Goddess of the Week: Tonantzin

Image via WikipediaClaire is on a walking pilgrimage from Sevilla to Santiago, Spain.  It is a spiritual journey.  It will take her until the end of October, and she wants a goddess to go along for the ride.  I only hope she doesn't get this too late because she's already left!  I'm giving her the Aztec goddess Tonantzin.

Many Mexican goddesses occasionally went by the name Tonantzin, which means "revered mother," but generally speaking Tonantzin represents the concept of mother earth, and who better to help you on a camino than Mother Earth, whose dust will kiss the tops of your hopefully very good-quality walking shoes.  Tonantzin was also the patroness to midwives and healers, and your feet are going to be sore, Claire, so we want some good balming going on, actually, massaging would be even better, but that might be out of Tonantzin's realm of expertise.

When the Spanish colonized what is now Mexico they colonized its ancient religions as well.  Tonantzin became Mother Mary, the Virgin of Guadalupe.  In fact, the shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe is built directly on the former pyramid temple of Tonantzin.  Many rituals and traditions associated with the Virgin of Guadalupe have their roots in worship of the Aztec goddess.

Tonantzin reminds us that you can give a goddess a makeover and you can change her wardrobe, but faith can't be mandated.   Plus, the divine feminine always finds a way.

Channel this goddess: When your spiritual journey is literally a journey, when people try and dictate what you should believe, when you are seeking the divine in others as well as yourself.  Beware the Image Makers; your faith belongs to you.


Need a goddess?  I got goddesses!  Post a comment saying what you need or want a goddess for.  Then check back in a week or two and see what you got!  I'm waiting....