Charmed - Oh My Goddess Part 12

When the mythic Gods, the Titans, are released and kill all the elders, Leo is forced to take over. Meanwhile, a mysterious Whitelighter from the future guides the Charmed Ones when Leo gives the girls the ultimate power to vanquish the Titans, recreating them as Greek Goddesses, despite the risk that they will be seduced by their vast new powers.

The Goddess And The Weaver

Song: The Goddess And The Weaver Artist: Spiral Dance Album: Woman Of The Earth Arachnia weaves And she weaves so well She weaves a passage Where the Gods will fly Athena laughs as She casts her spell While she watches From her loom on high Athena Athena Goddess-born lady You're a jealous one And Arachnia knows That you are watching her Watching for her work To be undone Athena Have you set the quest Will you take the weave And will you break the weft Or will you let this lady Spin her tapestry Of the tale untold And then set her free Arachnia weaves And she weaves so well She weaves a passage Where the Gods will fly Athena laughs as She casts her spell While she watches From her loom on high Arachne Arachnia The Goddess Athena's Got a quest for you And you must weave a Story of the Gods that rule In all their mystery And you must tell it true So Arachnia's woven The seven moons She's spun the silver thread Upon an apple wood loom And she's told the story Of the gods that rule In all their mystery And yes, she's told it true Arachnia weaves And she weaves so well She weaves a passage Where the Gods will fly Athena laughs as She casts her spell While she watches From her loom on high So Athena came to earth Disguised as a crone To gaze upon the tapestry This mortal woman's sewn And in and out of the fabric That was stretched across the loom The sins and the secrets Of the Gods were shown Athena Athena Goddess born lady You're and angry one And as you spin your Spell around ...

Five Great Greek Goddess Fancy Dress Tips

The Greek goddess look is an awesome one for fancy dress parties, whether it's for Halloween or any other occasion. You can become the sexy, powerful queen of the party with a good Greek goddess fancy dress costume. And they're relatively easy to make, and even easier to find. Here are a few tips of what one should include:

1. Greek-Style Toga / Chiffon
Of course the number one thing in any Greek goddess's costume is the elegant toga-style dress that adorns her. With sweeping, white cloth that falls to her feet. And an elegant belt holding it in place.

2. The Belt
The ideal belt is a silver or gold weave one for the full effect. This should match all the other accessories in style and color.

3. Gold Leaf Tiara
There is only one thing a Greek goddess will wear on her head, and that is a gold leaf tiara.

4. Sandals
Some sandals with gold-colored leg buckles and heels will finish the bottom part of the costume perfectly.

5. Accessories
The greatest Greek goddess accessories include some gold coin earrings, a golden armband or leg band. And perhaps some gold coin bracelets. Gold is essential in all decorations.

Some variations you might want to figure into your costume are pinks or sky blue colours if pure white and gold is too simple for your tastes. When you choose your sandals you can find some very sexy ones that have high heels and leg buckles and materials that can neatly tie all the way up above the knees.

The hair is all important as well, so if you don't have long, golden hair then a wig will do the trick nicely. Although a big, dramatic explosion of black curls can also carry the goddess look very nicely.

It's great fun dressing up as a Greek goddess for the night, and ideal if you are going to a toga party - as you can wear a toga with a little more class. Even though you are wearing a simple chiffon, they can be surprisingly stylish.

Of course you even have choice of which Greek goddess you would like to become for the night. There is of course Hera - wife of Zeus and queen of the gods. Very tempting if you are after power. But then Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty is more popular, who could resist Aphrodite after all? And finally if you are in a little more of a feisty mood perhaps you could become Athena - goddess of war!

Check out some really gorgeous Greek goddess fancy dress costume pictures and ideas here: Greek Goddess Fancy Dress. If you're also looking for something a bit more 60's, check out these hippie costume pictures and ideas: Hippie Fancy Dress

Name your Baby after a Goddess

Looking for a unique name for your new baby girl? Look no further than the ancient Greeks!

Greek mythology is full of wonderful stories and beautiful names for girls. Besides being different, your daughter will have her own goddess myth to go along with her name.

Does your baby girl seem serious and all knowing? Does she look like a little queen in her bassinette? The name Hera will fit your queenly daughter, since Hera was the queen of all the Greek goddesses and queen of heaven. Hera was the wife of Zeus and the mother of many other goddess and gods such as Ares, Hebe and Eris. She was the goddess of marriage and womanhood.

Maybe your little one makes fierce faces when you try to change her nappies and seems to know what you are saying to her. Athena may be the name for her. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and the patron of Athens, a city known for its culture and wisdom. She is portrayed as a virgin warrior; tough and beautiful as well as brilliant. She was also great at crafts such as basket weaving and sewing.

Similar to Athena is Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Artemis loved her dogs and ran around the forests with fifty of them along with a bunch of wood nymphs. She is the goddess of the moon, and coolly beautiful. She was known as the protector of young women. Her twin brother was Apollo. Does your daughter love her dog? Does she stare into the moon and smile? Maybe the name Artemis is for her.

Calypso sounds like a little girl who loves to dance! Besides having a name and a musical beat named after her, Calypso was a sea nymph, the daughter of a Titan named Atlas (the one holding up the earth). She figures in the story of the Odyssey when she beguiles Odysseus to stay on her island with her and keep her company for seven years. Calypso is usually portrayed as an exotic figure and one name that would suit an unusual baby.

Is your little one always laughing and cooing? Does she have a sunny nature? The name Thalia would fit. Thalia was a goddess of beauty and one of the three graces. Her name meant good cheer. Or maybe her sister Euphrosyne, meaning mirth would suit her, although that name is a mouthful, and probably would be tough for a young one to learn how to spell!

Lastly, there is Penelope. She wasn't a goddess, but she was a woman of strong moral character. She was the long suffering wife of Odysseus who stayed true to her man for many, many years, while he was out having adventures and flings with beautiful women.

This article only touches on the many names available to use for naming your baby girl taken from the ancient Greeks. Dive into any volume of Greek mythology and you may find a name you love, that is unique and fits your special girl.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.BabyNameVote.Com/ which is a site for Baby Names.

Become a Goddess Or Just Dress Like One for Halloween

When it comes time to find that perfect costume, consider casting your eyes toward Mount Olympus and getting some inspiration from ancient Greece. With a little background information on Greek mythology, it is easy to come up with a number of different ways to look like a Goddess or just dress like one for Halloween.

All of the Greek Goddesses had a couple of things in common. They were immortal and they were extremely beautiful. Each one had her own unique abilities and even though they took on human form, they possessed abilities and skills that surpassed those of mere mortals.

The Goddess transformation should begin with a long white tunic that ties at the shoulders and is made out of a fabric that flows. For a sophisticated look, choose a floor length dress with arm drapes hung across the upper back and attached at both shoulders. Add some metallic gold trim in a band just under the bust line and around the neckline and you have Hera, Queen of the Goddesses and wife of Zeus. The hair can be worn in an updo with loose ringlets at the temples or purchase an appropriate wig from one of the many online retailers. A gold headpiece, dangling earrings and a pair of flat Grecian sandals complete this regal look.

As the Goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite was one of the most popular of all the deities. Her flirty personality calls for a short white tunic with an asymmetrical hem. She wore a magical golden girdle that made her irresistible to all who saw her. She is often pictured holding a mirror, so an elaborate vanity mirror makes the perfect prop.

Athena is the virgin Goddess of war and wisdom. She usually wears a breastplate and helmet to identify her status as a warrior and she is always ready for battle with her shield and spear.

Pair a short tunic with knee high Greek sandals and grab a toy bow and arrow for a good imitation of Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt.

For those that wish to stick with the mythological theme but want something scary, there is no spookier character than Medusa. Athena punished Medusa for desecrating her temple by transforming her into a monster so hideous that all who looked at her were turned to stone. Her beautiful hair was turned into a nest of living serpents.

Complete any of these looks with dramatic makeup and a dusting of body glitter or bronzer for that Goddess glow.

You will find that the best selections for full costumes as well as individual pieces, props and accessories can be found online. With so many options to choose from, you should have no problem finding something that will release your inner Goddess.

I am a huge fan of dressing up any chance I can. Halloween is always a fun time for me and my family.

If you are looking for a roman goddess costume or greek goddess costume you'll find a nice selection of different romans gods and goddesses online.

Artemis, the Greek Goddess

"Artemis of Ephesus is divine." The country of great Artemis, the goddess of hunting and the chase, stood around the bay of the Kucuk Menderes river (kaystros). As time passed, the bay was filled with silt carried by the water of the river. In ancient times, before the Ionians, it is believed that a certain goddess of abundance ruled over the land. It is known that the old inhabitants of this country, that is, the Carians and the Lelegians, used to call the goddess of abundance whom they worshipped, "Great Mother". Though there is a big question as to what name she was called, we know that this goddess was worshipped. After the Ionians came to this city, they called the nameless goddess with the Greek name Artemis. When the Ionians came to the bay of Kucuk Menderes, between the two roads leading to the bay there stood a temple. This was surrounded with walls. In it there was a wooden statue representing Artemis the goddess. This was the first of many statues of Artemis and it was accepted as one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. When Croesus, the King of the Lydians invaded this area, the temple was ruined, and so the king himself offered to build another temple of stone and presented some pillars to decorate the new Temple of Artemis. The temple site is now a ditch about one or two hundred metres on the right hand side of the road leading from Selcuk to Ephesus.

After Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in the year 334 B.C. he visited Ephesus, liked it very much and revered it. He organised a parade full of pomp in honour of the goddess. He promised the Ephesians that he would undertake all the expenses for Artemis, but the proud Ephesians declined this offer and smartly replied in such a way that even Alexander was pleased by the answer: "It would not befit a deity like you to build a temple to another deity". There was another reason for Alexander, who later received the title of "the Great" at the age of twenty, to feel such great reverence towards Artemis. When Alexander was born in Pella, the metropolis of Macedonia near Salonika in 356 BC, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was burnt down that same night by a madman named Herostratus, who wished to become famous by doing this. On a question about this to the Ephesians: "Why couldn't your goddess protect her temple from destruction by fire?" it was answered: "Because our goddess had gone to Pella to be present at the birth of the Great Alexander."

Today, only a huge ditch remains from the majestic and colossal monument of that age. After this conflagration, the new temple was erected with the assistance of the most famous Greek architects of the time, Praxiteles and Skopas, and decorated with statues. The statue of the goddess, ornamented with gold and brilliant marble, used to blaze in the light.

The story of "Great Artemis of Ephesus" is explained as follows: In the early days of Christianity, a conflict had begun between the God of Christians and all the pagan gods. One of those who carried out this campaign was St. Paul. During that period a certain jeweller, Demetrius, used to make silver miniatures of the Temple of Artemis and sell them. He heard that St. Paul stated that idols made by man could not be gods and should not be sacred and worshipped. Demetrius explained this situation to the artisans who worked in his workshop. As a result these men, who believed deeply in Artemis and considered that their interests would be greatly endangered if the temple lost its importance, marched to the great theatre in a group shouting: "Great is Artemis of Ephesus." It became such a big crowd that most people hadn't any idea why they came together.

This confusion was created by the artisans on purpose. Many orations were recited. Then the government took a hand in this affair and it was brought to court. As a result, St. Paul was compelled to leave the city. The Temple of Artemis was an architectural masterpiece which attracted people from all over the world for at least one thousand years as a holy place for pilgrimage. The most skilful architects and artists fashioned it.

For incredible Turkey Holidays or a fabulous Cruise to Turkey take a look at this detailed Turkey Guide.

Relive the Ancient Days With a Greek Goddess Halloween Costume

Every one just loves the mysterious world of Greek mythology. During the ancient times, every thing in this world was believed to be governed by certain gods and goddesses. Respecting and worshiping them was thought to bring good luck and fortune among the people. The Greek gods and goddesses are certainly one of the mythical characters recorded in history. That is the reason why they have been eyed for great Halloween costumes, most especially these elegant Greek Goddess Halloween costumes.

Relive the ancient days by getting yourself a Greek goddess costume. First of all, you need to choose which goddess do you want to be? Do you want to become the goddess of love, beauty and lust, Aphrodite? Perhaps you want to be more wild and fierce just like the goddess of hunt and wilderness named Artemis? If you want to, you can become the world's most intriguing goddess paired with your most handsome Greek gods.

Just take a pick. You can find a remarkably long list of Greek goddess known for several centuries. Every one of them has their own characteristics that highly portray the nature which they rule on earth. Thus, you can always find that one Greek goddess that will perfectly fit with your persona. Whoever that goddess you would want to be, you can best depict their god-like, beautiful and mystical features by wearing a replica of their prehistoric outfit.

When looking for a Grecian costume, always remember the personality of the character you are portraying. Whether the goddess is sweet and charming or serious and fierce, thus it is also a must to read more about them. However, you can just add little details about them and just concentrate on the main outfit. The main outfit that you need to find is this silky and long flowing robe. The robe can be white, cream, black, as well as a two-color combination robe with gold details. A cape draped over the shoulders can beautifully accentuate your sexy figure, truly that of a well-admired goddess.

You can also fix your hair up, or lay on one side of the face, or you can just curl it and wear it loose. Just do not forget to wear that golden leaf headpiece and apply some Greek-inspired makeup to complete your goddess costume. You can make it simple just like that, since Greek goddesses are known for their pure simplicity. No other outfit can best define their true beauty since it is from their hearts where most beauty lays the most.

Thus, whether you want to be Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, Hestia or Hera, you will surely knock out every lady in your Halloween party with the powers of your enchanting Greek goddess costume.

Reign your Halloween party with this excellent Greek Goddess Costume. For ladies, this Adult Greek Goddess Halloween Costume is perfect for you!

The Temple of the Blonde Goddess

The Exoticization of the feminine is a unique cross to bear for the non Western European Anglo-Saxon, Nordic, Celtic, or Teutonic female. For years in the West, at least in the world of Madison Avenue advertising, the revered concept for feminine beauty was the blue-eyed blonde from Southern California. The blonder the better, the bluer the eyes the better, and the more buxom the better, for it was revered as a modern version of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of Love, Sexuality, and Beauty. Many females are epitomized this quintessential gold standard of what a woman must physically look like to be worshiped .... Christie Brinkley, Bridgit Bardot, Claudia Schiffer, Farrah Fawcett, and Pamela Anderson who has personified her best in commercial history.

So what happens to the women who will never fit into that mold?

A variety of things. In my case I was the adult version of the little Asian girl in the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty Ad who seemed as if she would cry because as the caption said "Wishes she were blonde". Since my early adolescence, especially growing up in a predominantly homogenous city in the West, this was a latent wish. If only I looked like that I would be accepted, loved, adored, included, and treated as a human being. Remember that this was the late 80's/early 90's in Calgary, Alberta, a city that was the Canadian version of Houston, Texas complete with attitudes and prejudices. My looks gave me a feeling of being an alien and a deep rejection at the alienation of peers.

When I was barely 17 I moved to Toronto, 3000 miles east, and the most multicultural city in the world according to the United Nations. I was running away from the Rocky Mountain town of my childhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and my first "puppy love" who was the only safe person in my adolescent peer group. He was kind, accepting, and a friend who seem to want to make me feel better. I was also so vulnerable that I felt a reinforced romantic inferiority when he dated Miss Teen Calgary and every other Stampede Princess around. He was handsome, athletic, intelligent, popular, and came from a good family. He loved blondes but dated the occasional redhead and brunette.

Once in Toronto I was no longer odd looking but I was to experience the exoticization of my looks. People related to me as a culture, or a set of conceived notion of subservient Filipino women, and spoke to me in Tagalog, one of a thousand dialects from the Philippines which I never learned because my dialect was the very different Visayan. Men would flirt with me by using Filipino words that were more foreign to me than them. Some would sing the Philippine national anthem which they understood and yet I could not verify if it were true. Men and women assumed I was either a nanny who spoke accented English or came to Canada as a mail order bride. Even when I spoke in a Canadian accent and explained that I had grown up here since age two it seemed not to register. I was treated or expected to be the image presented on a Philippine Tourist Ad in travel agencies. When my personality was seen as opposite that anyone interested would quickly vanish because it did not fit into their mental construct of what an Asian woman was like. So the early twenties was single doom to a hilt and once again, Blondie got the invitations, dates, and love and romance galore in my eyes. Either I was a female but exotic in looks but not temperament or just "not from the background wanted". Fighting against my own cultural demands on women and the dominant Western culture was a double whammy that seared into my mind that it, love, was not for me. I invested all my energy into work and hobbies and making friends and divorced myself from the mere possibility of romance. Sure I went through a phase of dating Bay Street types but it was "just lunch dates between work".

Coinciding with this inner ethnic battle was the huge popularity of Baywatch in the early 90's and the superstardom of Pamela Anderson as the most desired lifeguard on the planet. Living in University residence had many girls adopt her look and many boys hang her picture (clothes and not all) on their walls. Being this latest variation of the blonde goddess complements of syndicated TV in her newest incarnation of busty all out sex pot worked. I just had to count the dates. So once again it was driven inside at a greater force than before. The natural female desire to be noticed and replaced by a drive to be busy and be productive like a good Protestant work ethic would entail yet never mind I was Catholic. A part of me was sad and resigned and workaholic busyness was my anesthetic of choice. It was admirable but it didn't heal my heartbreak. Why would I settle to be with someone who only liked me because of some exoticization concept in their mind that I would have to play into? In my defiance and in sour grapes I decided to be myself and really be clear I was not that. My Asian stereotype pressure was disempowering.

Throughout my twenties I deliberately dyed my hair blue-black with an indigo sheen. I wore colors that favored my coloring. I was very serious about things. Too serious.

Where did I fit in this exoticization game because dates were few and far between? Who would date a workaholic serious all the time with a chip on her shoulder? The inner rejection continued through University, work life, and as I approached my late twenties had grown into such an emotional inferno that I consulted a plastic surgeon trained in Japan and the United States to have my eyes westernized and my nose made sharper. I was only 26 years old when this fixation dawned on me and spent three years attempting to raise funds for the double procedure. It was a yearning to be seen as me and a try at evading a more personal healing process requiring an exorcism of exoticization and its emotional demons.

I never had the surgery because it would have meant getting a month off from the operation given the double process. The cosmetic surgeon had said that if I did it twice I got a discount and it would be easier on the facial nerves. So I let that go and worked on using social activity to add to my remedy of busyness. Then at age 30 it hit me. Wounds long palliated were made fresh and raw by love itself. From age 26 several friends urged me to reconsider the surgery and heal the old hurts through proper counseling. Since the counseling was covered by insurance it was an easy but slow path to pursue. Over three years there was progress and growth and comfort in my skin that was emerging. I had done The Landmark Forum, The Hoffman Process, and physical activity in exercise and some yoga mixed with meditation. Things were easing off or so I thought.

What happened?

He parachuted into my life. A friend of a friend who had pursued getting to know me for a year. A chance opportunity and he was in my life trying to romance me with flowers and sensing what made me tick. For a brief summer it felt like I was having some teenage romance about 15 years overdue! I discovered how he had always been nearby me in many different parts of town. My mind tricked me to believing it was fate. Our astrological signs matched. He understood me without words. I felt very close to him. Nothing had prepared me for a sudden bliss of affection and connection but like all mirages. The Achilles heel was exposed. Other than Calgary puppy love from High School this was the only other guy who gave me a sense of safety and comfort. But unlike puppy love I felt I had to perform to keep the fondness and affection. Many times I would say to him, "How come you never pulled up my parents driveway when you were 16?"

How?

He was also a divorced single father. He had spent a decade with his former partner. She was my polar opposite in his own words. Polar opposite in looks, personality, temperament, background, upbringing, values, and every other which way. She was blonde. She emulated Pamela Anderson deliberately since he got together with her. In the Hoffman Process when someone loses their significant other they often in extreme denial select an emotional replacement who is the exact antithesis as a coping mechanism. The person is not chosen for themselves but rather for what they are not. The chooser really wants what they had but in an attempt to delude themselves otherwise they go in reverse. Once again, the exotic rendered me as a projection first and a person second. All his romantic gestures and thoughtful sweetness was not towards me but a projection of what he thought I was and could be.

It was like a love triangle with a living ghost who was never there but ever present. Constant comparisons and chronic complaints contrasted to my saintly ways. She was the sinner. I was the saint. Yet both archetypes could exist in one person and I knew there was more to the story. I didn't delve into it. I plotted an exit strategy when he took me away for a day in the country only to find out it was on her birthday so he could take his mind off her by having me there as some distraction. The day had been spent with mutual friends at a cottage until he began complaining in the drive home that night. His anger crossed the line when he said he was keeping tabs on who she had been dating since they split almost three years earlier. He had lied when I confronted him at the start about whether he was complete with what happened. I had told him that if he needed more time it was fine. But he lied and just incriminated himself.

I said nothing and choose to walk away in one week's time. The wound of adolescence came up fast and furious in an intensity like it never had before. A wound that never healed was slashed opened. Behind his back I blocked his emails, then his phone, and then called his voicemail when I knew he was not there. It was time for excommunicating the worshiper of the Blonde goddess like the raven-haired Athena who was the Greek goddess of war, wisdom, and strategy. Athena, the antithesis of Aphrodite, was the goddess who decided with her head and not her heart. My heart had been deceived and now my head would make it right.

"It's me. It's Tuesday morning around 9:30am, and I'm calling to say good-bye. Take care of yourself. Take care of your son. It was great spending time with you. Good luck to you."

That was it. I made it impossible for his reply. I willfully created boundaries to protect my spirit. I created circumstances so I would never hear his Blondie worship disguised as resentment ever again. I symbolically in my wounded vengeance and anger and sorrow killed off the source of a potential re-traumatic event in the name of exoticization. Months went by. The seething envy grew as if I was truly devoured by a lion. My workaholic intensity grew to an inferno of five hours sleep, back to back time slots filled in my day planner, and endless volunteer activities to take up time and commitment. When the hurt bothered me in my dreams I found solace and therapeutic healing in Hoffman workshops and Landmark seminars. Meditation was a daily mental prescription as was massages, acupuncture, and other body work. Nothing worked for long. I was now rejecting myself even though he was long gone. I couldn't stop.

Every time I saw a glamorous ad it had a blonde woman with the world at her feet. Talk about selective perception. Every time I saw an ad with an exotic woman she was made wild with imagery of the jungle. The blonde's sexuality was prestigious but the exotic's was dangerous and less than. This was a torment that would not end. I was causing my own turmoil and inner war. Six months after the breakup I was walking through a bookstore after work. I planned to buy a book for my girlfriend's birthday when I happened upon a title called "Transcendent Beauty". The book was new and part of a display on health and well-being subjects. I could not resist.

I picked up a copy and flipped through the pages on envy and jealousy and came across a sentence that began to break the spell of inferiority .... Could you imagine if only the red rose was considered the only flower that was beautiful. So I imagined a world without African Violets, Lilies, Daisies, Lilacs, and others that constitute a majestic garden. And so that one concept began the journey of realizing that being a first class me rather than a second rate someone else as the healing potion. The book focused on self acceptance and in reading more I knew that it was self-forgiveness that I needed. I was angry at me for being foolish enough to give this man a chance in the first place. There were a lot of red flags evident which didn't factor into my assessment. I gave someone the benefit of the doubt and it created an emotional crisis. I should have known that his baggage would press and press my wounds until they were raw but foolish optimism distorted my judgment.

What was the gift in call this? Healing, sensitivity, a more empathic understanding of the spectrum of human emotion, and maturity in the objective assessment of a person's nature. My life did become about honoring me as all the suffering forced me to allow the wounds to heal. The book and other tools joined me on a yearlong journey with starts and stops, lots of fears, moments of upset, and the easing of growing pains as the wounds began to close. The constant comparison script lost its loud voice and with help I overwrote my self-talk.

Nothing has changed. I am still visually exotic but I no longer wish to look like a red rose when I am say an African Violet or Tunisian Sunflower. Sometimes the nagging of comparison comes up but it goes away faster. I just focus on Transcendent Beauty's tools and the Buddhist practice of being in the present moment. The practice of a disciplined mind and appreciation are so simple they are brilliant and overlooked ways to be in positive consciousness. Luckily I have never seen the Blonde goddess worshiper again and thank God. My own self-respect, a hard earned gift from that situation, will never attract it again.

Why Transcendent Beauty? Why did it start a healing journey? Here is why from the book cover:

Often when we meet a person who's beautiful, we say that they "lit up the room." The transcendently beautiful have an inner beacon that's brilliantly lit and brimming with bliss. They've learned how to attract light while calming the ego-knowing that when the mind abides by the soul, the body, in turn, is connected to this knowingness, and transcendent beauty follows. Such people live in harmony-their health is abundant, their bodies are agile and fit, and their minds are vibrant and inspired. And while most people talk about attractiveness as being merely physical, true beauty definitely comes from the
soul.

Transcendent Beauty will take you on a journey where you'll see how easy it can be to shine yourself. If you embrace and practice the principles outlined in Transcendent Beauty, you'll see how easy it can be for you, too, to shine with an intoxicating power. One day without warning a shift will occur, and you'll suddenly realize that you're no longer trying to be beautiful-you are!

Lesson: Let no one, not even Madison Avenue, tell you that God makes junk!

P.S. In the Spring of 2008 a work project brought me back after many years to Calgary. The city had changed and was like a little Toronto in its multicultural atmosphere. I found my childhood puppy love. He still preferred blondes. Our friendship had long faded because we had changed so much. I thanked him for never roving his eye towards me because it would kept me in town. Instead, his "just friends" position on me was the greatest gift. It gave me Toronto and the wisdom of the Big City. It gave me New York and the streetwise attitude of Manhattan. It gave me California and the worldliness of the West Coast mixed with the East Coast. And had he asked me to stay the second time around ... the answer would have been no. He knows he will never be far from my heart but I will always be geographically far away from him.

Lessons on Infertility from an Ancient Fertility Goddess

If you are having a hard time conceiving a child, it can often make you feel like a failure as a woman. It can be very hard to deal with infertility, and the stress of trying to conceive.

You may often feel as though your desire for a child is so great that it should be enough to help you conceive a baby. When you run into that wall again and again, it's tough.

You should know that you are not a failure as a woman. Women are amazing, strong creatures who all have their own inner fertility goddess. Get in touch with your inner goddess. Women are unique, nurturing creatures. Our biggest instinct is to 'mother.'

Let us take a look at some ancient fertility goddesses and find out what lessons they may be able to teach us while we work on our own fertility.

Ishtar is the ancient fertility goddess of Babylon. One of the most famous stories that surround her was of her descent into the Underworld, or the world of the dead. Ishtar marches right up to the gates and demands to be let in. She tells the gatekeeper that if she is not let in, she will tear down the gates and break the locks. Well, she gets let in.

Something wonderful that we can take from the ancient fertility goddess Ishtar, and from the inner goddess in all women, is to never give up. When the gatekeeper told Ishtar that she could not come in, she demanded to be let in, and threatened great consequences if she was not. She faced the horror of the Underworld, and let nothing stop her.

Using your inner ancient fertility goddess, face your pain. Let nothing deter you, and never give up. If Ishtar would have turned around defeated and mumbled under her breath while she walked away, nations would never have worshiped her. We would never have known her story. Never give up.

Venus is the ancient fertility goddess of Rome. She is also the goddess of Love. She was, and still is the mother to a beautiful and great country. She is worshiped far and wide for her beauty and kindness. Venus was the mother of Cupid.

Reach in and take from your own inner ancient fertility goddess the ability to give birth to beauty and love. Women are natural creators, and nurturers. While working on your fertility [http://www.fertilitybynature.com/], allow yourself to mother a different type of creation.

Paint, draw, sing, write, perform in a play, or plant a garden. Allow the beauty inside of you to come out in some type of creation. Do something that you love. Giving of yourself through art is a beautiful thing. Allowing yourself an outlet can also help with the frustration you feel. Venus gave birth to love, and so can you.

Another important thing that you must take from your inner ancient fertility goddess is the right to be human. Possess the right to err, to make mistakes, and to mess everything up once in a while. Take the right to be imperfect, still knowing that you are a nurturer, a lover, and a creator.

Most importantly, take the ability to love yourself for what you are. You are Woman, and you are unique and beautiful. Use these goddesses, and your own inner ancient fertility goddess and remember to enjoy love and beauty, and to never give up.

Amy is the creator of FertilityByNature.com [http://www.fertilitybynature.com/], a resource for Women who want to get pregnant naturally and uncover unbelievable discounts on fertility monitors, pregnancy tests, ovulation tests and more.

Aphrodite - The Goddess Of Love

Aphrodite is the mythological Greek Goddess of love who legend has it was born out of the sea. According to Greek mythology Aphrodite was the Goddess of love beauty and sexual rapture (ooh ah!) born when Uranus the father of the gods was castrated by Cronus his son. Not a very family orientated bunch were they those Greek Gods? Anyway I digress, and it gets better. Cronus the dear loving son who chopped off his dads family jewels lobbed them into the sea where they foamed up into a veritable lather which produced Aphrodite and transported her to Cyprus. I think the name Aphrodite is actually connected to the word foam or aphros and Chythera is a rough translation of Cyprus or Kypris.

Well, It sure beats cheap charter flights and queing at airport check ins to get to the beautiful Island of Cyprus for your holidays. Anyway, Zeus the top God was a trifle worried that the other Gods would fight over Aphrodites hand in marriage so he beat them to it by giving her to Hephaestus the God who fashioned the weapons as a black smith. Hephaestus was a steady hard working plodder whilst Aphrodite was a bit of a party animal and girl around town. Despite all this he loved her and using his skills as a black smith he knocked up (probably in his spare time) a beautiful jeweled girdle with magic powers in gold filigree for her to wear. Bad move Hephaesus, the girdle made her irresistible and she took many lovers not just amongst the Gods but mortals too. The most famous being Adonis who gave her many sons including Eros from where the word erotic is taken (I leave you to work that one out).

The festival of Aphrodite was called Aphrodisiac (mm that's where it came from) her priestesses represented her and to have sex with them was considered an act of worship (Myrtle! book me a flight I am taking a religious pilgrimage) or reverence towards this deity. Those Greeks sure new a thing or two about worshiping the Gods and the Gods themselves were not slow in the romance stakes either.

So now you know a bit about Aphrodite and her chums in Greek God land how about you visit where it's all at. If you are planning on taking a holiday inn Cyprus be sure to stop by and check out the rock of Aphrodite. Situated about 12 Kilometers outside of Paphos town close to the mountain/coast road you will find a great little restuarant on the cliff edge overlooking the Mediterrainian ocean. There are some large rocks which are said to be the place where Athrodite was born. The legend claims that if you swim around these rocks during a full moon you will become 10 years younger (if you don't kill yourself climbing down the cliffs first).

There are different versions of the Aphrodite story and lots of local legends have grown out of it over the years but the official version is well narrated by the ancient Greek scholar Hesiod. Whatever version you choose to accept be sure to see the place for yourself, sort the history then chill out at the restaurant with a nice cool beer.

Kevin Moore owns and runs the Information Cyprus web site. Information Cyprus is the number one online resource for cyprus holidays, travel and Cyprus property purchase links. To find out more about the beautiful island of Cyprus, Cyprus holidays or buying property in Cyprus just visit the web site at Cyprus Info

Cyprus And Aphrodite - The Greek Goddess Of Love Beauty And Sexual Rapture

If you know even a little about Cyprus or Greek mythology the chances are you will have heard of the Goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture Athrodite. Legend tells that she was the result of the castration of the God Uranus which was carried out by his son Cronus (perhaps it was the way those Gods raised their kids) with a sickle. Owch! Anyway Cronus threw the severed genitals into the sea where they foamed up which in turn gave birth to Aphrodite. The word "athros" or sea foam giving rise to the translation Athrodite or deity of foam.

Anyways, Cyprus comes into the picture because Aphrodite was carried by the sea and came ashore on the Island and some legends claim she rode on a giant clam shell. In fact some Greek mythology refer to her as Cytherea or Kypros for this very reason.

Zeus (the top God) was worried that the other Gods would fight over Aphrodite's hand in marriage so he took the liberty of marring her of to Hephaestus the smith God. Boy was he knocked out? Scruffy old black smith weds Goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture! Had his boat come in or what?

Hephaestus was over the moon and as a sign of his love for Aphrodite he used all his skills as a smith to fashion her a beautiful bejeweled girdle with fine gold filigree. He even wove magic into the gold filigree which was a big mistake on his part. The problem was that when ever Aphrodite wore the girdle she would become sexually irresistible bearing in mind that she was already the ultimate embodiment of female beauty anyway. Amongst her many lovers (she was a bit of a girl) were Gods but she also took mortal lovers too the most famous being Adonis.

Some of her Sons are Eros, Anteros, Hymenaios and Aeneas through her union with her Trojan lover Anchisess. What can I say? It's a typical story of a beautiful woman wreaking havoc amongst the male population, causing wars and several spoilt dinners to boot. Her festival was Aphrodisiac (now you know where that comes from) which was celerbrated in several places in Greece including Athens and Corinth. Her priestesses where not prostitutes but sexual intercourse with them was considered a form of worship to the Goddess herself.

There you go then, now you can impress all your friends or even fellow tourist with your factual knowledge of Aphrodite. When you visit Cyprus be sure to take a trip out to her alleged birth place a few kilometers outside of Paphos. The view from the cliffs is indeed spectacular and there is a resturant bar with a great view point where you can relax with a cool drink. You will see the "rock of Aphrodite" itself just off the coast.

The local legend states that if you swim around the rock at midnight during the full moon Aphrodite will make you ten years younger if the exercise doesn't kill you off first that is. Enjoy Cyprus and don't forget to visit the rock of Aphrodite.

Kevin Moore owns several Cyprus web sites and writes regular articles about Cyprus and Cyprus property so take a look here at Cyprus Info