LILITH

The soul of all beasts. Who symbolises the feminine, instinctual, natural level of being.

The distorted mythical history of Lilith is depicted as a demonic archetype rather than a goddess. When working with archetypes and goddesses, it is important to remember that we are focusing on embodiment. We are not worshipping deities outside of ourselves, rather we are seeing how these archetypes are alive, and present within each of us always.

The Garden of Eden & The Serpent

Some believe that Lilith was indeed, the first ‘mother to the world’. She is also believed to be Adams first divine partner, however, after refusing to be subservient to Adam, she was cast out of the Garden of Eden and replaced with a more obedient wife being Eve.

The snake that tempts Eve with the apple is often said to be a serpent-form of Lilith herself, coming to lure Eve into the world of ‘sinful sensuality’. The snakes energy is that of old knowledge, ancient wisdom and matter becoming conscious. Later stories say it was Lilith herself in the guise of a serpent that helped Eve awaken. It is associated with the dynamic experience of radical awakening and shifts in awareness that push one over a threshold, requiring one to never go back to an old way of being.

Lilith, red earth & aesthetic symbolism

Lilith was named flawed and unworthy because she had come from filth and sediment. Filth and sediment are co-components that make soil fertile and able to create and sustain life. This telling of the story however, distorts the words to make them sound tainted. The story states Adam was made from pure dust, and that might be, but nothing has ever grown or thrived in dust. It simply cannot, as that is the very definition of barren.

Lilith found refuge at the edge of the Red Sea. Many suggest that the Red Sea is a symbol of a women’s menses and ancient sources spoke of the two flows that come from a woman’s vagina. The clear flow of ovulation was called the River of Life. This was due to its procreative nature that supported the patriarchal system. The forbidden red flow of menstruation was called the River of Death. This was so because a woman’s power and arousal that emerged during this time did not have the end purpose of pregnancy.

Some questions and themes around Lilith:

• Sexuality vs sensuality? Sensuality: the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses. Sexuality: Ones sexual feelings or a person's sexual orientation or preference.
• Fear around embracing sexuality: Is our sexuality sinful? Does our desire mean that we are tempted by evil? Does our eroticism oppose our innocence?
• Fear around our fiery nature: Will we be accepted if we present ourselves as fierce, strong, dominant, warrior-like, wild? Will we be feared? Will our partners run away threatened or turn against us intimidated? Will we be seen as too much?

Lilith is continuously unfolding, inspiring us to recognise our fears and desires as sources to foster healing. She heals the energy of believing that you are not whole, capable, and beautiful in your original state. She facilitates enjoyment in your own ecstatic sexual nature without guilt or shame and knowing within that realm, what feels fair and healthy to you. Lilith encourages turning deeply inward to renew, find personal magic and power and be self-directed– only if we are able to honour her within us. 

Performed & Conceptualised by Courtney Allen

Film by Christian Chicchini