Surrounded By Gods And Goddesses – They Are Everywhere

Imagine statues of gods and goddesses on display in public places. The general public are free to interact with the gods and goddesses of their home town. It would be as easy as popping into the local supermarket. Sounds like a scene right out of ancient Rome or some grand work of fiction, doesn’t it? You might be surprised to learn that we are surrounded by gods and goddesses. It seems they are everywhere and it only takes a little effort to find them.

Gods and Goddesses In The City Plaza

It’s true. Where I live there are gods and goddesses on display, slap dab in the middle of town. There’s a huge sculpture of the goddess Athena that was commissioned by the City to beautify the city plaza. It’s a cool enough sculpture, as you can see, but it’s how you interact with it that makes the art piece so amazing. If you stand “inside” the statue it almost transforms into a mask. Looking at the plaza, through the eyes of the goddess, certainly shifts one’s perspective.

There are times when the trees behind the sculpture are in full bloom. Bright pink blossoms perfume the air and signal the return of spring. If you catch it at just the right angle, when stopped at the red light across from Athena, it’s as if her eyes are shining pink. The business behind Athena has a red neon sign, and when the fog settles in, which it frequently does, Athena’s eyes glow an eerie red.

The statue is a lovely spot to spend an hour watching the comings and goings of folk or to sit in contemplation of the goddess Athena. Occasionally there are offerings of flowers to be found in front of Athena. I’ve known people to anoint the statue with sacred oils or water. Local witches and pagans meet there, sometimes to start a ritual.

God and Goddess Everywhere – The Water Goddess in Albany, CA

Gods And Goddess Nearby

If I drive just a few miles in any direction, I can find all sorts of gods and goddesses on display. In Albany, near Oakland, California, stands an intriguing figure known colloquially as “Water Goddess”. The artists, Osha Neumann and Jason De Antonis are local activists and their statue contemplates the impact of the vanishing commons, climate change, homelessness, and art.

Sutro Gardens, In San Francisco, is home to the Goddess Diana. If you visit the park at Sutro heights, search out this statue. Although the Diana statue is in quite a state of disrepair, this much loved statue has been cared for by Bay Area witches and priestesses for as long as it has existed. There are frequently offerings of flowers, oils, and stones at the base of the statue. Petitions, prayers, and spells can be found tucked into nooks and crannies. There’s even a coven, so I’ve heard, that washes Diana every Spring Equinox.

In Santa Rosa, there are two Dol hareubangs, standing guard by the City offices. These two “smiling grandfathers” were gifted to Santa Rosa by the city of Bukjeju, in South Korea. The statues are made of volcanic basalt and stand nearly ten feet tall. Traditionally, they are thought of as protective gods and boundary guardians.

Gods and Goddesses Are Everywhere

I’ve listed just a few statues and sculptures in my local area. I could write twenty more posts featuring all of the deities in just this area alone. There are literally thousands of images of gods and goddesses everywhere you look.

Here are a few more:

Where Are Your Gods And Goddesses?

There are so many depictions of gods and goddesses all over the world, and I’m not just talking about huge national sculptures either. There are gods and goddesses in practically every city if you look for them. I’ve seen a wall mural of Medusa on the side of an abandoned building in Washington, DC. The vibrant activist murals in San Francisco’s Mission district feature various deities.

I’m curious, where are the deities in your area?

YES! I WANT PICTURES IN THE COMMENTS.