Hi and welcome to Oh My God/dess! Each month, this column will be dedicated to exploring a different deity. I will be learning along with you as I prepare each month's article, so thanks for allowing me to share my journey.

Since many of us have already been studying the Sun goddess Brighid in preparation for Imbolg, my focus this month is Amaterasu, the Shinto (Japanese) Queen of the Gods. Like Brighid, Amaterasu is a Sun goddess whose worship is focused upon the return of light from periods of darkness. Her name means "great shining heaven" and she is also known as the Great Glorious Goddess. As with Brighid, the number eight, water, trees, and white stones are all sacred symbols of Amaterasu. Throughout Japan on February 3, families honor Amaterasu by saying goodbye to Winter while welcoming the Sun during the festival of Setsubun. Many lanterns are lit to celebrate the return of light and warmth, just as candles are lit at Imbolg.

Amaterasu's primary symbol is an eight-sided mirror. This mirror is central to the story that tells of how she, the Sun and light of the heavens, retreated to a cave as a result of a confrontation with her ornery brother, the storm god Susano-O. Susano-O was known to be disruptive, so when he went one day to see his sister, she didn't trust that he would behave. In an attempt to be kind, he offered her his sword so she could create three beautiful goddesses from it. She, in turn, gave him her jewels and from them he made five strong gods. Susano-O was so pleased with his creations that he began storming about with excitement, creating destruction throughout the world. He even startled one of Amaterasu's friends so badly that she died. Amaterasu was devastated by Susano-O's actions and she lost her sense of clarity. She blamed herself for her brother's uncontrollable rampage.

Amaterasu barricaded herself in a cave an refused to come out, even though the eight hundred other goddesses and gods had appealed to her for many days. While the Sun was hidden from the world, all was dark, and nothing grew without Amaterasu's warm light. Finally, the merry goddess Uzume decided that she would cause such a ruckus that Amaterasu would have no choice but to come out and see what was going on. Uzume stripped nude, covered herself with vines and flowers and began to sing and shout while doing a bawdy dance upon an overturned washtub. The other gods and goddesses lit torches and laughed and shouted with approval. Roosters began to crow because, with the light from all of the torches, they thought that dawn had come again. As Amaterasu peeked out from the cave in bewilderment, she caught her reflection in a mirror that the gods had set up for just that purpose. Upon seeing her own radiant reflection, Amaterasu regained her sense of clarity and brought her light back to the world. And although she vowed to never again become disillusioned or frightened by Susano-O's storms of chaos, she was not angry and she sent her blessings to him.

Mirrors have been hung in temples and used in rituals dedicated to Amaterasu ever since, and when we celebrate the rebirth of the light and reflect it deeply within ourselves, we too can regain clarity and a renewed sense of purpose just as the goddess herself once did.