From the Director
In January, the facilitators,
clergy, and Board of Directors of Temple of the Goddess came together to
discuss 2009 and 2010. It was a State of the Temple meeting. 2009 was a year that was
filled with amazing rituals, vibrant new myths, visions, ideas, and wonderful
new people.
It was also a challenging year,
financially, for the temple as well as for many individuals across the land.
The economy, in general, has challenged so many people the last few years. Donations
for Temple of
the Goddess were down 66% in 2009 from the previous year. Membership in TOG has
never been contingent on "tithing". Nor
has money been requisite for attendance at our beautiful rituals. Pagans have
traditionally avoided organizational codification and there is, for the most
part, no tradition for Pagans tithing or donating. Without descending to
generalizations, I suspect that philanthropy has not really been a part of
Pagan consciousness. I don't know how to change that though I feel strongly
that giving cannot be a requirement but must emerge from the generous heart.
"No one has ever become poor by giving." - Anne Frank
On the positive side, we looked
back at the magnificent four ritual theatre productions we have produced for
each of the last five years and celebrated the artistic work, vision, and
creativity that went into our rituals. I am amazed at the caliber and
commitment of spiritual artists who bring the rituals to life. The amount of
work that goes into each production: the many rehearsals for the Goddess Choir,
musicians, dancers, and Mythic Players; the sets, make-up, costumes, masks,
programs, altars, lighting, sound, special effects, puppets, and the hand-made
sacred giveaways that all the participants take home. It is truly monumental
the amount of people-hours that go into each ritual production. By the time
Hallows ends, the facilitators are all ready for a much needed break.
In the months of late 2009 and
early 2010 when TOG's large public rituals recede into the dark of winter, I
thought a lot about the previous five years of temple growth and where our
energies and resources have been spent. Nonprofit organizations, in general,
have growth cycles and I felt it was time for the temple to slow down in 2010,
in its sixth year of serving the community, and evaluate and contemplate the
future direction of the temple.
Growth, whether in nature,
humans, or organizations is never a linear process. It is cyclical and entails
both expansion and contraction. That is where the temple is in 2010,
contracting in some areas while expanding in others.
As we looked at what our level
of production for 2010 would entail, it was decided that we would only be doing
two public rituals this year. We hope you join us for an outdoor Summer Solstice
ritual to be held in La Crescenta. Both the monthly moon circles will continue
to meet for smaller, more intimate gatherings. The Full Moon Circle is led by Morfreyja and
the Dark Moon Circle
for Women is led by Kamala.
The temple choir continues to
grow and their voices are magnificent. Choir rehearsals will begin soon in
preparation for our Summer Solstice and other upcoming performances in 2010.
In February 2010, Nine Muses
Arts, which was always part of the original vision of Temple of the Goddess, received its
determination letter from the IRS granting nonprofit 501(c)3 status for this
Public Benefit arts corporation. The legal status of Nine Muses Arts as a
nonprofit is retroactive since its inception in 2005. While part of the vision
of TOG, Nine Muses Arts is a separate legal and financial entity. More Nine
Muses Arts to come in the future or to find out how you can be involved in this
new organization in support of the arts, email ninemusesarts@sbcglobal.net.
In the coming weeks, the Board
of Directors for TOG will be sending out a survey in order to solicit your
input about the growth, the expansion and contraction, of the temple and how we
serve your spiritual needs.
Special thanks to Briana Murray
who is now Editor-In-Chief of Between
the Columns. Her help in keeping the temple newsletter going is much
appreciated. Look for more about Briana in the April issue of the newsletter
under "One Of Us".
Our Board of Directors for 2010
will include Pythia as Treasurer and Archivist, Morfreyja as Secretary, Briana
Murray, Kamala, and Mnajdra will continue to serve on the board. Caitlin will be coming on as our Media Director. I
will continue to serve as Director of Temple of the Goddess.
I wish you all a blessed spring
with all your creative seeds and plantings growing full and beautiful in the
coming months. We look forward to sharing Summer Solstice with you. Xia
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 May the wind blow sweetness,
the rivers flow sweetness,
the herbs grow sweetness,
for the People of Truth!
Sweet be the night,
sweet the dawn,
sweet the earth's fragrance,
sweet be our Heaven!
May the tree afford us sweetness,
the sun shine sweetness,
our cows yield sweetness -
milk in plenty
-from the Rig Veda I
Image: Lady Flora, Goddess of Blossoms and Flowers by Evelyn de Morgan, 1880
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Temple of the Goddess Announcements
TEMPLE SURVEY In the
coming weeks, the Board
of Directors will be sending out a survey in order to solicit
your
input about the growth, the expansion and contraction, of the temple and
how we
serve your spiritual needs.
NEW EDITOR for Between the Columns Special thanks to Briana Murray
who is now Editor-In-Chief of Between
the Columns. Her help in keeping the temple newsletter going is much
appreciated. Look for more about Briana in the April issue of the
newsletter
under "One Of Us".
2010 Board of Directors Our Board of Directors for 2010
will include Pythia as Treasurer and Archivist, Morfreyja as Secretary,
Briana
Murray, Kamala, and Mnajdra will continue to serve. Caitlin will be coming on as our Media
Director. Xia
will continue to serve as Director of Temple of the Goddess.
Goddess Choir Rehearsals
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!
Forthcoming:
Temple of the Goddess 2010 eSurvey. Please take a few minutes to complete and send back.
NOTE: Please send any related essays, articles, interviews, and poetry for temple newsletter to newsletter@TempleoftheGoddess.org.
Click here to find out about Community Events. If you would like to post an event with Temple of the Goddess, please let us know by submitting the date and pertinent information to: Events@TempleoftheGoddess.org. |
Goddess Durga Maa
 | Year of the Tiger
2010 promises to be a dramatic year with the Year of the Tiger beginning February 13th. Like the lion in Western culture, the Tiger is the proverbial Queen of the jungle and admired for its vivid stripes that symbolize the balanced forces of 'yin' and 'yang'. The Western Astrological counterpart sign is Aquarius.
Hot passion meets cold steel with the arrival of the year of the Metal Tiger. The Metal element gives the Tiger its sharpness in action and speed of thought. This combined sign signifies both the energy to begin activity and the determination to follow it through to the end completely. Forget about last year's slow plodding. Events set in motion now will pick up speed and continue until either the objective is attained or the whole endeavor crashes and burns.
One of the most dynamic signs in the zodiac, Tigers are truly a force of nature. Tiger is sensitive, given to deep thinking and capable of great sympathy. Courageous and powerful, Tiger is said to be lucky, vivid, lively, engaging and incredibly brave. Hidden beneath the mighty fur is a sensitivity that adds a gentle quality to the strength and determination of Tiger.
Tiger does not find worth in power or money. Tiger is incorrigibly competitive - she simply cannot pass up a challenge, especially when honor is at stake or she is protecting those she loves. Like all felines, Tiger always lands on her feet, ready for her next act in life, pursuing it with unyielding energy.
Courage, self-reliance, friendliness, hopefulness and resilience are all attributes assigned to Tiger and therefore influences on the year. The year of the Tiger is traditionally associated with massive changes and social upheaval. Therefore, 2010 is very likely to be a volatile one, both on the world scene, as well as on a personal level. Brave Tiger lends boldness to our actions resulting in life experiences on a grander scale than usual. Our wildest dreams are manifested through determination and energetic activity in this year of free thinkers and non-conformists. Independent, charismatic and regal, Tiger warrioresses will not willingly submit to rules but are formidable challengers.
Research for this information garnered from 2010 We'Moon Calendar and various internet sources including Wikipedia.
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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 Fire
Kamala
Kanica Suy
Anne Gauldin
Realm of Water
Greg & Miriam Dexter
Realm of Spirit
Dawn Bodnar Sutton
J. Tatum
J. Clark
eScrip Shoppers = $30.23
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 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. 
- June 19, 2010 Summer Solstice (Time TBD)
Crescenta Valley Park
(Hindenberg Picnic Area)
3901 Dunsmore Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Artwork from Ritual Path DVD by artist John Banks of Artek Images and music by Fritz Heede. Available from Temple of the Goddess Music & Media Store
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. 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 story from mysterious Ireland. Butterfly medicine asks us to honor our own ability to transform our lives.
"We may. . .come to see them as embodying all the beauty and complexity of nature itself. It is said that a butterfly can, with a flap of its wings, change the world...that the ripple it sends out can spawn a hurricane." -National Geographic, Dec. 1993 (Read about the butterfly effect in the Web of Life by Fritjov Capra.)
The Shepherd's Dream
Irish Folk Tale
From the book Tales of Wisdom & Wonder
Retold by Hugh Lupton
Once upon a time there were two old shepherds. All day they'd been out with their sheep, and by the end of the day they were tired.They set themselves down on some long soft grass beside a river. One of them stretched out, closed his eyes and soon he was fast asleep. The other sat, smoking his pipe, thinking about this and that, watching his sleeping friend.It was a beautiful evening, the sun sending long shadows over the grass, the stream murmuring to itself . . . then, suddenly, a strange thing happened.The sleeping man's mouth opened, and out of his mouth, between his lips, a white butterfly appeared. Click here for more . . . |
February 27, 2010 Millennials Eschew Political, Religious Affiliation
Manya A. Brachear, Tribune reporter
Today's young people haven't stopped believing, but fewer are
belonging - resisting political and religious labels that paint them
into denominational, Democratic or Republican corners.
A recent
study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, a
Washington-based think tank run by the nonprofit Pew Research Center,
concluded that more than a quarter of Americans born after 1981 have no
religious preference or affiliation. Fewer than 1 in 5 teens and
20-somethings frequent worship services.
But the study also
reveals that young adults pray as often as their elders did at that age
and share an equally strong faith in God.
Likewise, young adults' loyalty to the Democratic Party
weakened notably in 2009, though their largely liberal values did not
change. They still overwhelmingly believe that openly gay soldiers
should be allowed to serve in the military and that the U.S. government
should provide more support for its citizens.
Though Democrats still win over more young people than do Republicans, the margin tightened considerably after President Barack Obama's inauguration. Not surprisingly, Obama's job approval with this age group also has slipped since then - from 73 to 57 percent. More...
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Wiccan out
Weekend: An All-Women Camping Goddess
Extravaganza
April 23-April 26, Indian Cove Campground
Joshua Tree
National Monument
Please join us for a magical
journey of self and community in the desert. The weekend will explore
our themes, the Wheel of Fortune in the tarot and the Year of
the Tiger in Chinese mythology. The Wheel of Fortune is all about big
things, luck, change, and fortune. Tiger adds courage. The Goddess
Fortuna is smiling on you and something you've wished for is
manifesting.
Email:
moonlght@pacbell.net or agauldin@pacbell.net
Produced by Anne Gauldin
& Ruth Ann Anderson
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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.
April 14
May 12
June 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:
April 27th, 7-10:00pm
May 27th, 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.
Mondays, 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
*Classes are not currently being held but will resume in the summer. See you then!
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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. | |
