Is it April 1 yet?

Medusa told me about this but she said she was laughing too hard to blog it, so I said, okay, I'll do it.

It's about this article on the Discovery Channel site by Jennifer Viegas called Cavemen Preferred Full-Figured Ladies .

When I read the Viegas' article, which at first is about a scholarly article by Romuald Schild, Bodil Bratlund, Else Kolstrup, and Jan Fiedorczuk in the journal Antiquity, I thought the only explanation for its assumptions was that it was an April Fool's joke. But no, it was written on March 24, and it's still not April 1 yet.

Viegas begins the article thusly:

Thin may be in now, but prehistoric men 15,000 years ago prefered full-figured gals, suggest dozens of flint figurines excavated from a Paleolithic hunting site in Poland

She then jumps on over to a book,The Nature of Paleolithic Art by R. Dale Guthrie that

contains images of nearly identical renderings. It seems shapely women also inspired stone carvings and cave art, some of which date to 35,000 years ago.

Viegas quotes Guthrie, a professor emeritus at the University of Alaska, as saying: "female images dominate and are nude, almost every one full-figured above and below." Viegas says that

Guthrie believes most of their creators were young men. He suggests it is not too difficult to theorize what was on their minds in their free time.

As if that weren't enough, here's the kicker, the article says that in addition to the female figures, researchers found hundreds of arctic fox teeth either strung on necklaces or stored in pouches, and that

researchers believe the teeth may have had some kind of ritualistic, spiritual meaning.

Okay, so the teeth had "ritualistic, spiritual meaning" but not the female figures???!!!!! GIMME A BREAK!!!!!!!

I'm willing to give Jennifer Viegas a pass and assume she just needs a little educatin', which we're glad to start her on here. But I wonder if the scholars too are ignorant, or is this another "slight" or intentional ignoring of the immense archeological and anthopological evidence that other scholars have amassed in the last 20-30 years?

So here's a shout-out to Mses and Mssrs Viegas, Schild, Bratlund, Kolstrup,Fiedorczuk, Guthrie, et al.: For starters: Try googling Willendorf !!!!!!!!

There are of course some books we could recommend explaining very clearly and with excellent research, including anthropological and archeological, that these figures are Goddesses, not the Neolithic equivalent of Playboy centerfolds. And if you're interested, but especially over there at the Discovery Channel if you're more into the visual, we suggest you look into the video, "Signs Out of Time."

TAGS:life Willendorf spiritual feminism Discovery Channel Goddess anthropology

Buzz Coil: March

Here’s what’s been buzzin’ on other blogs recently. If we missed an blog post you think is important, please leave the info as a "comment."

Pagan Godspell:As part of the Blogging Against Sexism initiative to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, Sara Sutterfield Winn writes about anti-feminism among Pagans in her post, "The Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky..." I hope the following excerpt will encourage you the go read the whole post:

.... to posit that the establishment of women’s space or women-only circles, or the emphasis on Goddess-worship within some Pagan groups, or the ongoing discussion/disection and rejection of Patriarchy within a Pagan context, consitutes the oppression of males as a class within Paganism, is ridiculous.... In many ways, because of the continued privileging of men as a class within mainstream American culture, men who choose to tell any particular Pagan group to jam it because they feel discriminated against have more agency, power, resources and ability to start their own groups in some areas than women do....
To argue that feminism is or is becoming on par with patriarchy as a system of oppression is a wildly false comparison on several levels. It does an injustice to the strong tradition of powerful thinking and movement for serious change in our communities, and it ignores the flowering of communities of radical equality, radical diversity and critical thought of which I am proud to be a part in the Pagan sphere....

Sara’s March 12 post, "Biblical Literature and Other Conundrums" responds both to the spring equinox and to the online Washington Post "On Faith" question about teaching religion in public schools.

Panthea: Panthea also shares her response to the "On Faith" question in her March 11 post, "Religion Taught in Schools."

Roots Down: In her March 8 "International Women’s Day" post, Deborah Oak stands up for "women’s liberation" and the right of women to spell women/wimmin/womyn any way they want. In a March 15 post, "to speak or not to speak," in preparation for the Equinox, she writes about balance, her reduced need for secrecy, whether silence is necessary, and the balance between listening and speaking.

Evoking The Goddess: Blogger Paul marked International Women’s Day with a March 9 post, "Thank You," to women who have touched his life, including his wife (a sacred dancer),his daughter, and the priestesses at the Glastonbury Goddess Temple . He also inspires us with a post/poem on March 5, "How many times have you danced about the moon?" , and a March 12 post, "Altar Stones to local Goddesses" with a pic of a large stone engraved to "Dea Brigantiae..."

Street Prophets: Alexandra Lynch continues her practice of dairying on Wiccan holidays on this blogchild of the politically progressive DailyKos in her March 20 diary, "Balance, ascending: Ostara, or the spring equinox."

Wild Hunt Blog: In his March 21 post, "A Blessed Spring Equinox," with beautiful art by Thalia Took, blogger Jason Pitzl-Waters quotes from press and Pagans about this holiday. In his March 16 post, "Aphrodite’s Perfume" Jason writes that archeologists have found perfumes related to specific goddesses. In his March 14 post, "Accused Witch Loses Case," he reports on the case of Lauren Berrios, a Jewish teacher fired from a Long Island public schools because of rumors that she practices witchcraft.

Textual Arachne: In her March 18 post, "Nature-based", blogger Arachne mulls over the Wheel of the Year, coming of spring, and non-theistic rituals.

Driving Audhumla: Victoria Slind-Flor blogs about "Sacred Underpants of Oshun", her "coven’s response to the needs of women displaced by Hurricane Katrina," especially "large-sized women," and about the story and illustration she did about it for The Beltane Papers.

Goddessing: In a March 9 post poetically titled, "Health, Hearth, Heart, Earth," blogger Sage discusses spirituality and the quest for healing.

So She Stirs: Shekhinah Mountainwater’s Feb. 25 post, "Catching Up" tells about her Crone journey and "preparing for life on the other side."

Firedoglake: On this prominent predominantly political progressive blog, blogger chicago dyke, a former divinity school student who now considers herself an atheist, writes about Goddess religions in a March 16 post, "Friday Night Goddess Blogging."

Songs of the Unforgetting: Blogger Kay tells about a mystical experience involving "The Star" card in the Tarot deck, and a much beloved Eastern Goddess in her March 7 post, "Kuan Yin."

Newbie
Mother of Willows: This blog, dedicated to Kuan Yin, began March 16 with the post, "She Who Hears the Cries of the World" . The blogger is Peter Schogol, a Unitarian Universalist and Pure Land Buddhist.

Global Goddess Oracle: Spring Issue

If you're still looking for a Spring Equinox ritual, and especially if you won't be celebrating with a group this year (or if you want a ritual to save for next year) take a look at "A Solitary Vernal Equinox Ritual" in the Spring issue of Global Goddess Oracle.

Other seasonal articles issue are: "Welcome Spring," by Dawn Thomas, reflecting on the implications of Spring Equinox in a climate that is already warm; "Eggs on End" by Donna Henes, about a ceremony she conducts in New York City at the Vernal Equinox; "The Prayer Tree of Spring" by Amy Martin; "Singing with Gaia," about a spring equinox ritual and global warming, by Mut Danu; "The Origin of Easter Eggs," and a photo journal, "Spring in Texas," both by Bendis; and "Out Goes the Veg," by Donyea.

Other articles in this great issue are: "The Ancient Origins of Pagan Belief and Ritual," by Vikki Bramshaw; "Chant of the Nornir: Weaving a Life," an article by Mut Danu about the fate goddeses that begins with poetry; "Making Infused Oils: The Healing Power of Plants & the Sun" by Bohemian Witch; "Found Goddesses: An Antic Cronish Goddess," a humorous look at Auntie Gravity by Barbara Ardinger; "Past Life Regression" by MarVeena Meek; "Labels" by Rain; "My Faery Place," a poem by Mary Hunt, Ry; and "Woman Who Walks With Goddess Eyes" (part 2) fiction by Stephanie Pflumm.

There are also Music Reviews by Bendis, and "Moon Schedule with Planting/Harvesting Days" by Belladonna.

Warrior Goddesses?

I’m concerned about the growing interest in and glorification of "warrior goddesses." I worry that if we continue down this road we’ll end up with the patriarchal God-in-a-skirt. Turning towards Goddess is more than a change of gender in deity – it is a change in understanding of the sacred that is related to a change in social structure. Yet here are just a few examples of what’s out there advocating for the "warrior goddess":
– "The Goddess Speaks...Feeling Overwhelmed? Engage Your Inner Warrior Goddess," a Feb. 2005 column by Christine Thomas on the ezine Weed Wanderings
– "Goddess Anat: Warrior Virgin of the Ancient Levant," an article by scholar Johanna H. Stuckey in the ezine, Matrifocus, Samhain 2003.
– a book about fighting breast cancer called, Waking the Warrior Goddess
– "Warrior Goddess" workouts and bellydances
– a Jan. 29, 2007 post on the writing blog, "Affairs of the Pen," called "Warrior Goddess," about how She inspires the author.

I want to make clear I’m not criticizing these publications or writers. In fact, that several of them are fine publications and writers is part of what makes this so disconcerting. I’m seeing a trend here and asking, what’s going on?!

A few weeks ago, I left a comment on a post on Radical GoddessThealogy, in which Athana wrote: "Big Daddy War God aka ’The-Lord-Is-a-Warrior’* isn’t cutting it. We need Mother Goddess to sweep back and calm us down." In my comment, I expressed my concern that

"affection for ‘warrior goddesses....calling some goddesses "warrior" goddesses may be related to the political reglorification (in the US) of war, soldiers, etc.

Athana replied (excerpted):

...war goddesses....sprang up when the War Gods did. Formerly peaceful goddesses were turned into backers of war. Examples: Athena, Astarte, Andraste among the Celts, Neith and Sekhmet in Egypt, Bellona and Minerva in Rome, Inanna in Sumer, Freyja among the Norse -- all were invented or transformed by the new War God peoples who swept over the world around 3000 BC....

Athana’s right. Here is more on what happened with specific Goddesses often referred to as "warrior goddesses":
Athena (Minoan/Greek)
An excerpt from Patricia Monaghan’s book, Goddesses & Heroines tells how the identity of Athena was changed from its original, in which she was a Minoan or Mycedaen household goddess symbolizing "family bond" and connected to "the mild serpent." The Greeks adopted her and adapted her mythology and identity to make her, among other things, a war goddess. For the excerpt from Monaghan’s book, go here.
Brigid Brigit, Brighid (Celtic)
You can find the language claiming She is a warrior goddess on this site. (it’s repeated almost word for word on a number of other sites, so it must be true, right?). Ah, but here is a more accurate account of Brigit as protector rather than warrior.
Durga (Hindu/Indian)
Well known today as a "warrior goddess," she also was transformed from her original persona. Originally she was a mountain Goddess associated with the Himalyas and or/the Vindhyas. By the 4th Century BCE she was shown killing an buffalo and then she becomes a warrior goddess The Goddess Kali is a mythological offshoot of Durga’s anger. But according to Patricia Monaghan in Goddesses & Heroines, even in war, Durga is not an aggressor, but rather a defender against evil.
Macha (Celtic)
This quote is from "Celtic Woman: Myth and Symbol" . No author is given but it appears to be a university student group project completed in 1998:

....The story of Macha is an instructive example of the "fall" of the Celtic goddess and in some sense the fall of the Celtic woman....The king...in this story, violated the promises he made [to Macha and to women] and instead of being overthrown, is permitted to continue his reign with no apparent resistance from his constituents. This portrayal of Macha is actually the last of three major cycles. In the first she is a brilliant, strong mother-goddess. In the second she is a helpless (but wise) wife, and the third she is relegated to an existence of shame and forced to abandon her life-giving gifts, adapting to the new warrior ethos.... the war-goddess appears to develop as a result of the change in Celtic society to one of violence....
Macha evolves into a warrior-goddess...simultaneously the status of women decline in societies...where emphasis is placed on death and bloodlust rather than on life and respect for death....Goddesses were becoming as violent as the society that "created" them. They were raped, murdered and often died in child birth....

As far as I know the first publication showing how Goddesses were "transformed" to fit in with patriarchal paradigms, including being war-like, is the 1987 Crossing Press pamphlet Matriarchal Mythology in Former Times and Today by Heide Gottner-Abendroth (published first in the Journal Trivia, #7, 1985.) If you can somehow get a hold of this, look especially at Table 2: Transformations of Matriarchal Mythology. I believe Gottner-Abendroth is working on a multi-volume work (some volumes now available in German) so maybe there will be more from her on this. (If anyone knows more about this, please leave a comment.) A well-known work on the early characteristics of goddesses (and gods) is Marija Gimbutas’ The Language of the Goddess. And Riane Eisler’s The Chalice and the Blade details the change of both society and deities from being cooperative, peaceful, and matrifocal to being war-like, authoritarian, and woman-oppressive.

But, I can just hear some of you saying or thinking, goddesses are not only nurturing fertility figures, goddesses are strong. Their strength is sometimes shown in their ability to fight and protect. Yes, I agree. What I have a problem with is using the term "war" or "warrior" to describe these traits and abilities.

Commenting on an article in August 2002 article in The Beltane Papers, "Walking the Warrior’s Path," in which Dr. Galina Krasskova refers to meanings in other languages to justify using "warrior goddess" in English, Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph. D. (linquistics) in Religious Language Newsletter writes:

"Warrior" is not just a metaphor that has grown dim with centuries of use; it's not like "breakfast." We don't say "break" and then "fast," we say "BREHKfust"; the word "fast" meaning to refrain from eating is uncommon in ordinary English; there's another word "fast" meaning "quick," and so on. "Warrior" is very different -- it's just plain "war," said as we always say "war," plus the "do-er/maker" morpheme, and there's no way to remove that semantic content from the word. Which means that using it activates the whole English semantic domain of battlefield combat telling you that your responsibility is to get out there and WIN, never mind what you have to do to accomplish the victory, as long as the war is just. The Christian soldier marching as to war has that semantic content to deal with, no matter how noble the "path of the warrior" may be in non-English-speaking cultures and languages. For speakers of English to choose The Warrior as their spiritual metaphor is, in my opinion, a serious error.

I agree with Elgin. Yes, we want to envision goddess(es) as full personalities, not limited to being ‘fertility symbols’. Yes, Goddesses are strong and assertive. They are definitely protectors, defenders, and guardians. But they are not belligerent and bellicose. They aren’t initial aggressors; they don’t authorize first strikes. My concern is that we are jumping on the war bandwagon, even though many of us are also involved in peace groups. I’d like us to be sensitive to the difference between being war-like (or liking war) and being able to defend ourselves and those close to us by being strong. Also, I think we need to be picky about which version of which Goddess in which era we venerate and emulate. (I’m suspicious of any imagery that originated after 3000 BCE–this definitely includes the classic Greek and Roman pantheons). Both the images and the words we use have power. Or as I think has been said elsewhere, you become what you love.

So let's call them what they are: goddesses of strength, protector goddesses, guardian goddesses, and even in some cases, healing goddesses. But you won't hear (or see) me invoking a Goddess because she's a "warrior." That word comes with too much negative baggage, is often based on patriarchal re-imaging, and really, it's just not what we mean.

TAGS:life warrior goddess spiritual feminism Pagan Goddess women and religion

Paying Attention to Accessibility

A few weeks ago, on her blog, Inanna asked: "How different would it be if we paid attention to the needs of people who are sick or have disabilities, rather than trying to fix them?

That got me thinking, and in the spirit of "paying attention," I decided to write about the accommodation of people with PHYSICAL disabilities in Goddess events. Yes, I use the word "disability", writing out of my own experience of having had at various times at least two such physical problems. I realize many prefer the term "differently abled," but this wasn't how it seemed to me when I temporarily had less than the full use of my body parts that I was used to. My experience is that having problems with my body made me unable to fully participate in social, spiritual, or career stuff. So I will use disability and handicap until society changes enough so that such physical problems don't narrow people's lives. I want to add that I think the term "temporarily abled" is appropriate since most of us are likely to have some sort of disability some time in our lives, especially if we live beyond middle age. This brings me to the point that people who are simply getting older very often have different body needs than younger folks.

Here are a few examples of the needs of people with disabilities not being paid attention in our events. Example 1 is from my online life. It happened a year or so ago on a local Pagan mailing list whose main purpose was to give info about upcoming events such as rituals and festivals. A guy posted that he was in his 50s, had recently developed problems walking, and had begun using a cane. He said that this situation seemed like it would be permanent, but that he would like to continue being part of the community. He also noted that with the aging of Baby Boomers, people should expect to have to accommodate an increasing number of people with various disabilities. He asked if people who posted about events could please give accessibility information – such as whether a place was wheel chair accessible, whether a lot of walking or standing would be involved, the parking situation, etc. In the next month many of the posters included this information. But after that, far fewer did, and by several months later hardly anyone was posting full accessibility information and many didn't post any at all.

Example 2: This experience comes to me from a friend I'll call Amy, who was recuperating from a broken left leg. She was still on crutches but wanted to go to a Pagan get-together she saw posted on the list several months after the incident in Example 1. There was no accessibility info posted with the event details, so she called the person hosting the event and asked, "How close can I park to the house?" (Amy had temporary handicap tags, but since this was on a residential street, that wouldn't help) and "How much walking will I have to do in the house – such as stairs?" The host told her that if she came early, she should be able to get a parking place in front of the house, and that there weren't any stairs to do in the house. Amy wasn't thrilled about having to rush to get there before anyone else to park and worried that people from other houses might be parked in front of the house where she was going and she wasn't sure how far she could go on her crutches as she was also in considerable pain. But since she was very interested in the group, she decided to try to get there at least 15 minutes before the event was supposed to start. Considering "Pagan Time," this is very early! When she got there, what did she find? A parking space right in front of the house, yes. But — the street was very hilly and in order to reach the house, Amy would have to climb up at least 20 steep steps. She couldn't do that. She drove home and never contacted the group or host again. Amy couldn't understand how the host could ignore the steps outside the house when answering her question. Neither can I. Was the person so anxious to get people to participate that she was downplaying the difficulties? Or was it that because she was able-bodied (aka temporarily-abled), it didn't even occur to her that a person on crutches would have problems going up and down 20 (or more) steps?

Example 3: Another friend, I'll call her Meg, was well known in the local Goddess community. In the past, she had started a number of Goddess circles and taught beginning Goddess classes. A friend who was starting a full moon ritual group contacted Meg and asked if she would like to be part of the group. The friend said they were looking for a place to have the first meeting but so far no one could have it in their house, either because of child care situations or because other family members wouldn't approve. So Meg invited the group to meet at her house and offered her house for the second meeting too. At the second meeting, several of the women volunteered their homes for upcoming meetings, apparently now motivated enough to work around the child care and partner stuff. Then, between the 2nd and 3rd meetings, Meg had surgery for a painful lower-body nerve and muscle condition that had recently worsened. She needed physical therapy 4 or 5 times a week for the first month after surgery, and then 3 times a week the second month. Meg called her friend both months and explained she wouldn't be able to attend the rituals, which were being held on the same dates she had PT, because she was too tired and still in pain after therapy. Her friend said she understood and to call back when she was ready. Finally Meg was feeling good enough to go to the full moon group. She called her friend, asking where the group was meeting that month. Her friend said she had to check on something and would call Meg her back. After 2 days without hearing from her, Meg called again. The woman apologized for not calling, and then said she had contacted group members and the consensus was that the group had bonded and didn't feel Meg could be included now because she had missed the last few meetings.

OK. You can pick your jaw up off the floor now and I'm not even going to comment on that one.

Here are ways I think we can "pay attention" to the needs of those who don't have the full use of their bodies, those who are in physical pain, or those who are just getting older (ALL of us) and experiencing the normal lessening of body agility that comes with aging:

(1) In written materials (both print and electronic), include accessibility information. For outside events, this might include: how much walking is involved? Is the only seating on the ground? Is the terrain such that wheel chairs or scooters can easily pass over it? For indoor events: What is the parking situation? How many designated handicapped spots are there? How much walking is involved from the parking area to the indoor area? How much walking is involved inside? If the event is being held in a private home, is it okay to bring a wheelchair or scooter in the house? If the event is a ritual, is seating other than on-the-floor included in the ritual circle?

(2) When you plan an event, unless you know everyone who is coming and they are all temporarily-abled, assume that some of the people will have physical disabilities and plan accordingly. Let the questions in (1) be your guide.

Publicity for many events now includes such statements as "If you need special accommodations please contact us." This may be okay for some situations, but people with common physical disabilities should not have to be the ones who have the burden of exerting the extra effort. What they need should not be considered "special accommodations"–this should be included in routine accommodations in both the planning and publicity. I know this is probably not everything that needs to be done, but I hope it's a start. If you have suggestions to add, please feel free to do so in the comments.

TAGS:life disabilities spiritual feminism Pagan Goddess accessibility

Goddess Rosaries

As with many other religions, Neo-Pagan paths, including Goddess religions, are often syncretic . That is, we combine traditions from various spiritual paths, cultures, time periods. So the emergence of the "Goddess Rosary" among Goddess folk should come as no big surprise. Interest in both the rosary beads and images on them, such as a goddess figures and pentacles, and the prayers said with them, seems to have increased recently, probably helped along by internet sites and blogs where we can see what other people are doing so easily. What may be somewhat surprising, and pleasing certainly to me, is the use of Goddess rosaries among Christians. Maybe not so surprising among Gnostic Christians , but certainly an amazing grace among Lutheran women at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in San Francisco, who conduct a Goddess rosary prayer every week and make their own Goddess rosaries that include Goddess figurines. They have a picture of one such rosary on their website and quote a variation of the "Hail Mary" by Goddess author Carol Christ.

You can imagine how this is going over among conservative and even apparently mainstream Christians. You can’t imagine? Well here are a few links– they are so, ah, incensed, that though they began about a year ago and they still continued last month:
Catholic blogger at Sentire cum Ecclesia
Lutheran blogger at Cleveland Confessional Lutheranism, "A Goddess Rosary! Lord Have Mercy!"
Christian, sect unspecified:
--Posted last Christmas Eve: Weapons of Mass Destruction . Blogger is talk show host.
--Posted on Feb. 1 2007 on Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear. Post title, "Luke 11:35"
--Posted on Feb. 8 2007 on Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics. Post title: "Goddess Lutherans :The sifting of Christianity Through Feminism," by James Swan, who describes himself as a part-time seminary student. Swan concludes:"One cannot sift Christianity through feminism. Christianity comes with a particular vocabulary." And I conclude, that vocabulary includes calling God only by male names.

Praise to the ELC women for not allowing these uninformed comments to deter them from their blessed path.

Though associated in modern times with Roman Catholicism, according to a number of the sites advocating Goddess rosaries, there is a long tradition of rosaries and/or prayer beads in many different spiritual paths. Here are a few sites I came across in the first 3 pages of a Google search for: goddess+rosary OR rosaries:
Links where you can buy Goddess rosaries
http://herchurch.org/id8.html
The Lutheran women’s group discussed above.
http://www.sacredgrove.com
Calls them prayer beads. Custom made.
http://www.lunaea.com/shop/rosaries.html
Designed by Lunaea Weatherstone, former editor of SageWoman. Rosaries include Goddess pendants/medals, including "Our Lady of the Bagel," that strongly resembles traditional Madonna and child.
http://www.crystalmoon.com/cmc/beads.htm
Crystal Sage’s site. Uses pendants (medals). Custom orders available.
http://www.apocalpyse.org/~hilda/ssd/ourmother.html
Willendorf rosary with suggested prayers
http://fluidartist.com/pagandesign/prayers
Pagan rosary how-to-use, including prayers.

Links with Goddess/Pagan Rosary Prayers (no beads):
http://paganrosary.com Pagan rosary how-to
http://www.pathcom.com/~newmoon/1rose.html Celtic Pagan prayers with how-to

Of course, I couldn’t resist getting into this:
Adaptations of Hail Mary & Lord’s Prayer, written for Goddess Rosaries
by Judith Laura
(Variation 1)
Hail Mary, full of grace, you are with us.
Blessed are you and blessed are we, your children.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, be with us now and always.
So be it.

(Variation 2)
Hail Goddess, full of grace, you are with us.
Blessed are you and blessed are we your children.
Great Goddess, Mother of God, be with us now and always.
Blessed be.
So be it.

(Variation 3)
Greetings Goddess, full of life, you are with us.
Blessed are you and blessed are we, your children.
Dear Goddess, Mother of all, be with us now
and always blessed be.
So be it.

"Our Mother"
Our Mother, who fills the Universe, blessed be thy name.
Thy time has come; thy good be done on Earth as it is in Spirit.
Bring forth the grain of our daily bread,
and teach us to forgive ourselves as we forgive each other.
And protect us from oppression, that we may live forever in freedom.
So be it.

TAGS:life Goddess spiritual feminism Pagan Goddess rosary women and religion

Events Coil: March 9-May 6

As far as we know, all of the following are "open" functions; but some may be limited to women or to adults. Please check the websites for group policies. All times are local. All locations are in USA unless otherwise indicated. Other countries in which we currently have listings are Australia, Canada, England, and the Netherlands. If you have an event you want listed in future events coils, please leave it in a comment. See the end of this coil for what info we need for listings. When listing events for the same date, we have tried to list the events occurring first, taking into account time zone differences. If there is a difference between our listings and the listings on the web page linked to, assume their web page correct, as it may have changed since we listed from it. The next Events Coil is planned for early to mid April, and will include events listed here that haven’t happened, plus new events late May to early June.

March 6, 7 p.m. Mother Right and Gender Justice with Max Dashu, Putney VT

March 9, 7:30 p.m. Suppressed Histories: Arabia and Jordan, with Max Dashu, Springfield, MA

March 11, 11 a.m., "Financial Alchemy" with Morgona Rae, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 10, 7:30 p.m. Female Rebels and Mavericks with Max Dashu, Northhampton MA

March 13, 7:30 p.m., The Craft Connection, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 16, 7:30 p.m. Lunar Lyrics Workshop, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

March 16, 7 p.m. New Moon Drumming, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 17, Noon, Temple dressing for Spring Equinox, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

March 17, gather Noon, ritual 1 p.m. Spring Equinox (Reclaiming), Golden Gate Park, San Francisco CA

March 17, 8 p.m. Sacred Temple Party: Sacred SSSSnake Woman Power, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 18, Vernal Equinox, WCC Toronto Temple, Toronto, CANADA

March 18, Spring Equinox, Connect DC, Washington DC

March 19, 7 p.m. Dark Moon Devotional Songs, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

March 20, 2-4 p.m. New Moon Healing, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

March 20 7:30 p.m., Spring Equinox Festival, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

March 20, Doors open 6:30 p.m., ritual 7 p.m. Spring Equinox Ritual, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 20, gather 7 p.m. ritual 7:30 p.m. Spring Equinox Ritual followed by New Moon Women’s Mysteries, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

March 20, gather 7:30 p.m., Celebrate Spring Equinox and Goddess Holi, Daughters of the Goddess (Dianic) SF Bay Area, CA

March 21, 7 p.m. Spring Equinox Celebration, Women’s Well, West Concord MA

March 24, Spring Equinox Ritual, Ostara Egg Hunt & more, Circle Sanctuary, Mt. Horeb, WI

March 24 "Fat, Sexuality, and Women's Spirituality," with Deborah-Ruth Mockrin, Women's Well, West Concord MA

March 24, arrive 6:45 p.m., ritual 7:30 p.m. Spring Equinox, Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena CA

March 25, 1400uur, Lente Equinox, Avalon-Mystic, Hillgom, NEDERLAND

March 25, 11 a.m. "The Aztec Dance to Honor Tonantzin" with Regine Costello, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 30, 7 p.m. Full Moon Drumming, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 31, evening, "Iseum of Isis Navigatum" with Rev. Karen Tate, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Goddess Tara or Quan Yin with Lisa Prajna Hallstrom, Women's Well, West Concord MA

April 1, 11 a.m. Services: Ghatu Kumari, Virgin Goddesses of the Gurungs of Nepal with Tara Devi Gurung Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 2, gather 7 p.m., ritual 7:30 p.m. Full Moon Ritual, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

April 6-8, Wise Women's Festival, music & magick, Hampton FL

April 7, 2 p.m. "Crossing the Waters to Avalon" with Kathy Jones, priestess of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 8, 11 a.m. Services with Kathy Jones, Priestess of Avalon from the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 10, father 10:30 a.m., Celebrate Chinese Sea Goddess Tien Hu, includes trip to Her Temple, Daughters of the Goddess (Dianic) San Francisco, CA

April 14, 7 p.m. New Moon Drumming, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 17, gather 7 p.m., ritual 7:30 p.m. New Moon Women's Mysteries, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

April 21-22 Earth Day Celebration, Circle Sanctuary, Mt. Horeb, WI

April 21, Suppressed histories: Asia Minor with Max Dashu, Emeryville CA

April 22, 11 a.m. Services: Vows to the Goddess for Kay Walburger, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 22, 6-9 p.m. Ceremonial Circle for Earth Day, Women's Well, West Concord MA

April 28, doors open 6:30 p.m. ritual begins 7 p.m. Holy Day Ritual: Beltane wtih guest priestess Vajra Ma, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

April 30, 7:30 p.m. Beltane Festival Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury, ENGLAND

May 2, gather 7 p.m., ritual 7:30 p.m., Full Moon Ritual, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

May 4-6, Beltane, Circle Sanctuary, Mt. Horeb, WI

May 5, gather 7 p.m., ritual 3: 30 p.m. Beltane, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

May 6, 1400 uur, Beltane, Avalon-Mystic, Hillgom NEDERLAND

Ongoing
Australia
Perth (White Gum Valley): Mondays, 6 p.m., Chalice Ceremony, Daughters of Ishtar.

Canada
Sudbury: 1st Friday (Sept.-June) 7:30 p.m., Sudbury Women's Circle.
Hamilton: Saturdays, 4-6 p.m. Open Classes ; Sundays, gather 6:30-7 p.m. Open Circles , Hamilton Temple, Wiccan Church of Canada.

USA
Baltimore MD: Sundays 10 a.m., Rites of Cafeina, Cedar Light Grove (ADF)
Geyersville CA: Sunday Services 2-4 p.m. Temple of Isis
Houston TX: Sundays, 10 a.m. Magdalene Community, Rothko Chapel; Mondays at Noon, Christian feminist theology study group ; 1st &3rd Fridays at Noon, Group studying Gospel of Mary Brigid's Place, Christ Church Cathedral.
Irvine CA: Sunday Services: 1st Service at 9:30 a.m. inward, meditative; 2nd service at 11 a.m., dancing, drumming, singing; see dates for guest speakers. Goddess Temple of Orange County,
Mt. Horeb WI: Goddess Circle, Thursdays 7-8:30 p.m., Circle Sanctuary.
Portland OR: Rituals at new and full moons, quarters and cross-quarters. Full Circle Temple , Tuesdays-Sundays 10 a.m.-10 p.m. "Open to all self-identified women and girls."
Rockville MD: night before new moon, Dark Moon Book Group, Spiral Heart (Reclaiming).
San Francisco CA: Wednesdays, Christian Goddess Rosary, Ebenezer Lutheran Church; 1st Fridays, evenings at various locations, Woman's Spirituality group.
San Francisco CA: New Moon and Full Moon observances, Maa Batakali Cultural Mission.
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 Spritual Journey; Menarche, for mothers and Daughter, at Women's Well.

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 with your event, giving: Name of event, sponsoring organization (if any), town, date, time (if known), and, required: url of website where person can get more info. (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. If the event you leave in a comment takes place after the date of the next Events Coil post, we will also include it in the main section of that post.