At the world's beginning
there was a mother.
All beginnings partake
on that mother's energy.

To know this world,
first know the mother.
Then, go forth and learn
to know the world.

Then go back to her. Go back
and hold fast to her.
Hold fast to the mother, and
you will never be in danger.

- Chinese Tao te Ching

Bridget, gold-red woman,
Bridget, flame and honeycomb,
Bridget, sun of womanhood,
Bridget, lead me home.

You are the branch in blossom.
You are the sheltering dome.
You are my bright precious freedom.
Bridget, lead me home.

-Irish Prayer to the Goddess

In fall Freya left us travelling southward.
Now she returns again, bringing such soft words.

Out of her golden hair spring flowers fall
tumbling like melodies, sounding the call.

Chaste through the winter women now pine,
wanting their lovers home sharing the wine.

- Scandinavian folk song

If immensity had form, it would be mine.

I am abundance, and as such I produce
everything in nature, even you.
I am the queen of wealth. I bestow all wisdom.
I come first in every ritual. I am everywhere.

I give you the food you eat, the water that you drink,
from me comes all you see, all that breathes,
from me comes every word you hear.
Those who do not honour me destroy themselves.

Study me.

Listen respectfully to me.
I am all pleasure, all life,
all knowledge.

- Goddess Shakti speaking, from sacred texts of India

Night comes up with her many eyes looking for a spot to rest,
filling the sky with beauty, filling the water with her darkness.

Oh Night, immortal goddess, look with favour on us here,
we who occupy these lands where you walked.

We are walking toward our homes, like all that walks and flies,
all who seek their nests and hiding places as the night comes on.

Keep the wolf and the fox away tonight, keep thieves from us,
oh let this night pass easily and safely for us here.

- Indian Vedic hymn

Hail, lovely sun!
Praise you for rising!
Praise you for dawning! Yesterday
we shivered in darkness while you
were trapped in the mountains.
Now you rise light as a silver bird.
Always rise like this, goddess,
always come back to us like this,
bringing us health and safety,
bringing the game to our arrows,
the fish to our fishhooks. Journey
now in peace, go around the earth
in safety, travel in joy, oh goddess!

-From the Finnish Kalevala