Z Budapest, Temple of Diana, Claudiney Prieto

As far as I know, this is the first public publication of the response of Dianic High Priestess Ruth Barrett and the Temple of Diana to Z Budapest's recent announcement concerning what transpired during Z's visit with Claudiney Prieto of Brazil. We have received Ruth's permission to publish these statements here. They were previously published on Ruth's Facebook "friends" page.  Z's announcements and press releases are published on her blog and we link to them in the following information. I am not a Dianic Witch in Z's or any other lineage.  I'm presenting this material because I consider these groups and individuals, and their opinions and actions, important to the greater Goddess community and spiritual feminists.

 In an August 13 post to her blog, Z Budapest, founder of the feminist Dianic tradition in the United States, announced  that she had blessed or ordained (depending on when you've read the post/press release or whom you ask),  Prieto, Brazilian leader of the Dianic Nemorensis Tradition.

The Temple of Diana, founded by Ruth Barrett, responded:

August 16, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Dear Temple of Diana Community and our Dianic Sisters everywhere,

 

We feel it is our responsibility as the first national Dianic Temple sourced from the Z Budapest lineage to respond to the recent ordination in Brazil by Z Budapest of Claudiney Prieto, as the first Dianic High Priest in our tradition. This unprecedented event was announced in their own words publically on Facebook on August 10th by both Budapest
and Prieto as an “ordination”. Subsequently the wording of the post was changed after initial uproar, to a “blessing” of his work. It is also a matter of public record, posted on the internet by first hand witnesses, including Sorita D’Este, who posed in pictures of herself with Claudiney after what she described as his “historic” ordination into the feminist Dianic tradition by Z Budapest.

In addition to the changes in wording, it is also evident from the many photographs taken on Prierto’s Facebook page that he is wearing the identical “kata” that Budapest has used to signify Dianic High Priestess ordinations in recent years. Since Prieto received the Kata from Budapest in this ceremony, it is evident that he was ordained as a High Priest in our Dianic tradition. As Budapest has written herself, “The Kata is a pure silk white scarf which is given in our tradition to those who are elevated.”

 

Temple of Diana, and other Dianic sisters would have been thrilled to stand with Budapest if this had been honoring a goddess-centered man in spiritual service by blessing him and his work. However, this is not what happened. Budapest’s actions are contradictory to the foundation of our Dianic female-centered tradition. We are truly baffled that Budapest would ordain a man in a tradition that excludes him. For us, it is impossible for any male to participate in Women’s Mysteries, or any female-embodied Mysteries tradition, given our physical/cellular differences, and socialization from birth. This is why our tradition excludes males and trans-individuals wishing to attend or be included in our rites, and why there has never been a male Priest in our tradition however sympathetic with our tradition he may be.

 

We will not recognize Budapest’s ordination of Prietro, or any man, as a Dianic Priest in our tradition, and most certainly not as a High Priest. The vast majority of Wiccan and pagan traditions already include all sexes. Our tradition was simply not created to meet the needs of male physiological and cultural socialization. 

The bottom line is: Temple of Diana Board stands for the integrity of our Dianic tradition, as sourced and evolved from its origins in Los Angeles, California in the early 1970s. Our national Groves will continue to provide spiritual service to women and girls, and to maintain the core values of our religion based in providing life-saving female-only space and Women’s Mysteries.

 

Board of Directors

Temple of Diana, Inc.

In an August 19 post, "Elder and Originator Z Budapest’s Official Statement to the Dianic Community,"  Z responds to the Temple of Diana's criticism and specifically to Ruth Barrett, whom she ordained several decades ago.  Z's post includes a press release dated August 18,  that begins by stating that she "was prepared to amend her previous press release from August 13, 2014."

On August 20, Ruth Barrett published the following on her Facebook page:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Members of the Dianic Tradition in the Zsuzsanna Budapest Lineage
August 20, 2014

I feel joyful that Z Budapest decided to tell the truth at last. However, it is evident that Z used me as her excuse for not being honest in the first place. It was her own words and actions that caused the media drama. There would have been no need for statements from me privately or from Temple of Diana’s Board of Directors if Z had told the truth originally. Her explanations of what happened in Brazil changed so many times in the public record, I know that many of us couldn’t help but notice this and document the ever-changing story. The letters we wrote were written respectfully and clearly, with no malice. We just wanted to hear the truth.

I don’t wish to continue correcting or commenting on several things written in the latest public statement from Z and the Women’s Spirituality Forum. I have to trust that those who are following this situation will do their own critical thinking on what has transpired and this latest spin. I hope that interested women will read about the role of the Kouretes as documented by Jane Ellen Harrison in Epilegomena To the Study of Greek Religion & Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion (University Books – out of print, but can be found). Kouretes often served as caretakers of children, dancers, initiators of male children into Men’s Mysteries, and guardians. As Dianic separatists we have no need for Kouretes, we have our own Priestesses of the Guardian Path who provide spiritual service by protecting our circles from possible intruders, plus we do our own dancing and child care.

With our paths diverging now, I release my commitment to Z Budapest that I made on Halloween night in 1980. I bless Z’s new direction and wish her well.

My sacred commitment to provide and ensure Dianic female-only space, our female Mysteries, and our female-only clergy will continue as it has been. I am thankful knowing that I have truly done my best to stand in my integrity with the responsibility I took on so long ago. I bless the path before me and my Dianic sisters as we continue onward.

In Her Service,
Ruth Rhiannon Barrett

 

Buzz Coil: August 2014

[updated Aug. 28, 1:05 p.m.]
A look at some posts of interest from our blogroll and sometimes beyond:

My Village Witch: In her Aug. 22 post, Byron Ballard writes about "Garden as Metaphor, Gardener as Priestess," including earthy work that both she and her Goddess sisters are doing, a discussion of what she has called "Tower Time," (referring to the Tarot Tower card) which she describes in this post as
 "....living through momentous times, times in which we are experiencing the collapse of ancient systems that have plagued humans and the Earth for far too long."
and her feeling that
"The Abrahamic god, who has been a cipher for so long, has vanished from the firmament. At last. At last."

Radical Goddess Thealogy: Blogger Athana's Aug. 15 post, "Glueing Things Together Again," looks back about 6000 years to see how we might fix things today. She begins:
"When the world whirled around goddesses, we were OK."

Daily Kos: In an Aug. 27 post, "Cowards with guns are not Gods...so let's not treat them as such," diarist Vision explores the question of why the mainstream media insists in using the acronym ISIS and why this is inappropriate, including a discussion between MSNBC's Richard Engle and Rachel Maddow. With poll.

Contemplation-Yeshe Rabbit: Rabbit's interweaves guiding principles with life experiences in a July 30 post, the 5th part of her series, "priest/ess at large."   An excerpt from what she writes:
"My work as a volunteer Community Priest/ess and my work as a Ceremonial Priest/ess for Hire are responsibilities I have taken up in joyful service....But, fittingly for a Priestess of Hekate, there is a third face to my Priestesshood, which I mentioned in my second article in this series is the source from which the others draw their energy. This third face is one I call "Priest/ess at Large." Nothing else I do as a Priestess would exist without this source."

The Goddess House: In a July 30 post, "2014 Australian Goddess Conference," Blogger As't Moon writes about her plans to present a workshop about two Mesopotamian "primordial mothers," Tiamat and Ereshkigal at the Conference, October 24-26 in Sydney.  

Fellowship of Isis Central: In a "Notice from the Circle of Brigid" on Aug. 27, all  Iseums, Lyceums, Priories and Groves, and other groups within the Fellowship are asked to contact the Foundation Centre by Samhain 2015 so that all affiliated groups can be included in a world membership map being planned for FOI's 40th anniversary in 2016.

The Retiring Mind: Wendy Griffin shares "unpublished notes from the field" in her July 28 post, "The De-colonized Goddess II: Puerto Rico," which begins at an Reformed Congregation of the Goddess Priestess Gathering in 2005. With pics.

The Wild Hunt: An Aug. 21 post by Cara Schulz, reports that "Despite legal battle wins, Maetreum of Cybele may lose financial war," and gives background on the financial drain being experienced by the Catskill, NY, Goddess organization due to its continuing need to defend its tax exempt status as a religious organization. The post includes a statement the Maetreum originally posted to Facebook. 

Annelinde's World: Among Annelinde Metzner's recently posted poems is a July 31 post telling "The Story" of the Goddess Oshun with images of daisies and forget-me-not flowers.

HecateDemeter: This year's Lughnasadah/Lammas may be past, but I think you'll still enjoy reading blogger Hecate's Aug. 1 post, "A Lughnasadah Tale," about a conversation a "Nonna" has with her young grandson. And don't miss, "A Place Without A Witch Chapter 42," posted on July 31. 

Love of the Goddess: In an Aug. 17 post, "Sacred Dance in the Ancient World," blogger Tara writes about spiritually-related and often Goddess-related dancing in ancient Egypt, India, and Greece. She also gives advice about how to incorporate dance into your spiritual practice.

Hearth Moon Rising's blog: Hearth Moon Rising's Aug. 15 post, "Queen Deities and Patriarchal Distortions," illustrated with a crowned cat, discusses animal goddesses (or those with animal-like qualities), the word "queen" and many other words. For example, she writes:
"Mother, goddess, and queen are clearly feminine nouns and also carry the connotation of rank, privilege, or power-over."

Woodspriestess: In her Aug. 15 post, "Ocean Seminary College," blogger talkbirth tells about her experience with the program there, including coursework.

The Motherhouse of the Goddess: Tracey Paradiso blogged about my appearance on Goddess Alive Radio in her Aug. 16 post. In an August 23 post, Kimberly wrote about "the  Mayan Goddess of Women and the Moon, Ix Chel."

Harita Meenee: This blog's Aug. 15 post is entirely in Greek. Its title translates into English (according to Google Translate) as "The August Moon and the Lady," while its url includes the words "August Moon and Mary" (possibly "Παναγία," the last word of the title, means both?)

Large Group Goddess/Spiritual Feminist 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.
  

Second Chance to Hear Me on Goddess Alive Radio

[updated 8/16, 12:05 a.m., 8/16 11:21 p.m. ET]
I really enjoyed doing the program described below. You can listen to it now (and in the future) at this link.

I'm scheduled to make my second appearance on Goddess Alive Radio this Saturday at 8 7 p.m. Eastern Time. In the live broadcast, I'll be talking about gender equality (or the lack thereof), and other aspects of Jewish Kabbalah and Hermetic Qabalah, and my re-visioning of the Kabbalah Tree of Life based on these and other factors. The material is based on my  award-winning book, Goddess Spirituality for the 21st Century: From Kabbalah to Quantum Physics. Towards the end of the show, I plan to lead a guided meditation based on my re-visioning. If you can't make it Saturday night, the show will be available in the Goddess Talk Radio archives, where you can also find the recording of my previous appearance, marking the new moon of late May. Goddess Alive Radio is part of Blog Talk Radio. The hosts are Kimberly F. Moore and Tracey Paradiso of the MotherHouse of the Goddess.     

From Australia: Imbolc/Lammas

From Glenys Livingstone of the MoonCourt in Australia's Blue Mountains, these two videos of the celebration of Imbolc, the present holy day in the Southern Hemisphere, and Lammas, celebrated at this time in the Northern Hemisphere. Both from previous years' celebrations at MoonCourt.