Goddess Wisdom Series

The Goddess Wisdom Series begins its 2015-2017 season this Saturday with a Kali Ritual/Circle.  (More information and RSVP.)  The intention of the series is to use sacred ritual to create change, transformation, and greater ease in the lives of the participants.  Much of our actions in the world are controlled by subconscious reactions and programming that we often cannot simply force into alignment with our conscious intentions. An effective way to move the subconscious is through the use of sacred ritual.

While it is possible to attend each circle as a stand-alone event.  The series is designed to allow people to use the support of the divine feminine to create transformation in their lives.  Each event builds on the previous and flows into the subsequent.

The series begins with Kali, because often times it ekajatiis more effective to build a new reality after clearing away the obstacles to change and discarding the old.  Kali is the goddess that removes obstacles to spiritual progress. During this time when the veils between the worlds is the thinnest we will use the powerful transformative energy that Kali brings to facilitate the removal of confusion, attachments, and deep rooted dsyfunctional habits.

One can come to the Kali event ready to release whatever needs to go in order to be ready for the generative stage of creation or can use the event as a spring board for releasing work that will continue in the days and weeks after the event.  If you can not make the event, this is a good time to join us energetically and do your own ritual ato home.

Then, on December 26th, we will have the festival of Hestia, the goddess of eternal light.  After our releasing work is complete we are ready to kindle that light within us.  During the darkest part of the year we will use the energy of Hestia to allow self-nurturance penetrate to our deepest core.  (More information and RSVP.)

As the days grow longer again we will celebrate our creative energy and begin to institute our changes with Brigit on Jan 30, 2016.  Brigit is the Celtic goddess that rules over computer programming, other high arts, and healing.  Her energy will help us transform our vision into reality on the physical plane.
quanyinMarch 26, 2016 is the festival day of the great Bodhisattva Quan Yin (Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit).  On our path to actualization we may find that deeper work is needed to get the results we want.  Here we will call upon the goddess whom “hears all the calls of the world” as a powerful allay to aid in resolving past trauma and resentments so that we can know the true peace that comes with detachment, acceptance and the realization of our interconnectedness.
In the remainder of 2016 and into 2017 we will continue our celebrations with Mother Mary, Futura, Mandarava, and Venus.

Swallowtail

I was delighted yesterday afternoon to look our my living room window and see a  giant swallowtail butterfly flighting around my Gelsemium vine.  At first I thought she was newly emerged from her cocoon, since she was flying in a drunken pattern, but it turns out this species of swallowtail has a characteristic pattern of flying that looks like hopping.  Isn’t she lovely?!
Swalowtail on Gelsemium in phoenix arizonaSwallowtails are dear to my heart.  Last year the fennel I planted was completely decimated by dozens of the swallowtail caterpillars.  Any other creature would have gotten the boot, but I was willing to sacrifice the plant for my favorite butterfly.  Luckily the plant survived and this year is boasting a full crop of seeds.

Fennel is one of the host plants for anise swallowtails and black swallowtails.  Perhaps I love the swallowtails simply because if I plant fennel they always appear in my garden.  Such a reliable friend!  Pretty stunning caterpillars as well.  Hungry little guys though!

Black Swallowtail caterpillars from Wikipedia

Black Swallowtail caterpillars from Wikipedia

While I am familiar with the larvae (caterpillars) of black swallowtails, I was surprised to see the caterpillar of the Giant Swallowtail. It is designed to look like bird droppings.

Amazing!

Not exactly attractive.  Also, it doesn’t host on fennel, but prefers citrus.  I’ll have to keep my eyes open for this one.  My citrus are too small to support a group of gluttons!

Giant Swallowtail caterpillar

“Papilio cresphontes larva” by TokyoJunkie (Wikipedia)

Transition

Transition is a stage of labor that is characterized by emotional volatility including anger.  It is the stage between the “passive” phase of allowing the cervix to dilate and the “active” phase of pushing the baby out.

Over two decades ago I was a childbirth educatorpregnant and a doula.  During this time I also gave birth to my daughter.  After a couple days of labor and using traditional methods to stimulate labor (walking, castor oil, etc) it was determined that I was “failing to progress” and I decided that moving to the hospital for an oxytocin drip was in order.

Oxytocin is a hormone naturally produced by the body that stimulates uterine contractions.  It is responsible for menstrual cramps, nipple sensitivity, and the “bang” in orgasm.  When administered by IV it can induce strong, demanding, and uncomfortable contractions.  Pregnant women that take this route to induce a labor find the contractions come back-to-back, are strong, and frequently unbearable.

My reaction?  I went to sleep.  Apparently I went to the hospital to get a good nap after a couple days of slow and uneven labor.

A strong contraction woke me up from my slumber.  I was confused and angry.  I demanded the doctor shut off the drip. I was impatient while she considered my order.  (Of course I could have just flipped the switch off myself, but somehow it seemed that only the doctor had the authority.)  I was very irritable.  I felt someone had snuck in and turned up the oxytocin drip way up while I slept.

Another contraction was upon me and I jumped out of the bed and headed the three feet to the in-room toilet.  Although my last cervical check had me only 70% dilated, with the next contraction I began pushing propelled by my anger.  I was hoping no one would notice, since I had not been given permission to push yet.

It is interesting to be knowledgeable enough to suspect I was in transition and also be completely swept away by the disorientation of the transition stage of labor.  The somewhat predictable emotional reaction that women have during transition (which lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half) is intriguing.

This last week or so I have been experiencing a great deal of anger and general hostility arising.  I could not put my finger on what the source was when the idea of transition popped into my mind.  It has been my experience that emotionally uncomfortable periods are frequently followed by a lighter and more pleasant emotional climate that feels like a breakthrough.  I had thought that the uncomfortableness was simply stuff arising to be released.  When the releasing was done, I was left in a clearer space.

Perhaps that is what is occurring in transition also, or maybe my previous interpretation of the discomfort was inaccurate.  Could it be that just the change process itself leads to emotional funkiness?  Maybe I am not releasing previously held anger, but instead anger is simply arising do to the change process.

This insight suggests a different line of questioning:

  • What can I be to change with perfect ease?
  • What am I resisting letting go of that if I did let go of would allow me to create a completely different reality?
  • What do I know that I am denying that I know?
  • What can I choose today that will facilitate greater awareness?
  • What am I choosing that is keeping me trapped?