On July 2nd, 1776 the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence and two days later, July 4th, its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. It was official: the United States of America received its independence from Great Britain.
It has been a great day of celebration ever since. July 4th is a day of BBQs, special sales, pool parties, family gatherings and beach picnics. It’s celebrated at the end with spectacular fireworks that cover the skies of an entire nation. It is the day of Independence.
But what is independence?
It is defined as freedom from control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others. It signifies being OK with who you are and understanding that you will walk a path alone if you need to.
It means you are not restrained or governed in any way that doesn’t suit you.
It’s a strong and powerful word with a far reaching definition. It is especially meaningful to us at Serve The Goddess because it also means standing your own ground and being confident in all that you are and all that you represent. Which is why our up coming retreat will be celebrating the great goddess Artemis and how we as modern day women can learn from her ancient wisdom. Read more about the retreat here.
Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt, the wilderness and childbirth. She was a highly independent goddess who refused to conform.
She vigorously defended her freedom.
She was unafraid and relentless in her quest to be herself and to stand up for what was right, especially for women.
It is from these same characteristics that nations are formed and people are set free. It is from these depths that people stand tall in complete confidence in who they are and what they represent. That same breath that allowed them to embrace all there is to embrace about themselves is what brought Independence to many nations. It was the will to be free and to stand on their own. It signifies so much more than just being able to make decisions independently.
As we carry though our day and enjoy the family time, connections with our loved ones and friends or even if we opted to stay indoors with some TV time or some quiet time curled in a corner with a book, it is important that we look beyond the words July 4th.
It is imperative that we understand the meaning behind it. There had to have been a time in your life when you felt you needed to stand your ground, open your mouth, share a thought, defy the norm and just believe in yourself. There had to be some experience that made you want to roar from a mountain top and come outside of any box someone else expected you to conform to. This is what Independence is about. It is about dancing like no one is watching and freedom.
Here at Serve The Goddess we honor the goddess or the voice within. Be like minded with Artemis and celebrate yourself from the depths of your spirit to the far outreach of your beautiful glowing light.
Happy Happy Independence to you!
