Living Goddesses Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kwan Yin

P'an Chin Lien is the Goddess of prostitutes; Pi-Hsai Yuan Chin is the Goddess of childbirth and labour, bringing good luck and health to both mother and child; and Tien-Mu is the Goddess of lightning.

Answer: Saraswati

Anapurna is the Goddess of food, Chandika is a demon-slaying Goddess, who epitomizes the war of good over evil, and Lakshmi is the very popular Goddess of wealth and prosperity.

Answer: Freya

Gefion is a vegetation and fertility Goddess, Hel is the Goddess of death and the underworld (and where we get the name of the place of Christian punishment) and Var is the Goddess of contracts and agreements, known to punish those who break promises.

Freya has many aspects -- She is Goddess of love, sexuality, fertility, a battle goddess, a champion of peace, mistress of magic and the Goddess called upon during shamanic initiations. Fiercely independent, Freya refused to be forced into marriage. She was free with Her favours, sleeping with Gods, giants and dwarves at Her own will. Pigs are especially sacred to Her, as are cats. She chooses half of all warriors who die in battle to join Her in Her hall in Valhalla.

All of these Goddesses continue to be worshipped by Pagans in Scandanavia, Iceland, and around the world.

Answer: Brighid

Anu is Goddess of the Moon, fertility and prosperity. Maeve is Goddess of both fertility and war, but not of Brighid's other attributes. Rhiannon is the Celtic Goddess associated with the Moon, horses and birds, symbolizing charms and enchantments.

The early Christians could not get the Celts to stop worshipping Brighid, so they converted Her into a saint instead. St. Brigid is venerated by many Irish Catholics to this day, and is said to be the midwife and companion of Mary, mother of Christ. However, Celtic Pagans managed to preserve the memory of what Brighid the Goddess truly is, and She is still honoured around the world - especially at Imbolc (Candlemass in the Christian church).

Answer: Pele

Na-maka-o-kaha'i is the Goddess of water and the ocean, Laka is Goddess of the hula, and Poliahu is the Goddess of snow-capped mountains. All of them are honoured by Hawaiian shamans.

Pele herself lives in the crater of Mount Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii. She is tempestuous by nature, with a terrible temper and intense jealousy. The eruptions of the volcano are said to be displays of Her rage, and the lava that results are considered Her children.

If you go to Hawaii, it is recommended that you do not just take lava home with you -- ask Pele's permission first, and leave something in return -- a pretty flower, seashell, and gin (the alcohol) placed (or poured) on the ground might all be accepted. If after making your offering you still feel it is not okay to remove the lava, do not take it. The Hawaiian post office gets thousands of pounds of lava shipped back every year, many with notes enclosed telling of the terrible bad luck the hapless tourists have had since taking the lava without Pele's permission.