On this, the first full day of the summer season of the sun, I want to share with you a list of Sun Goddesses from Around the Globe:

Aditi – Hindu goddess from India, keeper of the light that illuminates all life and ensures consciousness. She gave birth to the universe and the heavenly bodies.

Aine – Irish goddess who represents the spark of life. Her festival was celebrated on Midsummer’s Eve, the Summer Solstice. Later She was remembered in Christian times as the Fairy Queen.

Akycha -Native Alaskan solar goddess who once lived on Earth as a beautiful woman. She fled into the sky after Her brother raped Her.

Amaterasu – Japanese Shinto goddess. Her name means “Great Shinning Heaven.” She is the head of the Japanese pantheon and Her emblem, the rising sun, appears on the Japanese flag.

Bast – Egyptian lion goddess of sunset. Among Her many roles She symbolizes the fertilizing rays of the sun.

Beiwe – Sami goddess of Lapland who is celebrated at the Summer Solstice for providing the light the plants needed to grow. These in turn fed the reindeer that are vital source of food, clothing and tools for the people.

Bila – Aboriginal cannibal goddess who provided light for the world by cooking Her victims over a giant flame. She was chased away, but the world was then plunged into darkness. So Bila was captured and tethered to the earth.

Brigid – Celtic fire goddess. As a solar deity Her attributes are light, inspiration and all skills associated with fire.

Chup – Kamui – Modest Japanese moon goddess. She traded places with the sun god, as She was so embarrassed by the adulterous and lecherous behavior that was occurring in the dark of night.

Djanggawul Sisters – Aboriginal goddesses from Arhemland. These daughters of the sun gave birth to all the plants and animals. Their magical power objects were stolen from them by their brothers.

Hathor – Egyptian goddess of the sky. Hathor is depicted with the solar disk. indicating that this is one of Her many areas of influence.

Hekoolas – Native American sun goddess of the Miwok people. The trickster Coyote, convinced Her to light up this world.

Medusa – Greek goddess who is said to derive from an earlier Anatolian deity. This theory is supported by images of Her with a lion that symbolized the power of the sun.

Pattini – Sri Lankan solar deity who represents the heat of the sun’s rays.

Olwen – Welsh sun goddess whose name means “Golden Wheel.”

Saule – Lithuanian golden haired sun goddess. She rides across the sky in a chariot pulled by two white horses with golden manes, battling with the powers of darkness.

Sekhmet – Lion-headed goddess of Egypt. She represents the destructive qualities of the sun’s rays, which cause drought and famine.

Shapash – Phoenician Goddess whose name means “Torch or Light of the Gods”. In addition to being a Solar Goddess, She is also able to travel through the realms of the dead.

Solntse – Slavic Sun Goddess.

Sunna – Nordic Goddess of the Sun, also known as Sol. Her chariot is pulled across the sky by two horses.

Uelanuhi – Cherokee Goddess of the Sun, Her name means “Apportioner,” as She was responsible for dividing time into units. Her warmth was captured for people by Grandmother Spiderwoman’s web.

Walo – Aboriginal Goddess who traveled across the sky with Her daughter, Bar. One day Walo realized that the reason the earth was parched was due to their combined heat, so She sent Her daughter back to the east, thus allowing the earth to become fertile and bloom.

Wuriupranili – Aboriginal sun deity who lights a bark torch and carries the flame through the sky from east to west. At the western sea, She dips it in the water, then uses the embers to guide Her under the earth to reach Her starting point again.

Wurusemu – Ancient Hittite Sun Goddess. She is also known as Arinna.

Xatel-Ekwa – Hungarian Goddess. Like many other ancient European Solar Goddesses, She is linked with horses as She rides through the air on Her three steeds.

Let us all be Solar Queens, carrying light, heat and life giving energy into the world.

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