"Wisdom Words"
for
Dancing The Goddess Home Ritual
Burials
by Patricia Monaghan
What if, a millennium from now, you
are exhumed dressed completely in gold,
every limb, every finger circled with sun
metal twisted into snakes and flowers?
What if they find you wrapped in a shroud
of silver meshed like spider webs? Or covered
with a boulder big as yourself? Or beheaded,
your skull set in a niche to hold candles,
a sconce behind you like a halo?
What if they find that you were burned, and
traces of the ceremony show it was at dusk,
and that you rode a chariot or a boat
into the afterlife? Or if they find threads
of a cocoon that held you, the only thing except
your bones to survive so long? If so, what
would they say? This is the body of a woman
hale but bent with age, this is the body
of a woman who bore many children,
this is the body of a woman who lost
several teeth, this is the body of a woman
who lived on chestnuts and occasional lambs' meat?
This is the body of a woman,
they would say, and
from a millennium of death
how could you say back:
Not just a young girl dead in childbirth but
a woman blasted from the impact of creation,
not just a woman in her prime but
a mother of the tribe, not just
an old woman but a hallowed elder,
not a woman but a priest,
not a woman but a queen,
not a woman but a vessel for
the energy of Goddess?
This is what they hide from us:
forty thousand years ago a crone was buried
nested in the arms of her young lover
who killed himself upon her death.
Behold, behold.
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Wisdom from by Oberon Zell
To: Our Children of Earth
From: God & Goddess
To: Our Children of Earth
Re: Idiotic Religious Rivalries
Dear Children (and believe us, that's all of you),
We consider ourselves pretty patient folks. For instance, look at the Grand Canyon. It
took millions of years to get it right. And about evolution? Boy, nothing is slower than
designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place, cell by cell, and gene by gene. We've
been patient through your fashions, civilizations, wars and schemes, and the countless
ways you take Us for granted until you get yourselves into big trouble again and again. We
want to let you know about some of the things that are starting to tick Us off.
First of all, your religious rivalries are driving Us up a wall. Enough already! Let's get
one thing straight: These are YOUR religions, not Ours. We're the whole enchilada; We're
beyond them all. Every one of your religions claims there is only one of Us (which by the
way, is absolutely true as the God & Goddess are as one). But in the very next breath,
each religion claims it's Our favorite one. And each claims its scriptures were written
personally by Us, and that all the other scriptures are man-made. Oy Vey! How do We even
begin to put astop to such complicated nonsense?
Okay, listen up now. We're your Father AND Mother, and We don't play favorites among Our
children. Also, We hate to break it to you, but We don't write. Our longhand is awful, and
We've always been more of "doers" anyway. So ALL of your books, including those
Bibles, were written by men and women. They were inspired, remarkable people, but they
also made mistakes here and there. We made sure of that so that you would never trust a
written word more than your own living heart. You see, one human being to Us, even a bum
on the street, is worth more than all the Holy Books in the world. That's just the kind of
folks we are. Our spirit is not a historical thing. It's alive right here, right now, as
fresh as your next breath. Holy books and religious rites are sacred and powerful, but not
more so than the least of you. They were only meant to steer you in the right direction,
not to keep you arguing with each other, and certainly not to keep you from trusting your
own personal connection with Us.
Which brings Us to Our next point about your nonsense. You act like We need you and your
religions to stick up for Us or "win souls" for Our sake. Please, don't do Us
any favors. We can stand quite well on our own, thank you. We don't need you to defend Us,
and We don't need constant credit. We just want you to be good to each other. And another
thing, We don't get all worked up over money or politics, so stop dragging Our names into
your dramas. For example, We swear to Us ::::smile::::, that We never threatened Oral
Roberts. We never rode in any of Rajneesh's Rolls Royce's. We never told Pat Robertson to
run for president, and We've never, EVER had a conversation with Jim Baker, Jerry Falwell,
or Jimmy Swaggart! Of course, come Judgment Day, We certainly intend to.... The thing is,
We want you to stop thinking of religion as some sort of loyalty pledge to Us.
The true purpose of your religions is so that YOU can become more aware of Us, not the
other way around. Believe Us, We know you already. We know what's in each of your hearts,
and We love you with no strings attached. Lighten up and enjoy Us. That's what religion is
best for. What you seem to forget is how mysterious We are. You look at the petty
differences in your Scriptures and say, "Well, if THIS is the truth, then THAT can't
be!" But instead of trying to figure out Our Paradoxes and Unfathomable Nature, which
by the way, you NEVER will, why not open your hearts to the simple common threads in all
religions. You know what We're talking about. Love and respect everyone. Be kind, even
when life is scary or confusing. Take courage and be of good cheer, for We are always with
you. Learn how to be quiet, so you can hear Our still, small voice. (We don't like to
shout). Leave the world a better place by living your life with dignity and gracefulness,
for you are Our Own Children. Hold back nothing from life, for the parts of you that can
die surely will, and the parts that can't, won't. So don't worry, be happy. (We stole that
last line from Bobby McFerrin.) Simple stuff.
Why do you keep making it so complicated? It's like you're always looking for an excuse to
be upset. And We're very tired of being your main excuse. Do you think We care whether you
call Us.... Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, Diana, Wakantonka, Brahma, Cerridwen, Father, Mother,
God, Goddess or even the Void of Nirvana? Do you think We care which of Our special
children you feel closest to, Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Krishna, Gerald, Mohammed or any of the
others? You can call Us and Our Special Ones any name you choose, if only you would go
about Our business of loving one another as We love you. How can you keep neglecting
something so simple?
We're not telling you to abandon your religions. Enjoy your religions, honor them, learn
from them, just as you should enjoy, honor, and learn from your parents. But do you walk
around telling everyone that your parents are better than theirs? Your religion, like your
parents, may always have the most special place in your hearts, We don't mind that at all.
And We don't want you to combine all the Great Traditions in One Big Mess. Each religion
is unique for a reason. Each has a unique style so that people can find the best path for
themselves.
Know that Our Special Children, the ones that your religions revolve around, all live in
the same place, (Our heart), and they get along perfectly, We assure you. The clergy must
stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none. Our blessed children of
Earth, the world has grown too small for your pervasive religious bigotries and confusion.
The whole planet isconnected by air travel, satellite dishes, telephones, fax machines,
rock concerts, diseases, and mutual needs and concerns.
Get with the program! If you really want to help, then commit yourselves to figuring out
how to feed your hungry, clothe your naked, protect your abused, and shelter your poor.
And just as importantly, make your own everyday life a shining example of kindness and
good humor. We've given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon your fear of
each other and begin living, loving and laughing together.
We're not really ticked off. We just wanted to grab your attention because We hate to see
you suffer. But We have given you free will to choose your own paths, and We just want you
to be happy.
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust,
Us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm a living Pentacle"
by Marcia Bianchi
This is a blessing named "I'm a living Pentacle". We start the prayer standing
up, with arms and legs closed...
Start by saying:
" Make me a living Pentacle" ( open your right leg)
"And let me know the strenght and protection of Earth" (open your left leg)
"Receiving the energy and warmth of the Fire of Her center" (open your right
arm)
"Washing me in Water that restores and nourishs" (open your left arm)
"Breathing the Air that inspires and free us" (raise your head)
"May my Spirit receive the Life of the Four Elements"
(visualize a silver cord making a circle around your body)
"To receive the Goddess Consciousness, that is all around and is everything'
Finally, repeat 3 times:
"I'm a Living Pentacle, and through me the Goddess acts in the World"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wisdom from Riane Eisler
MY VISION FOR TOMORROW’S CHILDREN
Adapted from Riane Eisler’s new book
Tomorrow’s Children: A Blueprint for Partnership Education in
the 21st Century
(Westview Press, ISBN 0-8133-9040-0)
For children to find faith that is grounded in reality, they need a new vision of
human nature and our place in the unfolding drama of life on this Earth. What
distinguishes us as a species is not our cruelty and violence but our enormous capacity
for caring and creativity. This is our essential humanity - and the basis for both ancient
and future partnership societies.
I would like us together to envision the partnership schools of the future: schools that
we can build as we work to complete the shift to partnership education and culture.
When I think of the school of the future, I see a place of adventure, magic, and
excitement, a place that, generation after generation, adults will remember from their
youth with pleasure, and continue to participate in to ensure that all children learn to
live rich, caring, and fulfilling lives. An atmosphere of celebration will make coming to
this school a privilege rather than a chore. It will be a safe place, physically safe, and
emotionally safe, a place to express and share feelings and ideas, to create, and to enjoy
- a place where the human spirit will be nurtured and grow, where spiritual courage will
be modeled and rewarded.
In this partnership school, children will learn about the wonder and mystery of evolution.
When they look at the sky, they will know the amazing truth that our stars, which seem so
tiny from afar, are not only immense but afire with enormous energy, and that the energy
of one of these stars, our sun, made possible the miracle of life here on Earth. They will
be awed by how the inanimate became animate and enchanted by the myriad ways life has
continued to reinvent itself. When they look at a stone, leaf, or raindrop, they will be
aware that the tiniest subatomic particles share properties with the largest
constellations of stars, that energy and matter are not really separate, and that all life
forms on our planet share elements of the same genetic code and come from a common
ancestor. They will understand that this interconnected web of life that we call Nature is
both immensely resilient and terribly fragile, that we need to treat our natural habitat
with caring and respect, not only because we depend on nature to survive, but also because
nature is a thing of wonder and beauty - because, as our Native American and prehistoric
European partnership traditions tell us, it is imbued with the Sacred.
In this partnership school, young people will hear many stories of the wonders of life on
our Earth. They will learn that cooperation and caring play a major part in the life of
many species with whom we share our planet, and that what marks our human emergence is not
our capacity to inflict pain but our enormous capacity to give and feel pleasure. They
will know about chemicals that, by the grace of evolution, course through our bodies,
rewarding us with sensations of sometimes exquisite pleasure when we create and care. And
they will understand that this pleasure is ours not only when we are loved but when we
love another, not only when we are touched with caring but when we touch another with
caring.
They will have learned to value women's contributions throughout human history, and to
give particular value to the caring and caretaking work that was once devalued as
“merely women's work.” They will also understand that this work is the highest
calling for both women and men, that nonviolence and caretaking do not make boys
“sissies,” and that when girls are assertive leaders they are not being
“unfeminine” but expressing part of their human potential.
Tomorrow's children will know that all of us, no matter what our color or culture, come
from a common mother, way back in Africa millions of years ago. They will appreciate
difference - beginning with the difference between the female and male halves of humanity.
They will have mental maps that do not lead to the scapegoating and persecution of those
that are not quite like them. They will learn to regulate their own impulses, not out of
fear of punishment and pain, but in anticipation of the pleasure of responsible and truly
satisfying lives and relationships.
Inspiring stories will be told about powerful female deities - from the North American
Corn Mother and the Greek Goddess Demeter, Givers of the Fruits of the Earth, to the
Indian Goddess Sarasvati and the Sumerian Goddess Nidaba, honored as inventors of the art
of writing. Stories will also be told of heroic women and men who worked for a safer, more
equitable world - and how we too can use our creativity to create a partnership world.
In these partnership schools, tomorrow's children will form visions of what can be and
acquire the understandings and skills to make these visions come true. They will learn how
to create partnership families and communities worldwide. And they will join together to
construct a world where chronic violence, inequality, and insensitivity will no longer be
“just the way things are” but “the way things once were.”
******
Many of us are already fashioning some of the educational building blocks for constructing
the partnership schools of the future; for example, the Weaving the Future: Partnership
Schools project of the Center for Partnership Studies. CPS is collaborating with schools,
universities, and other organizations in gathering, developing, and disseminating
curriculum content, learning processes, and educational structures that reflect
partnership attitudes, values and skills. Information can be obtained from the CPS website
.
Of particular interest for teachers and home-schooling parents is that, in collaboration
with the University of Kansas Center for Research and Learning (a leader in continuing
teacher education), CPS offers teacher professional development workshops in various U.S.
regions. These workshops, incorporating the partnership model in content, process, and
structure, can be taken for continuing educational credit. Longer workshops for
“training of trainers” will accelerate replication of partnership education
nationally and internationally.
In addition, plans are underway at the California State University Monterey Bay for a
Masters program for educators who want to use partnership education, blending content
(what we learn and teach), process (how we learn and teach), and structure (where we learn
and teach).
Working together, we can build a new educational system based on the principles of the
partnership school. And as we do, we will not only lay the foundations for the new
education young people need for the 21st century, but for a more sustainable, equitable,
and caring world.
Dr. Riane Eisler is the author of the international bestseller The Chalice & The
Blade, hailed by Princeton anthropologist Ashley Montagu as "the most important book
since Darwin's Origin of Species.” Her most recent book is the groundbreaking
Tomorrow’s Children: A Blueprint for Partnership Education in the 21st Century
(Westview Press). Other books drawing from her research as a cultural historian and
systems theorist include Sacred Pleasure, The Partnership Way, and Women, Men, and the
Global Quality of Life. Dr. Eisler is President of the Center for Partnership Studies,
keynotes conferences worldwide, and consults for business and government on applying the
partnership model and cultural transformation theory to all aspects of life - from the
family and business to education, politics, and the environment. Center for Partnership
Studies, P.O. Box 51936, Pacific Grove, California 93950 Phone (831) 626-1004 Fax (831)
626-3734 website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wisdom from Patricia Monaghan
Praisesong for Her
She is a tree in a circle of stones.
She is a crossroad at noon.
She is a breeze in the red mountain ash.
She is a hill on a night without stars.
She is a tear of the sun.
She is the moon on the ripening grass.
She is a hawk in the circling sky.
She is the eye of a hound.
She is a deer by the river of glass.
She is a berry of red mountain ash.
She is the seed of bright grasses.
She is a stone in the river of glass.
She is the sigh as time passes.
Venus of Laussel
You rise in my dreams
like the power of stone,
breaking the glass door
between wind and the body.
You are the measurer:
blood of my moons,
lines of my years.
A thread of breath
connects me to time,
wind in my blood,
a thread to your womb.
Thirteen short lines-
You rise, then are gone.
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~ Goddess 2000 Project ~
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