Triple Goddess

The Triple Goddess, the original Trinity, symbolizes the three faces of the Great Goddess and is the earliest representation of her division into multiplicity. The goddess with three faces is a universal motif, found worldwide in such varied places as India, Ireland, Greece, Norway, and Mexico. The Triple Goddess is intimately associated with the changing phases of the moon and reflects the complexity and different roles of the Great Goddess; just as the moon transforms from one phase to another, the Great Goddess moves among her many roles. Her three faces are typically said to be virgin, mother, and crone; virgin representing the strong, self-defined goddess; mother representing her aspect as the source of all nourishment; and crone representing the goddess of death and transformation, the death goddess in her underworld guise. This symbolism embraces the role of the goddess in all phases of existence, from birth through death to rebirth. The Triple Goddess reminds us of our sacredness regardless of our age or function in life. She reminds us that despite her many forms there is one goddess, always present and always sacred.

Tlazolteotl: Toltec
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Valkyrie: Norse
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Ⓒ The Susan Eleanor Boulet Trust (illustration)
Ⓒ Text copyright Michael Babcock