Welcome to the Temple of Cybele

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
Temple of Cybele
Tucson, Arizona USA

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.
(right) Roman statue of the Great Mother Goddess Cybele, made over 6000 years later.

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,
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.

With deadly wounds he gall'd the distant foe,
launching Gortynian shafts from Lycian bow;

Gold was the casque on the diviner's head,
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."

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.
No shelter has Apollo, nor sacred laurel leaves;
The fountains now are silent; the voice is stilled.
It is finished.

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.

Email Priestess Jean

Thanks for visiting, and Many Blessings !