collaboration

Day 18: Rebirth, Renewal

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Molly

We spent the day at an Ostara festival yesterday. I went to an enCHANTment workshop in which I learned some new chants and “workshopped” an old one into something fresh.

I have many skills as a priestess-ritualist, but leading people in songs/chants is not one of them! I introduced a song to this group (originally by Shawna Carol and beautiful, but slow paced) that I keep wanting to use to open rituals with in my own circle. I can’t “get it right,” so I asked them for help in creating something new with it that I could bring back to my own community to use. Anyway, this is what we did. Enjoy!

Categories: #30daysofspring, chants, collaboration, community, holidays, practices, priestess, resources, seasons | Leave a comment

Day 4: Guardian of the Flame (#30daysofYule + #30daysofdissertation)

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Molly

I recognize that I am feeling a little sad and wistful that this month feels so “sped up” to me. I welcome the hibernation and incubation of winter, but the to-dos keep on coming. On Wednesday night, I stayed up late “catching up.” Last night, I honored my need for rest and decided to just go to bed instead of starting the “second shift,” that the push-y part of myself always urges me to do. I remembered that fifteen minutes of dissertation work doesn’t have to be sitting at my computer, but instead I read part of Drawing Down the Moon, by Margot Adler (a book I’ve never read. <gasp> Surely I “should” have read it before now?!) and decided that would count for the day.

A little earlier that evening, we got the beautiful picture above from one of the first women to buy one of our priestess initiation robe blessing bundles. I looked at it and realized that it is was lovely match for Day 4’s photo prompt. I “pass the torch” and light the flame in many ways through my work and it is gratifying and humbling and beautiful and powerful. I am honored to bear witness.

I also recognized that my most recent Feminism and Religion post about family ritual is also about passing the flame and lighting the torch (especially if the torch in question is actually a leftover glow stick from Halloween!): All We Need to Make Magic

As a side note about the hibernation urge–I recall from many past turns of the wheel that this is my usual feeling in December: anticipatory of hibernation and “slowing down.” Longing for rest, contemplation, and restoration. But, then really, more to do than ever before. But, then in January and February is when the hibernation actually comes. I usually do a personal renewal retreat in the first week of February. The beginning of January feels open and full of promise. It usually snows and we quite literally can’t go anywhere and so the hibernation I keep craving is then an enforced-by-Nature one. In fact, I think I’m going to “officially” release the idea that I should be resting and reflecting right now and trust the memory of restoration and the promise of winter’s incubation which is still to come.

Categories: #30daysofyule, 30daysofdissertation, art, collaboration, dissertation, family, practices, priestess, retreat, sacred pause, seasons, self-care | Leave a comment

Day 3: Stirring the Cauldron (#30daysofHecate)

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Molly

Make for yourself a power spot
Bring you a spoon and a cooking pot
Bring air
Bring fire
Bring water
Bring earth
And you a new universe will birth…

–Shekhinah Mountainwater in The Goddess Celebrates by Diane Stein

Source: Shekhinah Mountainwater | WoodsPriestess

We held our opening ceremony for our Divination Practicum tonight under the full moon. Earlier in the day, in another perfect synchroncity with today’s 30 Days prompt, the Womanrunes card I drew was the Cauldron of Reflection. Perfect for this time of year, but also for me personally. I needed the reminder, and the permission, to rest.

This morning, in the Facebook group for 30 Days of Hecate, the chant above by Shekhinah Mountainwater was suggested as a perfect chant for today. One of her friends recorded herself singing the song as Shekhinah used to sing it and shared it with the group. Someone else found another version online (different tune than Shekhinah’s) and shared the link: Cookingupauniverse.mp3 (it begins at about 1:47). I love it! We sang it over and over tonight during our ritual and it was wonderful.

Shekhinah’s birthday was just four days ago and I wanted to share a couple of things. First, a birthday tribute from the Memorial Fund:

Happy Birthday Shekhinah! | Shekhinah Mountainwater Memorial Fund

And, I wanted to share the news about Shekhinah’s Tarot project.

“At long last, we have pulled together the pieces, the passion and the people to move forward with remastering and publishing Shekhinah’s beautiful Tarot deck. I’m excited to announce this on the night of October 24th, the day Shekhinah was brought into this word and took her first breath.

It has been challenging to get the wheels rolling on this project; no accompanying Tarot book was found when Shekhinah crossed the veil… As well, the cards themselves are worn and need remastering in order to be print-ready. Still, I did not want to give up on it. I know how deeply Shekhinah wanted to publish, and the incredible amount of study, brilliance and magic that went into the creation of her deck. And I also know, even more so now as I have begun the study of the cards, how important this deck is – to all of us… and to future generations…”

Dear Ones: At long last, we have pulled… – Shekhinah Mountainwater

I’ll be working on the book for this project and I look forward to carving out some time and space over the winter to focus on it.

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I’m offering a free starter class in our new class portal at MotherHouse of the Goddess: Sign Up for Introduction to Womanrunes.

This all feels like stirring the cauldron to me!

Categories: #30daysofHecate, collaboration, divination, moon wisdom, night, sacred pause, self-care, spirituality, Womanrunes, woodspriestess | Leave a comment

Day 11: Soulful Shopping (#30DaysofHarvest)

Posted on September 26, 2015 by Molly

You are part of the cycle of giving and receiving. You happily exchange your hard-earned cash for goods that will enrich your body and spirit. You present your own gift to the community — the work of your hands and heart — and are pleased to find it so well-received. Your generosity and support of others circles back to you, and increases your own prosperity and health.

– JPC, The Gaian Tarot

I haven’t had as much time as I hoped to write substantive posts in response to the 30 Days of Harvest. We’ve just gotten the first copies of my new book in and so it seemed fitting to have a photo of it in response to “soulful shopping” for today. 😉 Last night, I participated in a really fun call with Kimberly Moore of MotherHouse of the Goddess for Goddess Alive radio. The night before, I was the guest on a virtual Red Tent for mentors with Journey of Young Women. I love collaborating with other people like this. It is so incredible! We’ve got several exciting collaborations in the works too—bulk quantities of our goddess sculptures heading out to other countries and to enrich other women’s projects.

Speaking of soulful shopping, MotherHouse has a very magical etsy shop!

Here are some resources for this weekend’s full moon and lunar eclipse also…

Aspects/qualities of this particular moon:

My own recent Autumn Bounty ritual was actually originally written to take place during the full moon, so you may wish to draw inspiration and ideas from it: Autumn Bounty Ritual Recipe (Fall Equinox Ceremony for Families) – Brigid’s Grove

And, my more simple, basic full moon ritual is easily adaptable to any full moon ceremony: Creative Ceremony Academy: Simple Family Full Moon Ritual – Brigid’s Grove

This beautiful reflection on a full moon ceremony was written by a priestess friend of mine and it might offer you inspiration as well: Full Moon Rising | Kim Macy