Ta'Nit and 'No Fear'

Hundreds of statues of the Phoenician

Goddess Ta'Nit were discovered in 1973-74,

during a marine-archaeology expedition

of Phoenician shipwrecks. They date

from the 7 to 5th centuries B.C.E.

That is sooo cool!

The Phoenicicans were great mariners

and traders, visiting trading

cultures throughout the Mediterranean

and even in the Americas.

They are said to have had a

bright and flourishing culture.

Ta'Nit was the Phoenician's name for the

Great Goddess, the Feminine aspect

of the Divine. Seafarers would carve

the symbol of Ta'Nit into the rock

in their gratitude for a safe arrival.

Ta'Nit is associated with the Great

Goddess by her names Asherah, Nix,

Anat, and Elat -- different words

representing different cultures and

languages. One DIvine Mother,

appearing with different names & faces.

 

Though I had never heard of

Ta'Nit, I woke with her name

one morning in July of 2010,

with a message "Act for Ta'Nit

and it will benefit all beings."

I've been curious about that message

and Ta'Nit ever since.

 

What I love about this archaeological

find is that Ta'Nit is shown with her

left hand over her 'higher heart' and

her right hand in the Abhay Mudra --

the mudra of 'no fear', used both

to signify "I'm a friend" and also

to cultivate 'no fear'.

 

Where one is centered in

the Heart, fear is kept at bay.

Or said in another way, "perfect

Love casts out all fear."

For most of us, me included,

this is deep and daily practice.

Hindu images of the Goddess

or Maha Devi in her Durga, Lakshmi,

Bhramaridevi, and Akhilandeshwari

aspects are often shown

  with the 'no fear' Abhay mudra, too.

You'll notice this mudra in

other spiritual traditions as well.

How does it feel when you

align with the energy hinted at

in this Ta'Nit image -- and how does

it feel when you try this mudra with

your left hand on your heart and

your right in the Abhay Mudra of

no fear, head slightly bowed

towards your heart, and a gentle

smile on your face?

 

 

Image of Ta'Nit statue from the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel.

Comments

[Barbara Wilder]

I have never seen this Goddess before. She is beautiful. I love the Abhay mudra. I chant the Abhayam most everyday. This hand over heart and hand in the Abhay mudra is the way we pledge allegiance to our flag. Just goes to prove the founding fathers' connection with the divine mysteries.

[Jamie Walters]

Thanks for sharing about the Abhayam, Barbara. The ancient sacred words are so timeless ... I can feel the vibration even in writing the word. And wow, what an interesting observation about the 'pledge'! Oceans of Light...xoxo.