A is for Athena
I am participating in the Pagan blog Project, this week is A

I have never been one to truly align myself with a certain God or Goddess. I tend to view God in a more generic, non gender version. But I do have a special connection to Athena. One of the things I use to do when I was first getting serious about spirituality and my spiritual self, was to take mini pilgrimages to the Parthenon in Nashville Tennessee.  We would spend the whole day going to various shops, events, places of a spiritual nature. Our hometowns are smaller and have a heavy Christian following, so new age and pagan business don't seem to last and public events don't generally happen. So for us, our trips to Nashville were spiritually a breath of fresh air and a sort of rejuvenation.

Athena is a warrior Goddess, born from the head of Zeus. She is the Goddess of wisdom, reason, purity, wise counsel, war, weaving and pottery.

My impressions of her has always been that of someone of power, who is a fierce defender and of extreme intelligence. Granted standing by that 18 foot statue it's hard not feel an immense sense of power.

Every time I have been to the Nashville Parthenon, has been a magical experience for me.  For me its was like stepping back to ancient history. There is a power I feel when I am there. Not just from the statue and presence of Athena. But from the whole place. For me it has been an major aspect my spiritual being and growth.

If you are ever in Nashville I do highly recommend visiting. There is a museum and gift shop below, and outside are ducks to feed and lots of area for picnic.