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 for the Huffington Post and 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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I am touched by your book, So nitty-gritty, right-on, practical
and truthful and right to the point. It confirms my journey and feeds my sense
of substance, though I feel fragile as I come back together again in my
midlife. Because my journey has always been inner and deep, I find mirrors,
only occasionally that reveal the truth of my experience. Thank you. Thank you
again.
- NancyAnn, AZ
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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.
I would appreciate it if you would please forward The Queen's Chronicles to people who might value it.
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Donate To The Queen's Chronicles
My dear sister Queens,
Writing The Queen's Chronicles is a joy and an honor - a labor of true love - but, the fact remains
that it takes a great deal of time and effort and requires the services of a
techno-cyber Queen to be able to offer it each month. Consequently, after two
years of publishing, the royal coffers are sadly diminished and in desperate
need of replenishing.
Your donations will allow me to continue to provide you with
a monthly offering of information and inspiration for
an influential, passionate and powerful maturity.
I thank you so much for your royal support. With your help, The
Queen's Chronicles can maintain its mission
to promote meaning, moxie, magic and majesty to women in midlife.
With regal blessings,
xxQueen Mama Donna
$10. Bronze Queen
- Receive my deepest appreciation
$25. Copper Queen
- Receive my utmost gratitude
$50.
Silver Queen
- Receive a complimentary copy of The Queen of My Self
$100. Gold Queen - Receive a complimentary copy of The Queen of My Self - Plus a Queen T Shirt
$500. Platinum Queen - Receive a complimentary copy of The Queen of My Self
- Plus a Queen T Shirt
- Plus a Queen Tote Bag
- Plus a vial of The Queen's Oil of Empowerment
$1000. Diamond Queen
- Receive a complimentary copy of The Queen of My Self
- Plus a Queen Tote Bag filled with Queenly Treasures from The Queen's Emporium:
- T Shirt - Spa Set - Empowerment Oil - Women Rulers of the
World - A pair of Swarovski Crystal Crown Earrings
OR
SEND A TAX DEDUCTIBLE
DONATION:
Send a check made out to Franklin
Furnace Archives (my fiscal sponsor).
Put for: Donna Henes In the subject line.
Mail to:
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The James E. Davis Arts Building
80 Hanson Place #301
Brooklyn, NY 11217-1506
You will receive a receipt for your taxes. Make
sure you include your email and mailing address.
THANK YOU!
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I really want to thank you
again for creating/holding a space of trust and support. It was because I felt
safe that the sharing was so true.
Thank for your gentle nudging, it taught me new ways of dealing with
things. Much love & thanks always,
- Cat, NY
Are you looking for meaning, moxie, magic and
majesty in midlife?
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/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.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE
QUEEN'S COUNSEL
Ever
since I first introduced The Queen as a helpful archetype for midlife women, I
have received hundreds of requests for detailed instructions on how to become a
Queen.
"Dear
Mama Donna," women would write, "I want to be a Queen, too. How do I access my
power? How can I feel good about myself? How do I change my life? How do I find
magic and spiritual wisdom? How do I know what to do? How do I learn how to
rule?"
The
reality is that I cannot possibly know how anyone else will attain her
Queendom, I only know how I came into mine, and that is largely through
hindsight. The truth, my truth, at least, is that there is no one true truth.
We must each find our own way in this world.
As a
shaman, I teach through example, but not through dictum. I can and do offer
information, exposure, personal experience, encouragement, inspiration,
suggestions and support to my constituents, but I cannot - dare not - pass
judgment or establish rules and laws. It is simply not for me to say.
When you come to me for help and spiritual guidance, I
listen to your concerns and embrace your needs. I pat you on the back, give you
a good, swift kick in the butt, or let you cry on my shoulder, as needed. I can
tell you what I did in such and such situation, how I did it, what I learned
from this or that lesson, but I cannot tell you what you should do. How do I
know what your soul needs?
Only you know what you know. I can, of course, aid you in
reaching into the well of your own deepest wisdom, and help you to hear the
messages from your best inner Selves. And I can offer tools and practices to
help you develop the confidence to follow your own purpose, path, passion and
power.
A woman who I have been working with recently told me that I
had changed her life. "Well, no, of course, I didn't, honey," I assured her.
"You changed your own life." The fact of the matter remains that I could not
give her what was not already hers.
xxQMD
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 [email protected]
As you begin
to understand the immense power and love you hold inside, you will find an
unending surge of joy, light and love that will nourish and support you all the days of your life.
- Susan Jeffers
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A Queen Event Near You
Isis Institute Queens, Austin, TX
DECEMBER
GLOBAL
DECEMBER
1-31
MAMA DONNA'S HAPPY
BIRTHDAY TAROT CLUB 1/3 off
reading for December Birthdays. In person or by phone.
For
info: 718-857-1343 [email protected]
NEW YORK
DECEMBER 1 - 31
MAMA
DONNA'S SPIRIT SHOP OPEN HOUSE
Shop for all of your seasonal gift and ritual needs.
Mama
Donna's Tea Garden & Healing Haven
Park
Slope, Exotic Brooklyn, NY
For
info: 718-857-1343 [email protected] By appointment only! GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE.
DECEMBER
18
FRIDAY, 7:00 - 10:00PM
TAROT
SALON
Mama
Donna offers 15-minute readings for only $25!
Free
wine and refreshments.
Kris Waldherr Art and
Words
1501
Newkirk Avenue
(entrance
on Marlborough Road, around the corner)
Brooklyn,
NY 11226
For info: 347-406-5811
DECEMBER 21
MONDAY, 12:30PM
35th ANNUAL WINTER SOULSTICE CELEBRATION
KEEPING THE FIRES BURNING FOR PEACE
A Celestially Auspicious Occasion with Mama Donna &
Friends. Celebrate the first moment of winter - it gets lighter from
here on! Drum up the spirit. Bring drums, percussion, children, positive
energy. A family friendly event.
Bowling Green, Manhattan
Free
FEBRUARY
GLOBAL
FEBRUARY
1-28
MAMA DONNA'S HAPPY
BIRTHDAY TAROT CLUB 1/3 off
reading for February Birthdays. In person or by phone.
For
info: 718-857-1343 [email protected]
WASHINGTON
FEBRUARY 13
SATURDAY,
1:30PM -4:30PM
WOMEN OF WISDOM CONFERENCE
MEANING, MOXIE AND MAJESTY IN MIDLIFE
Workshop and
Royal Coronation Ceremony.
Seattle, Washington
APRIL
GLOBAL
APRIL 1-30
MAMA DONNA'S HAPPY
BIRTHDAY TAROT CLUB 1/3 off
reading for April Birthdays. In person or by phone.
For
info: 718-857-1343 [email protected]
CONNECTICUT
APRIL 29 - MAY 2
THURSDAY EVENING - SUNDAY BELTAINE FESTIVAL: A PAGAN ODYSSEY Mama Donna is a guest workshop leader and ritualist. Hosted by the Panthean Temple.
For information: 203-660-1369
[email protected]
www.paganodyssey.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 [email protected]
Can a room filled with women ever be completely silent?
The answer is: if Mama Donna is talking, yes! Mama Donna kept 40 of us
enchanted, enthralled and empowered throughout her workshop, 'Queen of My
Self.' Long live the Queen(s)!
- Amber Grey, Co-Chair
Unitarian Universalist Womenspirit Institute
HIghlands, NC
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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!
The
Queen's Oil of Empowerment is a dandy little ritual. Every morning I bless my
Self before going out into the world. It helps me stay in a place of personal
sovereignty.
-
Charlene, UT
My
women's group starts every meeting by blessing each other with power.
- Faye, ME
THE QUEEN'S OIL OF
EMPOWERMENT
A ritual in a bottle. Use this oil to bless
your Self with the sovereignty that you seek. Made by Queen Mama Donna,
herself.
2 oz. bottle in gauze
bag
$35
(Includes shipping in the USA)
I N G R E D I E N T S
Oil
of Rose to stimulate the blossoming of
your spirit
Oil
of Myrrh to heal
all old wounds to the heart, so
that you can keep it open with safety
Oil
of Dragon's Blood
for passion, power and purpose
Four
Carnelians to
stimulate your physical and sexual energy, eloquence and enhanced charisma
A
Tongue of Fire (Lengua de Fuego) Seed to remind you to speak your truth
Two
Blue Corn Seeds
for growth, expansion and abundance
A
Peon�a Seed to
enhance your personal power
A
Rose Thorn for
protection
Cayenne for courage
Purple Glitter for joy
ORDER YOURS TODAY!
The Queen's Emporium
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Imagine Your Ad Here!
Welcome to our new
advertisers:
Amber
Barbara Grumet,
the director of Feldenkrais Associates.
Amber is an amazing body worker who will teach you methods to help you stand
and walk in your center and to look and feel great.
Deirdre Mullane, director of
Mullane Literary Associates. Deirdre is a really fabulous editor and publishing ally. She offers a full
range of editorial services that will help you reach the widest potential
audience.
Thanks, Amber and Deirdre for your support and
your desire to network with our fabulous royal readers around the globe.
May you be successful in your endeavors and blessed with spiritual and material abundance.
YOUR
ad in The Queen's Chronicles!
Would you like to reach the 5000+ Queens in our royal network across the country and around the world with information about your business?
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: [email protected] 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.
Dr. Susan Corso Omnifaith spiritual insights for seekers and finders
Eve's Garden Celebrating the sacred power of women's sexual energy
Feldenkrais Associates
Discover
the Feldenkrais Method with Amber Barbara Grumet, director of Feldenkrais
Associates. Become aware of how you move in order to improve your overall
functioning. Through group lessons or individual hands-on sessions you learn to
expand your potential in all areas.
For info: 212
242-2309 or [email protected]
Maguire Pubic RelationsExpertise in journalism and marketing qualifies us to position and deliver the news of our clients
Marya Leonard
Professional Tax Preparation. Individuals and Small Businesses. 25+ years experience. Efficient, Accurate & Reasonable. 646-620-7232 Melissa HarrisInspirational women's art and messages - Spirit Essence Portraits - Painting Outside the Lines workshops Menopause Support Group
A community of patients, family members and
friends dedicated to dealing with Menopause, together. Register for free.
MLA Editorial Services
Whether you're
looking to publish with a top trade house, a prestigious academic press, or are
considering self-publishing your work, we can help you shape and polish your
manuscript to the highest professional standards. We specialize in serious
nonfiction. More than 20-years experience.
Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist.Focusing on women's health and other chronic issues
Spruce Shore CottageRestore yourself on the Maine coast. Lovely cabin for rent. Minutes from Acadia National Park. Ocean, sky, full kitchen. Contact Weslea Sidon via email or call 207-244-9897
Talking to the Goddess
An
anthology of blessings, prayers, invocations, chants, oriki and other sacred
writings by 72 women (including Queen Mama Donna) from 25 different spiritual
traditions. 10% of profits go towards funding the education of a female student
at the University of Venda, South Africa.
Jewelry celebrating our maturing Selves,
naturally seasoned to perfection! As we mature, we are more true to our Selves
- and become perfectly luscious works of art! Wear yours proudly.
Specializing
in Soulful Web Site Design and Creative Marketing Solutions for Soulful
Businesses & Professionals
The
Tarot and the Mysteries of Love and Sex by Mel
Flemming
An explicitly erotic Wiccan deck that
passionately and lovingly celebrates the Great Rite with illustrations of
master artworks. Available
in ebook,
paperback,
and kindle formats.
Your Advertisement Here!
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It is my hope that as more and
more women rise to reign in the fullest potential of our supremacy, we
will harness our purpose, passion, and power and direct it toward
creating a more balanced and peaceful world. This is the legacy of Her
majesty. - QMD
Turn Your Midlife Crisis into Your Crowning Achievement!
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Sending greetings to all for holidays filled with joy and cheer. Happy, happy. Merry, merry. Peace on the planet. Good will to all. And to all a good light!
Best blessings of the season from the Queen Team.
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Hail Queens!
It
is coming up on five years since the publication of The Queen of My Self. This anniversary has
sparked introspection, provoked evaluation and evoked some amazing memories.
This seems like the perfect time to share the back story of the birth of the book.
Seizing My Sovereignty
Back From Hostile Forces
I
was, of course, thrilled when The Queen was sold to a prestigious publisher
with an advance that would allow me to write full time for several months without
worrying about the rent. The best part was that they committed to a vigorous
promotion plan - very rare in publishing even back then.
My
deadline was brutally tight, but necessary in order to have a big launch on
Mother's Day as they had planned. I handed in the completed manuscript exactly
on time. And then waited for six weeks with no word of response.
Something
was wrong. They would never keep to the schedule at this rate. Finally I
received a 12 page, single-spaced, 8 point print letter critiquing the book.
Not the writing so much as the premise, the title even. "The Queen of my
Self. Isn't that selfish?"
Uh
oh.
This
was odd and extremely frustrating since they bought the book based on a
detailed outline and a full chapter synopsis, title and all, which they loved.
And I delivered them precisely what I had contracted to do.
The
criticism was contradictory: on the one hand the rituals I described were called too
personal, too spiritual. And on the other hand, my private life apparently wasn't personal
enough. What are the names and stories of my lovers and my son? Basically, they
wanted me to be identified by my relations to the men in my life. Please! A
Queen is Her own Self.
My
editor was a man, not yet 40. He was palpably threatened by The Queen. He
finally said, "I just can't relate to this book." Duh! "It is not about you," I replied. "You don't need to be diabetic to publish a book on diabetes."
It
was clear that there would be no support for The Queen whatsoever. I could
not sit back and let it die on the vine. Besides, how could I deign to write a
book about empowerment if I let that little twerp stand on my neck?
The Queen takes charge. She steps up to the situations of Her life and
takes back the reins of Her power.
So
after much research and soul searching, I paid back the advance and bought back
my rights. My first three books had spanned the spectrum of publishers: one with
Astro Artz, an obscure, now-defunct house; one with Avalon, a distinguished
mid-level consortium; and one with Putnam, a huge publisher with many imprints.
My experience with them all led me to believe that I could not do worse!
No sooner
did I make the terrifying decision to publish the book myself, than I received
an amazing affirmation of the correctness of my decision. On my way home from
filing the registration papers for Monarch Press, I stopped at the post office.
There in my box was a handwritten blurb for the cover of The Queen sent in completely unsolicited by
Dr. Christiane Northrop!
The Queen
chooses always to involve Herself fully in the process of Her life and living,
and to actively direct the drama of Her own myth.
So,
with my partner Daile Kaplan, I founded Monarch Press and assembled a Dream Queen Team. Daile
generously shared her resources and business acumen and came up with the name,
Monarch Press. Deirdre Mullane, my literary agent, supplied 20 years of
publishing experience and know-how as well as brilliant editing. Patricia Smith
created the gorgeous, elegant book design and branding logo, as well as the
template for The Queen's Chronicles. Janet Fish designed the website and keeps it running.
Janice Pemberton took on the administration and distribution.
Together we
made a book that has won a very wide audience, critical acclaim and awards, and
Amazon.com bestseller status. But most important, we operated out of our ideals
and we learned invaluable lessons in the process. We were all empowered in our
personal lives in one way or another.
Now five
years, twenty-two issues of The Queen's Chronicles, hundreds of gatherings, and
thousands of letters and emails later, I can honestly and proudly proclaim that
The Queen of My Self has had far-reaching influence on the lives of a huge number of women.
These sister Queens - you! - comprise the influential court of powerful women
who are changing the world from
the inside out.
Knowing through Her personal experience what
is true and valuable, and having learned, usually the hard way, to be
proactive, She pledges Her royal Self to defend and promote all that is
precious.
Thank you all for your support during this extraordinary journey.
Yours for the Queen of your Self,
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Before I Begin
I came
across this essay in an old Queen computer file. I wrote it on the evening* that
I began to write The Queen of My Self.
Before I Begin
I have been collecting the material for
this book for more than eight years now. Ever since my 50th birthday
when I first began to have the un-Crone-like revelations that eventually led me
to The Queen, I have been preparing to write about Her: clipping articles,
doing online and library research, talking with many hundreds of
sisters-of-a-certain-age, presenting Queen Workshops and Crowning Ceremonies;
spending unending hours with my thoughts, ideas, insights, conversations and
dreams. But when the time came for me to think about actually sitting down to
write, I realized that there were still more preparations that I needed to
make.
Before I could write about the Queen with
any moral authority, I felt strongly that I needed to be able meet Her as an
equal, face-to-face, Queen-to-Queen. I believed it was crucial for the
integrity of the book that I be perfectly fluent in Her language, that I
consistently walk in Her footprints and see out of Her eyes. I needed to know
that I could live up to Her lofty standards - and my own. I needed, in fact, to
be Her, to personify Her with all of my being, heart, mind, body and soul.
For it to be possible to sort through and assemble all of the sections of
this Queenly project, it was imperative that all of the parts of my own life be
in prime working order, as well. My spiritual, emotional, intellectual,
creative, social, political selves were all functioning just fine. It was my
physical self, my own body and my domestic environment that needed urgent
upgrading.
I needed a healthy, strong and supple body to support me in my growth and
it was high time that I took myself in hand. One month ago, on the New Buck
Moon, I made a promise to myself to do some sort of exercise for at least an
hour a day for six days a week. I was afraid that when I began to write, I
would sit down at the computer in the early morning and not budge until late at
night and ultimately explode into a blob of royal protoplasmic jelly. For four
weeks now, I have kept to my regime of clean eating and daily-without-fail
movement. And it has begun, ever so slightly, to pay off. I sleep less, and
have much more energy. I am gradually firming up and svelting down. I figure
that by the time the book comes out, I will be fit for a Queen.
Next, I cut my hair, a most common rite of passage among women. I had
worn my hair short and spiky for many years and felt that it suited me well.
But then, sometime during my midlife traumas I got bored with my hairdo,
symbolic, no doubt, of a much deeper discontentment. I kept thinking, "Is this
the way I am going to wear my hair for the rest of my life?" So for the sake of
variety, I let it grow wild and I hated it for all of the three years that it
was long. Then, one day, it was time and I took back control of my own
self-image.
I most especially longed for a beautiful
place in which I could entertain the Queen and luxuriate in Her exclusive
company. I had been living in a series of lofts-in-constant-progress for more
than three decades and I was tired of life in a construction zone. I absolutely
could not write this book ankle deep in sheet rock dust. My soul cried out for
a domain that both soothed and energized me. I lusted for color, so I painted a
beautiful Tuscan palette of ochre, terra cotta and teal- a gigantic and
daunting job for a 3150-square foot space with 20' ceilings housing a multitude
of stuff. Life was hell for two months, disgustingly filthy,
exhausting and way beyond my economic means, but like most important things, so
worth the trouble. While I suppose this detour away from writing could be
mistaken for procrastination, the Queen in me insisted on Her due.
As wonderful as it is to have such a large
space, a palace really isn't particularly conducive to introspective ponderings
and intensely concentrated writing. So I carved out a tiny 6-foot square space
in a corner of my studio using soji screens. I jury-rigged a desk arrangement
and a place for my files and books. The screens are covered with my collection
of fabulous 1940s bark cloth that I had been saving for years in order to use
for something really special. This would be it. The Queen's Chambers, I call it.
The wall to my right sports a cloth
tapestry of Queen Nefertiti holding the Goddess Isis by the hand. And on the
arched brick wall directly across from my seat hangs an old-fashioned wooden
medicine cabinet with a mirrored door. The first thing I see when I enter my
small retreat, is my own reflection. Inside, is my altar dedicated to the
Queen. Its glass shelves are filled with images, amulets, totems and tokens of
majestic power. On the desk are two ceramic goblets, gifts that say, "It is
great to be Queen," along with two pewter crowns rescued from the Salvation
Army, meant, perhaps, to be candle holders. My own golden wreaths, crowns and
coronets from various Crowning Ceremonies are pinned to my lampshade, where
they are dramatically backlit. There is a vase of dried roses and a red candle
in the shape of a woman.
Now, just as in my fantasy: I, Queen Mama Donna, freshly showered and
coiffed, wearing a lovely silk caftan, a Kir Royale in a beautiful glass within
reach, sit down to consort with the Queen.
I light the candle.
And begin.
*New Thunder Moon
July 17, 2004
Exotic Brooklyn, NY
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The Queen's Court The
Queen's Court is a gathering of sovereign women of a certain age - our dear
peers - who graciously offer information, guidance, inspiration and
encouragement to each other.
We
Queens know what we know. And we know a great deal. Our experience has made us
wise. So, feel free to consult with our cyber council/counsel when you are need of sage advice or wish to explore a particular topic of interest.
I have
recently received a flurry of letters from women both asking for and offering
definitions and descriptions of Queendom. Here are a few. I hope that they will
spark some response from you, the loyal, royal sisterhood who comprise The
Queen's Court.
Questions on Queendom:
Hi
Queen Donna,
I'm not
sure if this is an appropriate question. Are you really sure you are a Queen?
Are you in the Royal Bloodline? If so, can you call yourself Queen because your
ancestors were once related to a Royal Bloodline? But that doesn't mean you are
Queen in modern days. Does it? Please clarify for me, because I am about to do
research on my family Royal Bloodline also. Thanks,
- Dawn,
TX
Dear
Queen Dawn,
I am not
a Queen with the sort of royal bloodline that you refer to. My royal bloodline
is the one that runs through my own veins. I am the self-chosen Queen of Me.
The reining Queen of My Self. The
Queen is an archetype that I use in my book, The Queen of My Self, to describe a woman who
steps into her sovereignty in midlife. The Queen is the ruler of Her own
domain. I see Her as being not yet old, yet no longer young; but still active and sexy, vital with
the enthusiasm and energy of youth. The Queen is tempered with hard-earned
experience and the leavening attitudes of age. She has been forced to face and
overcome obstacles and hard lessons, including Her own self-limiting
tendencies, and in so doing has outgrown the boundaries of Her old self.
Impatient with the unessential and restless for authenticity, She sheds all
attachment to the opinions of others and accepts complete responsibility and control
over Her life. She is the Queen of Her Self, the mature monarch, the sole
sovereign of Her own life and destiny. And
you, my sister Queen, are the Queen of your own life, as well, whether or not
you discover ancestral royal blood. Every woman can ascend to her own throne
and crown her own head. Our world needs as many Queens as there are women.
There can't be too many Queens. With
royal regards, xxQMD
The
mighty Queen, the great and wise, brave and compassionate woman ruler, the reigning
commander of Her domain, is an expansive, expressive, accessible, energetic
archetype who represents a mature female power, authority, responsibility, and
influence worthy of our emulation.
- QMD
Dear
Queen Mama Donna, Just
out of curiosity, what is the age range to be included as a Queen? Is it only
from midlife on? I'm confused on
this.
-
Debby, OH
Dear Queen Debby,
How
old is a Queen? It depends. I usually think of the Queen as a woman in her
middle years, which covers a very large age range from the mid-40s through the
mid 70s. But as in all things, there can be exceptions. Women who had children
very young and are experiencing the empty nest in their 30s and women who have
experienced premature medical menopause have told me that they face the same
transitional life issues as women who are older. This emotional and physical
transformation urges them toward Queendom. By
the same token, women in their late 70s and even 80s have expressed a strong
identification with the active and energetic Queen. Two years ago at in a
ceremony at a goddess conference in Glastonbury, England, a 90- year old woman
insisted on being crowned as a Queen rather than a Crone. So
the bottom line is if you feel like you are a Queen, then you are! It is never
too early or too late to ascend to your true power.
Declarations
of Queendom:
Dear Queen,
I just coined the word
regaliciously. I like the way it sounds. If Rachel Ray can get in the
dictionary for EVOO, maybe I should contact the dictionary people with the new
word: regalicious. What do you think?
- Linda, NY & NJ
Dear Queen Linda,
I love it!
Regaliciously yours, xxQMD
Dear Queens, I
am a Queen. I now wear my crown. My thorns turn to jewels.
Thank
you! I think I've been mostly missing the sovereignty aspect... getting it now
though.
- Lisa, NY
Dear QMD, What I have seen very clearly, right before
my eyes over the years, is that women can indeed mature to very advanced ages,
while staying lively and vital and full of fire and spunk. My great aunts and
distant cousins twice removed were pistols. They didn't cause harm, but they
didn't take guff from anyone. They stood their ground gracefully and powerfully
and with unmatched poise. They traveled the world - alone or in pairs - when
the world expected them to be propped up in a chair at a rest home. They
learned foreign languages "late in life." They taught rough-and-tumble college
students twice their size and weight how to conjugate verbs. They could fend
for themselves, they could make their way unafraid in the world, and they
weren't dependent on the approval of men or the dominant paradigm to validate
their choices. They ruled their lives with an iron fist in a velvet glove, and
they were deeply respected by all. Long before Donna Henes did us the wonderful
service of voicing the vital concept of Queendom, these elder women of my youth
were Queens. They were Queens in the purest sense of the word, and they
remained so well into their 60s, 70s, even 80s.
- Kay, MA
As long as I live, I will have control over my
being - you find the spirit of Caesar in me.
- Artemisia Gentileschi, 1593-1652
I would love to further this discussion.
Do send in your definitions, descriptions and declarations of Queendom.
Please
send your questions or responses to [email protected]. Your
letters will be printed in the next Queen's Chronicles.
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Be a Queen Be a Queen: Own Your Power and
Glory
Be a Queen. Dare to be
different. Be a pioneer. Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face of
adversity will continue to embrace life and walk fearlessly toward the
challenge.
Take it on! Be a truth seeker,
and rule your domain, whatever it is - your home, your office, your family -
with a loving heart.
Be a Queen. Be tender. Continue
to give birth to new ideas and rejoice in your womanhood.
We are daughters of God - here
to teach the world how to love.
It doesn't matter what you've
been through, where you come from, who your parents are, or your social or
economic status.
None of that matters. What
matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through
your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world.
Be a Queen. Own your power and
your glory.
- Oprah Winfrey
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A Queen by Any Other Name
Dr. Susan Corso, sister
Queen, friend, colleague and wordsmith extraordinaire sent in this extensive
list of definitions taken from the Old English Dictionary.
queen, n.
A (king's) wife or consort; a lady
who is wife to a king. Here the relationship of the queen to her husband is formally expressed.
The wife or consort of a king. A woman who is the chief ruler of a state,
having the same rank and position as a king. With additions, as queen-consort, -dowager, -dowrier,
-rectrix, -regent, regnant, widow. see consort, etc.; also queen-mother. Queen Mum, colloq.
alteration of queen-mother, used with affectionate reference to Queen Elizabeth, the
Queen Mother (b. 1900).
Queen and country: the objects of
allegiance for a patriot whose head of state is a queen. ellipt. as the
Queen: the national anthem God
save the Queen.
As a title, place immediately before a personal name;
also the queen, before or after the name
(now arch.). Queen Mary. (a) Used attrib. in Queen Mary hat, a variety of toque popularized by Queen Mary (1867-1953),
wife of King George V, who favoured it because it enabled the public to have a
clear view of her face; so Queen Mary toque. (b) A type of
long low-loading road trailer (in allusion to the Cunard passenger liner the Queens: the Cunard passenger liners, Queen Mary and Queen
Elizabeth). With specification of the people, country, etc. ruled over by a queen or by the king
her consort, as Queen of Scots, of
France. Also Queen of Spain. Queen of Spain fritillary, an orange butterfly with black markings, Argynnis
lathonia, belonging to the family Nymphalid� and
widely distributed in Europe, N. Africa, and parts of Asia.
A female whose rank or pre-eminence is comparable to that
of a queen. Applied to the Virgin
Mary, esp. in phr. as Queen of glory, grace, heaven, paradise, women, etc.
Applied to the goddesses of ancient religions or
mythologies; also in phrases, as queen of heaven, love, marriage, etc.
Applied to a woman as a term of endearment and
honour.
A woman who
has pre-eminence or authority in a specified sphere. Queen of the Bean: Queen of Hearts. Queen of the May: see May. See also beauty queen s.v. beauty n. IIIb, etc. Also, a woman who has pre-eminence in an
unspecified sphere.
An
attractive woman; a girl-friend, female partner. Applied to things: 1. Anything personified as a woman and
looked upon as the chief, esp. the most
excellent or beautiful, of its class. 2. That which in a particular sphere has pre-eminence comparable to that of a
queen. queen of heaven, night, the tides, the
moon; queen of puddings, a pudding
made of breadcrumbs, milk, and other ingredients, freq. with a layer of
meringue on top; queen-of-the-meadow(s, (a) the
meadow-sweet, Filipendula ulmaria, native to
Europe and Asia and naturalized in eastern North America; (b) U.S. joe-pye
weed; queen-of-the-night, a variety of
night-blooming cereus, esp. Selenicereus
grandiflorus, which is native to the West Indies and bears fragrant white flowers; queen-of-the-prairie, a perennial North American herb, Filipendula rubra, found in meadows and prairies and bearing clusters of
small pink flowers; Queen of the West: Cincinnati, Ohio (cf. Queen City in sense 14). Similarly with an of phrase to designate other cities.
The perfect female of bees, wasps, or ants.
In games. In
chess: The piece which has greatest freedom of movement, and hence is most
effective for defending the king, next to which it is placed at the beginning
of the game. Also, the position on the board attained by a pawn when it is
queened. queen's bishop, knight, pawn, etc. queen's gambit. In ordinary
playing-cards: A card bearing the figure of a queen, of which there are four in
each pack, ranking next to the kings.
Technical
uses. 1. One of the classes into which fullers' teasels are sorted. 2. Roofing-slate, measuring three feet
by two.
A class of apples, the rennets.
A small
scallop, Chlamys opercularis, found off
several parts of the coast of north-western Europe.
A local name for the smear-dab.
A female cat.
A male
homosexual, esp. the effeminate partner in a homosexual relationship. slang.
Attrib. and Comb.
General combs. 1. appositive, as queen-bride, -county, -galley, -moon, -rose, -spirit, -spouse, -strumpet, -woman. 2. attrib., as queen-craft, -features. 3.
objective, as queen-killing.
Special
combs. queen-excluder, a device in a bee-hive to prevent the passage of the
queen without excluding the workers; queen-fish, U.S. a small edible fish; queen-apple, an early variety of apple; queen bee, a fully developed female bee; automatically-controlled aeroplane used as a target in
firing practice; queen-bird, a swan; queen-cage, an apparatus for conveying or transferring a queen-bee to
a hive; queen-cake, a small currant-cake, usually
heart-shaped; queen cat; queen-cell, a cell in a bee-hive, in which the queen is reared; Queen
City N. Amer., an epithet applied to the chief or pre-eminent city (of a region); queen closer, a quarter of a brick, used in building to close the end
of a course; queen conch, a large marine shell, Strombus gigas; Seriphus politus) found along the Pacific coast of America; a large Australian marine fish, Scomberoides
sanctipetri, of the family Carangid�; queen-gold, a former revenue of the king's consort, consisting of one-tenth on certain fines paid to the king; queen-lily, a Peruvian ornamental flowering plant of the genus Ph�dranassa; queen olive, the
particularly large fruit of certain varieties of olive; queen-pigeon = queen's pigeon; queen-pin colloq., a woman
who controls the successful organization of a specified institution or event;
queen pudding = queen's pudding; queen scallop; queen-side. Chess, of or pertaining to the side of the board in which both
queens start the game; queen-size, an extra large size, though occas. in a series (as of
beds), smaller than king-size; also queen-sized adj.; queen staysail, a
triangular main topmast staysail in a schooner yacht; queen-stitch, a fancy stitch in embroidery; queen substance, a pheromone produced by a queen bee and given to the
colony's workers to prevent the production of more queens; queen-suit, a set of cards belonging to one suit, of which the queen
is the highest; queen trigger-fish, a
deep-bodied, blue and yellow marine fish, Balistes vetula, found in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans; queen-truss, a roof-truss in which there are queen-posts;
queen-wasp, a
perfect female wasp; queenwood, an
Australian evergreen tree, Daviesia arborea, of the family Leguminos�, or its wood.
Combinations with queen's name in titles or appellations, with the sense of belonging to,
in the service of, the queen, royal, as Queen's
advocate, bench, counsel, evidence, highway, keys, letter, messenger, pay, peace, prison, servant, speech, wardrobe. In these terms, as in many of those given under b, the use of
queen's in place of king's is largely or entirely a result of the long reign of Queen
Victoria (1837-1901) or that of Queen Elizabeth II (1952- ). Queen's allowance; queen's
arm, a musket; queen's
chair, a makeshift seat (cf. queen's cushion); queen's cloth; queen's
colours, one of the pair of colours carried by a
regiment, the royal colours; queen's conch = queen
conch; queen's cushion, a seat (for a girl) made by the crossed hands of two
persons; Queen's English, the English language regarded as under the guardianship
of the Queen; hence, standard or correct English; queen's evil = king's evil, scrofula; queen's gambit: queen's game; Queen's
Guide, a holder of the highest award in Guiding,
spec. during the reign of a queen; queen's head, a postage stamp; queen's
metal, an alloy of tin, antimony, bismuth, and
lead; queen's own, Government property or
provisions; queen's parade, the
quarter-deck (ibid.); queen's pattern; queen's pigeon, a large
and beautiful crested pigeon of the Papuan region, Gaura Victori�; queen's pipe, a furnace
formerly used for destroying smuggled or damaged tobacco; queen's pudding, a steamed suet pudding (occas. used for queen of
puddings); Queen's Scout, a holder of the highest award in Scouting, spec. during the reign of a queen; queen's shilling, a shilling formerly given to a recruit when enlisting; queen's
staysail = queen staysail; queen's stuff; queen's
taste: in phr. to the or a queen's taste, to perfection; queen's tobacco pipe = queen's pipe; queen's
ware, (a) a
cream-coloured kind of Wedgwood ware; (b) a
kind of stone-ware; queen's weather, fine
weather; queen's woman slang (now Hist.), a
prostitute who received medical attention under the terms of the Contagious
Diseases Acts of the 1860s; queen's yellow,
turpeth mineral, used as a yellow pigment.
In names of
plants, as queen's balm, alyssum; queen's berry, the
cloudberry, Rubus Cham�morus; queen's cushion,
cut-leaved saxifrage; queen's delight, an American euphorbiaceous plant, Stillingia
sylvatica; queen's flower, an
Indian tree (Lagerstrœmia Flos-Regin�) with beautiful rose-coloured flowers; queen's
gilliflower or July-flower, dame's
violet, Hesperis Matronalis; queen's herb ,
tobacco; queen's lace U.S., the wild carrot or Queen Anne's lace, Daucus
carota; queen's pincushion, the flowers of the guelder rose; queen's root = queen's
delight ; queen's violet = queen's
gilliflower.
Yikes!
All paintings are by Robyn Bellospirito
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The Queen
Not
only in England-
Let
us have queens everywhere!
Queen
of Africa
Queen
of Afghanistan
Queen
of America
Queen
of Arabia
Queen
of the Argentine
Queen
of China
Queen
of Columbia
Queen
of Egypt
Queen
of Germany
Queen
of Guatemala
Queen
of Iraq
Queen
of Israel
Queen
of Italy
Queen
of Japan
Queen
of Mongolia
Queen
of Palestine
Quuen
of Russia
Queen
of Spain
Queen
of Syria
Queen
of the World
Queen
of the Universe
Queen
of each and every Self -
Queen N'zinga, Angola
To
You I bow down.
-
Janine Canan |
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 November 2009 Issue:
Thank you for this wonderful email! I too love food, cooking and
the energetics of food. What intrigues and excites me most of all are the
relationships we each have with food. I am fortunate to own what is stated on
the first page as a facsimile of the first edition of The Boston Cooking School
Cook Book 1896 by Fannie Merritt Farmer. It is amazing how all the old truths
about food are coming in full circle again. Peace,
- Karyn, MA
Hope you had a joyous Thanksgiving. I'm finally done with my leftovers! Can you get over Martha Washington's recipes? Who was she cooking for?
The army, right? Very interesting. Please put my Mom, Betty in the Circle of
Concern. Thank you,
- Nancy, NC
Just wanted to weigh in on who fixed Martha Washington's famous
cake. You know she and her husband owned lots of enslaved Africans. Guess who
separated the eggs, beat the mix, made the fire, baked the cake, etc.? Those
same enslaved Africans who never get mentioned for doing the actual work
involved in these recipes. Someone you might want to profile: Olney Judge, an enslaved
African owned by Washington. Martha wanted to give this woman to one of her
(Martha's) daughters for a present! The enslaved woman successfully ran away to
New Hampshire (I think). Her wonderful story is told in Philadelphia at the
site of the first White House. I also wanted to thank you for the wonderful
newsletter. I look forward to receiving it every month. I made sure copies of
your book The Queen of My Self were ordered at my local library. I loved
it. Thank you also for including the incredible outpouring of response
to the bombing of the moon. I was so encouraged to see that so many others were
pained by that assault. I thought it was just me. Thank you for being an inspiration.
- Linda, NY & NJ
I'm grateful to have Donna Henes out there! What a wealth of
information you bestow. Thank you.
- Susan, NY
A friend sent me your Queenly Chronicles. May I please
subscribe? I quite enjoyed the readings, thoughts and quotes and such. With
aloha,
- Amy, HI
I don't always get a chance to
read my Queen's Chronicles
right away, so I just sat down and read it now. WOW! I really loved this
particular issue; it really resonated with me. Thanks for keeping me on the
list.
- Deni, NY
Please send your responses to [email protected]. Your letters will be printed in the next Queen's Chronicles.
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Kudos to the Queens!
The especial genius of women I believe to be electrical in
movement, intuitive in function, spiritual in tendency. - Margaret Fuller
Jerri Allyn, CA; Ann Bean, England; Camille Billops, NY; Josely Carvalho, NY & Brazil; Mary Beth Edelson, NY; Lorraine
O'Grady, NY; Sophia Schultz, PA; Karen Shaw, NY; Peggy Shaw, NY;
Patricia Smith, NY; Annie Sprinkle, CA; Elizabeth Stephens, CA; Lois
Weaver, NY; and Nina Yankowitz, NY; on the exhibitions of
their work.
Dee Sunshine, Scotland,
The Book of Hopes and Dreams (Book), on her new publication.
Shelley Ackerman. NY, on her new radio show, Karmic Relief;
and Lisa Nichols, CA, on her new TV program, Breakthrough.
Chris Countryman, NY, on the birth of her first
granddaughter, Penelope; and Saundra Mandel, CA, on the birth of her second
granddaughter, Vivienne Shayna.
Diane Green, NY, on
the production of A Midsummer's Night Dream by The Children's Shakespeare Company that she directs.
Janet Fish, NY, on
her accreditation as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer.
Barbara Moore, NY, on receiving
the Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant.
Jennifer
Jackson, NC, on her move south for her
exciting 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. And we are glad to so. It is
a joy and a privilege to share in the fortune of another woman. I
recently heard Oprah say the saddest thing ever - "The hardest thing
about being successful is having someone to be glad for you."
It
takes a centered and confident Queen to break that pattern. There are
60 million thrones out there. One for each of us. There is plenty of
purpose, passion and power for us all. May we use it well!
It
is important that you recognize your progress and take pride in your
accomplishments. Share your achievements with others. Brag a little.
The recognition and support of those around you is nurturing. - Rosemarie Rossetti |
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; Betty, AL; Carol, NY; Cat. NY; Chrissie, NY;
Deirdre, NY; Devidam NY; Edie, PA; Ellen, NY; Gail, OH; Geraldine, ID; Glenys,
Australia; Jill, PA; Jo, AZ; Kimi, NJ; Letitia, VA; Linda, NY; Lucia, TX;
Lynne, NY; Reid, DE; Shari, NY; Shirley, IN; Smriti, CA; Susan, NY; Terry, NY;
and Yvette, NY; who are in the process of healing themselves from illness, accident,
injury or surgery.
The
caregivers who are in weary need of care themselves:
Amy, NY;
Daile, NY; Kayla, NY; Lee, NJ; Lois, NY; Margo, NY; Meryl, NY, Nancy, NC;
and Roslyn, NJ.
With Sincere Condolences:
Louise Fishman, NY
Jane Hefferman, NY
Kay Turner, NY
Heather White, NY
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.
One kind word can warm three
winter months.
-Chinese Proverb
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Where the Queens Are
MICHIGAN Three
years ago I was the keynote speaker at a Unitarian Universalist WomenSpirit
Conference in Chicago. A few months after the conference, the coordinator, Renae
Rebechini, sent me this portfolio of pictures of the artwork of Butterfly Peggy
Stevens who had lovingly altered her copy of The Queen of My Self. Or should I
say, "altared" it?
- Butterfly Peggy Stevens, MI
Please Submit Your Royal Reports
Tell
us about your Queen Group: who, what, where, when, why?
What
Queenly topics do you explore?
What
projects do you engage in?
Describe
some golden moments.
Send pictures!
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