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Temple of the Goddess has had a very blessed year.
So many wonderful people have found their way
through the temple doors. 2006 celebrations of the
Earth and Her Sabbats have been deep, beautiful,
and joyfully spiritual at the Neighborhood Unitarian
Universalist Church in Pasadena, California.
There are so many wonderful things that came to the
temple this year, I feel I must gush at the abundance
of gifts and talents that were bestowed on us. In
addition to our sound system donated by
Ana Diaz-Ruiz in 2005, we also had access this year
through Sutton Studios to theatrical lighting
equipment which added so much to the experience of
ritual theatre. Our sweet angel, Dawn Bodnar Sutton
also graciously donated rehearsal and meeting space
throughout the year. The magnificent lighting was
created by Roy & Karen Tate and Sergio Jara. And
thank you, Les Nakashima, for giving us visual
memories.
Our altars evolved into magnificent art installation
pieces thanks to artists and facilitators, Ruth Ann
Anderson and Kathleen Forrest. We planted seeds by
stream beds, journeyed through the cave of the Dark
Mother, and danced with Christine Papalexis’ 7-foot
magnificent Sun Goddess Puppet which took three
people to bring to life. Christine also gifted us with
her costuming and mask-making skills. It was a year
of brilliant visuals. Thank you my darlings.
The temple musical ensemble literally blossomed with
talented musicians under the guidance of Ananda,
the temple’s musical director. Adding to our
soundscape of harmonium, cello, piano, drummers,
guitarist, and flutists we now have a bass, singing
bowl, hammered dulcimer, and more guitarists and
drummers. Next year we hope to include a water
violin, an oboe, viola, and didgeridoo. Thank you my
dear musicians for all you do–Ananda, Chokae', David
Jacks, Farva, Howard Hansen, Berit Jordahl, Christine
Papalexis, Cliff Tazner, and Miranda Rondeau.
Our Goddess Choir debuted in 2006 under Ananda’s
direction with the determined assistance of Anne
Gauldin who gathered singers and facilitators
together to sing Eliza Gilkyson’s Requiem.
There was hardly a dry eye in the house.
All the ritual elements including the storytelling,
Greek Chorus style, were brought to life by an
awesome cast of actors, dancers, and facilitators
accompanied by the Temple soundscape artists.
These talented individuals include Haize Rosen,
Kathleen Forrest, Christine Papalexis, Karen Tate, RA,
Kamala, Stevie St. John, Sharita, Anne Gauldin, Berit
Jordahl, and Pythia. Joining these gifted folks were
the most amazing young facilitators between the
ages of nine and nineteen: Lianna Nakashima, Celia
Sutton, Patrick Humphreys, Skylar Sutton, Marcella
Lentz-Pope, Drew Carroll, and Zachary Tatum-Nolan.
These young people brought a cornucopia of
commitment, passion, and dedication. You awe and
inspire me and I know, blessedly and undoubtedly,
hope for the future.
Guest artists this year included Lisa Thiel, Lora Cain,
Sukha, Heaven, and Yoko Mizuno. We incorporated a
beautiful Crone mask created by Lauren Raine, The Masks of the Goddess, into our
Hallow's Eve ceremony. We hope to collaborate with
Lauren and Masks of the Goddess in 2007. Thank you
all for sharing your beautiful gifts with us.
Lastly, thank you to Pythia, who lovingly held us all
together in her humorous, loving, generous,
organizational arms. The chalice of my heart
overflows with love for all these amazing souls. They,
and you, are Temple of the Goddess.
We look forward to sharing 2007 with you. Blessings,
Xia
I wake in the morning and rise from my bed
Thank you for the water I splash on my face
I see you in flowers and see you in trees
Thank you for the harvest that all of us eat
I see you in the animals and in the Earth
Thank you for the children that enter our lives
At the end of the day as I’m ready to sleep
by Hugin the Bard, A Bard’s Book of Pagan
Songs
Temple of the Goddess choir rehearsals will resume in January. If you are interested in joining, contact us at choir@TempleoftheGoddess.org. Essays, articles, interviews, and poetry for temple newsletter can be submitted to newletter@TempleoftheGoddess.org. 2006 tithing letters will be going out by the end of the year to all those people who have so generously kept the temple doors open and the work thriving. This letter will serve as a receipt for your tax-deductible donations. 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.
by Scott Bauer
Government's refusal to recognize Wiccan
symbol leads to lawsuit by widows of
veterans.
The Star of David is OK, as are more than a dozen
variations of the Christian cross. Even the atomic
whirl used by atheists gets the thumbs-up from the
federal government.
But a Wiccan symbol representing earth, air, fire,
water and spirit isn't recognized by the federal
government for veterans' grave markers.
A federal lawsuit filed Monday accuses the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs of violating the
constitutional rights of Wiccans because the
government does not allow its symbol on headstones
in national cemeteries.
"I honestly think there must be some people who
don't want to acknowledge that the Wiccan religion
should be entitled to the same rights as other
religions," said Selena Fox, who is senior minister of
the Wiccan Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld,
Wisconsin.
Roberta Stewart, a widow of a soldier killed in
Afghanistan last year, has waged her own personal
war to see the Wiccan pentacle placed on the
tombstone of her husband, Nevada National Guard
Sgt. Patrick Stewart. More . . .
Published by The Associated Press November 14, 2006
THANK YOU
Thank you for all my hands can hold -
Thank you for all my eyes can see -
Thank you for all my ears can hear -
by Dana, age 8, South Setauket, NY, USA
Click here to help your child make a
Bouquet
of Thanks.
MORGAN LE FAY'S BOOK OF SPELLS & WICCAN
RITES Now in its second printing, Morgan Le Fay’’s Book of Spells and Wiccan Rites has been a fixture in the Wiccan community for many years. Elegantly written and expertly presented, this work binds together rites of the Goddesses and Gods of many cultures, as if from the private collection of the mythic Morgan Le Fay. These sacred invocations and heartfelt rites of power are designed to give you the internal experience of your intention. Be inspired by these sacred words, as Morgan Le Fay's Book of Spells and Wiccan Rites lifts your spirit high and transforms your life.
Published by Citadel Press: Kensington Publishing,
NY Click here to order from Amazon through Temple of the Goddess. (Click on the Amazon button.)
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
Realm of Fire
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.
All Saints to defy IRS; Subpoenaed church
vows louder anti-war voice.
Social activism, the Rev. Ed Bacon likes to say, is "in
the DNA" of All Saints Episcopal Church.
So, with last week's Democratic takeover of the
House and Senate, the 2008 presidential race
cranking up, and a ready-made national platform on
free speech from the pulpit, the church is positioning
itself to lead faith-based opposition to the war in
Iraq.
There has been "an amazing amount of interest" in
the public forum the church will hold Sunday on "The
War, The Pulpit and the Right to Preach," said Bacon,
rector of All Saints. Read more . . .
Publisher: Pasadena Star-News (California)
by Pythia
I am one of the priestesses who receive copies of
prayer requests submitted anonymously through
Temple of the Goddess website. All the priestesses
treat the prayer requests with honor and respect,
but differently. I don’t know how the others present
them to Kuan Yin, but let me tell you how I do it.
When a prayer request is forwarded to me, the first
thing I do is print it out. I cut away all the
extraneous email data and empty spaces, leaving
only the hope/desire/prayer. I pass no judgment,
treating all requests with the same respect. From
this point on, I am a witness to the petitioner’s
prayer–whatever it may be. The power of the
witness/seeker relationship is immeasurable. A
solitary prayer is powerful, but a witnessed prayer is
one plus one equals infinity. The Goddesses of
antiquity realized this: Isis had her dark sister
Nephthys when she prayerfully searched for her
husband: Inanna partially gained her release from the
Underworld when flying creatures witnessed and
mirrored her sister’s pain of losing her husband.
Having a witness to your joy or sorrow is one of life’s
sweet blessings.
I light an incense in front of my wooden Kuan Yin. I
read the prayer aloud three times, pass the paper
through the fragrant smoke, then roll it tight. I then
touch the paper to Kuan Yin’s hands and urn of
timeless compassion.
Each prayer is then placed inside one of the Chinese
patterned vases holding flowers placed to each side
of the bountiful Goddess. I have left all the prayers
in the vases since I have been receiving them. The
beginning of October I noticed the vases were full.
What to do? Con't. . .
Click here to make a prayer request.
You can apply for Temple of the Goddess Membership
Online using our secured PayPal account.
Click here to go to our membership page
Complete the simple form and click Submit. A
payment screen will appear. Then click the Add
to Cart button for the Membership Level you wish
to enter, then complete the PayPal screens.
“The world of humanity is possessed of two wings:
the male and the female.
So long as these two wings
are not equivalent in strength,
the bird will not fly.” Click here for more Gifting Oppotunities.
Sacred Sensual Moving Meditation for
women INTRODUCTORY CLASSES AND SERIES OF
FIVE For Registration and
Information Call (310) 455-3876 or
Nov. 24, Mrs. Santa Claus @ 7pm film series
with popcorn! Donation Request for Scholarship Endowment Fund at each Event.
Location: 4822 Vineland Ave @ Lankershim, North
Hollywood, CA 91601
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