Maria

Book of the Goddess, by Anna Livia Plurabelle, [© 2002 Anna Livia Plurabelle, All rights reserved], at sacred-texts.com

7. In your home create a sacred space for the Goddess to please Her. Meditate on the Goddess three times a day, at rising, at noon and at sundown.

The Goddess in her form Maria is the spirit of the seventh principle.

Maria is the Goddess of the Ocean. This includes both the literal ocean, and the ocean of the love of the Goddess which surrounds us, unseen by most. By creating sacred space you can bathe in this ocean. Sacred space can be created anywhere, since the Goddess lives in all space and time, all matter and energy.

A sacred space can be an physical altar. This is a personal area in your home or workplace to remind you of the Goddess. Your altar can have symbolic objects such as images of historical Goddesses, shells, feathers, rocks, dried pomegranates, vials of earth, seawater, or other natural objects. You can place pictures of loved ones or objects which remind you of them such as toys, scraps of clothing, and so on. You can burn incense, ring bells or blow horns. Essentially your altar and the way you worship before it can be anything that symbolizes the Goddess to you.

There is another kind of sacred space, which is created in your spirit. This is created during the meditation on the Goddess.

First recite the Invocation of the one Goddess.

Our Mother, creator of heaven;
Blessed be your name.
Your springtime come,
Your singtime sung,
On Earth, as it is in Heaven.
"Do what you love, shall be the whole of the law,
And harm no one, lest ye be harmed threefold;"
And lead us to knowledge, and deliver us from jealousy:
For yours is the wisdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Blessed be. Blessed be. Blessed be.

To create a spiritual sacred space of the Goddess, close your eyes and visualize a limitless, calm ocean surrounding you in every direction.

Calm your mind and attempt to free it from thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Visualize each thought, emotion, fear or concern as a boat sailing away on an ocean.

When you are calm, feel the love of the Goddess enter you and fill you; this pleases her and she will love you in return.

There is no need for a particular pose or posture. You can perform the meditation standing, sitting, laying down, whatever makes you feel comfortable.

This should be done three times daily.

Afterwards, inwardly recite the appropriate Invocation for that time of day.

The Invocation of Maria (before sleep): "Blessed Maria. Queen of grace, Mother of mercy. Bestow upon us protection from all evil, this and every night. Blessed be."