Mishkan Shekhinah, New Temple

This information comes to us from Deborah Grenn, founder of the Lilith Institute. Deborah writes:

We are pleased and proud to announce the formation of Mishkan Shekhinah, a Temple honoring and celebrating the Sacred Feminine in all.

Shekhinah, “She who dwells within,” is derived from the word MiShKaN, the Sanctuary in the wilderness and a dwelling place for the spirit of the Sacred Feminine on earth. I envision this mishkan as a sanctuary which brings people in from the wilderness, one which comes alive whenever and wherever people gather to seek Her. Continuing and expanding The Lilith Institute’s ritual activities of the past decade, the Mishkan is a concept and a community rather than one specific place. We will create this Temple whenever we gather in sacred space, be it in the foothills, at the ocean, in a grove of redwoods or in someone's home.

We will be joined for ceremonies by chantmistress/ritualist Cyrise Beatty, and on some occasions by Jamie Isman of Mishkan Elat, Evelie Delfino Sáles Posch of Mahal and other creatrixes of sacred music. Ritualist/peacemaker DeAnna L’Am will join us for our first Summer Solstice/Havdalah service on Saturday, June 16 at the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco. We also plan to do rituals and ceremonies in the East Bay, on the Peninsula and in Napa, as spaces become available.

With Mishkan Shekhinah, we create a space in which today’s priestesses, kohanot, can revive and preserve the ancient traditions, drawing on traditional sacred texts as well as working with new translations of ancient Aramaic and Sumerian, pre-Judaic texts by Jews and non-Jews alike. We will draw to a large extent on contemporary writings and chants grounded in Jewish/feminist spirituality, while weaving in African and other Earth-based spiritual traditions from many cultures.

We hope to bring together those looking to discover or renew their spiritual connection; those looking for an alternative liturgy and approach through which they can stay connected to Judaism; and people from all traditions seeking to enrich their own spiritual practices.

Thanks to the founders of Pardes Rimonim (Garden of Pomegranates) in the ‘90s, and to the women (and men) in the San Francisco Bay Area who have long been putting their energies into creating spaces and ceremonies where the Sacred Feminine within Judaism is more openly named and honored as Goddess and Creatrix. We will be posting the activities of these priestesses, poets, ritualists, healers, midrashists and liturgists on our website as soon as possible.

For more information, see http://www.mishkanshekhinah.org

TAGS:life news spiritual feminism Goddess women and religion Goddess Temples Shekhinah