An Interview with Anya Kless, author of “Lilith: Queen of the Desert”

As I grew to know Odin, I soon realized I was selling Him short as well. I had relied too heavily on popular images of Him rather than my own experiences. I’m sure He also knew that if He had approached me first, rather  than sending me to Lilith, I would have fought (harder than I did) and not been able to build a healthy, effective partnership with Him.

It taught me three important lessons: first, our Gods are not stereotypes or cardboard cut-outs. They have depth, contradictions, and are capable of surprising us. Second, our Gods are opportunists. They will send us wherever we need to go to grow into our spiritual selves and better serve Them. Third, when in doubt, ask. Approach your Gods without assumptions about how They will reply. Speak to Them honestly. Ask questions respectfully. Listen without prejudice.

To get back to your original question, I have never experienced a situation in which Lilith and Odin demanded conflicting things from me. They have their own rhythms and protocols with each other and tend to stay out of the way when I’m working with the other. Lilith acknowledges Odin’s primary claim on me, while Odin acknowledges that I was Hers first and that a part of me will always be Hers. As far as I know, they get along just fine.

Galina: Regarding your devotional, what surprised you the most in the submissions you received?

Anya: First, the sheer number of submissions. Because Lilith really doesn’t fit into an established pantheon with dedicated groups, I had no idea how many people were currently working with Her. It’s been very exciting and gratifying to see how much of a presence She has in the world. I was also surprised that no matter how varied the submissions were, each still held a thread I could identify as authentically Lilith. The devotional explores a range of Her faces, including those with whom I don’t work personally. I was quite pleased with the range of experiences that were shared, as well as the very personal nature of those experiences. I have never seen a deity so fiercely loved–She seems to universally inspire that in Her people.

Continued —>