A very significant aspect of our religion concerns our relationship with the Goddess... not a mere awareness of Her historical image, or some dogma which was passed on to us through books or clergy, but a genuine, ongoing, interactive relationship.

There are two ways that such a relationship will typically begin... through intellectual study and contemplation, or by being "called". Each path is valid, and ultimately leads to the same destination, although they are quite different in the way that they occur.

Being called is a rather sudden and suprising experience, although it is relatively rare. In most cases, people's instincts simply tell them that there are other dimensions to life beyond the mundane world that we see around us, and their curiosity leads them to investigate such things as philosophy, spirituality, and metaphysics.

Intellectual study is very satisfying, in terms of revealing to us the noble heritage of our tradition, and the way the world came to be as it is... but the deeper beauty of our religion lies in it's direct personal experiences with deity, and the profound understanding of the universe which that provides.

So how should a person who is coming to the Goddess by the path of intellectual study seek to have a direct personal experience with Her ? Simply experimenting with things on your own is not a particularly effective way to go about it... indeed, some special training is required.

Most people assume that such training begins with spiritual matters, but in fact that's not actually the case. What is really needed is to first re-examine our own way of thinking, in order to find and correct certain flaws which may exist. Everyone that I know of, who was successful with their quest for spirituality, has done this... whether it was consciously, through some formal process, or in a more subconscious and intuitive manner.

Fortunately, there is a formal process that I can recommend... the study and practice of Zen. This will be discussed in more detail in the chapter entitled "Thinking with Your Heart", but for now, let's just say that this first step, self-improvement, is often overlooked... which is the most frequent cause of poor results in the long-term. After all, we cannot make a beautiful carving with a dull knife, no matter how earnestly we may try. Our minds, like the blade of the artist's knife, must first be sharpened, if we are to obtain the best possible results.

Following the self-improvement process, you may begin to work towards establishing direct contact with the Goddess. There are several factors which will affect your results, including the quality of your preparation, your natural abilities, and the dedication that you bring to the practice.

One of the methods which we have found useful is to clear your mind before bed each night, much as you did during the Zen training, and ask the Goddess to show Herself to you. Of course it takes some experience to distinguish between genuine dream-state contacts and ordinary dreams. You'll find more information about that in the chapter entitled "Dreams and Visions".

Another method involves learning to perform an offering ritual. The presence of the Goddess is often felt during an offering, and a waking experience is less ambiguous than one which occurs in dream-state. More information about this technique can be found in the chapter entitled "The Offering Ritual".

Using methods such as these, you may encounter the Goddess, and begin to learn more about Her nature. Basically, the Goddess exists in a metaphysical dimension of the universe, which is all around us. This was once quite commonly perceived, although it is seldom recognized now, because people have been blinded by the tyranny of logic, intimidated by skeptics and pseudo-intellectuals, and disillusioned by the hypocrisy of false religions.

As people lost contact with the Goddess, they placed the survival of this planet in jeopardy. Unless we can once again regain an understanding of Her ways, then the human race will perish. A great battle is now upon us... one which will not be fought with the sword, but with words and ideas alone.

We must remember that the Goddess does not act directly upon the affairs of this world, but requires us to be Her eyes and ears, and the hands which do Her work. Every follower of the Goddess therefore has certain duties... to strive for peace, to preserve the beauty of the Earth, and to defend the lives of all creatures which She has placed here.

In time, you will become more familiar with the metaphysical dimension in which the Goddess exists, and more skillful at bringing yourself into contact with Her. No one can predict what sort of things She may reveal to you, or exactly how it may affect your life. In some cases She may call on you to join the clergy. This can be a very serious committment, however it is also one of the most rewarding ways of life that you will ever find.