Honoring the Ocean Mother
Below the gardens and the darkening pines
The living water sinks among the stones
Sinking yet foaming, till the snowy tones
Merge with the fog drawn landward in the dim lines.
The cloud dissolves among the flowering vines,
And now the definite mountainside disowns
The fluid world, the immeasurable zones.
Then white oblivion swallows all designs.
But still the rich confusion of the sea,
Unceasing voice, sombre and solacing,
Rises through veils of silence past the trees;
In restless repetition bound, yet free,
Wave after wave in deluge fresh releasing
An ancient speech, hushed in tremendous ease.
-Janet Lewis, "Carmel Highlands"
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Temple of the Goddess Announcements
Temple of the Goddess invites you to a special theatrical event, Choices, created and performed by many of our temple young people: Ariel Miasnik, Patrick Humphrey, Ember Knight, Zachary Tatum-Nolan and with music by Farva Sutton. See Notices below for more details.
Laserium Tickets Free to Temple of the Goddess. Remember the Laserium shows at the Griffith Park Planetarium theater, Griffith Observatory, with its amazing laser-beam shows set to the rhythm of rock and roll music? Laserium is back in its new home at the Laserium® CyberTheater™ on Hollywood and Vine. Click here to print free Laserium Ticket. Offer only good until August 29th.
Goddess Choir Rehearsals
2009 Dates for Rehearsal are:
August 23rd, 4-6pm
September 6th, 4-6pm
September 13th, 4-6pm
Goddess Choir: If you'd like to be a part of the ever-growing Temple of the Goddess choir, email choir@TempleoftheGoddess.org. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! NOTE: Please send any related essays, articles, interviews, and poetry for temple newsletter to newsletter@TempleoftheGoddess.org. |
 Autumn Equinox Ritual & Celebration
September 19, 2009
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
This Autumn Equinox we are celebrating the bounty of the Earth's living waters and honoring the Goddess Yemaya, the Yoruban Orisha, or Goddess of the Ocean. While honoring the Equinox balance of day and night, we also honor the balance of the oceans' tides, the ebb and flow of Her bounteous waters.
Yemaya was brought to the New World with the African diaspora and is now worshiped in many cultures. Goddess of the living Ocean, She is considered the Mother of All, the source of all the waters. Yemaya, contraction of Yey Omo Eja, means "Mother Whose Children are the Fish." Since all life begins in the Sea, it is believed that all life began with Yemaya. She is the eternal mother, fiercely protective, and cares deeply for all Her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. Protectress of women, She rules over child birth and conception and watches over the children. It is said She can cure infertility in women. She does not easily lose Her temper, but when angered She can be destructive and violent, as the Sea in a storm.
Yemaya is associated with the moon, the ocean, and female mysteries. Cowrie shells, a deeply feminine symbol, represent Her bounteous wealth. Her worshipers light candles and launch boats filled with offerings and wishes into the ocean. She serves as protector and is known for fulfilling the wishes of her children.
Our Equinox celebration opens with a song in praise of Yemaya as we honor Her with gifts and prepare to launch our own boat of wishes. We offer songs and dance in celebration of the Her life-giving water. As our evening of art, spirit, and myth unfolds, we welcome Yemaya into our midst and ask her to receive our boats and grant our wishes. On the day of equal light and dark, we give thanks for the bounty of the Earth's waters, the treasures of ocean, river and stream.
Temple of the Goddess, and The Mythic Players, invite you to join us for an evening of art and ritual theater in celebration of Yemaya and Autumn Equinox.
Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church, 301 N. Orange Grove Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91103
Click here for printable flyer. Yemaya image by Sandra Stanton.
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 As the Wheel of Life spins, the seasons bear witness to the covenant of the Goddess, Her promise of life and the never-ending cycle of birth, death, and renewal. To each of us in times of both joy and sorrow She sweetly whispers, "Be not afraid of my cycles and embrace the changing nature of all things, the permanence within the impermanence. The seasons bear witness to this promise I manifested for you. For surely, the darkness and death of winter is followed by the light and renewal of spring."
 We Honor and Celebrate:
Baby girl, Isla Autumn Heiner, granddaughter of Temple of the Goddess' Ritual Art Director and Priestess, Ruth Ann Anderson, or RA as we lovingly know her.
Isla (eye-la), our first temple grandchild, was born on August 5, 2009 at 12:43 PM to Mother Dionne Heiner and Dad, Mitch Heiner. She weighed 7 pounds, 4.33 ounces at birth and was 20 inches long.
 Isla, Dionne, and RA are three generations of females, and goddesses all. Mitch, lucky dad, is surrounded by goddess love.
Isla will be adored by many Temple of the Goddess and Nemesis goddess-mothers in the years to come. The temple celebrates this auspicious soul-birth and look forward to experiencing the life that is Isla Autumn Heiner. We send temple blessings to the family and a well come to dear Isla.
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Soothsayings: August - September 2009
by Rosemary Clark
The season of the celestial virgin brings together past, present, and future through the images of heavenly maiden, guardian of hearth and home, and mother of the harvest. In Virgo, a pantheon of goddesses from every world culture embodies these images at this time of year. It is the time of rest from the labors of agriculture, of harvesting Earth's yield, and preparing for the hibernation of Winter. In Virgo we may experience the providence of past efforts, the ripeness of nature in the present, and the hope of what is to come through the roles of this season's goddesses.
Nurturing and Cultivation
In places where the goddess spirit is honored, much is said of nurturing and cultivating knowledge in the next generation. Though we may acknowledge these acts as essential to communal progress, we often overlook their importance in everyday life or leave such tasks to others.
In ancient Greece it was Demeter, mother of grain and the seasons, who with her daughter Persephone initiated the youth Eumolpos into the sacred science of agriculture. He then became the legendary founder of the Eleusinian mysteries, whose descendants served as high priests of a tradition that oversaw the annual sacred drama of the fruition, reaping, hibernation, and renewal of life in the harvest month of the year.
Such dramas are metaphors of both the human life cycle and the soul's entry into divine worlds. They remind us that coming generations must carry the seed of our knowledge and experience, a gift to the future that may yield a harvest of harmony and prosperity if we scatter the kernels of our maturity wisely and cultivate it in others unselfishly. More. . .
* Demeter and Persephone consecrating Eumolpos
(*) All phenomena are cited for the Tropical (Western) Zodiac
© Copyright 2008 by Rosemary Clark
Rosemary Clark is author of The Sacred Tradition in Ancient Egypt: The Esoteric Wisdom Revealed and The Sacred Magic of Ancient Egypt: The Spiritual Practice Restored. She has also written The Everything Meditation Book and her work is included in Menopause: A One-Stop Resource for Feeling Good and The Complete Dream Dictionary. When not writing and organizing spiritual expeditions to Egypt, she is saying sooth to an international cadre of students and associates. |
DONOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Temple of the Goddess wishes to acknowledge, honor, and welcome those who have joined, tithed, or donated to the temple this month. You keep the temple doors open for all of us.
 Realm of Air
Kamala
Realm of Earth
J. Clark
Realm of Spirit
Dawn Bodnar Sutton
Kathy Doughtie & Roger Nolan
J. Tatum
eScrip Shoppers = $4.39
Click here for information on becoming a member of TOG. Temple of the Goddess has a variety of ways that you can participate fiscally in our vision. To learn more about making a tax-deductible donation to the temple, go to Gifting Opportunities.
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SAVE THE DATE
"The seasons and all their changes are in me." -Henry David Thoreau
Our multi-cultural Earth celebrations are held at the Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena and are open to families and community. Our Sabbats are multi-media ritual theater combining mythology, music, visual art, dance, liturgy, spoken word, and participatory theater which fuses drum and dance with personal enactment to re-connect us to the seasons and the Earth. 
- September 19, 2009 Autumn Equinox
- October 24, 2009 All Hallow's Eve
Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church
301 N. Orange Grove Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
818-771-5778
Website: www.TempleoftheGoddess.org/Events
We hope you will join the temple, in community, to honor the seasons, the Earth, and our own personal growth for our 2009 Ritual Sabbats. |
 You
are sitting around a fire after a hard day of work. The air cools and
the sun sets, the frogs and crickets begin singing as the sky darkens.
Suddenly the person you have been eagerly awaiting leaps to the center
of the circle. Your Shaman begins her story about Coyote and Mouse. You
have heard the story a hundred times, but the antics of the animals and
the wisdom in the story never fail to give you pleasure. As she weaves
her tale, the knowledge that every thing is alive, carrying its own
power and wisdom, soothes your soul.
Let
us join together, in this virtual circle, and share these Animal Tales.
Let us once again feel how the stories connect us to the natural world
and remind us that we are all part of a vast Circle of Life. Listen now
as the Shaman whispers tales of animal power and wisdom
in your ear. Tonight it is a Coyote tale. Coyote is often undermined by his own cunning; he is the cosmic trickster who just can't get it right. His medicine teaches us that no matter how crafty we are, the universe has its own lesson for us to learn.
How Coyote Became a Friend to Man
If you've heard coyote's night calls, full of wildness and urgency, you probably have an idea why the coyote has such a place in the hearts and stories of the many cultures that have him or her as a neighbor. The Karok Indians, who live along the Upper Klamath River in the very northern part of California, tell a wonderful story of how Coyote became a friend to man.
The Karok shaman tells of how Chareya, the makers of all things, first created fishes to use the water, then She made animals to use the land and birds to use the air. Last of all She made a man-a Karok.
Chareya gave this Karok the job of telling each animal its duties and position in the world. The Karok man thought and worried about the great power that he had been entrusted with, how would he decide? Who was to have the most beautiful voice or who would be the swiftest runner? These were hard choices and he wanted to be fair. Continued . . .
Animal Tales Column brought to you by Kamala. Animal Tales logo by Anne Gauldin, Gauldin Farrington Designs. |
Losing my religion for equality
by Jimmy Carter, July 15, 2009
 Women and girls have been discriminated against for too long in a twisted interpretation of the word of God. I HAVE been a practicing Christian all my life and a deacon and Bible teacher for many years. My faith is a source of strength and comfort to me, as religious beliefs are to hundreds of millions of people around the world. So my decision to sever my ties with the Southern Baptist Convention, after six decades, was painful and difficult. It was, however, an unavoidable decision when the convention's leaders, quoting a few carefully selected Bible verses and claiming that Eve was created second to Adam and was responsible for original sin, ordained that women must be "subservient" to their husbands and prohibited from serving as deacons, pastors or chaplains in the military service.
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women's equal rights across the world for centuries. Continued . . .
Illustration: Dyson
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Kid's Realm ~~Childhood is a journey, not a race.~~
 Decoupage Tie-Dye Book Cover
By: Amanda Formaro
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 8 and up
You'll be the coolest kid in school with your very own designer book cover! Choose tie-dye fabric like we did, or pick out your own patterned cloth to suit your individual tastes. Continued . . .
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Religion & World Affairs
Trends suggest that religion's public impact has increased
worldwide, with major policy and security implications for the U.S. and
the world. Religion exerts considerable influence on democratic
transitions, and religious political parties and movements have
garnered significant popular support in a variety of democracies. At
the same time, religious grievances have been important factors in
civil wars, interstate conflicts and international terrorism. Changes
in global religious demography, such as the rapid growth of
Christianity in the global South and increased Muslim immigration to
Western nations, also continue to shape public attitudes and government
policies.
American perspectives on these topics are complex. According to a July 2005 poll
by the Pew Forum, three-quarters of Americans say that religion has a
great deal (40%) or a fair amount (35%) to do with most wars and
conflicts in the world, which is similar to the 79% who expressed these
views in 2003. Americans' opinions about recent events in the Middle
East are also shaped by religion. A July 2006 poll
by the Pew Forum indicated that many more Americans say they sympathize
more with Israel (44%) than with Palestinians (9%). Support for Israel
is even stronger among those who see religious implications in the
state of Israel. A large majority (63%) of those who believe Israel was
given by God to the Jewish people say they sympathize more with Israel,
as do a majority (60%) of those who see Israel as the fulfillment of
biblical prophecy. More.
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Choices: A Metaphysical Glimpse into the Viscosity of Modern Life
 Choices is a physically powerful production that explores how we, as a whole, deal with and experience reality from day to day. . .If we do at all. Building highly stylized choreographed movement from physical improvisations, the ensemble builds the show from the ground up, while integrating text by C.S. Lewis, George Orwell, Crockett Johnson, and many more.
Deus Expression will be performing this entirely original production on the following dates: August 23rd at 7:30PM, and 25th at 8:00PM
Admission is $12 at the door. Reservations can be made to deusexpression@gmail.com. There will be a brief Q & A with the cast and company after the August 25th show. For more information go to www.DeusExpression.org.
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 Too Many Guitars
Thursday, September 24th, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
CAFE 322
322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
Rockin' Music with Temple Talents:
David Jacks
Van Webster
Click here for downloadable flyer for Too Many Guitars. |
Pagan Pride Day L.A.
October 4, 2009, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The mission of the Pagan Pride Project is to foster pride in Pagan identity through education, activism, charity and community.
Enjoy a wonderful day celebrating your Pagan roots with like-minded, Earth-honoring people. The day is filled with Rituals, Workshops, Authors, Entertainment, Vendors, Food, Children's Activities. Please visit us at our Temple of the Goddess booth.
The Meadows at Whittier Narrows, Regional Park, South El Monte, 751 South Santa Anita Ave. (off the 60 Fwy, south of the 605 Fwy) Admission is free, but you are asked to bring a non-perishible food item for the food bank. For more information, go to Pagan Pride Los Angeles. |
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Power of the Feminine Film Festival
Date in September to be announced. Please RSVP to PoweroftheFeminineFilmFestival@templeofthegoddess.org for address and official notifications.
The Secret Life of Bees
Family Friendly!
Our next featured movie for the Feminine Film Festival is The Secret Life of Bees. This marvelous film is based on the historical fiction 2002 best-selling novel by American author Sue Monk Kidd. The book is a touching story that rightfully became a New York Times bestseller. It was nominated for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. The book was adapted to a screenplay by Gina Prince-Bythewood and stars Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson. The film was released on October 17, 2008.
Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees revolves around 14 year-old Lily Owens, whose life is shaped by her blurred memory of the afternoon of her mother's accidental death. Lily's black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three racists in town, and in order to save Rosaleen's life, they both run away. They end up in Tiburon, South Carolina.
Lily has lonely at home and feels that she is unloved by her father, T. Ray, who punishes her harshly for small, and sometimes, imaginary infractions. When she comes to live with, and work with, August Boatwright, one of three sisters, she discovers that she has many people who love and care for her.
Since Lily was not allowed to ask questions of her father, she begins again to find out who she is. She writes down her thoughts in a notebook, and finds her first love, Zachary Taylor. She finds out who she really is when she learns about her mother's past.
When she discovers her past, she begins to see where she fits in the present. When one has a past, one also has a future.
Come watch this wonderful film with the Temple family, then discuss its meanings in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
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Temple of the Goddess PAGAN BOOK CLUB
Date in September to be announced. Please RSVP to PaganBookClub@templeofthegoddess.org for address and official notifications.
Do you enjoy reading and discussing books? Then please join us for the temple's Pagan Book Club. Some of our young people are hungry to read what many of us older Pagans have long ago read so this is our chance to re-read, share our wisdom, and get some fresh new perspectives from the next generation (or two). We will be reading both fiction and nonfiction. If you're interested in joining us, our next book will be:
The Chalice and the Blade
Our History Our Future
by Riane Eisler
 Some books are like revelations, they open the spirit to unimaginable possibilities. The Chalice and the Blade is one of those magnificent key books that can transform us and...initiate fundamental changes in the world. With the most passionate eloquence, Riane Eisler proves that the dream of peace is not an impossible utopia.The phenomenal bestseller, with more than 500,000 copies sold worldwide, now with a new epilogue from the author--The Chalice and the Blade has inspired a generation of women and men to envision a truly egalitarian society by exploring the legacy of the peaceful, goddess-worshipping cultures from our prehistoric past. (courtesy of amazon.com)
This international bestseller -- now in 23 foreign editions, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, and most European languages-- tells a fascinating new story of our past, present, and the possibilities for our future. Weaving together evidence from art, archeology, religion, social science, history, and many other fields of inquiry into new patterns that more accurately fit the best available data, it shows that war and the "war of the sexes" are neither divinely nor biologically ordained. It provides verification that a better future is possible--and is in fact firmly rooted in the haunting drama of what actually happened in our past. (courtesy of raineeisler.com)
Click here to buy this book from Amazon and help support the temple. For more information regarding the PBC or carpooling contact Inanna at: PaganBookClub@templeofthegoddess.org |
Temple of the Goddess Moon Lodge for Women
We gather to honor and celebrate the Moon Mother and her cycles which we embody with her sacred gift of rhythm and blood. Together we will celebrate stories of our own moon-time, from our experiences of menarche to menopause. We will share stories of Her ebb and flow, reconnecting ourselves with these divine and timeless cycles. Our repose in this dreamtime within the safety of a circle of sisters has the power to heal and reunite our deeper selves with the natural world. The Moon Lodge is held on Wednesdays between 7pm and 10pm.
 August 19 September 16 October 14 November 18 December 16 Dress comfortable and bring comfy pillow and blanket to snuggle in. Bring any sacred offerings you may wish to share with the Goddess on Her Altar. And a decadent snack to share with your sisters. Contact Kamala@templeofthegoddess.org |
 Temple of the Goddess ~ Full Moon Celebrations
Monthly Celebrations are held on the night of the Full Moon, unless listed otherwise.
Upcoming Dates:
September 4th, 7-10:00pm
October 4th, 7-10:00pm
November 2nd, 7-10:00pm
December 2nd, 7-10:00pm & December 30th, 7-10:00pm
Strong lunar energy pulls everything out of hiding and reflects it back at us. Emotions seem closer to the surface and social inhibitions melt away. While neither Waxing nor Waning, the Full Moon is a highly charged time for release and gain.
During the Full Moon Celebrations you will learn the energy flow of each monthly Full Moon, meditate to draw down the Lunar power, create magic within sacred circle and use divination tools to release the unwanted as well as bring in the desired.
Click here for more information about Temple of the Goddess Full Moon Celebration, and a pdf flyer or email FullMoonCelebration@TempleoftheGoddess.org or phone: 818-771-5778 Picture Courtesy of Isquiesque |
 In a Sacred Circle of Sisters, Come Home to Your Authentic Self
The Shamanic Tantric Dance is a meditation in motion, a sacred dance spontaneously sourced from body impulse.
Monday, September 21st, 7-10:00pm.
$30.00 (no one turned away for a lack of funds)
No Dance Experience Necessary. For more info click here.
Contact Kamala: kamala@terrakino.net
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 Trance Journey Through Drumming
New class offered by Temple of the Goddess
This is not a "learn how to drum" class, but deep meditation instruction. In this class you will learn about Shamanism and what a Shaman does when she or he moves into a trance and enters another reality. If you've wanted a different way of meditating to "sort things out" then this might work for you. In addition to the trance work, the class will study various topics including:
- Shamanic Trance Drumming-what it is and where it has been in practice.
- Spirit Guides-how to obtain one and what a Guide does for you.
- Relevancy of Shamanic Trance Drumming in today's world.
Classes led by Pythia, Temple of the Goddess priestess and a practioner of Shamanic Trance Drumming for 18 years. Classes ongoing. For dates and times, contact Pythia@templeofthegoddess.org and put Trance Journey in the subject. Click here for more info and a downloadable pdf flyer. | |
