Fiercely defending, bravely exploring Goddess and spiritual feminisms
Friday, November 26, 2010
Buzz Coil: November '10
A look at some posts of interest from our blogroll and sometimes beyond:
Queen of Heaven:Blogger Carisa has been posting an in-depth series about the Goddess Asherah. In Part III: The Lion Lady , posted Nov. 16, she explores Asherah and other goddesses shown or associated with lions, and the possible meanings of "Qadesh" or "Qudshu," (both of which are transliterations from ANE languages). With great big pics. Part II, "The Serpents Pride" was posted on Nov 1, and Part I, "The Lost Bride of Yahweh, on Oct. 27—with a gorgeous large pic of Asherah.
COG Interfaith Reports: On the Congregation of the Goddess blog, in a Nov. 2 post, "More about AAR -M. Mueller," the blogger tells about attending a "Celebration and Cerebration of Mary Daly" on Oct. 31 and other activities at the meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Atlanta, Georgia. In her Oct. 30 post, "Pagans at AAR - M. Mueller" she gives a summary of Pagan attendees, papers, and of attending the annual Feminist Theologians’ Network meeting and other activities.
Hecate:In a truly inspiring Nov. 18 post, "Daily Practice," blogger Hecate shares with us the spiritual work she does upon awakening, eating breakfast, on the way to and at work, and when she gets home again. Here's just a little taste:
When I get to work, I stop for a moment and invoke every woman who went before me, working with laws, words, her ability to write, and argue, and persuade. (What my secretary sees: "Just like every morning, she's taking off her sunglasses, rummaging in her purse, and putting on her reading glasses. Just like every morning, she stops, holds her hands over the keys, and then types in her password...) (What's really happening: Hecate recites her morning prayer: 'I am a manifestation of the Goddess. Mother, help me to grow into my Better Self. It's all real. It's all metaphor. There's always more.' Hecate stops for a moment and invokes Hatshepsut, Druidic women, Boadicea, QE I, Mistress Margaret Brent, Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, and Athena, Goddess of politics and laws. Hecate invokes Hecate, Goddess of liminal spaces, the space where her words and arguments may create change. Hecate asks Mama Gaia for guidance. Hecate slips on reading glasses, sends reiki to her keyboard, and hits "Open" on the first e-mail of the day.)
Pagan Godspell: Ruby Sara shares "An Intervew With The Queen" in her Oct. 26 post. The interview about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), she says, was conducted with "Queen AZZ-Za-ZZI" by "one Bee Metaphysicist and Anthropologist of Bee Culture, Catherine Drumheller." Oddly, this Catherine Drumheller is fond of using the term "grok," as is Sara Ruby. Just a coincidence I'm sure.
Glaux’s Nest:In her Nov. 23 post, "Back to the Blogging Board," Glaux shares adventures into the Spiral Castle Tradition (which had 2 adherents when she wrote this post), the Athenian festival calendar, Thelemic practices, the Women’s Goddess Retreat, and three books she’s started writing.
The Village Witch:In her Nov. 15 post, "Teacher, Priestess, Teacher...Shopper," in the blog section of the Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times, Byron Ballard writes about teaching children in a Unitarian Universalist Sunday School class about the Pagan Wheel of the Year, St. Lucia’s Day traditions. and doing a circle dance with the youngsters. In her Nov. 21 post, "Full Moon Gathering Tonight," she tells about her women's group's most recent full moon observance.
House of Inanna:On Nov. 9, blogger Idris posted for the first time in more than a year. He tells us, in "A Year of Change. And Now....." , that he has left Hungary and returned to Great Britain. He feels he is no longer a teacher or priest yet he is still following Goddess Inanna’s directive to tell her story.
Amused Grace: Thalia Took’s Nov. 5 post is about an "Altar" she is creating in her art studio. In her Nov. 15 post, "Alchemy" she views as a magical act the way she is cleaning up her father’s hoarding, for instance taking 11 tons (so far) of iron to a scrap yard. She has thusfar transformed these and other metals twice: first into. . . nope, I’m not gonna tell here. But it’s there in the post for you to read.
I read! I sing! In a video with excerpts from the Combined Third Edition of my book, She Lives! The Return of Our Great Mother. Couldn't resist sharing it with you here.
Deadline Extended for Pagan Studies Conference Abstracts
The deadline for submitting abstracts for papers to be presented at the Conference for Pagan Studies 2011 has been extended to November 26, according to Kahena, one of the conference organizers. The Conference will be held January 22-23 at Claremont Graduate University,Claremont CA. Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary will be keynote speaker. The theme of the conference is "Building Community." More info on submitting abstracts is here.
As far as we know, all events we list are open functions; but some may be limited to women or to adults and some may require that you notify them that you plan to attend. Please check the websites for group policies. If no country is given, the event is in USA. All times local. Times for computer/Internet/Web events are given for the place of origin. Events lasting more than 1 day are bolded. When listing events for the same date we have tried to list those that occur first, taking into account time zone differences. If there is a difference between our listings and the listings on the link, assume their web page is correct as details may have changed since we listed from it. Ongoing events are listed after the dated events. The next Events Coil is planned for mid-December and will include events listed here that haven't yet happened, plus new events through late January or early February. If you have an event you want listed, please leave info as a comment. See the end of this Coil for what info we need for listings.
Nov. 20, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Ritual Voice and Rhythm Workshop with Tigre Cruz and Katrina Messenger; jam session 7 p.m., Reflections Mystery School, Washington DC
Nov. 20, 7 p.m.New Moon Drumming,Goddess Temple of Orange County,Irvine CA
Canada Hamilton:Saturdays, 4 p.m.Open Classes ; gather 7 p.m.Open Circles , Hamilton Temple, Wiccan Church of Canada. Great Britain Glastonbury:Priestess/Priest of Avalon Training Program, both in Glastonbury (Avalon) and by correspondence, Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Glastonbury: Most days except Mondays, Noon-4 p.m. Temple Open for personal prayers;Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Belly Dancing; Thursdays, 7 p.m. Temple Ritual Dance Class, Glastonbury Goddess Temple. Sweden Soderhamn,Gudinne Temple Open weekdaysNoon-6 p.m. Mondays, 7-9 p.m., meditation prayer, conversation.
USA Arlington VA: 3rd Sunday of month, time tba, ritual Moonfire. Asheville NC:Sundays, 10 a.m drumming, 10:30 a.m. Service, Morning Devotionals, Mother Grove Goddess Temple. Berkeley CA:last Sunday of month, 5 p.m., East Bay Goddess Rosary, University Lutheran Chapel. Canton CT:Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Services, Women's Temple: In Her Name Charleston SC:1st Tuesday of month, Women's Circle with Carolyn Rivers, The Sophia Institute Geyersville CA: Sunday Services 2-4 p.m. Temple of Isis Grants Pass OR:Sunday Services; doors open 10:45 a.m., service starts 11 a.m., doors lock 11:10 a.m. Southern Oregon Temple of the Goddess Houston TX: Sundays, 10 a.m. Magdalene Community, Rothko Chapel; 1st &3rd Fridays at Noon, Group studying Gospel of Mary, Brigid's Place, Christ Church Cathedral. Irvine CA: Sunday Services, 1st Service at 10 a.m. inward, meditative; 2nd service at 11 a.m., dancing, drumming, singing; see dates for guest speakers,Goddess Temple of Orange County Palenville NY:Saturdays, 5 p.m. training sessions; Sundays 4-6 p.m, open classes, 7 p.m. Pagan Circles, Maetreum of Cybele. San Francisco CA: Wednesdays, Christian Goddess Rosary, Ebenezer Lutheran Church; Fridays evenings at various locations, Woman's Spirituality group. St. Sandy UT:second Saturday of each month, 4:30 p.m., Isis Devotionals, Iseum of Muth/Lyceum of Auset and Heru em Aakhuti Washington DC:2nd Sunday of month; gather Noon, ritual 12:15 p.m., National Arboretum, Becoming DC. West Concord MA: 1st Monday, 7-9 p.m. Women's Circles; other ongoing groups include Demeter & Persephone's Circle for mothers and daughters; Council of Mother Bears; Menopause As Spiritual Journey; Menarche, for mothers and Daughter, at Women's Well.
World Wide Web Online, "Celebrating Cosmogenesis" a course for people in both Southern and Northern Hemispheres, with Australian author Glenys Livingstone Online, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. PT "Voices of the Sacred Feminine" interviews with well-known Goddessians and Pagans, hosted by Karen Tate, Blog Talk Radio. Online, Sundays, 11 a.m. PT, "Creatrix Media Live" roundtable discussions include guests and phone-in audience participation, co-hosted by Jayne DeMent and Anniitra Ravenmoon, Blog Talk Radio.
We'll be happy to add your Goddess and spiritual feminist events (and those you know about that are open to the public) no matter where in the world they are. Leave a comment giving: Name of event, sponsoring organization (if any), town, date, time (if known), and, required: url of website where person can get more info (no pdf pages, no password-protected pages). (Do NOT give street addresses, phone numbers or email addresses. People should go to the website to get that info.) We plan to publish an Events Coil every month.
Two Regional U.S. Meetings Planned by Association for Women and Mythology
For the first time, in 2011 the Association for Women and Mythology (ASWM) will hold two regional U.S. symposiums, one on the East Coast and the other in the Midwest. The East Coast Symposium, March 12-13 in Philadelphia, will be keynoted by Dr. Miranda Shaw. Other program plans so far include a performance by the vocal group, "She Who," and a special tour led by Dr. Sid Reger of a relevant exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology. Mary Kelly will be keynote speaker at the Midwest Symposium on May 19 in Madison WI. Requests for presentation proposals are being developed for both meetings. We will try to keep you posted about additional plans, but if you are interested in attending or presenting, for more extensive information and the latest developments please check here or here.
Here's a quick run-down of the many fascinating articles, reviews, and poems in this issue of Goddess Pages, in the order listed on the e-journal's website:
In "An Abundance of Greens," Susun S Weed writes about abundance apart from monetary wealth and includes info on edible and medicinal weeds.
"Demeter and Barley Cakes" by Grannie Burton tells what is known about the Mysteries at Eleusis, speculates about why much is unknown, and provides a barley cake recipe.
"Goddesses of the Seven Rays - An Invocation," by Alex Chaloner, is an extract from a performance piece that attempts to link "seven rays" to "well-documented Goddess archetypes."
In "Hallows: Suggestions for Celebrations" Elizabeth A. Kaufman sees this holiday as joyful, and shares how she celebrates. Includes technical details for drilling hazelnuts for a hazelnut charm.
"Meditations on 21 Women" by Barbara Barnett, places 7 of 21 symbolic "women" on the paths of the Hermetic Kabbalah Tree of Life. There will be a part 2.
In "SheBear Mothers and Daughters" Leslene della-Madre writes of her journey from "love-ins" and a "heterosexist" spiritual community headed by a male guru in the '60s and '70s to her interest in Goddess and "creating female realities in every aspect of our lives" including having babies and the activation of "SheBear fierceness." With great advice on how to decide whether to have children and how to rear girls.
"The Rearranging of the Rising Sun" by Lauren K. Clark compares the symbolism of the Sun as masculine and as feminine and explores the possible effect of such symbolism on the civilizations in which they occur. With examples of specific deities.
"Loving Brynhild," is Chapter 3 of a novel by Clarise Samuels.
This issue has reviews of Crossroads (CD) by Jenna Greene, reviewed by J.P. Evans; The Cult of the Divine Birth in Ancient Greece (book) by Marguerite Rigoglioso, reviewed by Geraldine Charles; The Lost World Of Old Europe (exhibit at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum) reviewed by Geraldine Charles, Rachel Clyne (drawings) and Paul and Sylvia Williment.
And last but definitely not least, the poems: "And Bessie Sang the Wind" by Jacqui Woodward-Smith; "Diluvianism" by Elan Justice; "Lammas and the Harvest" by Maria Duncalf-Barber; "The Women at the Well," Belisama," and "Kore" by Doreen Hopwood; and "The Call of Isis" by Leona Graham-Elen.
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