Because we are.

I feel seen. And I feel betrayed.

I’ve never identified with the goddesses as I do with this one. But the word “identify” feels inappropriate. The attributes ascribed to the Goddess are who I am to the core. People literally pay me to be their “voice.” I commented on this account that folks could call me “contrary.”
I’m an iconoclast because most beliefs and customs seem arbitrary to me. So much so that if it feels inauthentic – I work to look for its meaning.

I need to “look under the hood.”

So when Stephanie Danger mentioned others could acquire these characteristics and incorporate them into their daily lives – I was finished and almost clicked away.

But then I thought, maybe I’ve been looking at this “deity” thing backward.

Maybe we are the gods and have always been the gods we worship. We’ve selected the best part of our personalities and created gods to explain how things have come to be.

Maybe we aspire to be our highest selves, and then we’ve decided it is a goddess trait. And for the characteristics we hate – our shadow selves, we’ve selected those to cast out and down.

Even if we are mostly the Goddess’s head. (Hat-tip to E A’s comment) And we choose to incorporate “MTV” edits into our work – maybe it’s not to attract a specific audience. Instead, it is to honor part of ourselves we’ve neglected. When someone thinks or says, “that is uncharacteristic of you,” the action they’ve targeted isn’t. But instead, it’s a SELF-offering.

So, thank you. Stephanie Danger, for sharing your glorious Goddess SELF with us. Whenever I think I’ve seen it all – I learn everything in this world has many facets. It would take several lifetimes to experience it all. I’m so thankful for this life and the chance to experience it at least once!

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Jenifer Lewis embodies Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and expression. Her new book, “ Walking in My Joy: In These Streets” published by Amistad, comes out today.