Book of Shadows

Today during the waxing moon, I have consecrated a new book of shadows that I won in a raffle. I have never been so formal with my thoughts or journals, but this book had some little insert with a consecration ritual...so why not. The truth is a BOS is just a journal of thoughts, meditations, magical experinces, etc...

Casting a circle....calling all the things I need to build the yoga studio, Indigo Moon Yoga, Bellydancing & Bodywork. In the meantime, I have called into my life a new job at the Hutchinson Dance Center teaching yoga and bellydance. R suggested I call up a local massage center to offer my bodywork there (reiki and thai yoga massage).

Good night & namaste,

Alysha

Buzzzing

Last week Friday, I did get a hold of J at the RCG-I motherhouse. I am back in the Cella Program. The plan is the finish up finding all of my documentation for Cycle II and turn it into her before the next Cella weekend. I am waiting to join the Great Lakes Cella group, which is currently full, so I can keep J as my advisor until I graduate and become ordinated. So I will be starting Cycle III this winter with any luck after I get back from Thailand and studying Thai Yoga Bodywork in Chang Mai.
I have found most of my previous documentation, but I think I will re-work most of it since I am adding a new focus to my growing list of majors (Ritualist,Scholar/Teacher, Creatix and now Healer). I have a great deal of notes to work with, but I would like to review and be proud of my end results. I have also ordered the new cella books to compare the old program to the new since I can choose how I want to finish out the last three years in Cycle III. I wonder about if I need a mentor before Cycle III and declaring my intent to become ordinated...hmmm. Good questions.

Illusions of Beauty

Legacy, my ego!

In my wanderings as of late, the word "legacy" has popped up in conversation with my old friend RG, researching the roots and circles of Dianic Tradition, mainly the differences between Reformed Congregation of the Goddess (founders Lynne & Jade) and Spiral Door/Temple of Diana (Ruth & Falon). I remember teaching my high school students about the idea of leaving a legacy in the 1800's and how our forefathers/mothers wished to keep traditions alive whether the family name by having a son, keeping marriages between the same religious beliefs or race/country origin or handing down a family heirloom. But what does this word really mean?

According to dictionary.com, legacy origin stems from,

"c.1375, "body of persons sent on a mission," from O.Fr. legacie "legate's office," from M.L. legatia, from L. legatus "ambassador, envoy," noun use of pp. of legare "appoint by a last will, send as a legate" (see legate). Sense of "property left by will" appeared in Scot. c.1460."

So a legacy...can be a person, an object(s) like money, jewelry or property and/or a quest. The use of legacy back in the days of King Henry the VIII translated to securing a throne through a male heir that could rule in the Tudor name as well as the riches and wealth. Soldiers were sent to war to leave a family legacy of being a warrior in many cultures. Like I mentioned above, in the early days of settlers in the New World (America), Pilgrims still tried to leave an inheritance for their children (mostly male children), values of the old world culture/religion and a namesake, a son. The word has evolved into something much different -becoming famous or well-known in a field of study. Some people fall into to fame due to their selfless actions and others search out fame and fortune. A key different, yet both struggle with ego and greater responsibilities to society.

So I ask you is leaving your legacy, your mark on this earth feeding your ego or sense of self?.....Each person can only ask this question for themselves.

Back to the legacy of the goddess movement....
A cutting from Ruth's interview with LGBTran zine,"Temple of Diana was founded here in Wisconsin in 2000. And what happened, after I moved here from Los Angeles, after being there for 20 years, it was like okay, I get to start over, in a sense. And first I incorporated under RCG again. And started that. But what became clear to me is the tradition, the Dianic tradition—meaning the legacy of Z Budapest and what I had evolved in southern California, didn’t really have its own 501C3 religious organization. So I realized that that really was the way to go. Because I was very focused on preserving the legacy and preserving the lineage, the teachings, in a certain way. And RCGI is a Goddess spirituality organization. And again, even though there are women who identify as Dianic, it’s not a Dianic organization, per se. So I wanted that. I wanted, I felt like that’s something I can leave behind. And then maybe we can also be an umbrella for other Dianic organizations that have come through that same door. "

And what door would that really be? Well, of course the priestess training program run by Ruth and Falon, called Spiral Door.

So then I wondered, what does Z Budapest think about the idea of legacy? why is Z teachings consider a legacy? Beside the fact Z is the founder of the Dianic Goddess Movement. Well, Z has her coven set up like a beehive system similar to other Wicca covens like the Garderian/Alexandrian sects. The coven has several different levels of study and once a coven member graduates then the graduate is cast out of the mother coven to start her own group. Kicking out a baby bird from the mother nest metaphor. What is Z's mission statement for Dianic tradition?

Dianic University Mission Statement: (from Z's website)
"We believe in bringing together the diverse souls of women from all over the world, to learn and exchange ideas, and to enhance each other. We can widen the collective female imagination through Goddess/Magical studies, connecting peace, work, ecology, freedom, and personal empowerment with happiness. Women united are changing the world for the better."

I personally don't see any difference between Z's mission statement and RCG-I's mission for the Women's Theological Institute (WTI). Each empowers women to find their own goddess self that is feminist and unique. Each organization is loosely structured to allow for future growth and women to define their own spiritual principles.

Well, then what is the definition of "Dianic" because obviously there is some differences, right?

Exactly, kind-of !

"Dianic tradition is difficult to define, because it is a spiritual tradition that encourages creativity, celebrates diversity, and demands personal empowerment and responsibility. For some, Dianic tradition is every day folk religion, hedge-witchery or kitchen-witchery. For others, Dianic tradition is more formal, with highly developed liturgy and cosmology. For most, in its essence Dianic tradition is a Women's Mysteries tradition, linked to such traditions across time and across cultures. They are a celebration of women's bodies, women's experiences, the Divine Feminine, and the biology and culture of womanhood, rather than rejection or dismissal of men and masculinity."(taken from Wikipedia, Dianic Tradition)

Ok... Ruth has created this elaborate "Dianic" tradition based on Z's teachings and others to set her own Dianic Tradition, her own legacy, to pass down to anyone who will pay to train with her and become a dutiful priestess. The Sprial Door (developed by Ruth Barrett & Falon River) Dianic tradition is more formal, structured creating dogmatic Dianic ideals. What I find most interesting is that by the nature of definition of "Dianic" creating rules and systems of celebrating women's diverse personal power, bodies and experiences ....isn't that creating a power-over system within a women's movement and spirituality? Hmm...pondering that for a moment.....

The veil is paper thin between goddess woman and the Dianic tradition as well as ego-driven legacy and carving a path for generations to come....

Queens who stand alone

Watching a movie of about Queen Elizabeth, the idea of courageous women working within society's patriarchy. Taking on the disguise of Mary, the virgin and mother goddess to all, gave Elizabeth I a way to guide her people. Each Queen of her time struggled with how to protect the country's future without tying herself to a man. Take Cleopatra for example, she knew how to snake her way into having a Greek prince heir and seducing the noble hearts. She was trying to preserve her culture and people. And then Queen Nefertiti who with her husband change the Egyptian religious landscape to a single divine god without gender. Although Nefertiti's husband had several wives, she was the people's queen. Too bad Prince Charles had to keep his other wife Camella underwraps until Diana passed. Oh, irony....relationships and politics evolve as the rebels thorny actions and deeds serve.

In the age of the father, woman who reflect goddess move men's hearts, become the living divine. In the age of the daughter, the veil between women and goddess self doesn't exist. We are all goddess women.

Namaste,

Alysha

As the iris buds open in the rain

I think of the goddess Iris when the flowers by her name start opening their purple blossoms. Iris, a messenger for Queen Hera among other god/desses, in the form a rainbow connecting heaven and earth. She escorted the souls of women to the underworld, which is why irises were planted upon woman's graves back in the day of the Greeks.
I have called upon Iris to help me re-establish my connect with WTI Cella of RCG. I am a bit impatient and tending my fairy garden of irises, colombine, yarrow, lilies of the valley, etc, is keeping me focused.

Namaste,

Alysha

The veiled dancer

There was a time when big dramatic ritual was my thing, my calling. I loved designing rituals with layers upon layers of sparkle, glitter and foo-foo-ness. Since I left the core goddess women community in Madison, my ritual has become my yoga practice on the mat. I engage with my divine soul each morning in my daily practice.
There was a time when I wore the veils and embodied the goddess, Bride or Brigit. I spoke of sacrifice and heartache of hiding from the patriarchy.Through my relationship with Brigit, I found my true hearts desire, the mysteries of love and healing. I, to this day, veil myself in her honor and in honor of my sacred dance with she who is. Bellydancing is an art form of my body and a prayer of my soul.

Namaste,

Alysha

Calling me into the circle,calling me home

I am back from the Priestess Gathering in Wisconsin with all of my sisters. From my last visit to Madison, I felt ready to face the unknown of this trip. I am not talking just about the drive to the retreat, but facing a community of woman after years of change with no expectations or fears of what may become.

The retreat center had a new dorm building that was big, new and beautiful for trance dancing, goddess marketplace and different sleeping arrangements. The first person I saw was M running registration and then L, her partner. I was happy to see a familiar face and M welcomed me back with a hug. Her girlfriend then recognized me later as I was signing up for my work shift. I was amazed at the heartfelt welcome I receive from so many of the faces I remembered. the woman I was closest to as friends were off on their own path and spiraling away. Here I was the first to leave Madison, the sisterhood that support me through everything and now the first to return "home".

The entire weekend went very well. I volunteered my bodywork skills for donations that would go directly to the Motherhouse. I wanted to give back to the community that had supported me through my divorce and so much self-discovery. Each woman I worked on was so grateful and giving of their abundance. I did offer my service to J, but realize as I was uttering the words that she was holding the energetic space for the weekend. So maybe another time.

My classes, yoga and bellydancing, were a hit with the woman I am thinking about what to offer for the Hallows Gathering in Oct. already. I met so many new woman, new friends. The energy has shifted. As I was witnessing the three cella woman being ordinated, I realized that one of those woman could have been me or still could be.... I know I am priestessing in the work I do everyday. Then M and L cornered me as I was packing my yoga stuff and handing over the last of the donation money, about joining a WTI Cella circle again. At the closing ritual, RM said I few words about sisterhood that touched my spirit. So I spoke a few words with J and now I am joining Cella program again. I can hardly wait until Friday, so I can speak to her in person and get caught up on everything.

Namaste & Goddess Bless

Alysha

Buddha surprises the Crow

Every changes, nothing remains without change.

-Buddha

One of the many lessons I have gained greater knowledge about this weekend deals with the quote above. The whole drive here I noticed the crows flying by, eating there meals at the side of the road, and perching in the treeline. A Crow is a fool, a trickster animal in my native culture. He can see his own shadow in a water reflection, think his reflection is another crow, and try to attack his reflection with no luck. No one can catch their own shadow or reflection. Now on the surface a Crow may seem fool-hearted and reckless in action, but a Crow can easily see himself in the mirror if he is willing. Facing a persons true self is a Crows gift. For my journey back to Madison was about facing my fears, truths, and doubt. All of those things I saw in my reflection with my experiences this weekend. I have drove into the chaos of change and the unknown fearlessness many times. Today, I feel I understand another layer of this quote in regarding to my impermanence.

The Dalai Lama was early this morning in starting class, no big deal. He spoke in detail about dharma sidetracking from the original teaching. I was amazed at how much I understood. (MB taught us well at yoga teacher training.) The "clan" ventured out to State St. and did a little shopping and dinning. I picked up a couple of books, The Essence of the Heart Sutra:The Dalai Lama's Heart of Wisdom Teachings translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa and The Four Noble Truths by Ven. Lobsang Gyatso, crystal mandala bead blessed by Tibetan Nuns, a "Om" Tibetan bag and two bumper stickers. Both books were mentioned in our teaching with His Holiness and the books really spoke to me. MB found an excellent yoga text about each pose in relation to the three doshas or body constitutions called Yoga for your Type by David Frawley. MB wrote down the title and author for me, so I can order it from amazon. I also got a book on tape for my drive home tomorrow, Caroline Myss's Entering the Castle: Exploring Your Mystical Experience of God. MB was raving about it and recommand it ( MB and L were listening to it on their way to Madison;>

I have an early morning ahead of me. Good night.

Namaste,

Alysha

Teaching from a holy humble man

My journey back to my home city of Madison has been a whirlwind of emotion. I am glad I am sharing this with the "yoga loft clan" as L calls us. I found MB at the gate yesterday and later A and his wife K as well as the girls. MB befriended a guy who drove all the way from Texas and is currently camping in town. I am grateful that everyone made it safe and sound to the Mad city.
The best part of the teachings yesterday was simply being in the present of His Holiness. The calm stillness that sweeped the Energy Center like waves as he entered even before the public could really see him-the knowingness of him was very powerful.I was tearing up at the first sight of him. His laughter and joking throughout the day. I found myself smiling and giggling as well without understanding the Tibetan language he was speaking. The translator tries to give the English verison, but the language misses the mark a bit. There are people of many nations, religions, and ethic backgrounds...coexisting together to study with the great humble master.

I am very grateful that I am here to learn, study, and heal myself. I have a full day of teachings and maybe a brief shopping trip to State St. I have been taking notes and journaling as I go and I will transfer more thoughts later.

Namaste,
Alysha