About
Queen Mama Donna
Donna Henes is an internationally renowned urban shaman, award-winning author, popular speaker, and workshop leader whose joyful celebrations of celestial events have introduced ancient traditional rituals and contemporary ceremonies to millions of people in more than 100 cities since 1972. She has published four books, a CD, an acclaimed quarterly journal and writes a column for UPI (United Press International) Religion and Spirituality Forum. Mama Donna, as she is affectionately called, maintains a ceremonial center, spirit shop, ritual practice and consultancy in Exotic Brooklyn, NY where she works with individuals, groups, institutions, municipalities and corporations to create meaningful ceremonies for every imaginable occasion.
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CALLING ALL QUEENS!
The Queen's Chronicles
Offers upbeat, practical, and ceremonial inspiration for all women who want to enjoy the fruits of an influential, passionate, and powerful maturity.
Each issue of The Queen's Chronicles features:
HAIL QUEENS!Musings and commentary by Queen Mama Donna Henes on all aspects of sovereignty and empowerment.QUEENS AND SHEROESStories about exemplary role models of extraordinary valor and moral authority. ARTICLES OF SPECIAL INTERESTTo Self-identified, Self-expressed, accomplished women of a certain age.THE QUEEN'S COURT A virtual gathering of sovereign women - our dear peers - who graciously offer guidance, encouragement, and support to each other.THE QUEEN'S CORRESPONDENCELetters from Queens in response to content in The Queen's Chronicles.WHERE THE QUEENS ARELetters, stories, and photos from Sister Queens worldwide sharing news of their regal Queen Circles, projects, and gatherings. KUDOS TO THE QUEENSCongratulations to Queens in our ever-expanding circles for their sweet successes and accomplishments.CIRCLE OF CONCERNListing Queens who have requested positive energy and spiritual support in aid of their healing.And So Much More! ARCHIVED ISSUES
I would appreciate it if you would please forward The Queen's Chronicles to people who might value it.
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She knows She can handle whatever might come Her way, because She has, in fact, already done so. She is focused and engaged, fruitful, and a newly fierce champion on Her own behalf. This gives Her clarity of vision and purpose. She knows what She wants and knows She wants it now.
-QMD
Consult the
Midlife Midwife
The transition from Maiden and Mother to Queen can be a difficult one, fraught with hard lessons and lots of loss. It takes great determination and courage to confront and embrace the changes brought about by the midlife passage.
It can be really helpful during this confusing time to have the inspiration, advice and encouragement of a counselor, coach, or mentor - someone who has been there and done that and is ready to help you do the same.
Queen Mama Donna offers upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity.
TURN YOUR MIDLIFE CRISIS INTO YOUR CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT!
Further information: www.thequeenofmyself.com
Click on Individual Consultations.
Sessions are available in person and by phone. To make an appointment, call 718-857-1343 or email the Queen at TheQueenOfMySelf@aol.com
"Creating your life one choice at a time, is the dance of a free woman."
-Sibyl Lee-English
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Good News!
The Queen of My Self is now in its second printing.
The Queen of My Self is in its second printing. It has reently achieved best seller status in the Religion>New Age>Goddess>Books category on www.amazon.com.
To celebrate this milestone and as a measure of my appreciation, I am offering a complimentary Great Women Rulers of the World ruler for every book ordered through the website www. The queenofmyself.com.
This offer expires September 1, 2008.
ORDER YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY NOW!
(Enter the code QC on the paypal form to get your complimentary ruler.)
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A Queen Event
Near You
GLOBAL
August 21
Journey to Self Radio Interview
1:00 PM EDT
Info
Listen Live
MASSACHUSETTS
September 7
Love, Light & Laughter Gathering
The Queen of My Self Presentation
The Holiday Inn
Taunton, MA
For information and registration:
(508) 265-7929
events@aspiremag.net
http://www.lovelightlaughter.net/
NEW YORK
October 31
Greenwich Village Halloween Parade
Mama Donna and her Blessing Band
Official leaders of the World Famous
Rehearsals: Saturdays, Oct. 18 & 25.
To join the Blessing Band,
contact Mama Donna at: thequeenofmyself@aol.com
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Have Crown, Will Travel!
To discuss booking Queen Mama Donna for a reading, presentation, workshop, or a keynote address in your area, call her at 718-857-1343 or e-mail her at TheQueenOfMySelf@aol.com
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Kudos to the Queens!
Swah Devi, NY; Karen Fitzgerald, NY; Sheila Pepe, NY; Patricia Smith, NY; on the exhibitions of their artwork.
Roshi Joan Halifax, NM, Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death; Shiloh Sophia McCloud, CA, Heart of the Visionary: A Workbook for Women's Work; on their new publications.
Amalya (aka Amy Peck), CA, for her appearance on San Diego Living TV; Jehan, NY and Serpentessa, NY, for their appearance on ABC Wife Swap; and Daile Kaplan, NY, for her sixth season on the Antiques Roadshow.
Cheri Gaulke and Sue Mayberry, CA, on their marriage.
Donna Degnan, NY, on her new acupuncture practice, Sibyl Lee-English, Mexico on her new home; Patricia Smith, NY on her new job.
Send your good news, achievements, accomplishments, successes and celebrations so that our international circle of sovereign sisters can send you blessings and accolades.
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Circle of Concern
Please Offer Your Purest Thoughts, Your Heart-Felt Prayers, Your Great Good Feelings, And Your Very Best Blessings For Healing and Peace of Mind to:
Amy, NY; Amy, TX; Berenice, NY; Carol. NY, Daile, NY; Deni, NY; Dominique, NM; Donna, NY; Edie, PA; Gail, OH; Geraldine, CA; Ilene, NY; Irma, FL; Jo, AZ; Kimi, NJ; Letitia, VA; Linda, NJ; Linda, NY; Lynne, NY; Maude, NY; Naomi, NY; Roberta, NY; Susan, MA; and Vila, PA.
May Their Spirits Rest in Peace:
Dulcie Barlow
Karen Blomberg
Please send your requests for physical and spiritual healing and positive energy so that the powerful women of The Queen's Court might send their prayers and blessings to you in your time of need.
What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?
-George Eliot
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The Queen's Emporium
Make sure to visit The Queen's Emporium, which specializes in all manner of elegant, practical, and frivolous goods to fulfill all the royal needs and fantasies of The Queen of Your Self. Therein you will find a choice collection of goods to augment and accessorize your royal prerogative.
Anoint, Adorn, Enjoy!
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Imagine Your Ad Here!
Would you like to offer information about your business to the 4000+ Queens in our royal network across the country and around the world?
Advertising listings in The Queen's Chronicles are available for $50/per issue with significant discounts for ongoing listings.
For more information and to place your order contact: thequeenofmyself@aol.com or call 718-857-1343.
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Royal Resources
for Queenly Women
Our extended circle of Queens includes some mightily talented women. Please support them by availing yourself of their superior services and by buying their excellent products.
Maguire Pubic RelationsExpertise in journalism and marketing qualifies us to position and deliver the news of our clients
Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist.Focusing on women's health and other chronic issues
Psychic reader, medium,
pet communicator
Simple Recipes for Hibachi
Herbal Magic & Sacred Space
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Hail Queens!
My friend Kay is the official folklorist of Brooklyn. This winter she organized a month long Arab music festival. One of the evenings was a belly dance extravaganza, which I attended with my entire Goddess Group.
I was still on my cane following my fall a few months earlier, but that didn't prevent me from getting up to swing my hips with everyone else during the participatory dance jam sessions in between the performer's sets.
How could I stay in my seat? The music was so mesmerizing and the dancers so alluring. A sea of swaying, undulating arms, breasts and bellies, moving to the rhythms of the ages. That room was filled with fiery female energy. We were all, men and women alike, enveloped in the embrace of the Goddess.
Sometimes it's blood memory... not the blood your mother and father gave you... but that which stretches back two or three thousand years.
-Martha Graham
"I want to learn how to belly dance," I announced and Suzanne immediately said that she would take lessons with me. But I was hesitant about attending a class full of twenty-something skinny girls.
I really didn't want to be the only zaftig mama old enough to almost be their grandmother in the bunch. But then, again, the Queen doesn't deign to think such petty thoughts. Or does she?
Andrea, one of the women in one of my spirit support groups, a long time belly dancer who is twenty-something, lovely and lithe, directed me to the perfect class. A beginner's class with women from their twenties to their sixties, every shape, size, color and aptitude.
And so, at the age of 62 I have taken up belly dance. Or perhaps I should say it has taken me up and held me in its thrall. It feels so natural, somehow. Sensual, earthy, elemental. Slightly sinful and delicious. It got my juices flowing big time.
I first saw belly dancing in Morocco thirty years ago. The women weremuch older than me, mature and fleshy. Real women who had seen a lot of life and who knew a lot of things. Secure in their own power, they danced with assurance, and emanated an authoritative energy rather like Gypsy flamenco dancers.
Belly dancing gets better with age. My friend Serpentessa is an extraordinary belly dancer who performs with her snakes. She moves like the serpents who are her familiars. She is no spring chicken, but a juicy autumn hen. My teacher's teacher is coming to New York this fall to give classes in double veil technique. She is in her 80's.
Last summer I gave a keynote address and workshop about The Queen at the International Goddess Conference in Glastonbury. On the last day there was celebration to honor the 90th birthday of Grand Dame Lady Olivia Robertson founder of the Fellowship of Isis.
She appeared in a transparent gossamer toga-like garment, trailing veils and her long flowing white hair behind her. She danced slowly, with a concentrated reverence. Every movement was a prayer - in touch, intense and internal. Essential. Archetypal.
A ceremony to crown the Queens and the Crones followed Lady Olivia's awesome dance. The mature women at the conference chose whether they were Queens or Crones.
There were maybe a hundred Queens sitting in a large circle and about a dozen Crones in a small circle inside of that round of Queens. The Maidens and Mothers sat outside of the circle and bore witness to the crownings. Nonagenarian Lady Olivia, Goddess bless her soul, insisted on being crowned a Queen. And so she is! It's got to be the dancing.
With blessings of supple grace and grandeur,
If I can't dance - I don't want to be part of your revolution.
-Emma Goldman
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Queen of Rock and Roll
I recently saw Tina Turner's 60th birthday concert, the last of her career. She took my breath away. She was backed by a bevy of beautiful young women, who, despite their gorgeous faces and figures and great dancing skill, seemed pale and insipid in contrast to the hypnotic power of the triumphant Tina.
Her body was panther-muscled and solid. Her face bore witness to her journey, her hard time times and her victories. Her gaze was intense with the accumulated knowledge of her years. Her passion was palpable and electrifying. Here on my television screen was a female force of nature. A fabulous, fierce, fiery goddess - Pele, Kali, Coatlicue.
Tina Turner, n�e Anna Mae Bullock was born to a mixed race (Native and African American) share-cropping family in Nutbush, Tennessee in the segregated South on November 26, 1939. Abandoned by their parents, Turner and her sister were raised by their grandmother. In 1956 when Anna was 16, they moved to St. Louis to reunite with their mother.
The city opened up a whole new world of R&B clubs to the teenager. One night during her first year in town, she was called onto the stage to sing with Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, and the rest is herstory.
Ike recruited her at the last second to replace an A.W.O.L. backup singer for the recording session for "A Fool In Love." She delivered a spine-tingling performance, which convinced Ike to take her into the band as his prot�g�e with a new name to fit her persona.
Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.
-Faith Whittlesey
Six years later in 1962, they were married in Tijuana, Mexico while Tina was pregnant with their son. She had already had a son from an earlier relationship with a musician.
The Ike and Tina Turner Revue had few commercial recording hits, but they tore up live venues with their high-powered live stage shows and toured with the likes of James Brown and Ray Charles. Tina's electric charisma became more and more recognized as the star power behind the group's international success.
Backstage, life wasn't so great. Ike was a violent, drug-addicted wife-beater who was not above frequently knocking Tina around both publicly and privately. Despite hits such as "Proud Mary" and Tina's self-penned "Nutbush City Limits", further mainstream success eluded the group and Ike blamed Tina.
After years of misery and a failed suicide attempt, Tina finally had enough abuse and walked out. In July of 1976, she fled her marriage as well as the Revue with 36 cents and a Mobil gasoline credit card in her purse. Despite owing a huge debt to tour promoters for bailing out, she refused to fight for a monetary settlement from Ike. She would do it on her own, thank you very much.
It was long and sometimes humiliating trek back to the top for Tina, who was now nearing 40. But even though her gigs were far between and obscure. Queen Tina was having a blast being fully in charge of her own life and career. She credited her Buddhist practice with giving her the faith and drive to persevere.
It was in 1984 that she staged what is considered by some the most amazing comeback in rock music history and achieved international super-stardom. Her fifth solo album, "Private Dancer" was a huge success and established Turner as a credible solo artist. At the 1985 Grammy Awards, her astonishing revival was recognized with nominations in the rock, R&B and pop categories and rewarded with four trophies. Since that time, her success as a singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress has been on a roll. A Rock and Roll.
In 2000 at the age of 60, Queen Tina announced that she would no longer tour or perform live, but she remains one of the world's most popular and biggest-selling music artists of all time with eight Grammy Awards and record sales in excess of 180 million.
Tina Turner is the undisputed Queen of Rock and Roll, able to thrill audiences like no other woman in music history. But she is much more than that. She is a Queen of Life and Living. A supreme shero of suffering and surviving, of striving and thriving.
Rock on, Queen Tina.
I am a dancer. I believe that we learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living.... In each it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement, a sense of one's being, a satisfaction of spirit.
-Martha Graham
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Persephone Goes Bar Hopping
Once I doted on glitter shoes,
but they just don't fit today.
It's a shame really,
they made my legs look so good.
These fine feet are big and wide,
I like some space to stand.
You know, if I squint just so,
it looks from here
as if daisies are bloomin�ˆ
from my fingertips.
And they look just right
with these strong brown arms.
Just check with the guys
stuffin' quarters in the juke,
beggin' me to dance all night.
Honey, they don't call me
queen of the underworld
for nothin'.
It's my rhythm that hooks 'em.
I never hold back
and I don't rush a thing.
� Victory Lee Schouten
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The Queen's Correspondence
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to The Queen's Chronicles. Please keep your comments coming. And do feel free to make suggestions about content you would like to see. Or anything else, for that matter. It is a joy to connect with you.
Letters In Response To The June 2008 Issue
I loved the bee story! A friend and I have been commiserating about the lack of bees and she's been visualizing bees, and they have returned to her place in full force. Also, the story of the women from India is very inspiring. Gives one hope that we, too, can make a difference in the world - no matter how small. Love ya,
-Nancy, NC
It may be disillusioning, but worker bees live a few weeks. Queens, who stay in the hive breeding except for their single nuptial flight, do live for years. It turns out that the bee disease is a virus, which first emerged in Israel and has been working its way around the world. It's been and gone upstate where about 20 percent of the bees survived. Part of the problem with bee diseases is that because bees are almost clones of one another, their genetic diversity is low, so if a disease strikes it can be more devastating than with other kinds of critters. I understand both from the scientific literature and from bee keepers that once the disease passes a particular point the survivors seem to work very hard to reconstitute hives. Dare I say it, but this pattern is typical of a, um, virgin epidemic (the technical term for the first time a population encounters a particular disease. Another theory is insecticides. Bees are insects (duh!) and so are somewhat vulnerable to insecticides. They are in contact with insecticides as they go about pollinating crops, plus, some keepers use insecticides in the hives to keep lice under control. The causes may well be multivariate - i.e. bees are weakened, but not killed by exposure to insecticides, then succumb to the virus.
-Monica, NY
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the article about the bees. This and related subjects are my professional specialty. Electromagnetic Energy Pollution is part of the challenge. I have been researching this for eight years. This may be a greater threat than global warming because it is invisible and very few people are addressing it. We are seeing the effects with the bees who are like the canary in the mine. Basically, all of our electricity and wireless energy systems are vibrating at a frequency code that nature does not recognize and is therefore detrimental. This frequency pattern or design language is causing the collapse of the immune system of Mother Earth, who is literally being electrocuted. We have some very possible simple answers and solutions available to us now. Shifting the frequency pattern to a language that nature recognizes by placing resonators on all energy systems: power lines, cell towers, cell phones, all electric and water lines, etc. can easily and inexpensively upgrade our environments to shift the design language frequency emission to a frequency that is beneficial, harmonious and balancing to all living things, and keep the function intact so we can continue to enjoy all of the conveniences of our modern technology and take care of Mother Earth and our immune systems. I am in the process of putting together a research and info packet that I will email to anyone who is interested in learning more.
-Tika, NC
tikavales@yahoo.com
Loved your latest missive on bees and glad yours resumed its habit as a "boomerang bee." Buzz,
-Gail, NY
Thank you for being a caring QUEEN - appreciating the Divine Feminine in all of Her pursuits in spreading the busyness of honey love. I'm glad God/dess has a sweet tooth! Namaste,
-Pauline, OH
I love reading The Queen's Chronicles. Absolutely love it! Thank you so much for putting me on your healing and prayer list. No wonder why I'm feeling so exceptional today!!! You are some kind of wonderful Mama D, some kind of wonderful!!!
-Kimi, NJ
Wow! That story of Queens Bee and Shukla made me cry and made my heart open to women around the world who stand up for what is right and true!! BLESSED BEES!!!!!!!!!!!
-Sheryll, CA
The Queen's Chronicles was fascinating and delicious as usual.
-Susan, MA
You always find the most interesting women to report on. Thank you so much. And thanks for keeping me in you Circle of Concern. My last surgery is on July 16.
-Deni, NY
What a wonderful newsletter. I have forwarded it on to several women I know will enjoy it. Wishing you continued success and abundance.
-Pam, NY
Thanks so much for The Queen's Chronicles. I really enjoyed reading it. You are a terrific resource. Aloha,
-Princess June, HI
Please send your responses to thequeenofmyself@aol.com
Your letters will be printed in the next Queen's Chronicles.
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Where the Queens Are
USA
VIRGINIA
There is no easy way to announce a death. My spiritual partner, Karen Blomberg, died yesterday morning in the Inyo mountains of California while on a Vision Quest. She was co-developer of the Authenticity Series, a Presbyterian minister, a life coach, a writer, a musician and funny as hell. (Perhaps hell is not so funny but she could make it seem so). She had prepared for the journey, the Vision Quest, for over a year. She died surrounded by 12 loving and spiritual women on quest who held her, prayed over her, sang over her and performed CPR for the long time it took to get to a hospital. She found a portal in a sacred place and passed into her next form (or formlessness) while being tended to by the holy 12. She left with no unfinished business, as she said, "I finished my to do list." The stages of quest; severance (of ties with the physical, with the old), threshold (crossing into unknown spiritual terrain) and incorporation (moving into a new shape with the wisdom and the responsibility to share it with the community) were realized majestically by Karen over the last several days. She died the death of a master: she was conscious through her last breath. She will be sorely missed by so many communities. She was a soulful person who listened deeply and was present to so many people, that she was able, seemingly effortlessly, to connect deeply with strangers and friends alike. She made an impact immediately with grace and ease. And boy could she deliver a sermon! There is so much more to say, and so little to say. As Thich Nhat Hanh teaches: no fear, no death.
-Dava Money, VA
Karen Blomberg, second from left.
Please send your Queenly news!
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Turn Your Midlife Crisisinto Your Crowning Achievement!
It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.
-Bette Midler
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