Brazilian Author Announces World Goddess Day

Claudiney Prieto, author of several books  on Wicca in Portuguese and participant in the Dianic Nemorensis tradition in Brazil, is encouraging people worldwide to celebrate a World Goddess Day yearly on the first Sunday in September. This year the holiday falls on Sept. 7.  The link to the World Goddess Day website above is in English (there is also a Portuguese version), and includes a page where you can volunteer to be a "local coordinator," and another page where you can list the event you have planned for this holiday. 

Kimberly Moore of the Motherhouse of the Goddess, in a comment on Facebook, points out that September 7 is Orisha/Goddess Yemaya's feast day  (in Santeria, her Brazilian Feast day is Feb. 2).  

Here is an excerpt (from  home page of the World Goddess Day site) of Prieto's explanation of this holiday :
"The World Goddess Day Project emerged to unite the Mother Goddess' worshipers world wide through their many expressions and manifestations. The purpose of the Project is grant to the Goddess one day of visibility to share Her many myths, stories and worship diversity, so everyone will remember or will know that the first religion of humanity was the Worship of the Goddess....
She returns for several reasons. The Goddess is calling all who feel dissatisfied; she calls out all who have found in Western religions just political institutions focused only on a male dominant figure; She also calls for all who feel dissatisfied with the patriarchal religion inherited from their ancestors who have only contributed to sicken the world with their distorted and corrupted values...."

Goddess Pages: Summer-Autumn 2014

The online magazine, Goddess Pages, headquartered in Great Britain and featuring authors internationally, published Issue 25 a few days ago. It opens with art, "Enchanted Moon Goddess Cabinet," by Rachel Pereira and editor Geraldine Charles' introductory, "She Changes Everything She Touches." All material begins on the home page and continues on linked pages.

This issue's poem is  Annelinde Metzner's "Ix Chel in my Window."

Articles include: "Dancing in the Footsteps of the Muses: Traditional Dances of Mount Olympus," by Laura Shannon; "The Princess Who Would Not Laugh: The Ancient Goddess as Revealed Through Fairy Tales," by Jeri Studebaker; "Be Your Own Herbal Expert - Part 5" by Susun S Weed; "The Scandanavian Cailleach..." by Kirsten Brunsgaard Clausen; "Serket, the Goddess who understands Poisons," by Lesley Jackson; and "The Waters of Life," by Hannah Spencer.

Book reviewed include: Goddess Calling: Inspirational Messages & Meditations of Sacred Feminine Liberation Thealogy by Karen Tate, with an extensive review by Geraldine Charles and a shorter one by Wendy Stokes; Hathor: A Reintroduction to an Ancient Egyptian Goddess by Lesley Jackson and Welcoming Lilith: Awakening and Welcoming Pure Female Power by Theresa C. Dintono, both reviewed by Geraldine Charles.
 

Buzz Coil: June 2014

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

A Crone Speaks Out: In a June 12 post, Catskill Steps up its War on the Maetreum of Cybele..., Cathryn Platine, founder of the Maetreum, writes about the latest action taken by the Town of Catskill against the religious organization, despite a New York appellate court decision in their favor last fall after a 7-year legal battle over the Maetreum's religious property tax exemption.

The Wild Hunt: If you're disturbed about the recent use of an acronym in news reporting that sound like it refers to a Goddess, you're not alone! In a June 25 post, ISIL or ISIS? Pagans Join Debate Over Islamic Militia’s Name, Heather Greene give extensive information about what the difference between these two acronyms are, another acronym that is used for this group, what various news organizations have decided about which acronym to use, and some Pagan groups' views and actions.

The Huffington Post (UK): Jessica Elgot's May 20 post, Pagans Are Really Annoyed That ISIS Took The Name Of Their Goddess, includes a letter  from the Pagan Federation, which says, in part:
...the acronym ISIS is likely to form an inadvertent association in the minds of hearers between Sunni jihadists and followers of the goddess Isis, with the potential for harm to innocent people from a completely unrelated religion.

Fellowship of Isis Central: A June 6 post, Inner Sanctum Symposium of Infinite Possibilities, announces a weekend of lectures and workshops on Aug. 22-24 at Isis Oasis in  California, with more complete information on the Symposium blogsite.  Minette Quick's June 23 post, reports on and extensively describes Midsummer Seasonal Festival at Clonegal Castle, Ireland .With pics.
On its website, FOI published its June 19 press release, Public statement re:ISIS acronym, which reads, in part:
It is disturbing and confusing to our members and the general public who know of our organization when media use the acronym ISIS for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militia. The alternative rendering of ISIL, ‘Iraq and the Levant’ would avoid any misunderstanding on this matter. 

Casa Della Dea: In a May 28 post, Nei luoghi più inaspettati... , Eilantha Redspring posts about a sight that surprised her in Venice. Roughly translated from the Italian (by Google Translate with small edits by me), here's what she saw on the outside wall of a building:
A little Goddess, of the Venus of Willendorf type, and majestic, to protect passers-by, placed there as if to say "I am here and rest!" I could not figure out what material it is made​ of​, but one thing is certain: you cannot get to where it is placed from a window.....
 With pics including a map and a photo of the Goddess figure on the building. Eilantha asks other people who have seen this sight to comment; she would especially like to know how long "the lady" has been there. 

House of Inanna: Blogger Indris, in his June 17 post, It ain't necessarily so..., asserts
There is a lie at the root of our civilization.
He credits Merlin Stone, Asphodel Long and others with uncovering this lie. Post also includes references to the work of Riane Eisler, Starhawk, William Blake, Samuel Noah Kramer, William Wordsworth, Louis MacNeice, Bob Dylan and others, as well discussion of history (from ancient to recent), anthropology, archeology, biology, and mythology.
 
Glenys's blog: In her June 13 post, Cosmogenesis Dance for Winter Ritual, Glenys Livingtone writes about a "three-layered" dance that is part of the Winter Solstice ritual at MoonCourt in the Blue Mountains of Australia.

The Goddess House: Blogger As't Moon's June 15 post, focuses on The Conpassionate [sic] Kuan Yin, as both a bodhisattva and Goddess, and announces a July 12 half-day workship on Kuan Yin in Adelaide, Australia.

Annelinde's World: On June 13, Annelinde Metzner posted, with pics, her poem, The Rainbow Kites, which begins:
Evening at the beach,
six of us sing with delight, pouring ourselves into the surf,
Aphrodite's lacy foam blessing us....

HecateDemeter: Blogger Hecate tells about her Lace for the Litha Altar (maybe not the kind of lace you think) and shares a poem by William Carlos Williams in her June 21 post.

 My Village Witch: In her her June 7 post, The Days Are Long, Byron Ballard discusses preparing for the Summer Solstice and departing for Pagan Spirit Gathering, the renaming of a garden in Herland for the late Maya Angelou and weeding the Rachel Carson Roof garden above it, and her frustration with and dread about environmentally-endangering plans in North Carolina. 

Works of Literata: Blogger Literata's June 20 post, Litha--Destruction Averted, explains why she uses "a different definition of the seasons," especially when it comes to Summer Solstice, and includes information about a variety of cultures and religions. 

The Motherhouse of the Goddess: Kimberly Moore, founder of the Motherhouse, wishes us Happy Summer Solstice! with a June 21 post that includes a list of Goddesses she feels "are active in this summer season," the Motherhouse's plans for the summer, an invitation to share your summer and Goddess experiences, and a list of  "Links to Love."

Hearth Moon Rising's blog: In a Jun 20 post, What are the women’s mysteries? , Hearth Moon Rising gives background on ancient Greek "mysteries," and then shares her thoughts on Goddess-focused ritual that some call "women's mysteries" today.

Tamis Hoover Renteria: In a June 4 post, Tamis Renteria asks, Is it Better to Have Just One God?, pondering the pros and cons of the monotheistic and polytheistic traditions, drawing on her Christian childhood, Jewish adulthood, and her interest in Goddess.

Panthea: In a June 18 post, Divine Partnership and a New Leg of the Journey, blogger Lisa writes that she is "becoming increasingly disinterested in accepting the concept of the Goddess as being a lone creator," and explores the possible reasons for her new feelings on this subject. 

Radical Goddess Thealogy: Blogger Athana's June 9 post, These Dudes Rock and Rule, begins with the riddle:
What do Native Americans, ancient European Pagans, and the Southeast Asian Minangkabau have in common?
Athana provides the answer and goes on to focus particularly on the Mingangkabu culture.

Mythology Matters: In a June 23 post, Arthur George asks, What Should Be the New Myths? Global Myths? and begins his post, writing:
Among of the burning questions in mythological studies these days are what should be the new myths that will replace the old ones that no longer resonate with us in the modern world, whether the new myths can be truly global, and how to develop them.

Love of the Goddess: Blogger Tara explores the mythology of "Medusa, Ancient Snake Goddess" in her June 6 post.

Large Group Blogs

Because of the large number and variety of bloggers and posts on these blogs, we are now suggesting that you visit them and select the posts that interest you most.

Pagan Square: This blog of many mostly-Pagan paths is sponsored by BBI Media and includes SageWoman blog posts.
Return to Mago:
 A Goddess-centered blog whose administrator/owner is Helen Hye-Sook Hwang.
Feminism and Religion: Many bloggers from many different religions and paths.  

Glastonbury Goddess Conference in late July

Painting, "Antler" Copyright by Carolyn Hillyer

The 19th Annual Glastonbury Goddess Conference will be held July 29-August 3 in Glastonbury, England, with fringe events starting July 26. Themed "Celebrating the Crone Goddess: The Cauldron and the Loom," presenters (alphabetically by first name) include:  Anique Radiant Heart, Carolyn Hillyer, Dragonfly, Jane Meredith, Kathy Jones, Kelliana, Lydia Ruyle,  Starhawk, Tricia Szirom, Wendy Rule, and others. There will also be a masqued ball and, on the last day of the conference, a "Procession through Glastonbury to the Sacred Landscape of the Crone in Avalon." See the provisional programme for more conference event details. Fringe events will include a Lammas Ceremony, "Honouring the Abundant Mother," at the Glastonbury Goddess Temple on July 4 at 7:30 p.m., as well as events led by (in order of announced appearance): Katrina Soetens, Marion Brigantia Eupen, Starhawk, Carolyn Hillyer, and Joanne Foucher. You can register for the entire conference, for separate days, for parts of days, for Saturday evening's Masqued Ball only, and for fringe events separately. You can book directly online, or through the regular mail with a pdf form available here.   ("Antler" pic added 6/15/2014, 12:33 p.m., thanks to Kathy Jones.)

Preparations for last year's Conference: Video by Marion van Eupen
 

(This post is updated from a post last February, which has a video of the 2013 traditional procession through Glastonbury.)