As the everyday world fades away, you find yourself standing in the cold darkness of a moonless desert night. The sky above glitters with innumerable stars, and off to the east you sense more than see the beginnings of the sunrise.

Silhouetted against that deepest of blues is a cluster of small trees – an oasis – surrounding a domed, sand-colored structure. This is the Temple of Sekhmet, built to honor the Sacred Power of all Goddesses, and as you approach the temple grounds you feel the warmth of this energy surround you.

There is a light breeze and in the trees around you you hear the gentle song of wind chimes, and in the dawning light you catch glimpses of brightly colored prayer flags fluttering in the branches.

As you follow the white gravel path toward the Temple, you notice that it has four arched doorways – one facing each of the cardinal directions – and the signs along the path instruct you to enter by whichever represents the type of healing you feel you need most at this time:

• East for mental and intellectual issues
• South for spiritual and willpower-related matters
• West for courage and dealing with emotions
• North for physical health and wisdom

You enter – feeling the healing energy wash over you as you pass through the threshold -- and the quickly lightening sky reveals a slate and gravel floor, a central firepit, and a myriad of Goddess images from around the world. These images cover and surround the corner altars, and spill out onto the niches and shelves built into the walls.

In the SouthWest are the Maidens, Nymphs and Virgins:
Yemaya, Bast, Venus, Persephone, Artemis, White Buffalo Calf Woman and the Virgin of Guadalupe

In the NorthWest are the Mothers, Comforters and Bodhisattvas:
Gaia, Demeter, Corn Mother, Kwan Yin, Hathor, Tara, Isis and Mother Nature Herself

In the NorthEast are the Wise Women, Dark Ladies and Crones:
Hecate, the Fates, the Norns, Cerridwen, Kali, Lillith, Nephthys and Spider Grandmother

And in the SouthEast are the Warriors, Defenders and Healers:
The Morrigan, Durga, Brigid, Athena, Pele, Oya, Freya, and of course, Sekhmet,

represented here by a human-sized basalt statue seated on a throne and holding an ankh – the symbol of life – in Her left hand. Her feline head bears the face of a lioness gazing lovingly at Her cubs, and Her human body is covered in a floor-length red dress.

To Her left is a large papyrus scroll which reads:

Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking will be in vain unless you know the Mystery – for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire….

To Her right is a black scrying mirror as tall as you are – a magic mirror in which you can see you own personal Goddess, She who embodies aspects of all the Goddesses in this Temple and many others, depending on your needs. She may have a message for you, or She may simply send healing to your mind, body and spirit. Take a moment now to look into the mirror and contact Her….

As your Goddess fades from the mirror, the image of you sitting in meditation in this sanctuary appears. The Goddess tells you that you may use this mirror as a gateway to return to the Temple and visit Her whenever you like.

As you step though the mirror, you feel the warm glow of Her love accompany you, and you see the Lioness smile….

When you're ready, open your eyes and return to this time and place…..