Samhain 2008 ~ Honoring Our Female Ancestors

For the Sabbat of Samhain, we have chosen the topic “Honoring Your Female Ancestors.” Oh, I can hear the cries now, “but that is only half of our ancestors!” Believe me, I know that!  I can tell you in all honesty that on my ancestor altar created here in my home, I most definitely honor my father who passed in 1974, a beloved grandfather who crossed over when I was but twelve years old, and one whom I never met because he died before I was born. Their gifts to me, I cannot even begin to count.

But here now, in this place, we wish to honor our female ancestors. As women who have studied the history books required as a part of our education, and as women who continue to read about our past, it is clearly evident that women are left out! I believe one of the reasons that this is so, is because most of the authors of what we have read are men and it follows that what has happened in the world is seen through their eyes. I don’t really think it is intentional. We all write from our own perspective.

We feminists, we Goddess loving feminists are seen as radical. We are called unbalanced by those who either do not understand or who don’t really care. So for years we have tried to swing the pendulum back the other way in hopes that one day all might see what is truly balance!

I will not attempt to honor individual women here in this opening article of the Samhain 2008 edition of The Oracle. However, I would like to offer a few links for your internet exploration. You will find it very interesting, thought provoking reading.  No doubt, these pages will keep you busy a very long time!  But first please, read The Oracle!

Notable women http://womenshistory.about.com/od/biographies/u/biographies_women.htm#s3

Women in History http://www.lkwdpl.org/WIHOHIO/figures.htm

Status of women in History http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm

Internet Women’s History Sourcebook http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/women/womensbook.html

Offered in love,

Bendis