Rhea

The Great Mother; Mother of the Gods

Rhea, Greek Earth Goddess, is an avatar of Gaia. Her name derives from an archaic word for Earth. Gaia created Rhea as an emanation of herself in the form of a beautiful woman. Rhea was sent to Earth to mingle with people and to teach them spirituality and the proper way to receive Earth’s abundance.

Rhea is the only Greek goddess given the title Mother of the Gods. She married her brother, Kronos. Their children include Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter, Hades, Hera, and Zeus. Because a prophecy foretold that one of his sons would overthrow him just as he had overthrown his own father, Kronos swallowed his children as they were born. Super-fertile Rhea kept conceiving and giving birth only to lose her babies. Like Isis, Rhea is a prototypical holy mother who must save and protect her divine child so that he survives to mature into his full power.

According to myth, the Milky Way spurted from Rhea’s full breasts when, secretly nursing Zeus, she abruptly moved him to hide him from his murderous father.

Rhea is the inventor of dancing. She is a great goddess of virtually unlimited powers who may be invoked for all needs. She is extremely sympathetic to women and children who must be protected from other family members. Rhea presided over Mystery Traditions and may be invoked to reveal secrets of the Earth.

The Romans identified Rhea with Kybele. Their names are often used interchangeably and it can now be very difficult to disentangle their respective myths.

ORIGIN:

Greece

CLASSIFICATION:

Titan

MANIFESTATION:

Rhea appears as a beautiful, sexy, regal woman and as a snake.

Spirit allies:

She is accompanied by an entourage of Dactyls and Nymphs.

Creature: Snake

Mount:

Rhea’s speedy chariot is pulled by Atalanta and her husband transformed into lions.

OFFERINGS:

Wine, water, milk, menstrual blood, beautiful crystals

SEE ALSO:

Cabeiro; Dactyl; Demeter; Gaia; Hades; Hera; Hestia; Kronos; Kybele; Nymph; Olympian Spirits; Pandora; Persephone; Poseidon; Proserpina; Titan; Zeus and the Glossary entries for Avatar, Identification, and Mystery.

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by :Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.