Need help with mythology or religious figures

[Sanity Claws]

I hope the title of this thread in which I group mythology and religion together does not offend anyone.
I'm writing something and need help in selecting a goddess or mythical female. She should represent the beauty of everyday items, personal adornment or perhaps limited everyday commerce but not big business.
Let me know if you need further info.
Gracias.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. That's a tough one

I would say the household goddesses of pre-history may be what you are after.

Here's a site which tells of the Hindu goddesses:

http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/deities/goddesses.htm

Of the Goddess trinity, Lakshmi would be sort of close, but not quite what you are looking for.

[Sanity Claws]

6. Thanks

Unfortunately, I have already three Hindu gods in the story and am looking to incorporate other myths.

[LiberalEsto]

2. Hestia is the household goddess

from Greek mythology. She might be worth looking up.

[Sanity Claws]

7. Thanks

I will check her out.

[WhiteTara]

30. I love Hestia. She is such a humble

figure. She keeps us warm and fed and makes the cozy nest all with love and devotion. She was my model when I was learning to keep a fire. The fires lasted for about 20 years. The quiet energy it takes to keep the home warm and the wood and ash mess from taking over. I was always grateful for spring.

[MorningGlow]

3. I vote for my Celtic favorite

Brigid is goddess of hearth and home, arts and wisdom.

[Sanity Claws]

8. Good idea

Unfortunately, I need someone outside of the Celtic myth because this goddess is supposed to be romantic figure and inspiration for a leprechaun. Don't want to do a purely Irish romance.

[MorningGlow]

11. Sounds intriguing

Are you writing a novel?

[Sanity Claws]

25. I don't know what I'm writing

I'm inspired to do some writing but have no idea whether it will be anything more than cheap therapy.

[MorningGlow]

27. Doncha love that?

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Richard Bach:

I do not enjoy writing at all. If I can turn my back on an idea, out there in the dark, if I can avoid opening the door to it, I won't even reach for a pencil. But once in a while there's a great dynamite-burst of flying glass and brick and splinters through the front wall and somebody stalks over the rubble, seizes me by the throat and gently says, I will not let you go until you set me, in words, on paper.

:rofl:

[Kind of Blue]

4. I think the Goddess Osun (Oshoon)

may fulfill some of your requirements, Sanity Claws.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshun. Goddess of Fresh Water, Love, fertility, abundance (personal wealth), authentic beauty (the mirror is one of her symbols), flowing joy, feminine power (having influence in creation of the world). Her worship has been carried to the Americas (Ochun), Caribbean (within Santaria) and Brazil (Oxun).

Oshun is the Yoruban Orisha (deity) of the sweet or fresh waters (as opposed to the salt waters of Yemaya). She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, and She especially watches over the poor and brings them what they need. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. In some tales She is said to be a mermaid, with a fish's tail.

Here are some of my favorite images of her. Probably can't see it, but in the first 2 She's carrying a mirror.






Edited for spelling.

[Sanity Claws]

9. This has real possibilites

Thanks

[yankeeinlouisiana]

35. That's who popped into my mind!

n/t

[Celebration]

5. if you want a biblical person--Lydia

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/44346

She had a home business selling purple cloth to people of wealth, and opened her home to Paul, etc.

[Sanity Claws]

10. Interesting person

Unfortunately I'm looking for someone who was not human. Thanks for the response.

[Why Syzygy]

12. Athena.

Protector of peace, the homemaking arts, agriculture. .02

[Sanity Claws]

15. Great goddess

But I think of Athena as being rather intellectual, cool. I just can't imagine her hanging out with a leprechaun, no matter what he gave her to drink.

[Why Syzygy]

16. You're right about that.

She would put him to work!

Intellectual, yes.

[hvn_nbr_2]

13. Not a perfect match for your requirements, but maybe you could adapt one

Greek nymphs?

[Sanity Claws]

14. Hmmm

Not a bad match for a leprechaun.
I'm liking this idea. ;)

[kentauros]

17. My first thought were the Greek Muses

though they might not have all the qualities you need in one single muse. Here's a site that lists the various characters from Greek Myths: Encyclopedia Mythica: Greek mythology

That site seems to be quite comprehensive, so you might look around beyond the Greek mythos, too :)

[Sanity Claws]

18. Thank you

Do you know of other good sites on mythology? I will need someone from the Roman world but haven't chosen the attributes yet.

[kentauros]

19. I may, but those links are at home.

I'm posting from work, so I found that one above from a simple search.

There is at least one other thread around here that I posted some esoteric links to, that might have what you're looking for. If not, then I'll post what I have when I get home later this evening. Thanks to my nick, I do like Greek mythology fairly well, and I'm glad I can help :)

~*~

Okay, I found that one thread, but it is mainly on esotericism and may not be much help, even from the links posted:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=245&topic_id=78896

[Sanity Claws]

24. Thank you!

[kentauros]

29. You're welcome!

And here are the few links I have on Greek Mythology that aren't centaur-specific ;)

http://www.ancientsites.com
http://soulsreflection.com/mysticalcreatures.htm (the home page has more links, too.)
http://www.mythweb.com
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cache/perscoll_Greco-Roman.html
http://victorian.fortunecity.com/palette/187/greece.html

[Kind of Blue]

20. Here are 2 I use to frequent

Goddess Myth Progect: http://faculty.pittstate.edu/~knichols/goddess.html - tons of links.
and good old Bulfinch http://bulfinch.englishatheist.org/

[Sanity Claws]

23. Thank you!

[Metta]

21. Why not just use Goddess?

?

[Sanity Claws]

22. because I'm using various gods and goddesses

in the story. It doesn't seem right to single out one female out and name her "goddess" when so many of the other characters are also goddesses.

[Why Syzygy]

26. Another suggestion..

Nyx, the mother of Eros.

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/n/nyx.html

[Sanity Claws]

28. Thanks for the idea and link

The link will help in picking out future characters.
Right now, I'm inclined toward making the leprechaun's girlfriend either a Muse or a nymph.

[dynasaw]

31. Chicomecoatl Aztec Goddess of Food

Vesta, Roman Goddess of Hearth and Home

Lakshmi, Hindu Goddess of the Household

[Sanity Claws]

32. Are you familiar with Aztec gods?

I'm trying to find gods or other mythological characters that come from each of the major immigrant groups in NYC but I don't have anyone from myths in Mexico or Central America. At this point, I have no idea of what attributes I'm looking for but it would be great if you could tell me of any good websites that list the various gods or mythological characters from that part of the world.

[dynasaw]

33. Here is a Nice Site on Aztec Gods

http://www.crystalinks.com/aztecgods2.html

[eilen]

34. Brechta

"In other parts of Germany, Frigga, Holda, or Ostara is known by the name of Brechta, Bertha or the White Lady. She is best known under this title in Thuringia, where she was supposed to dwell in a hollow mountain, keeping watch over the Heimchen, souls of unborn children. Here Bertha watched over agriculture, caring for the plants, which her infant troop watered carefully, for each babe was supposed to carry a little jar for that express purpose. While the goddess was duly respected and her retreat unmolested, she remained where she was; but tradition relates that she once left the country with her infant train dragging her plough, and settled elsewhere to continue her kind ministrations. Bertha is the legendary ancestress of several noble families, and she is supposed to be the same as the industrious queen of the same name, the mythical mother of Charlemagne, whose era has become proverbial, for in speaking of the Golden Age in France and Germany it is customary to say, "in the days when Bertha spun."

As this Bertha is supposed to have developed a very large and flat foot, from continuously pressing the treadle of her wheel she is often represented in medieval art as a woman with a splay foot...

As ancestress of the imperial house of Germany, the White Lady is supposed to appear in the palace before a death or misfortune in the family ...

As Bertha was renowned for her spinning, she naturally was regarded as the special patroness of that branch of female industry, and was said to flit through the streets of every village, at nightfall, during the twelve nights between Christmas and January 6, peering into every window to inspect the spinning of the household. The maidens whose work had been carefully performed were rewarded by a present of one of her own golden threads or a distaff full of extra fine flax; but wherever a careless spinner was found, her wheel was broken, her flax soiled, and if she had failed to honor the goddess by eating plenty of the cakes baked at that period of the year, she was cruelly punished.

In Mecklenberg, this same goddess is known as Frau Gode, or Wode, the female form of Wuotan or Odin, and her appearance is always considered to be the harbinger of great prosperity. She is also supposed to be a great huntress, and to lead the Wild Hunt, mounted upon a white horse, her attendants being changed into hounds and all manner of wild beasts.

In Holland she was called Vrou-elde, and from ther the Milky Way is knowed by the Dutch as Vrou-elden-straat; while in parts of Northern Germany, she was called Nerthus (Mother Earth). Her sacred car was kept on an island, presumably Rugan, where the priests guarded it carefully until she appeared to take a yearly journey throughout her realm to bless the land. The goddess, her face hidden by a thick veil, then sat in this car, which was drawn by two cows, and she was respectfully escorted by her priests. When she passed, the people did homage by ceasing all warfare, and laying aside their weapons. They wore festive attire and began no quarrel until the goddess had again retired to her sanctuary.

In Scandinavia, this goddess was called Huldra and boasted of a train of attendant wood-nymphs, who sometimes sought the society of mortals, to enjoy a dance upon the village green. They could always be detected, however, by the tip of a cow's tail which trailed from beneath their long snow-white garments. These Huldra folk were the special protectors of cattle on the mountain-sides, and were said to surprise the lonely traveler, at times by the marvelous beauty of the melodies they sang.

Freya --The goddess of love (daughter of Nerthus) and queen of the Valkries. The Northern people were wont to invoke Freya not only for success in love, prosperity and increase but also, at times for aid and protection.

Myths of the Norsemen, Helene A. Guerber.

[crikkett]

36. In the Yoruba and Condomble traditions it would be Yemanja

mother of the sea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemanja