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| Most women can relate to the idea of resisting traditionally submissive roles. This seems to be why popular culture is so into the Goddess Lilith in recent years. Apparently Lilith was all the rage on the Sabrina the Witch Netflix series (first aired in 2018). I don’t know, because I just couldn’t go into the world with Sabrina. This witch has enough on her plate. But Lilith is a real badass, and certainly another reason why popular culture has glommed onto her (she also appeared in the HBO series True Blood). What is it that fascinates us so much about Lilith? Her story is varied and old, and well, it’s just awesome. Hebrew religious texts describe her as Adam’s first wife, pre-dating the biblical Eve. Lilith was married to Adam, however things didn’t go so well when they had sex. Lilith just plain refused to do it missionary style. She was like hell no, I like it best on top. Well, Adam didn’t like that too much, as you can imagine. And after they argued about it, she did what she should have done. She left that dude, disappearing into thin air with a poof – and gone. |
| She flew to the Red Sea and started having sex with demons and producing evil offspring (according to sources). This last part of the story is pretty revealing. I’m sure she was finally having lots of good sex, and accordingly, she was “demonized” in her mythology. Women having control of sex and their bodies? Oh no, we can’t have that here. Adam didn’t want to let go of Lilith. He appealed to Yahweh (aka God), who sent angels to retrieve her. But she refused to go back to him. Well, these angelic angels, as angelic as they are, tried to drown Lilith. But they failed. She was too strong for that. In some ancient texts, Lilith is also thought to be a demonic old hag who can kill children shortly after they’re born. And this again fits into the dangerous women-and-their powers archetype. Women are only allowed to be beautiful and young. Chaste. Baby bearers. And heaven forbid they should age into an old hag; that is just plain disturbing. The dangerous woman concept, Lilith dates back to 3000 BC and eventually, it makes its way into many cultures and myths thereafter. Although she is named differently wherever you might see her. |
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| She also has animalistic forms and depictions in many cultures. I love stuff like this. Here are a few: – A screech owl, with the body and head of a woman and sharp dangerous talons. – A night monster. – A snake with the body and head of a woman. – A snake coiled in the base of a willow tree. – Some think she is the snake who tempted Eve in the garden of eden. – A lion. |
| What does Lilith mean to you? |
| I encourage you to channel your own version of Lilith, to rebel and resist submissive roles: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Get your journal out and chew on this: 1. What am I submissive to? 2. What patterns (or people) are trying to keep me there? 3. How am I empowered and rebellious? |