~ Birth Announcements ~

Circle of Life

Bennett Anderson Heiner

Temple of the Goddess welcomes Bennett. He arrived on September 5th to mother Dionne and dad Mitch. He happens to be the second grandchild born to an elated Ruth Ann Anderson (RA), a priestess in the Temple of the Goddess. Mom, Dad, Bennett, and older sister Isla live way up north in Oregon. May prayers and good wishes flow north to the Heiner Family.

The Miracle of Prophet Silva

 Born December 10, 2010 at 11:56 p.m.

This last Saturday women from Temple of the Goddess were overjoyed to welcome a male into their midst. Little Prophet Silva was 36 days old. He was welcomed with open arms–literally. He was passed from woman to woman to woman around the circle, perhaps much like the Red Tent. He was cuddled, kissed, and danced with. Of course he slept a lot of the time, so won’t remember the event.

His mother, CandyJo Dahlstrom, had a chance to relax, nosh, chat, and yes, she danced too.
 

If you came to Temple of the Goddess 2010 All Hallows ritual, you saw (in a way) Prophet. He danced in CandyJo’s womb as she danced to As Above So Below. He just might dance with her again at the Spring Equinox ritual on March 19^th.

As the women celebrated this new, beautiful human being, I was celebrating on an even higher level. I was seeing Prophet for the second time. Mama CandyJo and papa Ernie Silva blessed me with the gift of being present at Prophet’s birth. I had never witnessed anyone or anything being born. For decades I had a need to witness the miracle of birth. It is such a precious thing, this birthing process. Yes, it’s painful. Yes, it’s dangerous for both mother and baby, but CandyJo choose the natural way and actually had a short labor.

I arrived at their apartment before the midwife, so Ernie had me time the length of contractions while he timed the spaces in between. After only a half-hour more, the midwife arrived in time to receive Prophet and place him on her chest.

As I watched the head crowning, and realized I was watching this precious little person when he was minus one second old, then plus one second old, I marveled at the miracle. The human female body is designed to construct the bones, the muscles, and the organs. The little one is actually made from the mother’s body. The mother’s body not only constructs a new, soon-to-be autonomous human being, it feeds it, oxygenates it, carries away waste products, and protects it from all harm in a comforting cocoon of warm water. Awesome.

After birth, the mother’s body becomes a source of nourishment, not only feeding the baby, but transferring immune substances to further protect this priceless being.

At the end of our soiree, CandyJo fed Prophet–the natural way, Prophet tucked against her chest, sucking on a giving breast. We at the Temple who visualize the Deity as a feminine Goddess, see CandyJo as a modern Goddess. Like a warrior, she stood at the threshold of the gates of life and death to usher this new soul into the world. She consciously walked up to the chasm of life or death to give birth to Prophet. She created Prophet from the cells of her body joined with the cells of Ernie. Creation is a divine act.

I honor her conscious choice to produce a miracle. Please join with me and say a silent prayer for Prophet, CandyJo, Ernie, and big sisters Essence and Isis. May their family flourish with prosperity, health, wealth, and happiness. We welcome them to the family of Temple of the Goddess and the Pagan community of Southern California.