. The Oracle spoke for the last time in 393 CE :
Tell the king; the fair wrought house has fallen.
In 410 CE the western Roman empire finally collapsed. 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
Byzantine
(eastern Roman) empire survived a great deal longer. During the 5th and 6th centuries,
under emperors like
Justinian and
Tiberius II
, 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.
Many great teachers, doctors, scientists and intellectuals perished in the genocide.
This had the effect of plunging the world into what we call the "dark ages", a period
of nearly 1000 years of poverty, disease, and ignorance. By the time the human race
began to recover from this holocaust, the Christian empire had taken control over
virtually every aspect of western religion, and all record of our ancestors beliefs
had either 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 quality of the religion is it's age. We have indisputable
evidence of the Goddess going as far back as 7000 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 contribute 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 was 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.
In addition, the support of the transsexual Priestesses, who were regarded as having
a divine connection, as well as the existance of the Sibyls, with their cryptic
prophecies and visions, constituted a persuasive body of evidence in favor of the
power of the Goddess.
Finally, the actual worship of Cybele was a very pleasant and simple thing, relative
to the other religions. It required no personal sacrifices, nor did it contain any stern
commandments. It endorsed all the basic pleasures of life, so long as nobody was harmed,
and the celebrations and feast days were well known for good food and drink, merry music
and other hedonistic activities.
Now let's discuss the changes that occurred in the final centuries of the religion,
which almost certainly 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. Strange new metaphysical practices and deities proliferated,
while the genuine aspects of spirituality began to be lost.
Even the religion of Cybele was swept up in this competition. Prompted by a public
desire for a more prominent male deity, Attis was elevated from a minor character
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
promote Attis as the god of the moon... and still later, his role was changed
again, to the god of the sun. Clearly, this sort of blatant pandering to the
public was a tragic mistake, which must have seriously damaged the credibility
of the religion, and resulted in a major loss of support.
The Modern Revival
Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation on the internet about the
practices and beliefs of our religion. Naturally, when the Christians took over
they altered history to support their own agenda, and only those ancient sources
which expressed a negative view were allowed to survive. That is why comments by
authors such as Lucian, Pliny, Juvenal, Lucretius and Catullus are so brief and
superficial. Not one of them was an initiate of the faith, or knew anything about
the beliefs of the religion... instead, they merely comment on some of the worst
examples of sensational behaviors that they observed.
Modern historians such as Lynn Roller, Maarten Vermaseren, Philippe Borgeaud and
Will Roscoe still continue to repeat these stories of castration in the street,
Priestesses begging for hand-outs, wild orgies, and the drenching of people in
bull's blood. They continue, against the weight of all evidence, to refer to our
transsexual Priestesses as "castrated eunuchs", and to perpetuate the most harmful
and inaccurate stereotypes, while presenting absolutely no genuine insights into
our religion.
On the other hand, I highly recommend the work of archeologists such as Gordon
Childe, who laid the foundations for the Kurgan invasion hypothesis; Jacquetta
Hawkes, who began the discussion of ancient gender-egalitarian societies; James
Mellaart, whose excavations at Catal Hoyuk produced a wealth of evidence of
Goddess worship; and Marija Gimbutas, who demonstrated that egalitarian societies
and Goddess worship were in fact typical throughout late-Neolithic Europe and
the Middle East.
Several other authors that I also recommend are Riane Eisler, whose extensive
analysis of the Kurgan invasion, in "The Chalice and the Blade", is highly
acclaimed and enlightening... and Leslie Feinberg, whose book "Transgender
Warriors" presents an excellent general account of the role of transsexual
Priestesses and Shamans throughout history.
One other very important point that I would like to make concerns the
misconception often circulated by modern feminist Goddess groups, to the
effect that the religion of the Goddess is for women only, or is oriented
towards women specifically. There is absolutely no historical basis for any
such claims. All people are children of the Goddess... and persons of all
genders have always worshipped Her, together and in harmony.
While I can understand the resentment many feminist groups feel towards
patriarchal social paradigms, these paradigms are not the result of any
inherent flaw in men... rather, they were introduced by Kurgan barbarians
to serve their own selfish desires, and in many ways the adverage man has
become as much a victim of this system of domination, as have women. If we
are to correct these faulty social and cultural paradigms, then men and women
must work together. When feminism misrepresents the religion of the Goddess,
it alienates men, and makes that task more difficult.
Let me remind everyone once again that our temple is open to persons of
all genders, orientations and gender-identities... and although in ancient
times our clergy was usually composed of women and male-to-female transsexuals,
in the modern revival of our religion, any qualified person may be ordained.
Now let me try to outline the basic beliefs of our 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.
We envision the Goddess as the primordial force which is responsible for the
creation of the universe. Although She has been known by many names, and we honor
Her in any form that She may be found, we regard the Goddess Cybele as being the
most correct and accurate representation of Her.
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.
Our religion does not have any precise set of rules or 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.
Of course, a Priest or Priestess can usually offer some advice, if you request it.
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 requires no complex interpretation. There are some very typical
characteristics of these visions which I won't reveal here, in order to prevent
any possible falsifications. Suffice to say that these things play a very significant
role in our religion.
Next, we believe that all living things have a spirit-energy. It has historically
been the responsibility of the Priestesses to insure that these spirit-energies are
properly dealt with at the time of death. If they are not, then people may not find
peace... which is the cause of so-called "ghosts" or "apparitions". Fortunately, our
modern clergy is capable of resolving such matters.
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.
Initiates may explore the metaphysical aspects of our religion through a series of
"mystery teachings" which we offer. The first mystery concerns the subject of dreams
and visions. It is recommended for those who wish to have a better understanding of
prophecy and direct experience with the Goddess.
The second mystery involves the subject of spirit-energies. It is intended for those
who wish to gain a deeper insight into the phenomena of death. The third mystery deals
with malevolent sorcery and certain hostile forces which may sometimes be encountered.
It is recommended primarily for those who are preparing to become a Priest or Priestess.
Finally, I think it's clear from historical evidence that the myth of Attis ultimately
became problematic, and therefore we have chosen to disregard it. The same can be said
about the ritual of the Taurobolium. Since they involve concepts such as resurection
from the dead and eternal life, they are not in harmony with our fundamental beliefs,
and have no place in the modern practice of our religion.
Joining the Temple
There are no fees of any kind involved with membership. All we ask is that you
have read our website, and agree with our core beliefs. You may then contact us,
and ask to join the Temple. If your request is approved, an initiation ritual
will be performed for you, usually by telephone.
Once that is done, you will have access to many member benefits. To begin with,
we will provide you with assistance in setting up an altar, and instructions for
performing a basic offering ritual. This is the most common method by which a
person may have a direct spiritual encounter with the Goddess. Our standard
offering ritual has been proven to work very well, but of course you are free
to modify it, or create a new one of your own, if you wish.
Next, you will begin to receive our monthly newsletter, and have access to the
archives where the past issues may be viewed. In addition, you'll be invited
to join our online chat group, where members may socialize and exchange ideas.
Finally, you will receive access to the three mystery teachings, which contain
detailed descriptions of the advanced metaphysical aspects of our religion.
After a member has passed through these three mystery teachings, they may ask to
be ordained as a Priest or Priestess. Naturally, making a decision to dedicate
their life to the service of the Goddess is a very serious commitment. If their
request is approved, they will be ordained, and will then receive furthur
training and assistance to help them with their work.
Duties of a Priest or Priestess
Entering into the service of the Goddess may begin in two ways. Most commonly, after
a suitable period of study and reflection, a person may make an intellectual decision
to dedicate their life to Her. The other method is somewhat more unusual... a person may
be called by the Goddess through a series of dreams and visions. That is what happened
to me. Although I was skeptical at first, I eventually realized that my experience was
genuine, and after careful consideration I accepted the calling.
A modern Priest or Priestess will face many difficult challenges. They must be prepared
to discuss the beliefs and philosophy of their religion with the public. They must be
able to provide advice and comfort to those who are experiencing difficulties with
issues such as family conflicts, death and dying, etc. Their behavior must set a good
example for others, and inspire respect in the community. They must maintain an altar,
observe regular rituals, and be ready to perform special rituals when the occasion
arises. And of course they must posses the necessary credentials to perform services
(such as marriage) legally in their state of residence.
The regular rituals involve such things as daily offerings and celebrations of the
solstices and equinoxes. Special rituals involve things like the initiation of new
followers, the elevation of a follower to a Priest or Priestess, the dedication of
altars, marriages, and services for the spirits of the dead.
Perhaps the most important skill that a Priest or Priestess may posses is the ability
to part the veil which seperates the worlds, to allow direct contact with the Goddess,
or to interact with spirit-energies or other entities, if the occasion requires it.
That is something which to a small degree can be taught, although for the most part
it must come as a gift from the Goddess Herself.
The Rituals
While belief in the Great Mother is an intangible thing, it is in ritual that we make
a very real connection with 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
frame drum, a flute, and 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 !
Temple of Cybele
Tucson, Arizona USA
____
(right) Roman statue of the Great Mother Goddess Cybele, made over 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."
No shelter has Apollo, nor sacred laurel leaves;
The fountains now are silent; the voice is stilled.
It is finished.