Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Buzz Coil: February '10

A look at some posts of interest from our blogroll and sometimes beyond:

Maybe it was the snow, but we somehow missed participating in this year’s Fifth Annual Brigid Poetry Slam. To compensate, we would like to let you know about some posts with Brigid poems on other blogs (unless otherwise noted, poems posted are by people other than the blogger):
"My Brigid Offering"—Deborah Oak
"A New Poem for Brigid"—Anne Hill
"A Ritual to Read to Each Other"—Inanna
"In Honor of Holy Bridey"—Macha NightMare (3 poems)
"The Calling"– T.Thorn Coyle (original poem)
"Poems for a Flame-Haired Snowdrop Woman"—Sara Ruby (3 poems by others, 1 by herself)
"And Another Column for Bridey"—Thalia Took
"Poetry on Imbolc"—Hecate (An explanation of Hecate’s relationship to poetry prefaces a selection that some might not immediately recognize as poetry—but is sacred to most of us and certainly is poetic, and she used my favorite version).
"Poetry for Imbolc"–Pandora (Chaucer in the original Middle English, which I love)
"5th Annual Poetry for Brigid Event"—Moonroot
"Imbolc is...Balance"—Chele (an original poem)
"A poem for Brighid"—Camlin (2 original poems)
"Bright Blessings for Imbolc - another poem" and "5th Annual Brigid Poetry Festival - started early!"–‘Zann (the latter is an original poem)
"5th Annual Brigid Poetry Festival"–Leaf (original poem)
"And So Spake the Fiery Arrow"—George M. (original poem)
"The 5th Annual Cyberspace Poetry Slam for Brigid"—Beth Owl"s Daughter
"St.Brigid’s"–beentsy
"Brigid in Cyberspace 2010"–Julia
(Links to more Brigid poetry can be found in the comments section of Deborah Oak’s original announcement)


Now on to our usual assortment:

American Witch: In her February 13 post, "The Valentine’s Ball: Where Goddess and Poetry Mate" Annie Finch tells about her Valentine’s party with Goddess images and a "love poetry corner."

Flashes of Insight: The 7th annual Wise Woman’s Festival will be held April 9-11 in Florida, Flash Silvermoon announces in her Feb. 5 post, "Inspiration for the Wise Woman’s Festival." In the post she tells what is planned for this event and shares her thoughts on its deeper significance.

Branches Up, Roots Down: In her Feb. 17 post, "Call of the Wild" Deborah Oak tells how invoking a closer relationship with nature on the way home from Pantheacon may have worked in ways she didn’t intend.

Driving Audhumla: Victoria Slind-Flor shares her experience of this year’s Pantheacon in her Feb. 18 post, "Home from Pantheacon."

The Wild Hunt: Jason Pitzl-Waters reports on his Pantheacon experiences in 3 consecutive posts, beginning with Feb. 13th’s "PantheaCon Day 1."

Know Thyself: Musings... is the new incarnation of Thorn Coyle’s blog. She announced the change on her former but still-up blog, Peacock Dreams on Feb. 16. "But Seriously," posted Feb. 16 at her new bloghome and prompted by experiences at this year’s Pantheacon, questions the distinctions between "serious seekers" and "party Pagans."

Pagan Godspell has a "new look" for Spring. What's more, on Feb. 21 blogger Sara Ruby started a series titled, "Earth Centered: A Theology." In this Part One, which is both serious and at times fantastically funny, she ponders the use of the term "earth centered," wonders if another commonly used term, "polytheistic" is "meaningfully descriptive," and questions using "Paganism" as an umbrella term. She writes [ellipses indicate my short snip]:

Frankly, beloveds, if all I have in common with a pro-civ, pro-war anti-feminist who isn’t concerned with ecojustice and whose praxis, theology, worldview and ethical system is wholly different from mine, is that we both kinda maybe believe in more than one god (sorta), then that’s a pretty fiercely flimsy link, and you know, they’d probably agree with me.... Most definitions of Paganism that come anywhere close to being fully inclusive of most groups using the term become so vague and caveat-riddled that they’re meaningless. Which leaves us mostly with questions. If contemporary Pagans can be said to point to the radical individual, the self, as the prime (and sometimes sole) locus of authority, and we all operate on radically different notions of deity, praxis and ethics, then what’s the point of claiming the same identifier? And is community possible in such a radically postmodern, absolutely relative context? Or, if one already has a community (articulating a unitive story/theology/ethic/praxis) within a specific context – say, Asatru, or Druidry, or British Traditionalist Wicca, or Feraferia, or Natib Qadish, what’s the use of identifying further under the banner of Pagan, when individual groups may have extremely little in common with each other?
And that’s just the beginning...

Full Circle: Blogger Sia has 2 posts related to the mythic dimension of the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies: Feb. 18th’s "Appearance vs Reality in Canada’s Care of the Wild", and Feb. 13th’s "Oh Canada! Myth and Magic at the Winter Olympics."

The Village Witch: Byron Ballard describes preparing to dedicate a priestess in the Dianic tradition in her Feb. 20 post, "A New Priestess is Almost Ready," in the Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times.

Hecate: In her Feb. 13 post,"There are statues and Then there Are Idols" blogger Hecate compares two news reports of Hindu goddess discoveries.

[update: March 2]
This just in....
Communing With Goddesses: In a extensive Feb. 24 post, "What's In A Name? Sometimes Everything," blogger narajane84 responds to objections people had when she proposed calling her new coven "Dianic." With a quote from Monique Wittig (no, not the quote about inventing). Among those who left comments: Z Budapest.

Did we miss an item you think is important? We’d like to know about it, so please leave it as a comment.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Tree+Snow=Goddess Symbol

As you probably know, during the first two weeks of February, the U.S. Middle Atlantic states had two big snowstorms, the first leaving in some places totals of snow close to 3 feet and both qualifying in some point as blizzards (meaning high winds). During the height of the first storm, looking out the window of my house I took this pic (with camera gizmo on my wireless phone) of two forked tree limbs holding snow, forming a yoni symbol. The "symbol" stayed in the tree for about 24 hours before a combination of wind and sun vanished it.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Events Coil: Feb.19-March 30

As far as we know, all events we list are open functions; but some may be limited to women or to adults and some may require that you notify them that you plan to attend. Please check the websites for group policies. If no country is given, the event is in the USA. All times are local. Events lasting more than 1 day are bolded. When listing events for the same date, we have tried to list those 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 is correct, as it may have changed since we listed from it. Ongoing events are listed after the dated events. The next Events Coil is planned for mid-March and will include events listed here that haven't yet happened, plus new events through early May. If you have an event you want listed, please leave info as a comment. See the end of this Coil for what info we need for listings.

Now-April 25 (except Mondays), The Lost World of Old Europe Exhibition, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University, NYC NY

Feb. 19, 7 p.m.,
Iberian Ancestors, Priestesses and Goddesses, with Max Dashu, Emeryville CA

Feb. 20, 11 a.m. Special Goddess Healing Day, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

Feb. 21, 11 a.m.,
Goddess service honoring Persephone, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

Feb 25, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., "Earth as Healer," with Starhawk, Madison WI


Feb. 26-28, National Capital Region Pagan Leadership Conference, Arlington VA

Feb. 27, 7 p.m. Lady of Avalon Special Ceremony,
Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

Feb. 27, 1 p.m. Sesson 4, Part I, Cakes for the Queen of Heaven (aka "Cakes"), "The Shift from Goddess to God," Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA


Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Full Moon Drumming, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. Celebrate Ma'at, Daughters of the Goddess, San Francisco CA

Feb. 28, 10:30 a.m., Friends, Madrons, and Melissa Day, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

Feb. 28, 11 a.m.,
Goddess service honoring Rhiannon, Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

Feb. 28, 5 p.m., Women's Spirituality Group, True Colors (aka Amazon) Bookstore, Minneapolis MN

Feb. 28, gather 7 p.m., ritual 7:30
Full Moon, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet,
Indian Springs NV
March 2, 7:30 p.m "Women's Hidden Histories: Goddesses, Witches, Hags and Wild Women, " with Starhawk, Kent State University, Kent OH

March 4, 7 p.m.
Women in Buddhism: Mothers, Consorts, Saints and Goddesses, Women's Well,
Concord MA


March 4, 7 p.m.,
Kenetic Deasophy (Ancient Eqypt), with Max Dashu, Emeryville CA

March 5, Session 5 of Part I, Cakes, "Reclaiming Women's Heritage of Power" Goddess Temple of Orange County, Irvine CA

March 6, 5 p.m. Goddess Meetup, Matreum of Cybele, Palenville NY

March 9, time tba, Female Rebels and Mavericks, with Max Dashu, University of Dayton, Dayton OH

March 12, 4 p.m. Temple Dressing for Spring Equinox, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

March 14, time tba,
New Moon Celebration, Matreum of Cybele,
Palenville NY


March 15, 2 p.m. New Moon Healing, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

March 15, 6:30 p.m. Women's New Moon, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

March 16, 6:30 p.m., Suppressed Histories: Iran, with Max Dashu, Oakland CA

March 17, Women's Empowerment in Morocco, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC

March 19, time tba, Celebrate Spring Equinox and Goddess Persephone, Daughters of the Goddess, San Francisco CA

March 20, 7:30 p.m. Mabon/Autumn Equinox, PaGaian Moon Court, Blue Mountains, NSW, AUSTRALIA

March 20, 1 p.m., Spring Equinox, Reclaiming, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco CA

March 20, 7:30 p.m. Oestra Ceremony, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

March 20, 7:30 p.m.Ostara/Spring Equinox, Temple of the Sacred Arts, Germantown, MD

March 20. time tba, Spring Equinox, London Reclaiming, London ENGLAND

March 20, time tba, Welcome Spring Festival, Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, near Barneveld WI

March 20, 7 p.m. Ostara, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

March 20, 7:30 p.m., Suppressed History Archives: 40th Anniversary Benefit, Berkeley CA

March 21, doors open 12.oo uur, ceremony 14.00 uur, Lente Equinox, Nederlandse Godinnen Tempel, Hillgom NEDERLAND

March 21, gather 11:30 a.m., ritual Noon, Spring Equinox/Ostara, Connect DC, Washington DC

March 21, 7 p.m. Lady Day Sabbat, Wiccan Church of Canada, Toronto Temple,Toronto CANADA

March 25, 6 p.m. Sound Healing, Glastonbury Goddess Temple, Glastonbury ENGLAND

March 26-28, Season of the Tree Celebration/Full Moon, Matreum of Cybele, Palenville NY

March 27, 2 p.m."Remembering Her_Story," Lydia Ruyle presentation with her Goddess banners, Hollywood NOW, W. Hollywood CA

March 28, 7 p.m. Film: "Praying with Images" about artist Meinrad Craighead, Women's Well, Concord MA

March 29, 7 p.m. Full Moon Ritual, Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to Sekhmet, Indian Springs NV

Ongoing

Australia
Perth (White Gum Valley): Mondays, 17:30,
Chalice Ceremony, Daughters of Ishtar.

Belgium
Gent
,
most days 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Goddess Temple open for personal prayers.

Canada
Hamilton: Saturdays, 4 p.m.
Open Classes ; gather 7 p.m. Open Circles , Hamilton Temple, Wiccan Church of Canada.

Great Britain
Glastonbury: Priestess/Priest of Avalon Training Program, both in Glastonbury (Avalon) and by correspondence, Glastonbury Goddess Temple.
Glastonbury: Most days except Mondays, Noon-4 p.m. Temple Open for personal prayers; Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Belly Dancing
; Thursdays, 7 p.m. Temple Ritual Dance Class, Glastonbury Goddess Temple.

Sweden
Soderhamn, Gudinne Temple Open weekdays Noon
-6 p.m. Mondays, 7-9 p.m., meditation prayer, conversation.

USA
Arlington VA: 3rd Sunday of month, time tba, ritual Moonfire.
Canton CT: Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Services, Women's Temple: In Her Name

Charleston SC: 1st Tuesday of month, Women's Circle, The Sophia Institute
Geyersville CA:
Sunday Services 2-4 p.m.
Temple of Isis
Grants Pass, OR: Monday Services; doors open 6 p.m. for silent meditation; service starts 6:30 p.m. and includes teachings, candle-lighting, drumming & singing, Southern Oregon Temple of the Goddess.
Houston TX:
Sundays, 10 a.m.
Magdalene Community, Rothko Chapel; 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. until July 5, then 10 a.m. inward, meditative; 2nd service at 11 a.m., dancing, drumming, singing; see dates for guest speakers.
Friday services, gather 6 p.m., service 6:30 p.m. "All Souls in Reverence." Goddess Temple of Orange County
Minneapolis, MN: Monthly Womens Spirituality Group, True Colors Bookstore.
Palenville NY: Saturdays, 5 p.m. training sessions; Sundays 4-6 p.m, open classes, 7 p.m. Pagan Circles,Matreum of Cybele.
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.
St. Sandy UT: second Saturday of each month, 4:30 p.m., Isis Devotionals, Iseum of Muth/Lyceum of Auset and Heru em Aakhuti
Washington DC: 2nd Sunday of month; gather Noon, ritual 12:15 p.m., National Arboretum, Becoming DC.
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 Spiritual Journey; Menarche, for mothers and Daughter, at Women's Well.

World Wide Web

Online, various times, Spiritual Heritages of Ancient Europe, course with Max Dashu.
Online, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. PT
"Voices of the Sacred Feminine" interviews with well-known Goddessians and Pagans, hosted by Karen Tate, Blog Talk Radio.

Online, Sundays, 11 a.m. PT, "Creatrix Media Live" roundtable discussions include guests and phone-in audience participation, co-hosted by Jayne DeMent and Anniitra Ravenmoon, Blog Talk Radio.


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 giving: Name of event, sponsoring organization (if any), town, date, time (if known), and, required: url of website where person can get more info (no pdf pages, no password-protected pages). (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.

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Friday, February 12, 2010

Hebrew Priestess Training Institute Taking Applications

You may have seen me refer to the Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess) Training Institute in previous posts. This innovative organization is preparing Jewish women to be priestesses in "embodied, feminist spiritual leadership grounded in the sacred feminine and sacred earth."

Founded and directed by Rabbi Jill Hammer, Ph.D., and folklorist Holly Taya Shere, the Institute has just announced that it is welcoming applicants for its next course of training, which begins August 9-16 at the Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality in Connecticut. Another event will be held at the Center August 6-8: the first open Kohenet Shabbaton, a weekend open to Kohenet alums, current and prospective students, and to all women drawn to connect with the Kohenet community and path.

According to Rabbi Hammer, in the four years since its inception, the Institute and those it has trained have helped to revive the ancient practices of women as priestesses in ways authentic to Jewish tradition. "In Kohenet, we examine models of women's spiritual work and the Divine feminine from the Bible, Talmud, kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), and ancient goddess myths," she says. "We also engage in innovative ritual, liturgy, chant, experiential learning, dreamwork, movement, sacred artcraft and spirit journeys." Kohenet students are initiated into the priestess tradition, and graduates receive support from the Institute in "leading their own spiritual circles, crafting ritual and prayer, and engaging in scholarship, music, art and other modes of sacred work." For more information and applications go to http://www.kohenet.org/ or www.isabellafreedman.org/kohenetpath.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Green Goddess Conference

February 15 is the deadline for presentation proposals for the Association for the Study of Women and Mythology's conference, "The Green Goddess: Ecofeminism and Women's Spirituality." The conference will be held April 23-25 in Bangor, PA, near the Delaware Water Gap and will include "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican," a film about the ordination of Roman Catholic women priests, and films on Mammywata by Sabine Jell-Bahlson. Panels and workshop topics include publishing Goddess scholarship. Already-scheduled speakers include Cristina Biaggi, Cristina Eisenberg, Ann Filemyr, Lydia Ruyle, and Max Dashu. More info about the conference is here.

February 15 is also the deadline for entering the competition for ASWM's biannual Kore Award for best dissertation in Goddess Studies, which we first posted about last November.

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Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Matrifocus Ceases Publication

The wonderful e-journal Matrifocus has announced that it has stopped publishing. Happily, the archives, from the first issue (Samhain 2001) to the last (Lammas 2009) remain available on matrifocus.com , which also has more info on the journal's history and the decision to stop publishing. To editors Sage and Feral, thank you for the eight wonderful years of Matrifocus, which I know will be valuable for at least as long as you keep the website up, and blessings on your future ventures.

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Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Scholarly 'Avatar' Papers Sought

Spurred on by the various reactions to the film Avatar, the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, is seeking proposals for papers for an issue discussing Avatar and nature spirituality. For more info, including how to submit proposal, go here.

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