Buzz Coil: September 2014

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

My Village Witch: Byron Ballard of Asheville NC's Mother Grove Goddess Temple posted two parts (at this writing) of a series on what she terms "Tower Time." Her Sept. 2 post, "Tower Time Document One– A Knowing, Cassandra-like" defines and describes what she means by the term. Near the beginning of this post she writes:
"This early knowing pointed obliquely to the old dream of every old feminist—the Collapse of the Patriarchy ™. Since our fiercer days in the long-ago 1970s, many of us have modified our speech—often because people refuse to understand that Patriarchy ™ is a system or a set of systems and is not merely angry women being mad at and blaming men."
Later in the post she writes:
"Religion as empire, state as empire, education as empire, healing as empire—all are recalibrating in their individual descents. Each of us is in our personal place as the Tower erupts and crumbles. Some of us stand on the top, blissfully unaware that anything long-term is occurring below our feet. Some are trapped amongst the turrets, calculating a way off. Some have flown away and are gone to wherever and whatever comes after this life, after Matter has become Spirit."
Her Sept. 6 post, "Tower Time, Document Two: Going to Ground" begins by describing a ritual in "a small Temple" in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. She goes on to write:
"Sometimes when we pray, we forget that prayer is not simply sending our best intention into the Universe. For those of us who see the Ancestral Goddesses as non-corporeal beings who have some authority and ability in the world of the world, the prayers and the singing honor Beloved Ones who are near us, but are not us. The invocations in which we implore them to fix our lives or clean up our messes or show us a way through are requests and bargainings. We understand that we have a part in this relationship but we do not have control."
She then goes on to advise how to protect and renew yourself during the Tower Time.

A Crone Speaks Out:  Rev. Cathryn Platine of the Maetreum of Cybele posted several strong-worded posts this month, including "Open Letter to the Greater Pagan Communities on Transphobia," on Sept. 3;  "Tired of Waiting for that Next Witch Hunt," on Sept 4, in which she discusses current Pagan issues, with  the backdrop of her ancestors, women tried for witchcraft in Salem MA; and a series "Ageism and Pagan Elder Abuse Part 1," on Sept 17 and Part 2 on on Sept. 18.

Hearth Moon Rising's blog: In her Sept. 12 post, "Like a Vague Malodorous Stain Seeping into the Theological Discourse," Hearth Moon Rising discusses
 " the parallels between fascism and political movements that view themselves as rooted in postmodern philosophy, especially Postmodern Feminism and Queer Theory."
Among her points:
"The postmodern cult finally got a toehold in Paganism several years ago with the demand that Dianic priestesses admit trans women into our rituals on the grounds that biological sex has been theorized out of existence, or at least relevance, in favor of self-identified gender....Gender itself is not defined because nothing in postmodern politics is defined. Definitions are passe, especially when they create boundaries you want to crash. Demands to admit males into female spiritual space have been present since the seventies, but now they are based on the argument that the old women, 'on the wrong side of history,' need to step aside for the new generation with the new ideas, an argument that drips with ageism."
In her Sept. 5 post, Hearth Moon Rising shares her "Reflections on Recent Events in the Dianic Community."

Radical Goddess Thealogy: In her Sept. 12 post, "Pouring Gas on ISIS," blogger Athana addresses President Obama, writing, in part:
"Listen to the goddess Isis.  It’s no accident that she gave her name to a group as similar to her as honey is to bug-infested rump roast.

She’s trying to get your attention.  We need to turn ISIS back into Isis, a peaceful way of life centered around a Goddess who used to rule over large parts of the same land skanky ISIS is now riding over roughshod." 

Broomstick Chronicles: Macha NightMare (Aline O'Brien)'s Sept. 9 post asks "When Is Consensus Process Not Consensual?"  and answers the question by sharing some of her experiences with the process, her opinion on what factors can make the consensus process difficult, and what quality is necessary to make it successful.

Living a Spiral Path: In a Sept. 20 post, "What's In A Name?" blogger Stormy Seaside contemplates the many names and representations of the Mother Goddess, beginning:
 "I believe there is one Mother God, and she has thousands and thousands of names upon which her children might call...." With pics.
  
Annelinde's World: Annelinde Metzner's Sept. 19 post of her poem, "What She Is,"" includes, at the end of the post, an audio of the poem (which I can't seem to get to work today, but maybe it's my computer...). 

Musings of a Quaker Witch: In her Sept. 10 post, "Thanking the Goddess for Tea," Stasa Morgan-Appel asks if the title of this post is appropriate for her, and discusses the difference between believing in the Goddess and experiencing her.

The Motherhouse of the Goddess: In her Sept. 19 post, Tracey Paradiso writes about "Exploring “Alternative” Spirituality: Telling you what I wish someone had told me," including combining various forms of spirituality and religion. Kimberly Moore's Sept. 2 post responds to the question,  "What Is Women's Ritual and Why Do We Need It?" Answering the question, "What about men?" Kimberly writes:
"I have to be true to the facet of service to which I am called. I have to honor the joy in my soul in facilitating Goddess connection with and for women. It does not mean that I have no consideration of men. It just means that my primary focus is on the counter-swing to patriarchy and working with women who are seeking the connection to Goddess."
She then explores what "women's ritual" is and how it differs from mixed-gender rituals.

WoodsPriestess: In her Sept. 15 post, "Dance in a Circle of Women," blogger talkbirth writes of being pregnant and preparing for this year's Gaea Goddess Gathering. She shares her memories and notes from the 2013 Gathering, including songs and insights, both positive and negative. With lots of pics. 

HecateDemeter: In her Sept. 5 post, "And Round and Round," blogger Hecate shares her thoughts about "the middle of the end of summer."

GlenYs's Blog:  In her Sept. 11 post, "Eostar - Persephone Returns," Glenys Livingstone of MoonCourt in Australia, shares her thoughts about spring's return to the Southern Hemisphere.

The Wild Hunt: Heather Greene's Sept 7 post, "World Goddess Day," gives background and quotes from participants in the first celebration of this holiday, which we posted about previously.

Love of the Goddess: Blogger Tara's Sept. 10  post is about "Pachamama, Inca Goddess of the Earth" and tells about her sacred month, and her many associations, titles and festivities.

Casa della Dea: A Sept. 9 post in Italian by Eilantha Redpring, "Rituali sulle rive del Belice" quotes a news article about the initiation of priestesses on the bank of the Belice river, and then goes on the share an interview with the priestess, Alessandra Di Gesù . With pics.   


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.

Feminism and Religion: Many bloggers from many different religions and paths.
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.