Autumn Equinox 2008

This is the season known as the second harvest. The days and nights are equal once again. As we prepare for the coming winter months we harvest what we will need as the wheel of the year continues to turn. And in the Dianic tradition it is known as the Witches’ Thanksgiving. It is a time to give thanks for our harvests whether it is spiritual or physical. We ask what we have harvested or manifested this year. Now is the time to thank Mother Earth for all that we have received from her bounty.

Here in Florida it is more difficult to see the different seasons. It is something that we must feel within us. In this season I begin to turn inward as a time for reflection and meditation. May the Goddess bless us all during this harvest season.

 

Blessed Be!

Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

Ask Your Mama: A Question of Claiming Time By Mama Donna Henes

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more.

 

Ask Your Mama™
The What, When, Where, Why, How, and Who of
Ceremony & Spirituality
by
Mama Donna Henes, Urban Shaman

 

A Question of Claiming Time

Dear Mama Donna,

I think rituals are very important, and I feel their lack in my own life very strongly. But the fact is that I can never seem to find the time to actually plan special ceremonies. I am always too busy, too tired. I would appreciate some advice.

Time Deprived and Pooped in New York City

 

Dear Typical New Yorker,

 

In a culture, which defines itself in terms of clocks and dollars, (and the Big Apple is certainly the epicenter of such consciousness) it is difficult to claim the time and mental space to devote to an occupation that results in no visible product. Non-product and nonproductive are definitely not the same thing, however.

We may think of ritual, ceremony, contemplation, and meditation as not doing anything, but down time is not negative, it is not not doing something. What we are doing when we step off of the rat race treadmill is resting, reflecting, ruminating, regenerating, rejoicing, receiving, re-sourcing; re-centering, and renewing our energy, our essential spiritual selves.

Nor is sacred activity a luxury. When we carve out a niche in our busy lives to do the sorts of things that feed our souls; when we establish an integrated, ongoing ritual practice, we produce beauty, order, harmony, reverence, patience, introspection, connection, understanding, and appreciation, which enriches everything else that we do. Ceremonial observance adds lucid layers — depth, dimension, drama, and distinction — to our lives, making the ordinary seem special, and the special, extraordinary.

Perhaps your idea of what a proper ritual should consist of is too daunting. If you imagine that ceremonial practice must be complex, complicated, ornate, and overly organized, you are confusing a ritualistic concept with actual ritual. All that is truly necessary for effective and transformational ritual is a well-conceived, honest, and sincere intention, and the willingness to pay attention to the process.

Even the smallest, most mundane and profane moments of our lives can be potently sacred, if we honor them as such. The trick is to treat dailiness in a consciously celebratory manner. Those precious few quiet minutes in bed before we propel ourselves up and out into the day; the last sleepy moments at night before we fall to sleep; the precious stolen hours of quality time that we share with family and friends; time spent in the bath, in the garden, with a good book, even doing domestic routines; can all feel like holy rituals if you perform them with a concentrated ceremonial intention. Our resolution for sanctity makes it so. Concentration = consecration.

By making the time, by taking the time, by taking our time, and honoring all our times, we bless ourselves and endow ourselves with depth and enduring meaning. We consecrate our very lives, and celebrate the continuously wondrous miracle of our living.

Meals, for instance can certainly be more than the mere rushed intake of calories, nutrients, television news, and bickering. A normal supper on any average evening can be one of life's most agreeable ceremonies if we establish a comfortable, leisurely, aesthetically pleasing, emotionally safe environment in which to enjoy food and convivial company even — especially - if it is "only" that of our own.

When my mother died, I inherited my grandmother's set of turn-of-the-century hand-painted china. I have always loved those dishes. They evoke fond memories of Gramma's excellent Jewish cooking and her unconditional love for me. They recall a complete smorgasbord of rich and heady sensual childhood recollections.

To this day, when I eat from them I can hear my grandfather's gruff benediction as he swallowed down his customary pre-meal shot of medicinal schnapps. I can see the giant blue spruce outside of her Detroit dining room window, and smell the lilac bushes that surrounded her tiny house. I can feel the fine stitches on her immaculate embroidered table clothes, and my little brother kicking me under the table.

When Gramma died, my mother took the enormous set home with her to Cleveland. She wrapped each piece carefully, lovingly, in tissue paper and put the whole thing, covered in layers of protective plastic, away for use only on special occasions. For a while we enjoyed them at holiday suppers and other celebratory occasions when they were filled with company-only extravagances like black olives and pickled watermelon rinds.

But as time passed and the family dispersed, special occasions became rare. I didn't see those dishes for years, and I coveted them. Now that they are mine, I, too, cherish them and use them only for very special occasions. Every Meal. Every Day. I am careful with them, to be sure, but I use them. If I break one occasionally, I feel bad about it for a second, then put the pieces on the soil of my potted plants where their colorful pattern continues to cheer me. If there are none left by the time I die, so be it. One less find for the Antiques Road Show.

The art of approaching all areas of life with the same dedicated, detailed, devotion that one would apply to an important ritual event is endlessly affirming. I think of this mind set as altared sense-ability. The process, the conscious and conscientious practice, of living a seamless ceremonial existence. The finely tuned craft of making every single detail matter and every precious second truly count. It is this constant presence in the present that ultimately nourishes and energizes us.

With ritual in our mind, any time is sacred, and any place, a sanctuary. When we allow ourselves to claim the psychic space and set aside the valuable time for creative ceremony — when we assume the entitlement, the ability, and the authority to do so — we are able to tranceform our perceptions, our perspectives, our passions, our experience, our expectations, and, in the process, our entire reality.

 

Seize the day!

Mama Donna

 

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. Send your questions about seasons, cycles, celebrations, ceremonies and spirit to Mama Donna at: CityShaman@aol.com

About Mama Donna

Donna Henes is an internationally renowned urban shaman,eco-ceremonialist, award-winning author, popular speaker and workshop leader whose joyful celebrations of celestial events have introduced ancient traditional rituals and contemporary ceremonies to millions of people in more than 100 cities since 1972. She has published four books, a CD, an acclaimed quarterly journal and writes a column for UPI (United Press International) Religion and Spirituality Forum.

Mama Donna, as she is affectionately called, maintains a ceremonial center, spirit shop, ritual practice and consultancy in Exotic Brooklyn, NY where she works with individuals, groups,institutions, municipalities and corporations to create meaningful ceremonies for every imaginable occasion.

 

For information about upcoming events and services contact:

 

Mama Donna's Tea Garden & Healing Haven

PO Box 380403

Exotic Brooklyn, New York, NY 11238-0403

Phone: (718) 857-1343

Email: CityShaman@aol.com

www.DonnaHenes.net

www.MamaDonnasSpiritShop.com

www.TheQueenofMySelf.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Henes

 

Read her blog at:

http://www.myspace.com/queenmamadonna

http://queenmamadonna.blogspot.com

http://mamadonnahenes.gaia.com

Enchanted Mountain Goddess Conference

The Enchanted Mountain Goddess Conference
The Spiral Within
Featuring Kellianna and the Dragon Ritual Drummers
November 7-10, 2008
Camp Allegany, Allegany State Park
Salamanca, NY 14779
www.enchantedgoddesscon.com

We're proud to announce that the Enchanted Mountain Goddess Conference is open for registration.

The Goddess Conference is a weekend event in Allegany State Park (Southwest NY) that focuses on the Reawakening of the Divine Feminine within us all. Through soul-deepening workshops, connection with pristine landscape, and performances by truly amazing Goddess-honoring Earth-centered artists, we begin to reclaim the surrounding Enchanted Mountains as Sacred Space.

Featured Performances:

Featured Workshops:

Conference registration is now online at www.enchantedgoddesscon.com

About the conference venue:

Camp Allegany is the primary location of the conference with events being held throughout the park including Thunder Rocks, the Stone Tower and the Administration Building. Camp Allegany is a private dormitory-style compound featuring 4 workshop rooms, a dining hall and 2 large dormitories. The dorms sleep 5 people each, are heated, have electrical outlets, bathroom and hot shower facilities. It's more like a nice hostel than camping.

Accommodations are shared - there are no single rooms available. If you choose to stay off-campus, you can stay in the park by registering for a cabin at www.reserveamerica.com. Go to www.enchantedgoddesscon.com for more information about the accommodations and registering.

Vendors and Sponsors:

Vendors are encouraged to apply for a Full Conference Vendors Pass. The cost is $200 and includes accommodation, your vending fee, entrance to all workshops and events.

Sponsors of the conference may contact Stephanie Hamberger, Conference Director at soulpilgrim@gmail.com to submit an advertisement in our conference program. Ad rates and information can be found at the vendors section of our website.

Contact us

Director: Stephanie Hamberger soulpilgrim@gmail.com

Found Goddess - The Computer Goddesses (Part 5) by Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D

Note. The term Found Goddess was created by Morgan Grey and Julia Penelope for their wonderful book, Found Goddesses: Asphalta to Viscera (New Victoria Publishers, 1980). I started Finding goddesses - Nerdix, Compuquia, Hostilia, and Whizziwig - when I was working on a Y2K project for a major corporation. I Found the other goddesses described here when I was writing a book on the subject, Finding New Goddesses (ECW Press, 2003). The newest goddesses are Fubar-Ma and Linker Bell, who have just now appeared. Well, maybe they've been standing around and/or hovering; I just got them down on paper.

 

The Computer Goddesses

So now you've got your downloads and pretty soon you get your upgrades. A few months ago, when I kept getting "illegal operation" messages when I disconnected from the Net, I also started getting "upgrade now" messages from my ISP. Yes, Reader, I started hearing the siren songs of Lucre, who squats up on the rocky cliff of Program Not Responding. Yes, I was in danger of being waylaid by Pecunia, who lurks in the dark cave of Fatal Error. Got a glitch? these filthy sirens sing. It's time to upgrade your system. And, Has your AI just failed its IQ test? Download our handy upgrade. But, Reader, take heart! Even though the dreadful path between Lucre and Pecunia is littered with impacted disks and flopping disks and slipped disks, it is possible to evade not only the hungry Upgrade Sirens but also their voracious employers - the Famous Software Monopoly, the Large Bucolic Hardware Company, the Nesting Internet Service Providers.

How, you ask, how do we escape the Siren Songs Of Costly Upgrade? We visit the Holy Shrine of Walmartis, the Savior Goddess. "User," the Savior Goddess says, "save your money. Get your upgrade here," She says, "at our Bargain Price. Look! We slash our prices every day. Come to our vast and Holy Temple Of Invasive Commerce."

Walmartis will help you stop your ears to the Temptations Of Great Expense. Walmartis will protect you from the Trolls Of Advertising. Walmartis will save you Big Bucks on your upgrade. All you have to do is seek Her out. She will save your money. Thank you, Blessed Walmartis, for being there. Thank you for being everywhere.

It happens a dozen times a day, every day: we send and receive e-mails with attachments. Sometimes they're really important attachments, things people need to know. And half the time we cannot open them. Or they're just not there. So we send (or receive) the usual answer: "Can't open attachment."

Fenestella[1] to the rescue! It is Her eternal task, and Her pleasure, to open things for us, to make openings in brick walls so we can look through. Can't open that attachment? Invoke our friendly Fenestella:

 

Fenestella, hear my plea,
Scan the server, use Your key.
Damned attachment - snicker-snee!
Make it open. Let me see.[2]

 

Somewhere in a dark corner of the realm of Nerdix, and without doubt in the same dark tower as the stealthy bugs and voracious viruses, live the Format Fairies. These are mischievous Good Neighbors who swarm at will and can arrive without warning to steal all the formatting codes in your document.

You may already be familiar with other Good Neighbors who "borrow" bright and shiny things from us. My friend Rebecca, for example, used to "lose" spoons all the time - teaspoons, tablespoons, spoons for cooking, even plastic spoons. She'd buy new spoons. They'd all be gone within a few days. We knew Who took them, and we'd ask to get them back. Occasionally a spoon or two would reappear. Also infamous are the Good Neighbors who steal socks from the dryer and office supplies from locked cabinets, and people have also told me about the mysterious disappearance of loose change, buttons, candles, and pens and pencils. How many people do you know who have single earrings? Sure, they're left over from Fairy raids.

One thing you can do when the Format Fairies raid your document is click up the Help Troll, that persistent pest who audaciously calls himself a Wizard. He's always there and he always has a lot to say. I have found his pronouncements to be enigmatic and perplexing, however, for he prefers to talk to devotees of Nerdix and is not consistently helpful to those who dwell in the halls of Compuquia. You can, however, also appeal to the Wizards of Que and Eye D' G[3] and consult their various Holy Writs. These books, especially the ones with the nifty pictures, are often helpful. What I have found more useful is to archive everything I write and keep the disk up to date. After Format Fairy depredations, I still have the disk to work from. So far, They have not stolen my disks. . . .

Remembering that the Format Fairies answer to no higher power and are exceedingly mischievous, we can try to appeal to them to have mercy on us.

 

Format Fairies, you're never outshone.
Please leave my format codes alone!
Format Fairies, you love each stunt,
Can't you please find somewhere else to hunt?

 

The most famous fairy of all, of course is Linker Bell, the search engine fairy. Lithe and lissome lover of all lost boys and girls, Linker Bell flits from site to site to site to site. Why, she can get us 18,800 hits in 0.19 seconds! With one hand tied behind her back!! Linker Bell has been everywhere and met everyone in Hardly-Ever Land. When she likes you, she'll sprinkle her fairy dust on your fingers so that you, too, can soar from site to site to site. She'll even tell you if you spelled your term wrong in the search box and she'll serve you a splendid menu of related searches. She'll bring you images and maps and news and go shopping with you (but you have to bring your own credit card), and on days you're feeling lucky, well . . . there's just no knowing where she'll lay her hands. Linker Bell loves all Lost Children and will hover beside your keyboard as you click and copy and paste. (She has, alas, no concept of plagiarism.)

It happens, alack, that pirates, do-gooders, and parents occasionally threaten Linker Bell's existence. Children, do you want to keep your search engine running? If your search goes astray, if your search engine begins to falter and fade, you must cry aloud, "I believe in fairies!" and click until Linker Bell's light returns. All together now, children - "I believe in fairies!" Click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click, click-click. Oh, look, children! Your belief has restarted Linker Bell! She is alive and well. You can keep searching!

 

Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D. is the author of Pagan Every Day: Finding the Extraordinary in Our Ordinary Lives (RedWheel/Weiser, 2006), a unique daybook of daily meditations, stories, and activities. Her earlier books are Finding New Goddesses, Quicksilver Moon, Goddess Meditations, and Practicing the Presence of the Goddess. Her day job is freelance editing for people who don't want to embarrass themselves in print. Barbara lives in southern California. To purchase a signed copy of Finding New Goddesses, just send Barbara an email at bawriting@earthlink.net

[1]Her name comes from the Latin word for "window," fenestra. If you get really annoyed at anyone, you can defenestrate them (that is, throw them out the window). You may be tempted to defenestrate your computer. If you do, you'll only have to buy a new one.

[2] I have a friend who totally igores Fenestella. She prefers Zen e-mail. No attachment.

[3]Surely we can be confident that Eye D' G stands for Eye Of Goddess, She Who looks with mercy upon all computer users.

Herb of the Season: Sage by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

Sage

(Salvia officinalis)

Folk names: Sawge, Garden Sage, Red Sage, Healer of All Ills

Planet: Jupiter

Element: Air

Powers: Immortality, Longevity, Wisdom, Protection, Wishes

Parts Used: Leaves

Botanical:

The Garden Sage succeeds best in a warm and rather dry area but it can grow well in almost any condition. It likes ordinary soil and thrives in a situation when slightly shaded.

It is a hardy plant and even though it is a perennial, it does not last more than three or four years without degenerating. The plant should be renewed at least every four years. It is propagated occasionally by seed, but more frequently by cutting. New plants are readily made by pulling off the young shoots from three year old plants in the spring. This is most favorable in the month of April. As soon as they are hardy enough, they can maintain themselves from the moisture of the ground and in the air. The young plants need to be watered frequently to survive and should be pinched back to promote bushy growth.

Native sages are Artemisias but when used for spiritual purposes it is interchangeable with Salvia. Salvia is used by many people to fumigate or sense a sacred space which brings purification and cleansing.

A native to the Mediterranean region, sage likes a sunny climate and dry soil, and does not need fertilizer to fare well. Sow the seeds in early spring, separating them to 18 inches apart after sprouting. Harvest in the summer and protect the plants with mulch in the winter. Toads are known to love sage.

History and Folklore:

Sage takes its name from the Latin word salvare, meaning "to save." Among Greeks, people ate sage to improve the mind. It was a sacred herb among Romans, who first offered the plant wine and then harvested it without any iron tools. They felt that sage protected pregnant women, improved fertility, and extended life.

Sage was favored by Zeus, and the people of the Renaissance combined sage and honey to heal throat infections, a combination still useful today. Egyptian women sometimes drank sage juice before lying with their husbands to ensure immediate conception.

Roman god Consus was a harvest deity whose realm included sowing and reaping. At a later time, Consus was invoked at councils; his presence believed essential when important decisions were being made. Sage is an appropriate herb for bringing the energy of wisdom into a meeting.

In the language of flowers, sage is a petal of domestic virtue. If you are wise, it will always grow abundantly near your home, but if the head of the house is sick, it will likewise wilt. A young maiden will see her future marriage mate if she picks twelve sage leaves on Saint Mark’s Day as the clock strikes the midday hour.

To encourage prudence, protect yourself from wandering spirits, and turn away the evil eye, carry sage with you at all times. Drink a tea from sage as Gypsies once did, believing it will improve hair growth and enhance color.

Tradition holds that those who eat sage become immortal both in wisdom and in years. Sage is used in wish manifestation and to attract money. A medieval tradition claims that sage growing in the garden indicates the prosperity of the household.

According to Mrs. Grieve in A Modern Herbal, there is an old tradition which recommends planting rue among the sage to protect its health. This belief may come from the ancient Arabian belief that sage was an herb of immortality. It was also believed that the health of your sage plants reflected the health of your business affairs. Another folk belief was that sage grew best when the woman was the person in charge of the gardens and the household. This belief leads to the conclusion that women who desire to hold their own in the world, either in business or life should use sage. It is also recommended to be useful to single mothers.

Some legends maintain that sage’s healing powers were first discovered by Cadmus, brother of Europa, whose mythological life was filled with adventure. Sage is also considered to Zeus and Jupiter. It is an excellent herb to use when consecrating and is associated with the Temperance Card in the Tarot.

There are a few gardening tips concerning sage. It is bad luck to plant sage in your own garden. You should have a stranger plant it for you. Sage should not be planted alone; it should be planted with other plants.

Magical Uses:

Sage has been utilized to ensure a long life and sometimes immortality. This is done by eating some of the plant every day or at least in May, for:

He who would live for aye
Must eat sage in May.

Sage is carried to promote wisdom, and the leaves are used in countless healing and money spells. To guard against contracting the dreaded evil eye wear a small horn filled with sage.

If you desire to make a wish come true, write it on a sage leaf and place it under your pillow. For three nights sleep upon it. It once you dream of what you desire your wish will be materialized; if not, bury the sage in the ground so that you do not come to harm.

Herbal and Medicinal Uses:

Generally, purple sage is used for medicinal products, with the exception of gargles which use wood sage. The best time to harvest and dry sage for medicinal use is spring.

Sage is also useful as a digestive aid. Add two or three fresh leaves to your coffee or a cup of hot water and leave them for about five minutes, then drink. This same tea can be chilled to provide relieve for diarrhea in children, but is best not used by pregnant women as it is a hormonal stimulant.

If you feel a cold coming on, place the sage leaves in a cup of warm milk and drink it before bed. Rub fresh leaves on insect bites for relief. Drink an infusion three times a day for sore throat or irregular menstruation. For chapped lips, boil 4 tablespoons of sage in ½ cup of water for about forty-five minutes or until the juice cooks down into almost a syrup. Apply as needed.

As a healing tonic, sage is more than remedial for it can be used to promote health throughout one’s physical, spiritual, emotional and mental being. Sage may be used to purify one’s self, removing negative energy and providing a healthy attitude toward life. It helps one deal with grieving and loss, both through healing and by helping one see beyond the immediate loss. Old folklore recommends eating fresh sage leaves nine mornings in a row in time with either a new or full moon.

Sage is a drying agent for the body. The tea of the leaf will dry up night sweats, breast milk, and mucous congestion. It benefits the nerves and the menstrual cycle as well. Being astringent, it helps with diarrhea. Use it as a sore throat gargle and as a poultice for sores and stings. Use two teaspoons of the herb per cup of water, steep for twenty minutes and take a ¼ cup four times a day.

A gargle for a sore throat: a small glass of port wine, a tablespoon of Chile vinegar, six sage leaves, and a teaspoon of honey, simmer together for five minutes. A cure for sprains: Bruise a handful of sage leaves and boil them in a little vinegar for five minutes; apply this in a folded napkin as hot as you can stand it on the sprain.

When using it as a tincture: use fifteen to forty drops up to four times a day. Sage can also be used for night sweats, coughs, and to dry breast milk.

Sage rinse is good for dandruff: combine two teaspoons of sage, 1 cup of water, and 1 teaspoon of alcohol, shake and apply. Sage can be used as a deodorant as a fine powder. You can also add two teaspoons of sage to ½ cup of cornstarch for the same effect. This can be sprinkled in shoes to control odor. Sage water mixed with rubbing alcohol can be used as an aftershave. Sage is sometimes used as an herbal tobacco. It helps eliminate odors in the house and alleviates airborne germs.

Culinary and Crafts:

Garden sage is the most common type to appear in cooking. It has a slightly bitter, lemony flavor and is a regular ingredient for poultry seasoning.

Sources:

Beyerl, Paul. A Compendium of Herbal Magick. Custer, Washington. Phoenix Publishing; 1998

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia & Magical Herbs. St. Paul, Minnesota; Llewellyn Publishing; 1985.

Dunwich, Gerina. The Wicca Garden. New York, New York. Kensington Publishing Corporation; 1996

Grieves, M. A Modern Herbal. New York, New York. Dover Publications; 1971

Hopman, Ellen Evert. A Druid’s Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year. Rochester, Vermont. Destiny Books; 1995

Telesco, Patricia. The Herbal Arts. Secaucus, New Jersey. Citadel Press; 1998.

Hidden Passages by Vila SpiderHawk - Book Review by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

Hidden Passages: Tales to Honor the Crones

ISBN-10: 0979654564

Book Review by Dawn “Belladonna” Thomas   

I received this book in the mail and I was so excited when I opened the cover. The picture on the cover leads the reader to believe a magical journey is about to happen. That is exactly what happened to me. On the first page I was hooked. The story of Mima Po reminded me of the place I lived as a small child. The words were so vivid I could imagine being in the story too. 

The stories of the Maiden, Mother and Crone were so beautifully written. Changing the point of direction from the maiden to the mother to the grandmother was very intelligent thing to do. How many times do we wonder how others see the same story? In these stories the author makes it possible. In Nanu’s Story, I imagined the changes in the landscape and weather as Tichu travelled alone. I could feel the warmth she provided to others. The story of Gita’s Journey is a difficult road to travel for any parent. The author shows how a mother finds the strength she needs to live. It is a very moving and emotional story.

In the story of Lavinia I felt for Veronica as she travels unseen by others. But Helen is there and gives her the guidance to see where she needs to be. The book title refers to Crones but I believe that women of all ages would learn the lessons held within this book. I enjoy the easy way that the stories flow. I have a better appreciation on other views of each story. I am looking forward to reading Ms. VilaHawk’s next book.  

 

Mama Donna's Spirit Shop

Moon Schedule from Mabon to Samhain by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

(Times are Eastern Time)

4th Quarter - September 22nd 1:04 a.m.

New Moon - September 29th 4:12 a.m.

2nd Quarter - October 7th 5:04 a.m.

Full Moon - October 14th 4:02 p.m.

4th Quarter - October 21st 7:54 a.m.

New Moon - October 28th 7:14 p.m.

Moon Void of Course Schedule

Date Starts Ends
September 22nd 1:04 a.m. 1:48 a.m.
September 23rd 5:16 p.m. September 24th 5:13 a.m.
September 26th 7:20 a.m. 9:52 a.m.
September 28th 1:31 p.m. 4:05 p.m.
September 30th 9:47 p.m. October 1st 12:26 a.m.
October 2nd 6:46 p.m. October 3rd 11:14 a.m.
October 5th 9:08 p.m. 11:48 p.m.
October 7th 3:37 p.m. October 8th 12:03 p.m.
October 10th 7:13 p.m. 9:31 p.m.
October 13th 1:02 a.m. 3:07 a.m.
October 15th 3:36 a.m. 5:31 a.m.
October 17th 3:33 a.m. 6:25 a.m.
October 19th 5:52 a.m. 7:40 a.m.
October 21st 7:54 a.m. 10:35 a.m.
October 23rd 1:53 p.m. 3:40 p.m.
October 25th 9:02 p.m. 10:47 p.m.
October 28th 6:05 a.m. 7:47 a.m.
October 30th 1:45 a.m. 6:41 p.m.

Planting Days

September: 29th, 30th

October: 1st, 2nd, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 29th

Harvesting Days

September: 24th, 25th

October: 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd

On Finding Myself Middle Aged by Mama Donna Henes

On Finding Myself Middle Aged
With No Role Model I Could Relate To
Because I Am Not a Crone
By Mama Donna Henes

Although I have been passionately devoted to the Many Splendored Goddess in her complex multiplicity for more than thirty years now, I am not a believer in the Triple Goddess paradigm. It has never resonated with me because it belies what I believe to be the true nature of nature. The Triple Goddess in her tripartite phases is widely understood to represent the complete cyclical wholeness of life. She Who is Three is likened to the moon, the tides, and the seasons, whose mutability She mirrors. And therein, lies the rub.

I am sorry, but thirty years of researching, teaching, and writing about Celestially Auspicious Occasions — the cycles of the cosmos and the earthly seasons, and the multi-cultural ritual expressions that they inspire — I can state unequivocally that the moon has four quarters, not three, and that there are, as well, four seasons in the year.

For millennia, the three faces of the Triple Goddess have, in fact, accurately reflected the stages of women’s lives — the developing youth, the nurturing mother and the wise old woman. She still corresponds with the real life expectancy and experience of most women in the world even today who live pretty much as they always have. The reality of their existence dictates that they grow quickly through girlhood into early and prolonged maternity then, if they are lucky enough to survive multiple childbirths and general poverty, they pass through menopause directly into old age.

Photographs of my own grandmother when she was younger than I am now, picture a matronly looking lady with the Old Worldly stately countenance of a grandmother, a bubby, an abuela — a full decade before I was born. Part of her elderly appearance is purely the style of the period, the rest a reflection of her hard life and times.

While certainly there is still much to learn from these models, the old triple-header construct is no longer all-inclusive. It doesn’t include a description of my life or the lives of other contemporary women in their middle years living in modern developed countries. It does not address our issues and needs, nor does it embrace our unique and unprecedented position in society. It does not even recognize our existence. The old stereotypes simply do not apply to us.

We have outgrown our tenure as Maidens and as Mothers, yet old age no longer follows immediately after menopause, which is why so many midlife women don’t see ourselves (yet) as Crones. Where is the authentic archetype for us? There are now, for the first time in herstory and history combined, entire multi-national generations of women for whom the Triple Goddess paradigm no longer resonates. For us — nearly 60 million climacteric women in the United States alone — the tri-level ideal is flawed.

Folk tales and historical documents featuring positive depictions of powerful middle age female figures are few and far between. There is no codified body of literature to which we can turn for affirmative examples of profound and potent midlife. Real life role models are sparse, as well, although there certainly have always been, in every society, notable and remarkable exceptions — powerful middle aged women who were rulers, adventurers, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, spiritual leaders — mature, glamorous, and courageous sheroes of all stripes. The popular media has typically portrayed menopausal women as over-the-hill, overwrought, flakes or furies, completely undesirable in either case. So who are we supposed to be? And who can teach us how?

We occupy a truly unique position, poised on the brink of uncharted waters. This extended and vigorous midlife period which we are now beginning to experience is largely unaccounted for in myth and archetype for the simple reason that such longevity has never before occurred for the great masses of women as a whole. We desperately need a new body of role models, examples, and teachers to encourage us as we explore the unfamiliar terrain of our changing lives and create new and joyful ways of being in charge of our own destiny.

Clearly it is time for a change of paradigm. Which is as it should be. Life is about nothing if not change, which is, after all, the greatest teaching of the cyclical Goddess. Her power and inspiration lies in Her infinite flexibility, Her adept adaptability, Her unbounded ability to always, always, always change. The Great Goddess, supreme mistress of the art of tranceformation will surely respond to the changes in our lives and times by enlarging the vision of Her Self to include Her fourth dimension -- and ours. The Great Goddess is, even now, beginning to expand to include us in Her archetypal embrace.

In the absence of a traditional mythic example to spur me on and sustain me through my midlife changes, I perceived the need to invent one. So I formulated a fourth stage of development that would place me after the Mother and before the Crone in a newly defined continuum of Womanhood, thus providing me and other women of my generation with a recognizable role model for our middle years: The Four Fold Goddess: The Maiden, the Mother, The Queen and the Crone.

My construct of the four stages of a woman’s life is a much more accurate description of the current Way of Womanhood. Her four periods of growth and transformation resonate deeply with contemporary women. And they seem so natural, somehow. They are in complete metaphoric alignment with the pervasive way that peoples have always ordered existence into Four Quarters. The Four Quarters of the Moon, the Four Seasons of the Year, the Four Solstices and Equinoxes, the Four Elements, the Four Cardinal Directions of the Earth, the Four Periods of the Day.

Is this hubris? Who am I to challenge an archetype that has been so powerful for so many for so long? Well, I am in fact, a proud member of the pioneering Sixties Generation, and consequently, I have a certain modest amount of experience in rebelling against the status quo of old archetypes and striving to replace them with new, more inclusive and relevant ones. Our generation has demonstrated time and again that it is possible to create our own characters, compose our own scripts, and author the sagas of our own lives. We are our own role models. Bereft of affirming depictions of our lives, today’s women-of-a-certain-age are more than ready, willing, and perfectly capable of creating our own.

The mythic model that I envision is recognizably like me, like us. Not yet old, yet no longer young, she stands in her proper place — after the Mother and before the Crone — in No Woman’s Land. She plants her flag and claims her space in this previously uncharted midlife territory. Still active and sexy, vital with the enthusiasm and energy of youth, she is tempered with the hard earned experience and leavening attitudes of age.

She has been forced to face and overcome obstacles and hard lessons including her own shadow, and in so doing, has outgrown the boundaries of her old self. Agitated with the unessential and restless for authenticity, She sheds all attachment to the opinions of others and accepts complete responsibility and control for her own care, feeding, and fulfillment. She is the Queen of Her Self, the mature monarch, the sole sovereign of Her own life and destiny. Here, finally, is an archetype that fits.

The Queen paradigm promotes a new understanding of what it might mean to be a middle-aged woman today who accepts complete responsibility for and to her self, and it celebrates the physical, emotional, and spiritual rewards of doing so. Becoming a Queen is not automatic, nor is it instantaneous. As Simone de Beauvoir said, “One is not born a woman, one becomes one.

The Queen bursts forth from adversity and previous constraints, actual or imagined, to become a proficient player in the game plan of Her choice. The Queen does not invite hard times and trouble, but She chooses to use them well. Actualized, organized, efficient, self-sufficient, competent, ethical, and fair, the Queen has struggled for and earned Her authority and respect. Determined and firmly centered on Her own two feet, She dares to climb, step after step, with nascent surety into the heady realm of Her own highest majesty.

Once on her throne and crowned, the Queen glows golden with confidence, competence, and grace. She is fully aroused and takes great pleasure in the feelings of freedom, elation and wellbeing that come from personal empowerment. This thrilling post-menopausal period of vitality, renewed energy, enhanced self-esteem, optimism, and enthusiasm comes to us in direct proportion to the intensity of our own conscious, conscientious engagement in the process and consequences of transformation.

Another gift of self-enfranchisement is the potent and extremely liberating sexuality of the Queen. Shining from the inside out, Her attractiveness and attraction is rooted deeply in Her self-actualization, self-worth, and inner strength. She exudes a primal excitement, Her power palpable in her very presence. Her desire reaches the boiling point and her inhibitions melt in the heat of Her renewed passion for life.

It was through my own process of coming of age that I conceived of the Queen as the missing link in the chain of life for modern women in the here-to-fore incomplete Triple Goddess archetype. Through my own intentions and concerted efforts, by constantly questioning and reconfiguring, by struggling to mourn and then release what was irrevocably lost, I was trying to recover my own misplaced vitality, interest, and energy after the long hard painful years of my disconcerting midlife changes.

Finally completely self-realized, I was ready and able, and for the first time in my life, I was actually willing to reign; to accept the responsibility for the truth and complete consequences of my own dreams, decisions, and actions. I was a maturing monarch prepared to regulate all of the inner and outer realms of my own domain. By the time I reached 53 or so, I knew myself to be the uncontested mistress of my own fate. Miraculously, it seemed, I had succeeded in turning my midlife crisis into my diamond-encrusted crowning achievement. Surely I was a Queen, and not a Crone. I was the Queen of My Self.

When I first began conceptualizing the Queen, I dreamt of a ceremonial crowning. My dreamtime punster made herself proud as she at once confirmed my passage as through the birth canal into a new life, and acknowledged my newly earned sovereign station — both in a single, concise, and vivid image. In this Crowning Ceremony, I ascended the throne of my passion and power and pledged myself to my Self. Always aware of the promise of that dramatic nocturnal ordination, I have worn my crown of self-confidence ever since. The more I think about the Queen, the more I become her. And the more Queenly I become, the more I desire to be in the company of other Queens.

As long as I live, I will have control over
my being - you find the spirit of Caesar in me.
-Artemisia Gentileschi, Italian painter (1593-1652)

Long Live the Queens!

 

Donna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self.

Passage by Mary Lyons

She sets the example of life fulfilled,

The nurturer, the guide, Her wisdom revealed.

From Mother to Crone we follow Her lead,

All of nature is swept along by Her deed.

In reverence we honor Her passing phase,

As the color of leaves become ablaze.

We look to the inward passing of time,

Her soothing melody begins to chime.

All our hard work slows to a halt,

As we look back we can not find fault.

We have nurtured our cause, She has taught us well,

In remorse we shall not dwell.

The harvest is now in the storehouse secure,

We are ready for what we must endure.

She sets the sign posts that we have followed,

Proudly as women we honor the hollowed.

As Mother She has led Her brood,

As Crone Her wisdom we know to be shrewd.

Lovingly She forever encircles our hearts,

Grateful that She has taught us Her arts.

 

August '08

Mary Lyons

Real Love vs Romance: Why Settle For Crumbs? by Galye Goldwin

Romantic love is a modern invention, a myth born of Dependency and Need. It did not exist in prehistoric times because the predominantly matriarchal societies that existed then didn't make women dependent. They didn't restrict women's wealth-producing activities or confiscate their rightful inheritance. They didn't teach women to need a man's approval because they had the Goddess's. They loved themselves as the Goddess loved them - listening to their feelings, honoring their desires and fulfilling their needs. Women then looked to men to share their love and joy, not to "find" it.

No young girl was ever taught to spend her days dreaming of finding a one-and-only "true love." Such an idea would have been silly indeed, for she already knew True Love. She was the beloved daughter of the Goddess. She could feel the Goddess' Love coursing through her, energizing her, giving her the blessed joy of experiencing life in a physical body. All she need do to increase her joy was to share it with those who pleased her.

Women then needed joy and fulfillment in their lives, just as women now do. But women then were taught that they would find it within themselves - in the activities, pursuits and pleasures that they enjoyed. Their modern sisters, raised in patriarchal cultures, have been taught to look to a man for fulfillment instead of to themselves. They're taught to not notice what they desire and long for, to disregard what is important to them. Self-sacrifice in the service of others is applauded.

But women in early matriarchal societies created their own joy and fulfillment by filling their lives full of the things and activities they loved. They didn't look for a man to fulfill them; they knew there'd be men aplenty who'd see their Joy and come running to share it. (For more on life in ancient matriarchal cultures, read the channeled message, When History Was HerStory.)

Romance is a fantasy designed to make women obey Man's wishes in hopes of gaining his approval. And, she is taught to hope, if she pleases him well enough, then he will "love" her enough to feed and support her, and protect her from the ravages of other men. All in return for conjugal "rights," of course.

Romance is a delusion invented by men to gain the compliance of those they want to serve them. Romance may provide an intoxicating respite from a bleak life of servitude, anxiety and denigration, but it is not Real. And it is not Love.

But why do machismo enthusiasts, even today, want women to be so financially subservient, so economically dependent? It is, after all, a burden to be someone's sole support. Why have patriarchal societies in every era placed the highest priority on limiting a woman's ability to control her own money? Why? Because if she has money, she has the means to leave. And no man wants to lose his "possessions," much less his cook, maid and ready supply of sex. Men need sex. And they discovered long ago that the most reliable way of assuring themselves of a steady supply was to take women from their clans and make them dependent upon men for food and survival. How then, could she leave?

It has been said that in patriarchal cultures, every woman is a prostitute, forced to trade her body for food and shelter. Until relatively recent times, her only choice was to make her trade with one man and be called a wife, or to trade with several and be called a whore. But even those who were made "honorable" women by being granted the title of Wife still needed something to distract themselves from their pain. Romance offered that distraction - and still does.

Romance offers hope. It is a hope needed by those who look to others for the love they've been taught to believe they're not worthy of giving themselves. It is a hope needed by those who learn in the cradle that they are a disappointment, are unwanted, unlovable, and somehow not as good or important as a boy. It's a hope needed by those who are empty inside, who need someone else to give them the love they refuse to give themselves.

And so they hope that if they try very, very hard to be what others say they "should," then someday, somehow, someone will finally deem them worthy of being loved. But romance is not Love. It is Need. It is not Joy, but only a brief distraction from depression and pain.

Real Love isn't possible in the presence of dependence, subordination or fear. Real Love is known by the Acceptance and Comfort one feels in its presence, for what is Love but the total acceptance of who and what we are? But romance is not Love. It is Need. It is not joy, but only a brief distraction from depression and pain.

Romance can be known by its excitement. And excitement always contains an element of fear: the gut-level awareness that one is in danger of losing something here. When anxiety of any kind is felt, you can be certain that you are not in the presence of one who truly loves you.

No, romance isn't Love, but it does encourage submission and obedience in women who've been taught to seek men's approval. And for that, men keep the charade going.

But you don't have to be duped. Pause for a moment to check in with your feelings. (For help distinguishing between feelings from your soul and emotions generated by your mind, see the article, Feelings - Turn Signals of Your Soul, at WomanSpiritOracles.com). Use your feminine intuition to recognize whether you're feeling Acceptance or Anxiety. And, while waiting for the Real Thing, pass the time by giving yourself what you wanted from him.

 

©2007 Gayle Goldwin. Excerpted from WomanSpirit Oracles: Wisdom of the Ancients, Solutions For Today, a modern-day divination tool of Feminine Empowerment revealing the 33 archetypes of Divine Femininity present in every Woman. Gayle Goldwin is on a mission to redefine contemporary images of "femininity" and help women become the powerful, confident goddesses they were born to be. When not channeling new Messages from the illumined Beings who direct her work, she works with women who want to get in touch with their own Guides so they can get the answers they need to create the lives of Love and Joy they deserve. Visit www.WomanSpiritOracles.com to get a Free Oracle Card Reading, read more Excerpts from WomanSpirit Oracles, download Free Tips to increase your Joy and Confidence, or read inspiring Channeled Messages from the Ascended Masters Who guide this work.

Solitary Autumn Equinox Ritual By Dawn “Belladonna” Thomas

For the altar:

Set up your ritual area. Light the candles and arrange the grapes, the vine and flowers or leaves on the altar.

Casting the Circle

Take the apple and hold it in both hands. Feel the wisdom and love of the goddess. She is generous.

"The apple is an ancient symbol of the Goddess with her great knowledge and power of healing. It holds her wisdom and provides a gateway into other realms. Sacred is this space filled with the riches of the Great Mother."

Call the Quarters

"Hail to the Spirits of the East, Element of Air, knowledge, and wisdom. Bless me with your gifts during the season of fall. Please join me tonight."

"Hail to the Spirits of the South, Element of Fire, brighten my days. Bring illumination and passion in many ways. Please join me tonight."

"Hail to the Spirits of the West, Element of Water, come to this circle of mine. Add love, peace, and intuition in this place and time. Please join me tonight."

"Hail to the Spirits of the North, Element of Earth, bestow strength and success. Please join me tonight."

"The circle is cast as above and so below."

Call the Goddess

"The Autumn Equinox is the harvest of fruits and late grains. I ask the goddess of grain, Demeter, the Lady of the Harvest and bountiful earth. Bless me during this autumn season. I also ask Pomona, the goddess of Apples to join me. Please share your sacred orchard with me.

At the autumn equinox a time of equal light and dark hours occurs. Help me to find balance and harmony within. Guide me with your wisdom and remind me to be thankful for all of the blessings that I have in my life.

It is now time to pass from summer into the dark of the year. On this day of the equinox, this day of balance, it is the threshold where light begins to fade. As the nights grow longer, it is a time to cultivate inner wisdom."

Meditation and Giving Thanks

"I raise my chalice in thanksgiving for what the Mother Earth has given me this year."

Think of these questions and answer honestly. What is my personal harvest? What have I brought into manifestation this year? What can I do to honor the generosity of the Earth that sustains me? How might I thank my loved ones and acquaintances who have supported my creativity this year? How can I best acknowledge and celebrate myself for hard work completed this year?

Releasing the Elements

"Spirit of the North, Element of the Earth, thank you for lending your strength and stability this night. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be."

"Spirit of the West, Element of Water, thank you for blessing me with loving emotions so right. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be."

"Spirit of the South, Element of Fire, thank you for your passion and illuminating light. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be."

"Spirit of the East, Element of Air, thank you for the winds of change that swirl within my life. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be."

Releasing the Goddess

"I thank you Demeter and Pomona for joining me this night. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be."

Open the Circle

"The circle is open but remains unbroken.

Blessed be!

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again."

The Crone's Secret ... by Bendis

"Have you been together long?" he asks.
"Oh, our first date," claims she.
"How sweet," says he.
"Oh, yes," says she.

 

Looking at us thinking that lust is for the young,
that we two crones are reaching for what is lost never to be regained.
How would they ever guess that for Goddess,
Fire never dies, but is renewed with each new look upon Her face.

 

It is the Crone who touches youth most closely.
For in her wisdom, She has learned to savor each moment.

 

Her child awaits eagerly to emerge and play
only from knowledge of what life has taken and returned again.

 

The expectation of love's renewal Within,
Her soul lies waiting
For joy renewed and ever returning.

 

Should we tell our secret ....
No! Share it only with the Maidens, for they know Her face, and they will understand.

Thin by Holly Cross

Cigarettes in Fall

are little death rituals.

The paper on your lips

helps you become part of the decay.

With each breath

I am becoming more thin

a wrinkle of cloth stretched out to smooth

and then stretched some more.

October is between times

like dusk and dawn

awakening and falling asleep

birth and dying breath.

We reach into the past,

through the veil as it wanes,

to seek out what can't be seen,

what can't be known the rest of the year.

Holly Cross

Walking With Witches By Lynn Huggins Cooper

Walking with Witches

By Lynn Huggins Cooper

When Eleanor and Izzy visit an historic library, they see odd shadows and hear ghostly footsteps. The pages of an ancient spell book start to turn, and a terrifying adventure begins. On All Hallows Eve, the girls find a magical pendulum. Eleanor begins to have troubled dreams and frightening visions that cast her back into the world of Seventeenth century witchcraft . A powerful sorceress forges a bond with Eleanor, and begs for her help. But a timeless evil stalks the friends, as they hunt for a way to set the souls of the witches free.

See website for details and exciting activities: www.walkingwithwitches.co.uk

Includes "Witchy Words" glossary
ISBN 13: 978 185795 1288
Format: soft back
Illustrated with atmospheric line drawings.

£5.99 plus postage - apply to lynn@walkingwithwitches.co.uk for delivery charge to your address or buy direct from the publisher,

Tyne Bridge Publishing
email: anna.flowers@newcastle.gov.uk

WISDOM – THE GIFT FROM THE CRONE By Angie Skelhorn

As the Crone, a woman has reached a milestone in her life. With age comes knowledge and knowledge is power. At this stage in life the Crone has rid her self of earthly fears and inhibitions. The wise woman has the ability to view the big picture and make things happen for the better. Others should look up to the Crone in their lives for wisdom.

Wisdom is a gift given over time. Wisdom is having or showing good judgments. It's about sensible, sound, prudent, decisions and aware of what's going on around them. Knowledge is something learned and kept in the mind. It is understanding gained by actual experience and a clear perception of the truth. Knowledge is being informed and wisdom is accumulated learning.

A Crone's wisdom has been earned. She realized through knowledge, that what is of concern today may not be as important tomorrow.

From maiden to mother we test to know we fit into the outside world. The path of the soul's development involves seeking and seeing the big picture and perceiving the interconnectedness to all.

Most people at some point in their life want to discover for themselves how it all fits together. The Crone, being in the winter of their life, a dramatic natural change can offer compassion in a cruel world based on individual perspective of the life experienced. When there is struggle between right and wrong, a Crone giving out sound, sensible advice can be found in family, friends, even strangers. A Crone's role in our lives is not to interfere. A Crone will take an interest in your development if asked. First, you must be a willing student.

A Crone would counsel to perform in the world with the intent to do good. The wise woman would try to instill their skills to further growth amidst the controversy.

Take a minute and talk to the Crone women in your life about the dreams you wish to accomplish. They may have valuable wisdom to share. I truly appreciate the two Crones who have taken an interest in my development. Joan Kennedy, a well known psychic from my home town and my Aunt Donna Jennsen, both whom saw a willing student, with the intent to improve herself in a positive manner.

Meeting Joan was a major turning point in my life. During many Tarot readings the wise woman removed limitations I had place upon myself. The Crone encouraged me to become a unique individual, who is true to self. Joan was crucial to my personal growth. Love was given, respect was earned, trust was acquired and courtesy was given. The Crone slowly taught me to live in harmony not only in my life but with my surrounding environment. I learned extreme behavior must be constantly balanced. Joan recognized my creative side. She explained that I had natural talent that would be nurtured. The wise woman encouraged me to write my unique story. What I had to say would heal me and inspire others. The Crone guided me in the right direction. I needed to be patient. There is no magical time limit. Live life in a good way. Karma returns and dreams come true.

My Aunt Donna, experience gave me everything I needed to succeed. The wise woman helped me take my ideas to the next place The Crone, saw promise in an aspiring writer. Her valuable knowledge as a secretary educated me in protocol. The wise woman gave of her time to work with me to polish my written work to make the material marketable. Her only reward was her efforts had not been wasted.

I was faced with challenges, but remained optimistic about my situation. The Crones were both inspiring and indispensable. The two wise women saw potential and were willing to share their years of knowledge.

Crones have the power to free one from false illusions, and remove limitations upon self. They guide and encourage in the right direction. The wise women's knowledge will give everything needed to succeed during personal change.

During a major turning point, when faced with challenges, consult the Crone in your life. The Crone has valuable knowledge to share. Follow their support and advice. With much personal effort you may become the giving and accepting person you want to be, surrounded by all the good in life.