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Love, Beauty & Inspiration
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire
universe, deserve your love and affection. —The
Buddha
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle
and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness
sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a
light from within. —Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand,
not the kindly smile, not the joy of companionship; it is
the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he
discovers that someone believes in him and is willing
to trust him with his friendship." —Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Wishing you a life filled with people who inspire you.
Xia 
“
The seasons and all their changes are in
me
.” –Henry David Thoreau
We hope you will join the temple, in community, to
honor the seasons, the Earth, and our own personal
growth for our 2007 Ritual Sabbats. This year's
theme is "Reclaiming the Earth."
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.
SAVE THE DATES!!
Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church
Artwork from
Ritual Path DVD by artist John
Banks and music by Fritz Heede. Soon to be released
by
Artek
Images.
Temple Ordinations
Goddess Choir Rehearsals
***KEYBOARDIST for rituals only needed, no rehearsals. For more info regarding keyboardist or choir rehearsals, contact Ananda and Anne at choir@TempleoftheGoddess.org.
Goddess Goes To Russia
Urban Miracle
Watch this simple, but powerful film,
The Evolution of
Beauty.
More importantly, please show
your daughters. (Evolution Film brought to you by
Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty)
Article by Janet Lucy
"Mommy, do you ever think about being thinner?" my
ten-year-old daughter, Sarah, asked from the back
seat of the car one morning on our way to school.
Once I got past my initial thought that perhaps she
was suggesting that I should lose some weight, I
realized that I had been given a golden opportunity,
plus a literally captive audience in my car. This is the
main reason I don't mind the fifteen-minute drive to
and from school each day: some of our best
conversations happen in my red Toyota. For the last
six months she has been increasingly critical of her
own body, even using the F word (fat) to describe
it. "So how honest am I willing to be?" I wondered in
the few moments I had to formulate an appropriate
response to her question. Did I want to tell her that
being thin had been an obsession of mine for most of
my life? Should I mention all of the unhealthy ways in
which I had sought to achieve a culturally ideal body
image, that is until I turned forty and began my new
quest for self-acceptance?
"Yes, I do think about being thinner," I confessed. "But
these days, I am much more interested in accepting
myself and my body the way I am. My body is strong
and healthy and I'm grateful for that." And here's my
favorite part: "I am a goddess," I told her. "And so are
you." I like to say that from time to time, in case I begin
to forget again.
"That's good, Mommy. I like that," she replied, then
hugged me and climbed out of the car.
Janet Lucy, MA, is the co-author with Terri Allison of
Moon Mother, Moon Daughter: Myths and Rituals
that Celebrate a Girl's Coming of Age
(Fair Winds
Press 2003).
~~ Childhood is a journey, not a race.
~~
Salt Dough Heart Pins & Magnets
Salt dough is a really fun medium and you can make
so many things from it! Try these adorable heart-
shaped magnets for the refrigerator and pins to give
as gifts. Ages: 5 and up. This project is rated EASY to
do. Cont. . .
2007, the Fire Pig (Ding Hai) Year The 12th and final sign of the Eastern zodiac begins on Feb. 18, 2007. 2006's "furnace" of Yang Fire (Bing) now dims and the Fire element becomes the flickering "candlelight" Yin Fire (Ding) in 2007's Fire Pig year. While the Fire element will still be present, the hidden element in the Pig branch is Water, so in 2007 we have the picture of Fire over Water. It will be the 24th year in the current 60 year cycle. As this past year of the Dog built structure and a symbolic "home" it is now time for the Pig to "furnish" said castle making it a comfortable, cozy place of safety and security. Occupying the life palace of home & family life with the Dog, the Pig proceeds to complete what the Dog has laid foundations for. Finishing touches, tying up loose ends, last stands, curtain calls and closures will be the urging of the year. So, prepare to finish projects, complete goals and even say some goodbyes. Put your ducks in a row, cross your T's and dot your I's in 2007 and the proper Pig will be gracious to you. Cont . . . Chinese Astrology: Exploring the Eastern Zodiac by Shelly Wu, ChineseAstrology.com
Deities, Prophets, and Avatars of
Compassion
Compassion is sometimes an elusive quality in today's capitalist and technological society. Too many adopt a “survival of the fittest” mentality, detaching from those around them, denying or ignoring we are all interconnected. Some never learn to show compassion to themselves, much less another. Nevertheless, we cannot escape the parables and mythology in place to help teach us, enlighten us, uplift our spirits, and nourish our souls, so we become familiar with various deities, prophets and avatars of compassion. The Buddhist Goddess, Kwan Yin quickly comes to mind with her famous pilgrimage site of Putuoshan Island in the East China Sea. Reverence for Kwan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, crosses cultural and religious boundaries in both the East and West. As she pours forth from her vase the waters of compassion, she has comforted many, and has helped to keep the essence of the Sacred Feminine alive for humankind. Cont. . .
Author,
Sacred Places of Goddess: 108
Destinations
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
Realm of Water
Realm of Earth
Realm of Spirit
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. Artwork from Ritual Path DVD by artist John Banks and music by Fritz Heede. Soon to be released by Artek Images .
by Jeanne Leiter Clark
I have a t-shirt that states “All women are beautiful”.
There’s a circle around this statement with six images
of Goddesses from around the world. The
Goddesses embody and give meaning to the
statement.
At the two o’clock position stands Sarasvati, the
Eastern Indian Goddess of music. She stands tall
and lithe, wearing the pantaloons and bra top of a
belly dancer. Her left hip is thrust out, her right hand
extended and bent; a second before she begins her
sacred dance. With her slim waist, she would be at
home walking down the runway modeling the latest
fashions. But she is devoted to dance, to creating the
music that soothes our souls, heals our wounds. Her
shape is not for titillation, but to praise the All.
More . . .
The Goddess Has A Thousand Faces
collograph by Lydia Ruyle.
www.LydiaRuyle.com
by Eloise Hart
Cupid and Psyche is a story about love. It is also
about beauty, truth, and goodness, for these are three
aspects of love: and it is about death, the hereafter,
and rebirth. Its simplicity touches our hearts, and at
the same time tantalizes our minds with hints of
teachings that neophytes experienced during the
higher degrees of initiation in the Mystery schools of
ancient times.
Beneath the story's romantic presentation lies a
profound theme: the quest of the human soul, Psyche,
for divine love, Eros (Cupid), and Divinity's desire for
expression. This theme, while particularly popular with
the Greeks, has been expressed with variations in
poetry and fairy tale, sculpture and painting.
Con't. . .
Reprinted from World Spiritual Traditions Menu at
www.theosophy-nw.org
by Jeanne Leiter Clark Miracles are not the property of Christians. Pagans believe in and accept them too. We believe that we can pull up energy from Mother Earth, or Her elements, or the entire Universe. How miraculous is it to gather that energy and be a conduit to send it to someone needing healing? Another kind of miracle is an event which is so improbable, so rare, that it isn’t mentioned in many ‘care and feeding’ articles. Royal Pythons, commonly called Ball Pythons, are not typical pets. While quite docile, they do not adapt easily to captivity. Males grow to be about 5' long, females about 6' and are bulkier than males. They’re not much threat to adults and small children, since the usual meals are small to large rats, depending on the size of the reptile. They are constrictors and hence, are not poisonous like a cobra or rattlesnake. How-to articles cover temperature and humidity of habitat, what and when to feed your serpent, shedding, and possible health issues such as mites. Read more. . . Jeanne Leiter Clark aka Pythia is a writer and editor living in Southern California. She is also a priestess in TOG and is currently serving as Sachamama (snakemother) to the incubating snake eggs.
by Helena Smith After a break of 16 centuries, Greek pagans are worshiping the ancient gods again - despite furious opposition from the Orthodox church. Helena Smith asks them why they're so keen to revive the old religion. It was high noon when Doreta Peppa, a woman with long, dark locks and owlish eyes, entered the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus. At first, tourists visiting the Athenian temple thought they had stumbled on to a film set. It wasn't just that Peppa cut a dramatic figure with her flowing robes and garlanded hair. Or that she seemed to be in a state of near euphoria. Or even that the group of men and women accompanying her - dressed as warriors and nymphets in kitsch ancient garb - appeared to have stepped straight out of the city's Golden Age. To the astonishment of onlookers, Peppa also began babbling Orphic hymns, before thrusting her arms upwards into the Attic skies and proceeding, somewhat deliriously, to warble her love for the gods of Mount Olympus. But, then, for the motley group of modern pagans coalesced around the temple's giant Corinthian columns, this was a special moment. Not since the late fourth century AD, when the newly Christian Roman state outlawed all forms of pagan worship, had a high priestess officiated on the sacred site. Con't. . . Reprinted, The Guardian, UK, February 1, 2007
In a Sacred Circle of Sisters, The Shamanic Tantric Dance is a meditation in motion, a sacred dance spontaneously sourced from body impulse.
INTRODUCTORY CLASSES in
PASADENA
Goddess Conversations 2007. www.goddessconversations.com
SACRED SUNDAYS Deities, Prophets, and Avatars of Compassion
Sunday, February 18th 11:00 AM
The Magdalene Cultural Arts Center
The Magdalene Center Monthly Community Events:
Feb.16. 8 PM Shabbat Drum and Chant Circle
Location: 4822 Vineland Ave @ Lankershim, North
Hollywood, CA 91601
TURN YOUR MID-LIFE CRISIS INTO YOUR CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT! DONNA HENES The Queen of My Self 2007 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOUR WORKSHOP: Are you in your middle years or about to enter them? Are you living your true potential and following your fondest dreams? If not, why not? And more importantly, if not now, when? Now is the time to leave behind old patterns that no longer serve you and to make way for the Queen -- that wonderful midlife stage of meaning, moxie, and majesty that is rightfully yours to enjoy. Click here to See Donna’s full SoCal schedule of workshops and appearances.
FEBRUARY 28, WEDNESDAY 7:00-9:30PM
MARCH 2, FRIDAY 7:00PM
MARCH 3, SATURDAY 2:00-4:30PM
MARCH 4, SUNDAY 11:00AM-12:30PM
MARCH 7, WEDNESDAY 7:00-10:00PM
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