Dancing with Life

I've been exploring lots lately, delving into my Jewish roots, reading all I can about the more mystical aspects of Judaism, as well as the reasons behind many of the traditions and how they can connect one to the Higher Power. I've been enjoying this, because I don't want to lose my connection to this beautiful religion, don't want to neglect the gift of passing this knowledge to my daughter. At the same time, neglecting the Goddessy, more Pagan aspect of my life was throwing me into a depression of sorts. My altar was well past being adorned with the accutrements of the appropriate season, with nary a candle burned down. I haven't been to the local UU Church at least three months, and I miss the women I've met there at study groups. In short, neglecting the Goddess in consort with the God has wreaked more havoc in my life than I'd previously imagined possible. It was only after I'd made the decision to deck my altar with a holly bough, red and green candles, a Yule angel and snowman, and a sparkly red altar cloth that I realized the cause of my depression. It occurs to me that maybe that is part of the problem with society as well. Isn't the Goddess aspect of diety largely missing from Judao-Christian religion? Sure, Judaism has the feminine aspect of God in the form of the Shekinah, and Catholicism gives props to the Blessed Virgin. This is different from speaking to and identifying with diety in a balanced, male/female way, though. For most people, God is still male, and rarely is it that people notice the spirits which exist in the natural world, such as the spirits of the great woodlands that I so love. I know that for me, as I lay my head on my pillow tonight, my heart and spirit will rest with the Great Spirit in a more balanced way. I have greatly missed the magickal world. I'm glad to be back.