Rævyn Cigány
June 27th, 2001, 11:59 PM
A friend of mine sent this to me. I thought it was a beautiful story of cooperation, tolerance and the rebirth of the Goddess, so I just had to share it. Blessed be! Rae )0(
I wanted to write and tell you all about a wonderful way in which the Goddess worked in our community. Every year our Girl Scout Association has an event called Girl Scout Sunday. When the coordinator asked me why I didn't participate, I said "it's presented as a Judeo-Christian event, and you don't have any Earth-Based Spirituality present." She asked me how we could include Earth-Based Spirituality. An hour later I called her back with my idea, never thinking it would fly. But it did! So here's what happened on March 11, 2001 at the historical Methodst Church in Half Moon Bay, California. The flags were carried in and the Pledge said and then thirteen drum beats called in four beautifully dressed Goddesses (four 14 year old Maidens in my Troop). They slowly progressed around the church to the four Driectons, where they each stood beside a small individual altar. Kuan Yin (who was actually half Chinese) was dressed in a Chinese outfit, with a large yellow sash and butterfly. She stood in the East where she caled the Air. Her hair was decorated with poppies and a yellow veil flowing down her back. This is what she said: "I represent Kuan Yin. I am the Chinese Buddhist Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. I hear the cries of all those who are suffering, and I am filled with tears of Compassion. As the sun rises each new day in the East, so our Earth, compassion, gives us the gift of Air. Air which we share in a sweet symbiosis with the plant life on our planet. As we breathe out carbon dioxide, the breathe it in. As they breathe out oxygen, we breathe it in. Together we form a family, breathing in the life breath or "chi", sharing our planet, as we take a deep healing breath of Air "together".
Pele (my daughter) was dressed in a green grass skirt, with a red shirt, and red lei on her hands, feet, head and chest. She called in Fire in the South. Here's what she said: "I represent Pele. I am the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire. My mystery can be gently experienced with a candle or vividly experienced at a volcano! I use the healing transformation of Fire to renew the soil with fresh, mineral-laden lava, whic makes the ground rich. As the southern sun burns hot and warms us, so the Earth gives us the gift of Fire. Fire is the ultimate changer. Fire transforms. Fire causes new life to bloom when the old is stripped away. Fire demands respect. Frie heals from within. together lut us invite Fire to warm our hearts, and heal our wounds, transforming us into a people who deeply feel for each other."
Yemaya was dressed all in black, with a beautiful blue silk scarf running from one shoulder across her body, symbolizing running Water. Her head had an elaborate crown with a large sand dollar rising in the back, symbolizing the Full Moon. Many sea shells were worked into her braided hair. These were her words: "I represent Yemaya. I am the African Goddess of Water and the Full Moon. Here in the West, I invite you to experience the deep emotions of Water. As the moon causes the tides to ebb and flow here on the shores, so too do humans experience the tides of emotions. Because our bodies are 90% water, we too, experience the love of the moon as she waxes and wanes. the closest substance on the earth to our own human blood, is Ocean Water, whic is the blood of our Earth Mother. Water brings us so many gifts to nourish the bodies and souls of all of Earth's Children. Together let us invite Water to create a shining, nourishing pool inside each of us, that reflects all the beautiful potential we desire for each other on this Earth Walk."
And lastly, Corn Woman, a beautiful maiden of Mexican descent called the Earth. She was dressed in a white Veracruz gown with a traditional multi-coloured ethnic shawl and sash. She wore a beaded ribbon across her forehead, and her long dark hair was accented by a fan or corn leaves on the back of her head, decorated with kernels and miniature ears of corn. This is what she said: "I represent Corn Woman. I am a Pueblo and Aztec Spirit of the Earth Mother. I provide my people with the gifts of the North- the Earth, the minerals, the animals and the plants, and the Wisdom of their Elders. Corn is my gift to all my people. it is my sacred blessing and promise to my people to nourish and provide for all their needs. With our hearts filled with gratitude, let us acknowledge and thank the Earth, our ancestors and the Great Spirit who created all this, for the sacred privilege of experiencing life here, on the loving, and giving body of our planet."
The Goddesses majestically, cermoniouly moved slowly back to their seat in the first pew after this. The little Brownie and Jr. Girl Scouts were in awe of their first glimpse of an incredibly powerful Divine Feminine. I imagine for many of these girls, it was the first time they had ever thought about God as a WOMAN! When it was time to close the service, four drum beats called the Goddesses back to their altars, where they said the following closing words.
Corn Woman: "Gracias a Nuestra madre de la Tierra para todos que Nosotros Tenemos. (Thank you to our Earth Mother for everything we have). May we learn to offer prayers of gratitude each and every day for the tiniest ways in which our Earth Mother cares for her children."
Yemaya: "Vrede, Naastelidfde, tot siens, ache" (Afrikaans: Peace, love, farewell, ache). May our soul's journey include learning, empathy and tolerance."
Pele: "Aloha kekahi I Kekai" (love one another) Me ke aloha pumehana. (with all my love) May our hearts burn with a healing warmth for all Earth's Children.
Kuan Yin: "Namo Guan Shih Yin Pusa (I call upon She who hears the cries of the World). May we realize our deepest compassionate nature."
After the service the girls were invited to visit each Direction to receive a gift from each Goddess. Before the service each girl ahd received a beautiful square of purple cloth, rolled and tied with a gold ribbon, and a little gold safety pin. The girls put a "gift" into the centre of the cloth, and then tied it shut similar to a prayer tie or potpourri sash. The they could pin it on their uniform to remember the gifts of each Direction. It was wonderful watching these Maiden/Goddesses, smiling and sweetly bestowing a gift on each girl. Each girl also received a lovely card with the closing message spoken by each Goddess.
Kuan Yin's gift was a piece of aromatic frankincense and myrrh, to remember the gifts of air as you smell the fragrance.
Pele reminded them of Fire by sprinkling them with glittery red fire (pixie dust!).
Yemaya allowed them to choose a tiny shell from a dark bowl of water. Then she gently dried their hand with a dark towel.
And finally, Corn Woman gave them two kernels of corn, for the Native American prophecy that says if you cary two kernels of corn with you, you'll never go hungry.
Afterwards I photographed these lovely Goddesses in front of this historic church from 1872, and I thought how wonderful it was that 120+ years after it had been built, I bet this was the first time in its entire history that four Goddesses together had graced this place! i know this was a very long post, but I wanted you to have all the details in case you could do something similar in your communities. Fortunately there weren't any unpleasant letters to the editor in our local paper (just a few shocked and disapproving looks from a few older folks). The pastor was very supportive and had actually done a workshop with Starhawk! His little talk with the girls ended with asking them if your are a "sister to every Girl Scout" (part of the Girl Scout Pledge), ven if her skin is a different colour, and she practices a different religion! Although, I was very nervous about the whole event, it turned out to be a wonderful way in which the Goddess touched a young group of women, opening their minds to the possibilities....
I wanted to write and tell you all about a wonderful way in which the Goddess worked in our community. Every year our Girl Scout Association has an event called Girl Scout Sunday. When the coordinator asked me why I didn't participate, I said "it's presented as a Judeo-Christian event, and you don't have any Earth-Based Spirituality present." She asked me how we could include Earth-Based Spirituality. An hour later I called her back with my idea, never thinking it would fly. But it did! So here's what happened on March 11, 2001 at the historical Methodst Church in Half Moon Bay, California. The flags were carried in and the Pledge said and then thirteen drum beats called in four beautifully dressed Goddesses (four 14 year old Maidens in my Troop). They slowly progressed around the church to the four Driectons, where they each stood beside a small individual altar. Kuan Yin (who was actually half Chinese) was dressed in a Chinese outfit, with a large yellow sash and butterfly. She stood in the East where she caled the Air. Her hair was decorated with poppies and a yellow veil flowing down her back. This is what she said: "I represent Kuan Yin. I am the Chinese Buddhist Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. I hear the cries of all those who are suffering, and I am filled with tears of Compassion. As the sun rises each new day in the East, so our Earth, compassion, gives us the gift of Air. Air which we share in a sweet symbiosis with the plant life on our planet. As we breathe out carbon dioxide, the breathe it in. As they breathe out oxygen, we breathe it in. Together we form a family, breathing in the life breath or "chi", sharing our planet, as we take a deep healing breath of Air "together".
Pele (my daughter) was dressed in a green grass skirt, with a red shirt, and red lei on her hands, feet, head and chest. She called in Fire in the South. Here's what she said: "I represent Pele. I am the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire. My mystery can be gently experienced with a candle or vividly experienced at a volcano! I use the healing transformation of Fire to renew the soil with fresh, mineral-laden lava, whic makes the ground rich. As the southern sun burns hot and warms us, so the Earth gives us the gift of Fire. Fire is the ultimate changer. Fire transforms. Fire causes new life to bloom when the old is stripped away. Fire demands respect. Frie heals from within. together lut us invite Fire to warm our hearts, and heal our wounds, transforming us into a people who deeply feel for each other."
Yemaya was dressed all in black, with a beautiful blue silk scarf running from one shoulder across her body, symbolizing running Water. Her head had an elaborate crown with a large sand dollar rising in the back, symbolizing the Full Moon. Many sea shells were worked into her braided hair. These were her words: "I represent Yemaya. I am the African Goddess of Water and the Full Moon. Here in the West, I invite you to experience the deep emotions of Water. As the moon causes the tides to ebb and flow here on the shores, so too do humans experience the tides of emotions. Because our bodies are 90% water, we too, experience the love of the moon as she waxes and wanes. the closest substance on the earth to our own human blood, is Ocean Water, whic is the blood of our Earth Mother. Water brings us so many gifts to nourish the bodies and souls of all of Earth's Children. Together let us invite Water to create a shining, nourishing pool inside each of us, that reflects all the beautiful potential we desire for each other on this Earth Walk."
And lastly, Corn Woman, a beautiful maiden of Mexican descent called the Earth. She was dressed in a white Veracruz gown with a traditional multi-coloured ethnic shawl and sash. She wore a beaded ribbon across her forehead, and her long dark hair was accented by a fan or corn leaves on the back of her head, decorated with kernels and miniature ears of corn. This is what she said: "I represent Corn Woman. I am a Pueblo and Aztec Spirit of the Earth Mother. I provide my people with the gifts of the North- the Earth, the minerals, the animals and the plants, and the Wisdom of their Elders. Corn is my gift to all my people. it is my sacred blessing and promise to my people to nourish and provide for all their needs. With our hearts filled with gratitude, let us acknowledge and thank the Earth, our ancestors and the Great Spirit who created all this, for the sacred privilege of experiencing life here, on the loving, and giving body of our planet."
The Goddesses majestically, cermoniouly moved slowly back to their seat in the first pew after this. The little Brownie and Jr. Girl Scouts were in awe of their first glimpse of an incredibly powerful Divine Feminine. I imagine for many of these girls, it was the first time they had ever thought about God as a WOMAN! When it was time to close the service, four drum beats called the Goddesses back to their altars, where they said the following closing words.
Corn Woman: "Gracias a Nuestra madre de la Tierra para todos que Nosotros Tenemos. (Thank you to our Earth Mother for everything we have). May we learn to offer prayers of gratitude each and every day for the tiniest ways in which our Earth Mother cares for her children."
Yemaya: "Vrede, Naastelidfde, tot siens, ache" (Afrikaans: Peace, love, farewell, ache). May our soul's journey include learning, empathy and tolerance."
Pele: "Aloha kekahi I Kekai" (love one another) Me ke aloha pumehana. (with all my love) May our hearts burn with a healing warmth for all Earth's Children.
Kuan Yin: "Namo Guan Shih Yin Pusa (I call upon She who hears the cries of the World). May we realize our deepest compassionate nature."
After the service the girls were invited to visit each Direction to receive a gift from each Goddess. Before the service each girl ahd received a beautiful square of purple cloth, rolled and tied with a gold ribbon, and a little gold safety pin. The girls put a "gift" into the centre of the cloth, and then tied it shut similar to a prayer tie or potpourri sash. The they could pin it on their uniform to remember the gifts of each Direction. It was wonderful watching these Maiden/Goddesses, smiling and sweetly bestowing a gift on each girl. Each girl also received a lovely card with the closing message spoken by each Goddess.
Kuan Yin's gift was a piece of aromatic frankincense and myrrh, to remember the gifts of air as you smell the fragrance.
Pele reminded them of Fire by sprinkling them with glittery red fire (pixie dust!).
Yemaya allowed them to choose a tiny shell from a dark bowl of water. Then she gently dried their hand with a dark towel.
And finally, Corn Woman gave them two kernels of corn, for the Native American prophecy that says if you cary two kernels of corn with you, you'll never go hungry.
Afterwards I photographed these lovely Goddesses in front of this historic church from 1872, and I thought how wonderful it was that 120+ years after it had been built, I bet this was the first time in its entire history that four Goddesses together had graced this place! i know this was a very long post, but I wanted you to have all the details in case you could do something similar in your communities. Fortunately there weren't any unpleasant letters to the editor in our local paper (just a few shocked and disapproving looks from a few older folks). The pastor was very supportive and had actually done a workshop with Starhawk! His little talk with the girls ended with asking them if your are a "sister to every Girl Scout" (part of the Girl Scout Pledge), ven if her skin is a different colour, and she practices a different religion! Although, I was very nervous about the whole event, it turned out to be a wonderful way in which the Goddess touched a young group of women, opening their minds to the possibilities....