The Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One Comes of Age This issue of Goddess magazine is one of the best yet! The sisters of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One, old and new, have much to say about women’s spirituality. These women continue to lead the way for others to get involved and follow the Goddess path like the priestesses of old … we are Amazons baring torches of illumination. Are you called to the Goddess? Are you called to the old ways of women’s mysteries? The hunger for spiritual information for women goes so deep. Women long for sisterhood, for a coven of like-minded spiritual sisters. That’s the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One! Perhaps the most well known coven in the world. And why is that? It’s simple. Honoring the female principle to honor all life; to celebrate all existence has to offer. The women of the Susan B get that. They get that action is required to bring our blue planet back to a state of health for all living beings. And if you get that too, then what keeps you from being part of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One? The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries holds the herstory of a spiritual awakening of modern women. Suffragettes Susan B. Anthony and Elisabeth Cady Stanton, saw religion as a major reason for women’s oppression. Religion of their day deified the gender apartheid, and devalued women as decedents of the Eve, who were blamed for the lost paradise for all humanity. Blaming women for the laws of nature, is most unfair … an ignorant crime against the spirit of women. This is the big bad cloud we work to dispel. We don’t merit punishment. We merit great praise that we as women managed to continue the human race in spite of all that opposes us.
Within the first pages of the Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries you will discover the Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One. It holds the tenants of the Dianic tradition. Every woman who calls herself a Dianic should know the Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One. We should all be on the same solid ground together as Sisters in Goddess.
The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries will gently lead you back to your own sacred heritage as women. Women’s culture included specialized holydays celebrating life, death and all that is in between. That’s the essence of the Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries, that’s the essence of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One. When a woman actively becomes a member of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One, she comes away with inner skills and a deeper understanding of the Dianic tradition taught directly from me. The Susan B has always been a hands-on coven, actively going where other women have only guessed at. We are the cutting edge of women in this century who utilize technology as a means of communication and education for all women. These women walk their talk!
Funds from the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One support the efforts of the Women’s Spirituality Forum. I was surprised when a woman on my Z-list recently asked what the Women’s Spirituality Forum was. In the last twenty years, I just assumed that everyone knew about the Women’s Spirituality Forum. The Women’s Spirituality Forum (WSF) is the first non-profit and 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt religious and educational organization representing the Dianic tradition. It is through the auspices of the WSF that we can offer clergy services, religious education, tax write offs for donates and classes taken, etc. The yearly tithing of the membership fees from the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One go directly into the WSF. Those funds are then used for everything from goddess festivals to websites. The Women’s Spirituality Forum is a fully functional first non-profit organization representing women’s mysteries and spirituality, which is why we prompt you for donations. It’s is through your donations that are able to continue to provide these services. When we gather together our real knowledge as women grows faster. Nothing has to be taken on faith here, Goddess culture is based on observation, but sisterhood is not a given. That we must learn, through studies and practices which create a loyal web of women-centered family around us. This is a beautiful goal, a worthy goal, and the Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries, the Women’s Spirituality Forum and the workings of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One helps us to realize it’s true worth. Women are awakening together. You can fly solo or you can work with an active coven. Whatever you decide, action is your next step. Blessed be,
Z Budapest
Herbal Medicine Chest... IN YOUR BACK YARD Don't kill, spray, tear up, or destroy the weeds in your garden, yard, and fence rows. Many of them are actually highly-regarded, widely-used, and extremely-valuable medicinal herbs! What could be easier than growing an herb garden with no effort? Of course, you'll have to harvest your weeds, but you would do that anyhow: it's called weeding. Spring is an especially fertile time for harvesting your weeds - roots and all - and turning them into medicines. Here then are some tips on how to find, harvest, prepare, and use a baker's dozen (13) of common weeds that probably already grow around you. To make your medicines you'll need glass jars of various sizes with tight-fitting lids. And at least a pint each of apple cider vinegar (pasteurized), vodka (100 proof is best, but 80 proof will do), and pure olive oil (not extra virgin) or good quality animal fat such as lanolin, lard, or belly fat from a lamb or kid. You will also want a knife, a cutting board, and some rags to mop up spills. In general, you will fill a jar (of any size) with coarsely-chopped fresh, but dry, plant material. (Do not wash any part of the plant except roots, if you are using them, and be sure to dry those well with a towel before putting them in your jar.) Then you will fill the jar with your menstruum, that is, the vinegar, the oil, or the alcohol. Label well and allow to stand at room temperature, out of the sunlight for at least six weeks before decanting and using. (See Healing Wise for info on making preparations.) A field guide is helpful for positively identifying your weeds. The one I like best is: A Guide to the Identification of New Zealand Common Weeds in Colour, complied by E. A. Upritchard. (Available from the New Zealand Weed And Pest Control Society, P.O. Box 1654, Palmerston North) This book even shows you how the weeds look when they are emerging. Ready? OK! Let's go outside and see what we can find.
Shepherds's purse (Capsella bursa pastoris) is an annual in the mustard family. Cut the top half of the plant when it has formed its little heart-shaped "purses" (seed pods) and make a tincture (with alcohol), which you can use to stop bleeding. Midwives and women who bleed heavily during their period praise its prompt effectiveness. Gypsies claim it works on the stomach and lungs as well. A dose is 1 dropperful (1ml); which may be repeated up to four times a day.
Cleavers (Gallium aparine) is a persistent, sticky plant which grows profusely in abandoned lots and the edges of cultivated land. The entire plant is used to strengthen lymphatic activity. I cut the top two-thirds of each plant while it is in flower (or setting seeds) and use alcohol to make a tincture which
relieves tender, swollen breasts, PMS symptoms, and allergic reactions. A dose is 15-25 drops (.5 - 1 ml); repeated as needed.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) has many uses, including delicious salad greens. I cut the entire top of the plant and eat it or use alcohol to make a tincture, which dissolves cysts, tonifies the thyroid, and aids in weight loss. A dose is a dropperful (1 ml), up to three times a day.
Daisy (Bellis perennis) is a common perennial weed of lawns and open areas. Quite different from the native daisy (Lagenifera petiolata), the little English daisy is related to feverfew and has similar abilities. I use the leaves and flowers to make a tincture (with alcohol) or a medicinal vinegar which relieves headaches, muscle pain, and allergy symptoms. A dose is a dropperful of the tincture (1 ml), up to twice a day; or a tablespoon of the vinegar in the morning.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) is a persistent perennial of lawns and gardens and one of the best known medicinal herbs in the world. (The native dandelion of New Zealand - Taraxacum magellanicum - is medicinal too.) Those who love a pure green lawn curse the sunny yellow flowers of common dandelion. But those who are willing to see beauty anywhere (such as children and herbalists) treasure this weed. You can use any part of the dandelion - the root, the leaves, the flowers, even the flower stalk - to make a tincture or medicinal vinegar which strengthens the liver. A dose of 10-20 drops of the tincture (.5-1 ml) relieves gas, heartburn, and indigestion, as well as promoting healthy bowel movements. A tablespoon of the vinegar works well, too. More importantly, taken before meals, dandelion increases the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, thus increasing bio-availability of many nutrients, especially calcium. The fresh or cooked green leaves are loaded with carotenes, those anti-cancer, anti-heart disease helpers. And the oil of the flowers is an important massage balm for maintaining healthy breasts. (There's lots more information on dandelions in Healing Wise.)
Dock, also called yellow dock, curly dock, and broad dock is a perennial plant, which my Native American grandmothers use for "all women's problems." The Maori call it paewhenua or runa. It is another plant that disagrees with sheep, especially when the land is overgrazed. I dig the yellow roots of Rumex crispus or R. obtusifolius and tincture them in alcohol to use as an ally when the immune system or the liver needs help. A dose is 15-25 drops (.5-1 ml). I also harvest the leaves and/or seeds throughout the growing season and make a medicinal vinegar, taken a tablespoon at a time, which is used to increase blood-levels of iron, reduce menstrual flooding and cramping, and balance hormone levels. If the chopped roots are soaked in oil for six weeks, the resulting ointment is beneficial for keeping the breasts healthy.
Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) and Ragwort (Senecio jacobea) are hardy perennials that have a reputation for poisoning livestock, like their cousin tansy. Although not good for sheep, these two Senecios are some of the world's most ancient healing plants, having been found in a grave 60,000 years old. You can use the flowering tops and leaves with your alcohol to make a tincture which acts slowly to tonify the reproductive organs, ease PMS, and stop severe menstrual pain. A dose is 5-10 drops (.2-.5 ml) per day, used only once a day, but for at least 3 months. (A larger dose is used to speed up labor.)
Mallows (Malva neglecta, M. parviflora, M. sylvestres) grow well in neglected gardens and are surprisingly deep-rooted. The flowers, leaves, stalks, seeds, and roots are rich in sticky mucilage which is best extracted by soaking the fresh plant in cold water overnight or longer or by making a medicinal vinegar. The starch is extraordinarily soothing internally (easing sore throats, upset tummies, heart burn, irritable bowel, colic, constipation, and food poisoning) and externally (relieving bug bites, burns, sprains, and sore eyes). The leaves, flowers, and bark (especially) of the native Hohere (Hoheria populnea) are used in exactly the same way by Maori herbalists.
Plantain, also called ribwort, pig's ear, or bandaid plant - and kopakopa or parerarera by the Maori - is a common weed of lawns, driveways, parks, and playgrounds. Identify it by the five parallel veins running the length of each leaf. You may find broad leaf plantain (Plantago major) with wide leaves, or narrow leaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata) with lance-thin leaves. Either can be used to make a healing poultice or a soothing oil widely regarded as one of the best wound healers around. Not only does plantain increase the speed of healing, it also relieves pain, stops bleeding,
draws out foreign matter, stops itching, prevents and stops allergic reactions from bee stings, kills bacteria, and reduces swelling. Try a poultice or a generous application of plantain oil or ointment (made by thickening the oil with beeswax) on sprains, cuts, insect bites, rashes, chafed skin, boils, bruises, chapped and cracked lips, rough or sore hands, baby's diaper area, and burns. To make a fresh plantain poultice: Pick a leaf, chew it well and put it on the boo-boo. "Like magic" the pain, itching, and swelling disappear, fast! (Yes, you can dry plantain leaves and carry them in your first aid kit. Chew like you would fresh leaves.) To make plantain ointment: Pick large fresh plantain leaves. Chop coarsely. Fill a clean, dry, glass jar with the chopped leaves. Pour pure olive oil into the leaves, poking about with a chopstick until the jar is completely full of oil and all air bubbles are released. Cap well. Place jar in a small bowl to collect any overflow. Wait six weeks. Then strain oil out of the plant material, squeezing well. Measure the oil. Heat it gently, adding one tablespoon of grated beeswax for every liquid ounce of oil. Pour into jars and allow to cool.
St. Joan's/John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) This beautiful perennial wildflower may be hated by sheep farmers but herbalists adore it. The flowering tops are harvested after they begin to bloom (traditionally on Solstice, June 21) and prepared with alcohol, and with oil, to make two of the most useful remedies in my first aid kit. Tincture of St. Joan's wort not only lends one a sunny disposition, it reliably relieves muscle aches, is a powerful anti-viral, and is my first-choice treatment for those with shingles, sciatica, backpain, neuralgia, and headaches including migraines. The usual dose is 1 dropperful (1 ml) as frequently as needed. In extreme pain from a muscle spasm in my thigh, I used a dropperful every twenty minutes for two hours, or until the pain totally subsided. St. Joan's wort oil stops cold sores in their tracks and can even relieve genital herpes symptoms. I use it as a sunscreen. Contrary to popular belief, St. Joan's wort does not cause sun sensitivity, it prevents it. It even prevents burn from radiation therapy. Eases sore muscles, too.
Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) This scentless perennial mint is one of the great unsung healers of the world. The leaves and flowers contain more antioxidants - which prevent cancer and heart disease, among other healthy traits - than any other plant tested. And as part of the mint family, self heal is imbued with lots of minerals, especially calcium, making it an especially important ally for pregnant, nursing, menopausal, and post-menopausal women. I put self heal leaves in salads in the spring and fall, make a medicinal vinegar with the flowers during the summer, and cook the flowering tops (fresh or dried) in winter soups.
Usnea (Usnea barbata) is that many-stranded grey lichen hanging out of the branches of your apple trees or the Monterey pines planted in the plantation over there or in almost any native tree in areas of the South Island Alps, where it is known as angiangi to the Maori. If in doubt of your identification: Pull a strand gently apart with your hands, looking for a white fiber inside the fuzzy grey-green outer coat. To prepare usnea, harvest at any time of the year, being careful not to take too much. Usnea grows slowly. Put your harvest in a cooking pan and just cover it with cold water. Boil for about 15-25 minutes, or until the water is orange and reduced by at least half. Pour usnea and water into a jar, filling it to the top with plant material. (Water should be no more than half of the jar.) Add the highest proof alcohol you can buy. After 6 weeks this tincture is ready to work for you as a superb antibacterial, countering infection anywhere in the body. A dose is a dropperful (1 ml) as frequently as every two hours in acute situations
Yarrow (Achellia millefolium) This lovely perennial weed is grown in many herb gardens for it has a multitude of uses. Cut the flowering tops (use only white-flowering yarrow) and use your alcohol to make a strongly-scented tincture that you can take internally to prevent colds and the flu. (A dose is 10-20 drops, or up to 1 ml). I carry a little spray bottle of yarrow tincture with me when I'm outside and wet my skin every hour or so. A United States Army study showed yarrow tincture to be more effective than DEET at repelling ticks, mosquitoes, and sand flies. You can also make a healing ointment with yarrow flower tops and your oil or fat. Yarrow oil is antibacterial, pain-relieving, and incredibly helpful in healing all types of wounds. Learn more at www.SusunWeed.com
WIN FREE BOOKS CONTEST Congratulations to our two May Free Books Contest Winners: Rebecca Laughlin and Karen Trombley Wow, do we have a wicked cool treat for all of you on the Goddess magazine email list. Z and I got in touch with Llewellyn Publishing and pitched them on the idea of offering all you a chance for free books in a contest with a fun twist. The concept is simple. Llewellyn gives you a chance to win a free copy of one of their books, and in return you agree to read it and write a book review for Goddess magazine. You get a free book, their authors get a little free press and we get to offer this cool contest!
This month we have 2 books to give away for free! Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces: A Handbook for Pagans in the Military by Stefani Barner Stefani E. Barner, also known as Spiral, is the wife of a two-tour Iraq War veteran and a member of a Gold Star family. She is an active member of Military Families Speak Out and is a professional mediator specializing in community and family conflict. A featured columnist for The Pagan Activist website, she wrote a recent military affairs column called Boadicea’s Children and is a freelance contributor to the Air Force Times newspaper.
An Invaluable Guide for Pagans in the Military Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces provides practical guidance and genuine support to military Pagans and Wiccans as they proudly serve our country. Many issues that face Pagan military members and their families are explored in depth—practicing their faith, relocation, overseas deployment, preparing for combat, returning as veterans, working for peace. Religious freedoms, legal issues, and rights are clarified, and resources for help are given. Faith and Magic in the Armed Forces offers knowledgeable advice, helpful rituals and meditations designed specifically for the military experience, and candid interviews with Pagan servicepersons and their loved ones. Respectful and straightforward, this one-of-a-kind handbook is essential for Pagans serving in a predominantly Christian military.
Beyond 2012: A Shaman's Call to Personal Change and the Transformation of Global Consciousness by James Endredy War, epidemics, catastrophic geological disasters . . . . We are living out the prophecies of a planet in peril as we count down the days until 2012, the end of the Mayan calendar. James Endredy, noted writer, teacher, and shamanistic practitioner, offers a unique perspective on 2012—a message of genuine hope for humankind. According to Endredy, "every human being can be a shrine of love, an altar of hope" during this time of shifting global consciousness and radical change. In this one-of-a-kind guide, Endredy consults the "First Shamans," Fire Spirit Tataiwari (Grandfather Fire) and Earth Spirit Nakawé (Grandmother Growth) for wisdom and guidance. Tataiwari and Nakawé reveal how the evolution of human consciousness, sustaining the earth, and our personal happiness and well-being are all connected.
Praise for Ecoshamanism "A must-have book for customers interested in ecology and shamanic spirituality." —New Age Retailer
Beyond 2012 offers a wealth of practical ways for each of us to personally help spark the transformation of human consciousness. Learn how your positive actions—reciprocity, compassion, love, and respect for the essences and energies that sustain life on our world—can help save the planet.
Book Review Contest Rules Must be 18 years or older. Must be a member of the Goddess magazine email list. Free books must be shipped to addresses in the USA or Canada. One entry per member’s email address. Winners are notified by email. Mandatory information: Full legal name, address, city state, country, postal code, email address.
Book Review Winners Obligations No negative reviews. Write about what you did like about the book. In your own words, write a 300-500 word review of the book. You don’t have to recommend the book, but you can if you want to. Work must be all your own writing. Book reviews must be completed and email to us 30 days after receipt of book or sooner. Book reviews must not be published anywhere else for 30 days after publication in Goddess magazine. Then, you go to Amazon.com and Powells.com, and publish your review with an additional sentence at the end “This book review was originally published in Z Budapest’s Goddess magazine.” All reviews become the sole property of the Women’s Spirituality Forum. We will publish your review at BookReviewBlogger.com and in the Goddess magazine.
HOLY BOOK STUDY GROUP It’s not a class, it’s a study group. There’s a difference, in that in the Holy Book class Z gets up front and personal with every homework assignment … and there are homework assignments. In the study group there are no assignments and Z isn’t a part of it, but we wanted to give all of you a resource to be able to work through the Holy Book together. Even though Z has priced the classes in the Dianic University very reasonably, she wanted to provide a place where women who couldn’t afford the classes can go. http://www.bookbundlz.com/BookClub.aspx?g=topics&f=3116
Dianic Clergy Priestess Training
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Several sisters sent in their applications for Clergy training, and we wanted to let you know we have them. We’re beginning to process your applications and you will be hearing back from us shortly.
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Did you want to apply too? The Application for Dianic Clergy Priestess is online. More information on the Dianic Clergy program can be found towards the end of this issue of Goddess magazine.
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JUNE BOOK REVIEW House of Spirits and Whispers book review by Bobbie Grennier (Book Review Blogger)
Well, how sweet is this recounting, as told by Annie Wilder, about the many ghosts who live in her 100 year old house in Minnesota. Annie Wilder has a real knack for writing an easy to read, well written and engaging ghost story. It’s nice to read a ghostly book that’s written by a professional writer, as it had that touch of elegance to the writing. If you’re an aspiring ghost hunter, this book may or may not be for you. Annie didn’t spend too much time on detailed narratives with regard to the manifestations. What she did do, was share her family and her ghost family with the world. Since I’m living in Z’s 100 year old house, I could totally relate to the bitter sweetness of these tales. Every now and again, you see a ghost and it’s no big deal. Like the spirits in Annie’s house, ours are also sort of guardians looking over us. It’s just a part of existence. Sometimes the communications are gentle and sometimes they will cost you a few white hairs. Annie’s ghosts are no exception. Their spooky communications cost that family more than one good night’s sleep. And to top it off, Annie’s haunted abode is across the street from a funeral home. So, she gets her share of spirits just passing through. What you get in this book is a solid story of a mother’s love for her children and in time, her respect and caring for the spirits that share her home. I like that Annie shares the course of her discoveries and resources as she grows and learns to develop her own psychic abilities. Sometimes, life sets us on a path to self-discovery that can be scary and joyous at the same time. The House of Spirits and Whispers is a cautionary tale in the realm of the unknown that ends in the serenity of love. It’s a nice read. If you’d like to read it for yourself, then get your own copy of House of Spirits and Whispers here.
How many friends have YOU shared the Goddess with? This magazine is sponsored by the Women’s Spirituality Forum. Please help support our efforts to help keep the Goddess Alive!
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NEWLY FOUND PALEOLITHIC GODDESS FIGURE Unveiled May 13, in Germany, by archaeologists, a 35,000 year old carving brings more evidence of how the Great Mother Goddess was worshiped, venerated and was in fact, ubiquitous in pre-historic civilizations in Paleolithic Europe and the Mediterranean. The carving assembled from 6 fragments is the oldest known carving of a human form. Found in the Hohle Fels cave, the carving depicts a woman, sans head or feet, with a corpulent abdomen, large, firm breasts, wide-set thighs and an evident vulva. It is missing one arm, which the archaeologists hope to find as they continue to search the cave.
“It is the oldest known piece of figurative sculpture in the world�, said Jill Cook, a curator of Paleolithic and Mesolithic material at the British Museum in London.
Nicholas Conard, whose team discovered the figure in September of 2008, said that humans of that time period, who are believed to have come to Europe around 38,000 BCE, had the intelligence to create symbols and think abstractly in a way that parallels the present day human. Conard believes that the 2.4 inch tall figure may have originally be intended to hang on a string and worn as an ornament, though clearly that is speculation. Though there are approximately 150 figures of this type found from the Pyrenees mountains to southern Russia, and dating back 25,000 to 29,000 years, archaeologist Conard warns that drawing a connection between these already known and later sculptures and this newly unearthed figure is on shaky ground, given that the Venus of Hohle Fels is another 6000 years older. However, since myriad ancient cultures seem to have been Mother Goddess worshiping cultures, this author is not too sure that such a connection is invalid at all.
At the University of Cambridge, England, archaeologist Paul Mellars sees a more direct continuum: “We now have evidence of that sort of artistic tradition of “Venus” figurines going back 6000 years earlier than anybody ever guessed”, he said. From a modern patriarchal culture point of view, Cook suggested this figure could have been a symbol of fertility, perhaps even portraying a woman giving birth. Mellars suggested a far more modern
influenced idea, “These people were obsessed with sex.” But Conard offered that these differing opinions just reinforced the connection between the ancient and modern viewer: “How we interpret it tells us as much about ourselves as about people who lived 40,000 years ago.” Perhaps it is Paul Mellars who is “obsessed with sex“? Images of uninhibited Female Power like The Venus of Willendorf, the Venus of Lasaulle, the Sleeping Goddess of Malta and now this Venus of Hohle Fels, whose features in common are bulging, amply and roundly curved bodies, large breasts obviously ready for nursing, and evident vulva have been found all over Europe and the Mediterranean areas, including Turkey and northern Africa. After 3 millennia of patriarchal, Abrahamic religions, through that grid we might view these figures as uncivilized, blatantly sexual, even erotica or pornography. These patriarchal religions and their ideologies have changed our views of women to being second class citizens, blamed them for the woes of men, branded them as the original reason we need to be “saved”, characterized them as irrational and therefore lesser, and lowered them to being sexual objects for men. For Paul Mellars to suggest that this incredibly beautiful carving indicates that the people from which it came were, “obsessed with sex” is just not reflective of the prehistoric culture from which it came. In the ancient Goddess cultures, the carving’s features represented the always abundant love of the Goddess for Her children, the love that would always provide for them, and the holiness and sacredness of the womb from which human life miraculously emerged. Those ancient peoples viewed women as having the power of creation all unto themselves. Therefore, women’s bodies were venerated, considered sacred, as they reflected the Goddess Herself. Interestingly, Holle, the Great Mother Goddess of the Germanic peoples, finds her name on the cave where this carving was found, “Hohle Fels”.
God the Mother or Paleolithic Porn? If you Google "Venus of Hohle Fels" today, you will find articles regarding this major archaeological find. It is one of the oldest known examples of figurative art in the world and is at least 35,000 to 40,000 years old. She was found by an archaeologist in Germany, Nicholas J. Conrad. Big news, but at the same time, take note of the articles you find. They have titles like: "Busty Figurine Likened to 'Paleolithic Playboy'" and "Buxom Babe." Right Here on the Huffington Post you'll find, "Venus of Hohle Fels: PREHISTORIC PORN." A New York Times article describes the figurine's blatant sexuality as "bordering on pornographic" and she is described as being associated with fertility beliefs. You've got to be kidding me, and if you weren't, I had a good chuckle anyway. I have been working with the modern implications of the Goddess archetype for years now and it relates to the emergence of right brain "feminine" strengths in men and women. My presentation "In Our Right Minds" is a real eyeopener for audiences. We are all using our right hemispheres more and this is changing everything! Funny thing is, back in those Paleolithic days, humanity used to be in balance in terms of utilizing right brain skills, and they venerated the Goddess -- yep, I said it, the Goddess. Maybe there is something we can learn from the past and our Venus of Hohle Fels. Today's articles fail to mention that Paleolithic cultures, the era from which the Venus of Hohle Fels hails, were Goddess cultures. In Paleolithic and Neolithic cultures, the driving force behind all things was considered female. Dr. Elinor Gadon, Cultural Historian writes about these Goddess cultures: "...Goddess religion was earth-centered, not heaven-centered, of this world not otherworldly, body affirming not body-denying, holistic not dualistic. The Goddess was imminent, within every human being, not transcendent, and humanity was viewed as part of nature, death as part of life. Her worship was sensual, celebrating the erotic, embracing all that was alive."
It is nearly impossible for us to see the Venus of Hohle Fels as sacred, even as -- dare I say it -- God the Mother. She is a messenger coming to us from a culture that honored all things female. Goddess cultures are our history, and in fact they persist, with characteristics worthy of our attention. In a survey of 150 cultures today, anthropologist Peggy Reeves Sanday compared cultures structured around male dominance with those that embrace female power. She found a clear correlation between female power in society and Goddess veneration. Where the divine has a feminine face, there is a correlation with the society's honoring of nature, women's role as officiators of sacred sacraments, connection to the land, and female power. In these societies, there is egalitarianism, rather than women holding power over men. These cultures value community, birthing, nurturing, empathy, intuitive intelligence, earth, nature, connection and interdependence. Also, the orientation of time is not linear, but is cyclical and aligned with the eternal cycles of birth, growth, death and renewal. The divine is understood to be embodied in every person and in nature, not somewhere else, abstract and disembodied. Sensuality and sexuality are honored as sacred.
What we have come to describe as "feminine" values are actually attributes that belong to women and men; they are a valued part of society when the feminine is not subjugated. They are not women's tenets, they are societies'. It is certainly out of alignment to describe an artifact from this ancient era as "pornographic." This is quite at odds with the sacred sexuality of egalitarian Goddess cultures. Pioneering archaeologist Marija Gimbutas published The Language of the Goddess in 1989. Before she died in 1994, Gimbutas studied thousands of Paleolithic and Neolithic artifacts and uncovered a language of prehistoric peoples -- the language of the Goddess. As a scholar, Gimbutas had to rise above the prevailing intellectual perspective that could not get past seeing through the lens of modern culture. Judging by today's headlines, things haven't changed much.
Before we so quickly dismiss the Venus of Hohle Fels as pornographic we should consider our loss in doing so. As Eric Neumann wrote: "Comparative religion ... teaches us that there is in man (beyond the psychological need for a father symbol) an equally great, or possibly even greater need: that of the divine woman who appears in many different forms throughout the world, yet remains basically the same everywhere." Maybe we can learn from our foremothers and forefathers. What other goodies come with femininevenerating cultures? Dr. Elinor Gadon writes, "Perhaps the most provocative discovery of recent archaeological research is that nowhere in Neolithic Goddess cultures is there any sign of warfare. There is no evidence of fortifications, of violent death, invasion or conquest. We can only conclude that there was some direct relation between Goddess religion and peaceful coexistence. Neolithic Goddess culture was woman-centered, peaceful, prosperous, and nonhierarchical." Vicki Noble writes, "Archaeologists ardently seek to find evidence of war in earlier societies, but there is actually no proof whatsoever of violence or war before the middle of the fifth millennium B.C.E. Although people built houses close together and lived in fairly high population density in the early urban centers, they apparently developed ways of resolving conflict and living in harmony with their environments that allowed them to share food and resources, irrigate fields, and participate in large ritual and artistic endeavors...Goddess scholars believe that content and form cannot be separated and that the reason for the lack of violence and conflict in early societies is the presence of the active worship of the Great Mother." Hmmm...No warfare, no gender hierarchy, honoring of earth, sacred sexuality -- quite a history our Venus of Hohle Fels connects us to. If we were to travel back in time, our ancestors would simply not comprehend what we have done with sacred sexuality, the greatest force on the planet. Imagine if at the dawn of adolescence, our daughters could embrace their sexuality as sacred as opposed to slutty? Wouldn't it be great if our sons could see the female form as holy rather than pornographic? Something to ponder on this May day in 2009, as we look at an artifact that we have called "pornographic" and our ancestors called "holy." The Kagaba Indians of Columbia sing, "The Mother has left a memory in us all." I think we would do well to remember. Dale Allen has been described as “a living Goddess, a bright light, a magical being, a messenger, a teacher, a storyteller who was born to be listened to!” She has brought her talents to scores of audiences nationwide with her one-woman show, In Our Right Minds™, A Celebration of Women, the Sacred Feminine and the Right Brain. Ms. Allen is a veteran of corporate and commercial communications. Her extensive resume includes hundreds of voice-over, on-camera and live presentation projects. Some of the most quality conscious companies, such as BMW, General Electric, and Canon among others, have chosen her to represent their brands. She is an accomplished lecturer, workshop facilitator, playwright and theatrical actress. With In Our Right Minds, she was featured at the Kauai Wellness Expo with Dr. Wayne Dyer and recently brought her message to Dubai. Described as having the energy of “a Cape Canaveral lift-off” she thoroughly engages and inspires her audience, which ranges from highly educated corporate leaders to teenage girls seeking their place in the world.
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Blessings Sisters! Having the pleasure to live amongst the glorious Northern California Redwood Forest, I am reminded daily of the Gathering of the Goddess in September of 2008. Sisters from all over the world gathered under the auspicious Redwoods to come together in SISTERHOOD and SOLIDARITY in the love of the Goddess. We all gloried in our feminine strength with our dear High Priestess of the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1, Z. Budapest. Magick was Afoot! This month with Sisterhood and Feminine strength in the forefront of my thoughts, I think of the Redwood Groves and how each tree, giants in their own right, are all ages, all sizes and they stand together in their own form of solidarity, as their roots systems intertwine with each other and that is how they are held up for thousands of years. So it is with our Sisters in the Goddess, as dear Z. call us SIGS! We are all intertwined and holding each other up. There is every aspect of the feminine within the Redwood Groves, the Mother, the Maiden and the Crone ~ so this month I am sharing a spell calling upon the three Fates, Urdh (youth), Verdandi (adulthood), and Skuld (the crone). I encourage each and every one of you to read "Summoning the Fates", by Z. Budapest for further information on sacred transformation for women.
SPELL FOR SISTERHOOD AND FEMININE STRENGTH: YOU WILL NEED: a long red ribbon, or string (long enough to tie around a tree and also make knots). This spell is best done during the Waxing Moon and in the daylight when the sun is overhead and filtering its rays through the leaves of your tree of choice. Find your tree of choice ~ one that resonates with you! Spend some time meditating upon the Fates and sisterhood, and touching the tree with your hands and when you feel the tree energies merging with your being, take your red ribbon and as you tie 9 knots (3x3) repeat the following chant as each knot is tied: " Urdh, Verdandi and Skuld this day I call upon Thee, Give me strength from this majestic tree. Let my Sisters join with me, In Feminine Strength and Solidarity."
After you have tied your 9 knots and repeated the chant, tie your ribbon around the tree and say with conviction with arms raised up to the sky: " Urdh, Verdandi and Skuld, the time is nigh, Just as trees reach to the sky, The Sisterhood shall rise, And we will stop believing misogynist lies! LET MY SISTERS JOIN WITH ME, IN FEMININE STRENGTH AND SOLIDARITY! SO MOTE IT BE! "
Leave your ribbon around the tree to give energy to your spell and remove it on the next Full Moon. You may keep your ribbon by your altar, or bury it under the tree. Be sure to thank the tree for sharing its energies with you this day!
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In Praise of Dianic Witchcraft~ Disarming the Backlash Against Sisterhood Within the Pagan Community I am An ArtistAn Artist of Vision and SoundOf Intuition and Trance, Of Conjurings and Dance, ***----- Of DREAMING -----*** I, like many Artists of my kind, do “the Hustle” - working full-time in a bookstore, taking on private Visual Art commissions, and continuously working on a website that symbolizes a milestone of entrepreneurial Dreams awaiting fruition. In the midst of my many days of dharma within this Temple of Tomes, I come across a myriad of souls seeking knowledge, and self-improvement - every spectrum of Humankind dancing before my eyes disclosing its cornucopia of diverse expression. During one such work occasion, I was blessed with meeting two very Solitary Practitioners walking their Personal Path of Goddess Spirituality. We discussed Solitary Witchcraft. We briefly mused about “Tradition.” The two spirits before me held very Gardnerian leanings in their own sentiments. At heart, I am a Solitary Dianic Priestess with Eclectic leanings, steeped in heavy Pagan custom. When sharing my own musings, I encountered a dialogue-inducing comment from one of the Solitaries: “You’re Dianic?” stated the one. “I see… I don’t like Dianic Witches, they’re ‘Man-Haters’.” And so the Leviathan of Dianic Feminist Witchcraft being synonymous with “Man-Hater” reared its ugly head urging discourse and clarity within the context of the moment. Since the Amazonian achievements of Women’s Liberation in the 1970’s - a time identified as the Second Wave of Feminism - much had been invoked to shake down the constructs of Social Conditioning then defining the Realms of Human Experience. The Birth of such Counter-Culture collectives as the Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (W.I.T.C.H) in 1968 was one of many phenomena which set the tone for a string of events after its inception in which the fires of Feminist Achievements to come were given expression; the Landscape of the Status Quo encountered cataclysmic
Transformations which set out to redefine the illusory place of “WOMAN” and “MAN” in the Great Cosmic Scheme of Things.[i] *~WOMEN WERE CONVERGING~* *~Weaving and Re-VISIONING~* Women were invoking what Mary Daly referred to as the ignition of “Allocentric Perception”*ii+**. Like any individual within a Revolutionary Movement, Second Wave Feminists were swinging the Pendulum back to the furthest antithesis of Patriarchy in the form of a furious, ConsciousnessRaising Labrys; the intent being to awaken Humanity from a Cultivated Sleep in which a onesided view of female biology was being used to define the role of Womankind. Necessary measures of multi-dimensional Feminist Expression - manifesting itself within such arenas as Politics, Spirituality, and Art - revealed more about the nature of our Collective Resistance to Change than it did about the Innovative Dreams women were bringing to the table.
Feminism, like any Profound Movement of Sweeping Social implication, attracted a vast demographic of spokespersons. True Leaders, Intellectuals, and Visionaries came to the fore, together with a host of Imbalanced Souls…So when Valerie Solanis made headlines for publishing her S.C.U.M MANIFESTO in 1968 - culminating in the shooting of artist Andy Warhol - it was easier for a Change-resistant Society to latch on to her as a poster child for the “wrongs” of the Feminist Movement than it was to address the greater internal implications of Misogyny inherent in our lives. The Pagan Community has not been exempt from this phenomenon. From the onset of the Rebirth of Witchcraft in the 20th Century - and subsequently, with its flourishing Thealogy in the 21st Century - some Wiccan Traditions have cast a judgmental eye upon the Radical Nature of Dianic Feminist Witchcraft for possessing the very essence of Rebellion and Autonomy it claims to expound for itself. These Dianic energies are uncontainable Tempests - ready to shake the foundations of oppressive, Status Quo realities - if the right of Wimmin to be an active part of her own self-determination is undermined. This new Breed of Dianic Priestesses was really just an OLD breed of Goddess Wimmin cutting through millennia, and haunting contemporary times with its Spirit of Wild Freedom. Dianic Feminists were and are the Wimmin nestled within the hidden codes of History - living between
the lines of Classical Greek Literature, for example - and coming forth as new incarnations of the voices and the deeds of such Wimmin as the Thessalian Witches who bowed to no man. She has etched her Warrioress Presence upon the Landscape of Our Collective Unconscious. Her Righteous Rage is Sacred the Will of the Female Survival Instinct intact through the ages. The message of this Sisterhood’s strength was distorted by the media of the Second Wave Feminist Movement’s Time, which pushed its own negative view that Feminist Spirituality was being promoted by “man-hating, separatist, radical lesbians”. Henceforth, when Z’s infamous witch trial hit the streets of L.A in 1975, Z’s very existence embodied a living example of the Dianic Witchcraft feared by the General Public, and by the Pagan Community as a Whole. Here she was! - A Self-Determined, Genetic Witch and High Priestess whose Autonomy answered to the Goddess Alone! Very little has changed in the course of three decades. Fortunately for Goddess Spirituality as a whole, some trail-blazing elders faced this backlash with actions of visionary proportions for the time. GNOSTICA, a bi-monthly parapsychology journal of the 1970’s eloquently documented the words of such notable figures as Dr. Leo Louis Martello. He defended the efforts of Dianic Witchcraft from the beginning. He eloquently remarked how the energy of Dianic Witchcraft possesses an air of Uncontainable Freedom rarely found in other Traditions. Martello stated that in Medieval Times, "the only liberated woman was the WITCH... She was a threat to the Establishment and to the Church... Of All the Religions, especially Western, Witchcraft is the ONLY one that DIDN'T discriminate against Women." [iii] Woman’s Spirituality has strived to Honour Egalitarian Reverence for Humanity, and this is echoed in the words of noted author/editor, EcoFeminist, and Women’s Spirituality Advocate, Charlene Spretnak, who made a unique case for Wimmin’s Spirituality possessing a Sophisticated level of Consciousness due to the Integrity of Sisterhood not being determined by the subordination of the male race when Honouring the Divine in WOMAN; this is a contrast to the record that Patriarchal systems have held in which Chthonic Spirituality has had to be Subdued and dominated in order to Honour a Transcendent Patriarchal Reality.[iv]
The Fear of Rejection poisoning Sisterhood has become an entity unto itself which has done much to derail the momentum of Wimmin’s Power over the years within the Pagan Community; and now, more than ever, as we move beyond the waxing cusp of the 21st Century, the voices of these former Sheroic times that have been scattered like whispers in the Wind are being invoked anew by a small number of Third Wave Dianic Feminist Witches determined to keep the Primordial Heart of Womankind beating with Depth and Authenticity. Dianic Feminist Witchcraft is the arena of Power in which “WOMAN” learns to Re-MEMBER Herself In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. “WOMAN” is honoured as an Imminent FORCE, as a TAPESTRY thusly within the context of Sisterhood. Like Women’s Mysteries of old, Dianic Witchcraft addresses the Uniquely Feminine biology of WommonKynd ON HER OWN TERMS. She is a Multi-faceted jewel existing on many levels of Being. In the Circle of Sisterhood, Women are granted safe space in which “to understand the time warps through which women are divided from each other…”*v+ The realms of Dianic Witchcraft Invoke the Collective Shadow Work needing to be faced by Sisterkind as a Whole; Knowing Ourselves through our Womanly Mysteries and Experiencing our Wholeness unfolding before our Collective Sister-Lunar Kindreds. Helping each other to sharpen our Cosmic Cognition of Pattern Detection in Life- Reclaiming our Witch-hood.[vi] Walking the Dianic Path of Witchcraft requires a level of Warrioress Courage and Surrender to the Deep Self that defies Description. This Wisdom is harnessed through Trust, Sisterhood, and the Honouring of Women’s Experience Within and Without the Circle of Dianic Mystery as her Autonomy stands, without fear, within the Greater Pagan Community. The Dianic Web of Power beckons us to have the Courage of Our Convictions within the Greater Arena of Witchcraft. May you find the Will to preserve this Sacred force of Sisterhood in the face of the Leviathan of Misogyny. Bless-ed Be. [i] Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft ( New York, NY: Facts on File, Ltd. 1989). P.366. *ii+ Daly, Mary. Webster’s First new Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language. (New York: HarperSanFrancisco/HarperCollins, 1994). P.60 **Allocentric Perception-1: a Be-Witching woman’s encounter with the inexhaustible Other, in which her true Self and all Others participate. 2: knowledge of interconnectedness that transcends the conventional “subject-object” split of Patriarchal categories and labels. 3: the ever-unfolding Intuition of Original Integrity which is the Source of ALL Metapatriarchal creativity. [iii] Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today (New York, NY: Penguin/Arkana. 1986). P.212-213 [iv] Reed, Donna. Director. Goddess Remembered Trilogy- Part I, featuring the words of Charlene Spretnak. DVD. National Film Board of Canada Production. 1989. *v+ Spretnak, Charlene, editor. The Politics of Women’s Spirituality: Essays on the Rise of Spiritual Power Within the Feminist Movement. (Garden City, NY: Anchor/Doubleday, 1982- featuring the essay of Mary Daly) p. 210. [vi] Ibid., p. 210.
I’m on my way to the Greek island of Crete. This will be my third trip co-leading a group of goddess women from all over the U.S. on a ritual retreat to this incredible sacred place. I am anticipating a deepening of experience for myself with the goddesses of the land, Artemis, Eileithyia, Dyctinna, Britomartis, and the lost-named Cretan Snake Goddess. I look forward with an open mind and heart to the mysteries of place and the shared connections forged with my sister journeyers. As the Summer Solstice sun rises and sets, may our love for our Mother Earth flame brighter. May our commitment to transformation of self and world be renewed. May our connections to one another bind ever stronger for the times we are living in, and the times yet to come. May She rise flaming bright as the long Solstice sun to guide Her daughter’s home!
ARTEMIS CAMP with Falcon River and Ruth Barrett August 21-23 Fee: $ 255 CDN before June 1; $ 295 CDN after June 1; Some scholarship' available In a private camp in the heart of the Gatineau Hills, Au Grand Coeur Ladysmith, Quebec, 565 acres on the Canadian Shield! In this supportive and non-competitive environment, women will learn how to apply the practice of archery as a metaphor for attaining goals in daily life. We will learn: • • •
Basic archery skills, equipment use and selection, and archery range safety practices. About the Amazons through the literature and art of ancient Greece and modern archeological research, and the goddess Artemis, ancient of ancient and contemporary wild women. How to practice archery to hone your magical skills. Learn to center, raise energy, focus your will and release your intention toward a specific goal.
Saturday evening will be a celebration of our Amazon heritage round an evening fire with drum, dance and spoken word. All archery equipment will be provided. All experience levels welcome. For further information, please contact Linnéa Rowlatt at (613) 728-8221 or linneasr@gmail.com
DAUGHTERS OF DIANA GATHERING 2009 October 8-11 in south central Wisconsin Tell your friends! Registration is OPEN! The early bird rates are up online. Get yourself and your friends registered early and have something fabulous to look forward to this Fall! www.templeofdiana.org
RECOVERING & RECLAIMING: Powers of the South I began aligning myself with the Sacred Wheel early in my recovery, after being reunited with the Goddess through a person epiphany. When I began reclaiming her ancient traditions I was also amazed at the healing that took place in my life, inspired too, because in all my years of searching never found a path that fit as naturally and completely as the Dianic Path. By embracing my connection with Mother Nature I came home to what I was... a visible spirit, one with the natural forces of life, a woman, a witch, sacred and magical, like the Earth Mother herself. Life became simpler after that, and my healing continued through the years, for I was finally being true to myself above all... and it felt good. Ancient mystical traditions are the way of the Earth and her people. For centuries wešve been led astray by ruling hierarchies that manipulate our lives and teach us anything but the truth, but the most insidious was our gradual estrangement from Nature, from our divinity, from the mystery and magic of our being. Now, more than ever, we must reclaim our magic as women; for Earth magic is Woman magic and therešs no time to lose. We must wake up and make a solid commitment to life, to healing, to recovering and reclaiming, to the Goddess. Our souls cry out for it. As the great wheel turns toward the South, it mirrors the summer season. It also corresponds to Fire, a powerful element and primal source of life, for fire is the electromagnetic energy that charges our bodies with vitality, creating movement and dance. Fire also corresponds to our bright spirits, the glow in our eyes, the living flame within. It is our inner light, radiance, charisma, magnetism, warmth. It is our impulses, passion, power and aura of illumination. Fire fuels the processes in the body including digestion and growth. It is electrical currents jumping from synapse to synapse, sparking impulses that cause fluids in our bodies to vibrate with emotion. The upcoming Summer Season corresponds to a time of fruition, fullness, abundance. It represents our life when most active and productive. It mirrors the full moon, the Lover, the Earth Mother that brings all things into manifestation and supports life with her body. It mirrors the Mother Goddess in us because we birth and sustain life with our bodies as women. In Dianic Tradition the south also reflects the season of a woman’s life from first blood to menopause, with evolving years and various experiences in between.
In pagan tradition the southern energy on the wheel represents the union of god and goddess, for fire is the connecting force that sparks the creation of life or the sexual chemistry that ultimately brings us together in union. This vital energy is honored at Beltane and Summer Solstice, the sabbats that honor the dance of life and unification of male and female, or any other lovers drawn together by sexual energy. It’s also a time of life, growth, activity, creativity, productivity, stimuli, parenting or nurturing that provides sustenance and protection... a sexually active time, with energy and action directed toward home, family, relationships, work, business or attainment of comforts needed to live a fruitful existence. Fire mirrors movement, change, rage, processes, power, banishment, transition, spontaneity, intensity, also humor, laughter, chemistry, creativity and desires that spur us into action. We dress our summer altars with bright colored cloths that reflect the heat of passion, with shades of red, orange, yellow,
coral, gold, even metallic, glitter or metal, anything that shines. Fire is also represented with the flickering flame of our candles or the Wand that channels the energy of life with intent, desire or sheer force of the Will. Fire corresponds to all that brightens our world: heat, fuel, electricity, lanterns, bonfires, hearth fires, furnaces, twinkling stars, moonlight, sunlight, lava or volcanic action. It sparks, ignites, burns, shines, illuminates, brightens, radiates, glows... and these are some associations we can make when creating “calls” to the South in our rituals. In Native American traditions, south reflects a place of trust and innocence. It refers to the enjoyment or fun of life, therefore to the trust it takes to embrace life with gusto, excitement or the innocence of a child. The summer is great time for vacations, water sports, gardening, outdoor activities, gatherings with friends and family. It is also a great time for coven rituals. Days are warm and sunny. Nights under the stars bring refreshing breezes that fan the flames of our passion. This season, let’s honor ourselves for the passionate beings that we are, the “bridges of life” between the seen and unseen worlds... for we, like the Great Mother Goddess, contain the power and mystery that brings life into the world and the warm fiery love that embraces all creatures with compassion. Let’s remember: When the Women Heal, the Earth Heals.
Powers of Fire I am the radiant power of south, I am the spirit of Fire, I thrive in summer to heat up the earth with rays of mighty power So bask in the sun of my radiant flame for mine is the magick of life that sustains I¹m fusion & movement, igniting desire, I am, the glorious, Powers of Fire! I¹m the bright spirit that glows in your eyes gleaming & smiling to prove you¹re alive I burn with combustion and energy too aiding digestion that turns into fuel I¹m impulsive passion that lovers adore with throbbing orgasms so hard to ignore I charge every nerve as you thrust & perspire pulsing with zest & sparks that inspire...
I¹m lightning that jolts, I flash in a storm, I crackle the wood in your fireplace warm, I blaze with intensity, twirl with delight dazzle on torches that flare in the night In lanterns I dance, in lava I flow, I flicker and twist in breezes that blow I¹m ruthless with rage when out of control for all turns to ashes if I take a hold... I shine thru the stars that twinkle so bright reflecting the Moon of silvery light I sparkle on candles that glow at the ball casting the silhouettes gracing the wall I bring transformation, banish the blame illuminate journeys of spiritual claim I¹m feisty with spunk, fulfilling desire I am, the glorious, Powers of Fire!
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The Dance of the Unwanted Daughter Those who know me from my life in the Goddess community may find it hard to believe, but I am an intensely shy and reserved person. My chart is almost entirely in Water and my Cancer Moon runs it being placed in a position of dominance. So when faced with situations where I feel threatened, fearful, or uncomfortable, I turn into a hermit crab and pull into my shell with my big pincher claw out front to keep me safe until I feel it’s ok to come out again. I say this now because it pertains to the rest of my story. A couple of years ago I wrote an essay called “Journeying Through the Mother”, which was my way of presenting a vision of Goddess and Goddess spirituality that resonated deep within me as an introduction to a class I was preparing to teach at the Dianic University. When I finished the essay, I submitted it to an online Dianic blogging community that I have been part of for many years to see if it made any sense. I was hoping for some constructive criticism, but what I got was attacked in a way that made me feel like a wounded gazelle that has had the misfortune of running into a pack of starving hyenas. The recurring theme of the attack had to do with the way someone like me – who obviously must have had a loving, nurturing Mommy to raise her – could have the nerve to wax rhapsodic about the idea of Goddess as a loving and nurturing Mother Who longs for Her daughters to come home. The naked truth of the matter is that nothing could have been further from reality, and while my rather explosive Scorpionic temper wanted to lash out and rail at these hyenas posing as Goddess womyn, my Cancer Moon had the last word and pulled into her shell with pincher claw out to nurse her pain in wounded silence while all the old feelings of sorrow and rejection washed over her again.
The truth of the matter is this: I was an unplanned and unwanted child. My mom was barely 17 when I was born – just months after a shotgun wedding. Some of my earliest memories are of being curled up in bed with my mom while she told me how she found me in a laundry basket and brought me home because my real mom must not have wanted me. I know I was less than three years old because my sister Audi had not yet been born. Other times she’d show me her stretchmarked tummy and complain to me how I wrecked her skin so she could never wear a bikini again. Then there were the times when I heard all about how I ruined her life by causing someone as brilliant as she to have to drop out of school to take care of a baby. There is a portrait of me that was done in early 1970 that hung in my maternal grandparents’ home along with portraits of my two older cousins, Becky and Patty. That portrait has always haunted me. While the other two portraits depict bright-eyed, smiling girls whose eyes met those of the photographer and whose faces had not a care in the world, mine is of a child with eyes filled with a deep inner sadness, whose gaze looks off into the distance, avoiding those of the photographer, and whose countenance is almost expressionless. That image is an archetype for me during my entire childhood. When my sister Audi was born I hated her with a passion that was mortal and terrible because I knew how much my mother loved her and wanted her. It was all over her face when she looked at Audi and it was a frequent topic of conversation that Audi was her “Love Child” because she was actually planned for and wanted. That cutting distinction colored the relationship between my sister and me until we were both in our teens. My sister knew without it being said that she could get away with just about anything and blame it on me unless she was caught red-handed. Audi took advantage of this fact every chance she could and has admitted as an adult that as a kid she was “an unmitigated brat”. Whenever our parents left us alone we would knock the slop out of one another and frequently chased each other through the house with knives. If it hadn’t been for my mom leaving us all when I was 12, we might still have a poisonous relationship. Fortunately once Mom was out of the picture we soon exorcised the remaining bitterness between us and became friends. I also eventually had it out with my mom several times between the ages of 17 and 22 that involved screaming, door-slamming rejections from me of her
and everything she stood for until we finally made our peace shortly before I left for college. I am happy to say that we have a loving and honest, if not close, relationship now. No, I say at last in rebuttal to those who supposed my idyllic relationship with my mom inspired that essay, the loving, nurturing motherly relationships that inspired my vision of Goddess came from my spiritual mommas – those lovely, wonderful womyn who formed the first coven I belonged to as an adolescent when I discovered the Dianic Path quite accidentally while researching something else. Those sweet souls took in and compassionately brought out of her shell the unwanted daughter and taught her spirit to dance. I remember with a deep joy dancing in circle wearing flowers in my hair and a bed sheet chiton as Maiden of the coven on my initiation day. I remember them turning my menses, which had been a source of confusion and shame as my dad berated me month after month for ruining my underwear because I never knew when it was coming, into a source of numinous power and pride when they gave me a belated first blood celebration and bought me a red dress and showered me in rose petals. Between them and the beloved voice of the womon whose writings led me to them in the first place – Z Budapest – suddenly I had motherly love and wisdom all around me and a vision of a Goddess Who loved Her daughters and longed for them to join with Her. They are the reason I am so passionate about sharing this vision of love and sisterhood with all womyn. The final part of this path from sad and lonely unwanted daughter to joyful, passionate Goddess Sister is meeting Z herself. When I found her online, I have to admit to coming to her and her online group with awe and stars in my eyes for the womon whose wise words started me on my way. Finding out that the real Z is just as funny, wise, and approachable as her writing suggested was more than I could ever have hoped for or dreamed, yet that is the reality. When I was asked to be one of her listmoms, I was completely overwhelmed in a good way. I am so happy I said yes. Since then I have had the great good fortune to meet her and share sacred space with her and hug her and share my hopes and dreams with her. She has become my spiritual momma, too. Her generosity of spirit and passion for womyn and the Goddess have inspired me to come out of my crab shell more than ever before in this fantastic Goddess community and to even speak in public to other womyn about Goddess spirituality and Dianic vision. Because of Z and my other spiritual mommas, this unwanted daughter knows she is loved and wanted and now she dances joyously, unabashedly under the full moon, singing her heart out to the Goddess, the Mother Whose arms are wide open to welcome all Her daughters home.
Le Moutairol So many of us have been going through life changes as of late. I felt the need to share a special recipe here with you Sisters. It's much more than just a simple recipe though; think of it as a sacred ritual that offers various levels of tranquility and closure during life altering changes. This soup is called "Le Moutairol", or commonly known as Perigourdine Saffron Soup. In Perigord, France, this bread soup is customarily prepared after a funeral. The recipe actually goes back to medieval times, and it's full of saffron. This is a hearty bread soup it’s such a shame that it’s so closely aligned with death. I tend to cook this soup during special moments, when I need a ceremonial dish to eradicate something from my life. I have prepared it every time I lose someone special to death or even during a break up. Make this soup; it'll bring nourishment to your spirit, and help put the past behind you.
Le Mourtairol 1 loaf of stale French bread; cut thinly into slices 1 cup cooked chicken into small pieces 2 carrots; sliced and peeled into thin rounds 8 cups rich chicken stock 1/4 tsp. saffron; crushed or ground down into a powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Make one layer of bread slices in the bottom of a deep casserole, sprinkle with chicken meat and carrots, then continue to layer up until all of the ingredients are used, ending with bread on top. Don't layer to the top of the pot or you'll splash in the oven. Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan. In a small cup, mix the crushed saffron with several tablespoons of hot broth and allow 5 minutes to completely release the saffron colour and flavor. It will be a dark orange liquid. Mix in with the rest of the stock, then ladle over the casserole. When the top layer of bread slices begins to float, gently add about another cup worth. Put, uncovered, in the oven and reduce heat to 350 on the top. To serve, spoon into flat soup plates. Serve hot. Will make a serving for 6 servings.
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The 34th National Women's Music Festival July 2, 2009 – July 5, 2009 (Z Budapest will be there!) Marriott Madison West Hotel & Conference Center, Middleton, Wisconsin. The National Women's Music Festival will be held indoors at the Marriott Madison West just outside Madison, WI. There are no rained-out concerts, no cold showers, and no “porta-janes” at this Festival. The Festival is a four-day musical and cultural extravaganza that incorporates all facets of women’s lives. It’s a jam-packed long weekend where choices for things to do range from workshops, concerts, comedy, theatre presentations, a marketplace, newly released films and videos, a live auction, spirituality series, writer’s series, animal lovers series, and much, much more! Z’s going to be there too!!! Come out and join her for festival fun!!! Learn more about the Festival on their website at http://www.wiaonline.org.
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Dianic Wiccan Clergy Priestess Overview It is the goal of the Women’s Spirituality Forum to provide our members with herstorical and philosophical foundations of the Dianic Tradition; including ritual and spiritual practices from which to provide Clergy Priestess services to the public. Dianic Tradition is an ancient Goddess and woman-centered, Earth-based, feminist denomination of Wiccan religion. We are a teaching tradition. In the Dianic Tradition, clergy are required to complete course work that enriches their understanding of the sacred feminine Craft through cognitive and practical hands-on experiences to use in their roles as clergy priestesses to the Goddess and Her women.
What is Dianic Clergy? Clergy is a Greek word meaning “heritage” and from its origins, developed into a name for the persons who kept records and practices of the heritage. In the Dianic Tradition, we refer to the Clergy Priestesses as the active keepers and practitioners of our traditions, records and practices. These are Goddess priestess women who provide spiritual support to women (and their families) worldwide; and support women’s rights as feminists.
Ordained Dianic Clergy is not the same as an Ordained Daughter of Z Budapest. Ordained Daughter is an honorary title for exemplary community service gifted by Z Budapest directly. It has no legal ties to the Women’s Spirituality Forum.
What can I do with this? Ordained Dianic Clergy can perform public rituals, including marriage rites, under the legal auspicious of the Women’s Spirituality Forum non-profit status. The Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc. is a 501 ( c ) (3) tax-exempt religious, educational, and charitable organization. Income you earn as Dianic Clergy and keep is not tax deductible. Income you donate to the Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc. is tax deductible. The same is true for portions of the income donated to the Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc., but only the amount of the donated portion would be tax deductible.
What is expected from students enrolled in this program? The Women’s Spirituality Movement, which reclaimed the Dianic Tradition, was based on two principles of action; movement happens through the written word and through the physical doing. We will require both from you. Expect to produce high quality materials that you will use in your Clergy Priestess practice. We expect you complete your training in a reasonable amount of time. You may not complete this training in any less than a year and a day, and not more than three years and three days. We have made concessions for life’s complications during your period of training by allowing you longer than a year and a day to finish, but also realize that this is a very serious and intensive program for only the most dedicated of Goddess Women. Live In-person trainings are required. Online classes in the Dianic Wicca University are required. More on requirements and fees. Ordination as a Dianic Clergy Priestess is required before you will receive any acknowledgement of successful completion. This ordination must be inperson at an event of our choosing. You will be required to complete an academic body of work using a variety of mediums (written, video, audio, etc.). You will attend in-person events where you will be required to perform leadership skills and be observed. If you meet all these requirements satisfactorily, you will receive ordination as a Clergy Priestess and an official certificate. Who should apply? Women-born-women who live their lives as females, and are seeking to enrich their lives and the lives of others by becoming knowledgeable about and intending to become practicing clergy of the Dianic (Feminist) tradition of Wicca, an Earthbased theology, as founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest.
Statement of Dianic Wiccan Faith As a Goddess and woman-centered, Earth-based, feminist clergy, you must support, defend and be prepared to propagate the basic principles of Dianic Wicca as follows: 1. Maintain a living practice the Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One. 2. Practice the Dianic Wiccan Rede code of ethics that honors the Earth and Her creatures, "And it harm none, do what thou wilt." 3. Honor a feminine aspect of deity.
Ethics of the Dianic Wiccan Faith
Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One (Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries p.1-2)
Dangers of Magic (Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries p.10)
Only the Women’s Spirituality Forum can ordain clergy under the auspices of their non-profit status. While other non-profits might have their own clergy, their credentials are not substitutions for the training and credential of the Women’s Spirituality Forum.
The Application for Dianic Clergy Priestess is online
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Goddess Resource Links Z Budapest Website Dianic Wicca University Online Dianic Nation Women's Events Z's Blog Z's Events Schedule Z's MySpace Calendar Z's University Calendar Z's Books Summoning the Fates Holy Book of Women's Mysteries Celestial Wisdom Grandmother of Time Grandmother Moon Goddess in the Office Goddess in the Bedroom Holy Book Herstory Have you ever wondered the who, what, where and when's of the creation of the Holy Book of Women's Mysteries? We've put together a web page that highlights the answers to these questions.
Please share the Goddess with your friends. Have you done your self-blessing today? We do self-blessing every day. In fact, it's the first thing I do every morning when I rise as I'm preparing to get dressed. It's good mental health. Do your self-blessings and life will be sweeter. The SelfBlessing is on page 120 of the Holy Book of Women's Mysteries.
This magazine is sponsored by the Women’s Spirituality Forum. Please help support our efforts to help keep the Goddess Alive!