ZIVA Goddess of living water, life, love and fertility

Živa, (also Živa, Šiva, Siwa, Żiwia), was the Slavic goddess of life, love and fertility. She was worshipped throughout what is now Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Germany (and especially the Elbe (Labe) river valley), before Christianity expanded into the area.

She was wife of one of the main Slavic gods – Dažbog – the god of sun. Together they showed up like twins creating the symbol of pigeon.

She was an impressive woman with long hair and powerful eyes.
 Goddess Živa originated in the remote antiquity. The name of the goddess can be traced as far back as North Africa. Yet, the furthest we go back into prehistory, the clearer she emerges, not so much as goddess, but as life itself. The meaning of Živa in Slavic languages is life or living. 

Among the deities of Slavic Polabians, above all Abodriti or Bodrici (Mecklenburg), the goddess Živa, or Živena among Slovakians, had a special place. Historical sources refer to her most often under the name Siwa, and recorded variously as Sivve, Shiwa, Sieba, Syeba, and Dsiva. She was goddess of fertility and love, the greatest female deity in the pantheon of Polabians. Tomaž Linhart, Slovenian 18th century historian, writes: Shiva, goddess of life; she was worshipped by Polabians. Raniolans have given this title to the planet Venus. 

Živa was above all the goddess of water. In the consciousness of people she represented the concept of life, personified by water. She was their first “goddess”, even before mother Earth, who rules when the spread of agriculture follows. 

The chief holy place of goddess Živa was in the city Ratibor (Ratzenburg), south of Lubice (later Lübeck). The city is situated on the island of a sizable lake. On the island a powerful stream gushes to the surface, named Aqua Siwa. Today there is a spa on this spot. We come upon goddess Živa in the mythology of other nations in Middle Europe, that stem from the ancient Veneti. In the tradition of Slovaks for example she appears under the name Živena. 

Chronicler Helmold calls Živa Polabian “goddess”, but in common with other chroniclers does not describe her. Her image appears only in the second publication of his chronicle in the year 1659. There are many indications that the goddess Živa was symbolically represented in the stream of fresh water, the source of all life. Her figure, which it would be evidently impossible to portray in its true symbolism reflects more than a female figure, - youth, beauty and tenderness, life and its renewal.... All that the later goddesses of love, for example Greek Aphrodite or Roman Venus express only to some extent. 

Goddess Živa had vanished from memory, but the folk tradition has retained her figure and meaning in various guises. There are records particularly referring to “living water”, sometimes as focus of worship that indicates either by name or indirectly the goddess of life, Živa. 

It is probable that the worship of Fata in Oglej (Aquileia),- a maiden goddess who foretells future, and is connected with births, can be identified with Živa. Like a number of Celtic deities, it would appear, as indicated on several preserved inscriptions, that she was transposed into the Roman pantheon of gods, and became Fata, dea barbarica. 

There are no direct records about how much was Živa, her Polabian version, connected with the figure of female beauty and fertility. That she was an important goddess we may conclude from the fact that in the year 1157 they built a cathedral on the hill in Ratibor, where her temple had stood. 

About her worship in Carantania there are also no records. However, Slovenian historian Linhart writes: Shiva, goddess of life; she was worshipped by Polabians, Raniolans have given this title to the planet Venus. Linhart’s record is of the essence in further pursuit of her presence in pre-christian pantheon of Carantanians. 

There is a strong tradition that the temple, which preceded the Christian church on the Isle of Bled was dedicated to Živa. Diggings which archaeologists undertook on the island after World War II, discovered under the church remains of older foundations. Among them also the foundation, that provided the support for a square wooden house at the time of christianization in the 8th century. Attached to it was square building with apse from 9th century, an indication of the influence of Oglej. In both buildings, whose foundations were uncovered, transition from pagan “hram” to early christian church can be clearly seen. Was the pagan temple dedicated to goddess Živa? Christian missionaries consistently translated worship of pagan goddesses into the worship of Mother of God. Church on the Lake Bled is consecrated to the Ascension of Mary. 

The temple of Živa on the Isle of Bled and the waterfall on the Savica River were commemorated and celebrated in the epic poem Baptism on Savica by the 19 century Slovenian poet France Prešeren. 

Goddess of living water has also been retained in the folk memory in many customs where water plays a crucial role. Maidens in the environs of Ljutomer make offerings to water on New Year’s Eve. In another custom a red apple must be thrown into the spring before sunrise. In her portrayal in Helmold’s chronicle, which had been published in 1639 by Heinrich Bangert, Živa holds an apple in her hands. From this it is possible to deduce, that in the folklore of Polabians as well, the apple was preserved as love symbol of the goddess. 

The figure of Živa, the ancient goddess of water, fruitfulness and love did not completely vanish from Slovenian folklore. Christianity drove the name of the pagan goddess into oblivion. However her image has been preserved in tales and myths about white woman (orig. Sl. bela žena) the washer-woman (orig. Sl. perica) or god’s maiden (orig. Sl. božja deklica), and in seasonal customs centred on springs and wells in Slovenian folk tradition.

DANU (DANA) - The Goddess of Rivers, Water, Wells, Magic

Danu (Dana) is a Goddess of Rivers, Water, Wells, Prosperity, Magick, and Wisdom. She is the well known and honored in NorthEast Europe too. She is the equivalent to the Welsh Don, the mother Goddess. She is sometimes both a god and goddess, and thought of as an all-encompassing Divine Source.  She is associated with fertility, abundance, cultivation and the nurturing of the land. 

Goddess Danu is considered the most ancient of all Celtic Deities.  Her name means knowledge, wisdom, teacher, wealth and abundance.  She is also known as Dana and as her Welsh equivalent, Don.

Some references have her as so ancient that she is both goddess and god and refer to Danu as an all-encompassing Divine Source. 

This multi-faceted aspect of the Divine Feminine is experienced as the air we breathe, as the river that nourishes all of life, as the bounty and abundance of earth and as the cosmic energy of universal wisdom.

A Triple Goddess, which means she is able to take the form of the Maiden, the Mother or the Crone, and a Divine Lady who is the essence of the earth, the air and the essence of water, Danu is able to embody the form/energy suited the situation.  Here she brings the power of versatility and teaches us to honor and respect diversity within ourselves and within others and reminds us to honor each stage of our physical life.

Goddess Danu is strongly associated with the Tuatha de Dannan, which means “The Children of Danu.”  The Tuatha de Dannan are believed to have been the wise ones, the alchemists of ancient Ireland.  Some references have them as actual descendants of Danu.  It is believed that when the Gaelics invaded Ireland, the Tuatha de Dannan shape shifted to the Sidhe (shee) who are considered the “farey folk” or the Leprechauns of Ireland.  Danu will act as a Divine Ambassador to the Elemental Kingdoms, providing platforms for positive interactions with the Leprechauns and the Faery Folk. Some of Danu’s symbols include holy stones, horses – particularly mares, seagulls, fish, amber, gold, royalty/empress, rivers, sea, flowing water, air, wind, earth, moon, keys and crowns.

Danu is commonly considered the first Great Mother of Ireland, Divine Creator aspect of the Goddess who birthed all things into being.  She is an Earth Goddess, associated with fertility, growth, plenty, abundance, agriculture, cultivation and with nurturing of the land.
Rivers, flowing water and the sea are also Danu’s Domain.  Within this water form she wields the magic of Divine Flow.  This River Goddess offers to clear stagnant energy and to remove blockages so that our efforts easily flow into fruition.  As the river eventually flows into the sea, here Danu brings motivation to move within the direction of our dreams.
Danu brings the attributes of inspiration, intellect, change and transcendence within her aspect as a Goddess of Air.  As a Cosmic Goddess, Danu is the essence of Universal Wisdom and Divine Knowledge.  She knows the secrets of Divine Alchemy and Divine Magic and reminds us that through our Oneness to the Divine Source, there really are no “secrets,” we are essentially one with All Encompassing Universal Wisdom.

Within all her forms Danu brings the reminder that the power to create the life that we desire resides within us.  She reminds us that we are innately attuned with the wisdom of our Ascended Self, and through the integrity of our Divine Essential Self our power is always aligned with Purity of Purpose.
As a Sovereign Goddess, she assists us in transcending the illusions of unworthiness, providing the reminder that our essence is an aspect of the Divine Source. Danu reminds us of our Royal Roots, reminding us of our Divine Heritage.  Reminding us that we are Divine and thus so we are aligned with infinite potential and with infinite possibility.

Within this energy, Danu is the Goddess of Dreams Come True. Reminding us that we are absolutely worthy and completely capable of realizing our Greatest Dreams.  Reminding us that we innately know our Highest Truth. Enabling us to transcend lesser goals born of low self worth and goals born of the lower self’s limited vision, empowering us to embrace our Golden Dreams, Dreams worthy of our Divine Consciousness.

Goddess Danu specializes in realigning us with our Divine Truth, our Truth that is abundant, flourishing, fertile, wise and empowered.  Danu brings empowerment with the remembrance that we each are the director of our own destiny and that within us we wield the power to realize our Greatest Dreams Come True.

Danu is an ancient and eternal essence of the Goddess, an affirmation of the enduring energy of the Divine Feminine.  She brings the steadfast love and support of a Mother Goddess and is a wonderful representation of the infinite, all encompassing Divine Universal Source. A powerful guide for those who seek to Remember their Highest Truth, Danu is dedicated to our realizing our greatest dreams, she is motivating, encouraging and always promotes the awareness that the power to achieve anything, resides within us. 

Danu (Da-noo)  is the mother of the Celtic Gods, the goddess of rivers, and her name means knowledge, wisdom, wealth and abundance. She is also known as Dana, Anu or Don and she encompasses both light and dark, meaning she both gives and takes. She is extraordinary and is known as a triple Goddess, meaning that she can take the forms of maiden, mother or crone. She can embody all sorts of energy and forms so she can adapt to the current situation at hand.

The colours that represent her are green, silver, blue and black. Danu has the extraordinary capability to connect to more than one element, but she is mainly linked to water and air. Because of this, many animals are linked to her – including the snake, fish, mare, and seagull. Some other symbolism includes holy stones, amber and of course, flowing water. She is highly associated with fertility, growth, cultivation, and abundance, mainly since she nourishes the earth.

With her being considered the most ancient of the Celtic Deities it’s remarkable as to how few stories there are about her. They are hard to come across, even though the Danube river and a mountain on the face of Venus are named after her. However, it appears the most popular tale is in regards to the ‘Children of Danu’, her followers. It is believed that when Ireland was invaded, the children panicked and were able to shape-shift. Choosing to shift into Fae and Leprechauns. Some versions say that her followers were actually born from her, but that is up for debate. Because of her help with the children, she became known to provide positive interactions with the leprechauns and fae.

Danu has the amazing ability to provide one with luck and good wishes. She brings power and teaches us to respect one another and ourselves. Just as the mighty, powerful river flows into the vast, open sea, Danu brings us to our dreams. She helps us reach them and pushes us to motivation- showing us what we are capable of.  If you are feeling down, lacklustre, uninspired, and just not having any luck, Danu is the one to go to.

Danu (Da-noo)  is the mother of the Celtic Gods, the goddess of rivers, and her name means knowledge, wisdom, wealth and abundance. She is also known as Dana, Anu or Don and she encompasses both light and dark, meaning she both gives and takes. She is extraordinary and is known as a triple Goddess, meaning that she can take the forms of maiden, mother or crone. She can embody all sorts of energy and forms so she can adapt to the current situation at hand.
The colours that represent her are green, silver, blue and black. Danu has the extraordinary capability to connect to more than one element, but she is mainly linked to water and air. Because of this, many animals are linked to her – including the snake, fish, mare, and seagull. Some other symbolism includes holy stones, amber and of course, flowing water. She is highly associated with fertility, growth, cultivation, and abundance, mainly since she nourishes the earth.
With her being considered the most ancient of the Celtic Deities it’s remarkable as to how few stories there are about her. They are hard to come across, even though the Danube river and a mountain on the face of Venus are named after her. However, it appears the most popular tale is in regards to the ‘Children of Danu’, her followers. It is believed that when Ireland was invaded, the children panicked and were able to shape-shift. Choosing to shift into Fae and Leprechauns. Some versions say that her followers were actually born from her, but that is up for debate. Because of her help with the children, she became known to provide positive interactions with the leprechauns and fae.
Danu has the amazing ability to provide one with luck and good wishes. She brings power and teaches us to respect one another and ourselves. Just as the mighty, powerful river flows into the vast, open sea, Danu brings us to our dreams. She helps us reach them and pushes us to motivation- showing us what we are capable of.  If you are feeling down, lacklustre, uninspired, and just not having any luck, Danu is the one to go to.
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