When exploring the ancient roots of paganism, many believe it is the oldest practiced form of human religion dating back to over thirty-five thousand years. During the last Ice Age, it is thought that early humans worshiped nature through the form of two deities: one masculine and one feminine. Adherents paid homage to the Mother Goddess for her ability to bring forth life and to the Horned God who hunted and provided through his yearly death and resurrection.

While some believe Wiccan traditions developed out of these ancient roots and others believe that Gerald Gardner set forth the modern tenants for the development of Wicca, one thing both can agree upon is the nature-based, feminine centric focus of Wicca. Modern Wiccan practices emerged as a predominantly female centered religious practice during the 1970s. During this time, the second wave of feminism was sweeping the globe as women fought for equal rights and treatment in both social and legal structures.

The 1970s culture focused on bringing forth changes in social constructions, including spiritual development. Many people balked at organized, patriarchal religions and began to flock to more free-form spiritual movements. The growth in paganism mirrored this movement to new religions as people were seeking to understand the new world in which they were living, especially women.

As the goddess of ancient times represented respect within society, power to fully embrace femininity, and the right to live equally with men, it is no wonder that Wicca attracted a large number of women practitioners.

The triple Goddess – maiden, mother, and crone – grew to be the image of the goddess that could resonate with any woman of any age and any race. She was a powerful force to reckon with as she gained her power back from the patriarchy. But traditionally, Wiccan practice was said to revolve around the worship of two gods: male and female. The Mother Goddess and the Horned God. Finding balance between the sexes seems to be a continual battle both in the 1970s and today.

The worship of the goddess and god brings balance to pagan rituals, but not for all practitioners. Some modern practitioners have cast the god aside and replaced him with a stronger version of the goddess. Independent from her consort, the goddess is then worshiped as the source of all living things as she contains and births them all from within her.

There is a plethora of Wiccan deities exalted by practitioners around the world, which makes Wicca simultaneously beautiful and difficult. While deities vary from pagan group to pagan group, their practice unites them all rather than a single pantheon. Different Wiccans are all called by different goddesses and gods as we search for our patron deities throughout our practice. One group of witches, Dianic witches, are united by their desire to cast aside the male energies and focus their worship solely on the goddess.

Dianic witches

Zsuzsanna Budapest is a hereditary witch that developed and shaped the growth of Dianic Wicca. Gaining her strength from the feminist movement, she fully embraces the divine feminine while leaving behind any traces of the god. Dianic covens are traditionally female only groups. Backlash from the larger society deemed these covens full of lesbians; however, Dianic covens are open to women of all sexual orientations. However, with the rise of the LBGTQ movement, many Dianic covens are rethinking the old notions of ‘female’ and reworking their structures to include not just cisgendered women (women who are born women). Just like with any break from tradition, some Dianic witches embrace self-proclaimed women while others hold tight to the biological notions of female only.

In any case, Dianic witches worship the Goddess who they believe encompasses all goddesses from any culture both past and present. The Goddess is the source of all life and only from Her does life continue to exist. Many Dianic covens tap into this universal feminine energy to help the earth heal from its wounds, those both environmental and patriarchal. As a group, they support one another by affirming their own power as women to bring balance back to a society riddled with male domination.

Therapeutic Benefits of Women Only Covens

Women only covens, whether from the lineage of Zsuzsanna Budapest or Morgan McFarland and Mark Roberts, often provide a safe haven for women who have been the victim of trauma. For many women who have undergone trauma at the hands of a man, opening up both emotionally and spiritually can be difficult around other men. The fear of being vulnerable to another attack or abuse leaves many women afraid to fully be themselves while worshipping in ritual or doing energy work with men. Dianic covens make it easy for women who have been the victim of abuse to heal within a safe, women-only space.

Not only does personal trauma healing occur within female only spiritual groups, but these groups often raise awareness about these topics for the larger society. They help to raise awareness in communities and world-wide about battery, rape, partner abuse, and incest, all of which happen at higher rates in society to women. Participating in women only group rituals can allow practitioners to improve their self-esteem and shift their own self-perception. In these covens, women can take back the power they lost through the trauma they endured.

Female Centered Worship

But you don’t have to be a traditionalist in a Dianic coven to leave the male energy behind. There are many eclectic practitioners that choose to work only with feminine energies in their practice and rituals. The best thing about being a Wiccan is that you can personally craft your practice to suit your own needs.

If you are feeling that you need a healthy dose of feminine energy, you can always respect the aspects of the god while simultaneously setting him to the side. Not every ritual is required to include the god. Here are some ways you can include the god without making him a central part of the ritual:

In regards to rituals, it is possible to leave out the god entirely if desired. If you are feeling called to work with a specific goddess or female energy, it’s okay to allow her to dominate the ritual. However, it may feel better to simply replace the goddess’ male counterpart with a symbol. The symbol can be honored during the ritual without specifically invoking or calling in any direct male energy. Try using the sun as a powerful symbol to represent the god without having to directly bring in a male force. Using a symbol that pertains to the specific ritual is a great idea too, such as the stag could be a representation for a ritual focused on nature or Mars for a cosmic energy based ritual. Be creative with how you can include the energetic balance of the god without making him the focus of the ritual!

Balance is Essential

Traditional stereotypical images portray witches most often as women. And while Wiccan and pagan practitioners are predominantly women, there are men who follow the Path as well. The goddess is placed at the center of worship, but at her side is a god or male counterpart that is equally as powerful as she. Wicca promotes goddess worship and the sacredness of the female body, but it also promotes the equality between men and women while supporting their inherent differences. It is important to keep in mind that men have been an integral part of Wicca from its inception, whether you believe that is in the ancient roots dating back to the Ice Age or the modern version made pubic by Gerald Gardner. Ultimately, the role men play within pagan communities is largely dependent upon the particular tradition.

Keep in mind that we all suffer from the patriarchal paradigm in different ways. Women suffer from the objectification and subordination to men while men suffer by the continual expectation to be aggressive, to use force, and to quell their nurturing side. It is important to support men who embrace a spiritual path that empowers women because it shows that change is possible. Denying them the right to have an equal voice within the pagan movement merely repeats the mistakes of our past and allows deeper social issues to play out once again.

Balance is essential to life. While the goddess brings forth life from her, the god plays his role in the continuation of life as well. In a female centered religious practice, it is very important to honor the role that each of the sexes plays in the continuation of our life on earth. We as women can not do it all alone. Finding and honoring the balance is critical to respecting anyone who follows the Craft. The greatest goal is to develop a community of practitioners that can work to make the world a better, safer, and healthier place for all people to embrace their spirituality.