Happy Valentine's Day
Popular Gods and Goddesses of Love from around the world
Inanna was the
oldest of the love goddess of the Mesopotamian region. She was a Sumerian
goddess of love and war. Although she is regarded as a virgin, Inanna is a
goddess responsible for sexual love, procreation, and fertility.
Hathor (Het-Heru),
meaning "House of Horus the Elder", was a goddess of many things,
from the celestial to the alcoholic!
Hathor is one of the most beloved of Egypt's goddesses, a benevolent,
understanding and stunningly beautiful figure responsible for all artistic
endeavor and happiness in the world. Hathor brings happiness, romance and an
appreciation for musical arts into our lives. Hathor was worshipped by both men
and women in ancient Egypt. She presides over festivals whose sole purpose is
to bring joy to the participants. Devotees of the Goddess were mostly dancers,
musicians, and artisans. Dance and music were the sacred arts of Hathor and
Hathor was thought to be the inventor of dance. Hathor was often invoked in
much the same manner as the Greek Muses were, to inspire the artist. Her
favorite musical instrument, the sistrum (a kind of rattle), was said
to banish evil wherever it was played.
Ishtar, the
Babylonian goddess of love, procreation, and war, was the daughter and consort
of the air god Anu. She was known for destroying her lovers, including a lion,
stallion, and shepherd. When the love of her life, the farm god Tammuz, died
she followed him to the Underworld, but she was unable to retrieve him.
Aphrodite (Roman Venus) is Olympian
Goddess of Love and Beauty. She is about being a loving person and spreading
beauty. Her dominion is over Love, beauty, pleasure, and sexuality (specify
female sexuality). Aphrodite is both temperamental and vain. In addition, she
is also crafty, flirtatious, and seductive. Despite these qualities, she is
both very loving and passionate, having a faith in love that is absolute and
true. Aphrodite is very benevolent and gentle to those she favors and deeply
cares for her children as well as their fathers. Presiding over the most
powerful of human feelings, she has great insight into mortal emotions as well
as mortal nature by extension. It is nearly impossible to disagree with her;
she is also unfaithful to Hephaestus ad Ares with all of her affairs.
Cupid (Greek name Eros) is the most
famous of today’s Valentine symbols and everybody knows that boy armed with bow
and arrows, and piercing hearts. He is known as a mischievous, winged child or
young man armed with bow and arrows. The arrows signify desires and emotions of
love, and Cupid aims those arrows at Gods and Humans, causing them to fall
deeply in love. Cupid has always played a role in the celebrations of love and
lovers. Cupid, as he was called by the Romans, is the son of Venus and
Mars. He is the God of love and desire, flying about on feathery wings,
shooting passion-tipped arrows at all the creatures of the earth. When struck
with one of his arrows, man and beast alike fall in love with the next thing
they see. Without Cupid's steady aim, there would be no love in this world,
which is precisely what happened when Cupid fell in love himself.
Freya is
considered to be the Norse Goddess of Love and Beauty, but is also a warrior
goddess and one of great wisdom and magic. She and her twin brother Freyr are
of a different “race” of gods known as the Vanir. She is known as Queen of the
Valkyries, choosers of those slain in battle to bear them to Valhalla.
Oshun delights in
the creation of beauty and art, sensual delights and self-adornment to Yoruba.
Her symbols are mirrors, jewelry, honey, golden silks and feather fans.
Creativity in decorating home and temple is a way of honoring Oshun, who will
bless any beautiful space created in her honor. There is no object so
common that Oshun will not appreciate more if it is made artistic and pleasing
to the eye. Creativity in dress and self-adornment please her as well,
and when Oshun is pleased, her blessings know no limits.
Tu Er Shen—or Hu
Tianbao, as he was known when he was mortal—is the god of homosexual love and
marriage. Born during the Qing dynasty, Hu Tianbao found he attracted to an
official of the local government, spying on him naked through a hole in his
bathroom wall. When his peeping was discovered, Tianbao was beaten to death.
Moved by his unrequited love, the gods of the underworld took pity on him and
restored him to life as the deity of homosexual relationships.
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