Mid-Summer Illumination by Anne Key

Goddess, Gratefulness, Priestess, ritual, Seasonal Greetings, Summer Solstice

Today is Mid-Summer, the Summer Solstice. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we are living in the moments of the most light of the year. Solstice means “sun ceases” (originally from Latin), and it is at this point that the sun stills, rising and setting at its northernmost position on the horizon the few days before and after Mid-summer, drenching us in almost unrelenting light.

Many times, I view the unrelenting light as invigorating, life-affirming, and joyous. This year, the unrelenting light brings exposure. The politics of the day shine a thousand watt beam on the inequality, injustice, and inhumanity that is often unseen, or that we choose not to see, or that we cannot take in without our hearts breaking.

Today in this moment of stillness as the sun bathes us in its light, I open myself to seeing all that is illuminated and accepting my place in it. I see my power and privilege, and I see the limits of my own capacity. I don’t allow myself to be immobilized by guilt or shame, and I acknowledge what I have done to better the world. I take this day to see the big picture, to see my path in it. And I take this moment to open myself to the illumination of the solstice, without and within, and accept myself as whole, holy.

Whatever you do today, take a moment to truly see what is being illuminated, both without and within.

Blessings on this brightest and longest of days —

Anne

Note on Dates: Astrologically, Mid-Summer may be calculated as the date the Sun is at 0 degree cancer. Summer Solstice (Latin: “sun ceases”) is known as Mid-Summer or Litha (from the Anglo-Saxon name for the month of June) and St. John’s Day (the feast day of St. John the Baptist).

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A faculty member in Women’s Studies, English and Religious Studies, Anne Key is the co-founder of the independent press Goddess Ink and co-editor of two anthologies: Stepping Into Ourselves: An Anthology of Writings on Priestesses and Heart of the Sun: An Anthology in Exaltation of Sekhmet. She has two memoirs, Desert Priestess and Burlesque, Yoga, Sex and Love: A Memoir of Life Under the Albuquerque Sun. She and Veronica Iglesias created The Jade Oracle deck with deities and symbols from ancient Mexico to bring this wisdom to a new generation, and they lead tours to sacred sites in Mexico. See more at www.sacredtoursofmexico.com. Anne resides in Albuquerque with her husband, his two cats and her snake.

No Hurry in the Season of Hurry Hurry

Goddess, Gratefulness, Seasonal Greetings

Nohurryplease

This is the season of hurry, hurry, hurry. We go from this thing to that thing, to the many things that are calling for our attention. We live in a culture that values busy. We live in a society that give you kudos and recognition and honors busy. Many people have an urgency addition. It makes them feel important and valuable. But if we can understand that we have value, just because live. Our worthiness comes from our Divine essence, not from how much we get done today.

I am a blessed woman, even when there is much to do. When I get in a hurry, overwhelmed or too busy I try to remember sage advice from a wise teacher, “Remember, no hurry, it doesn’t help”. I spent much of my early life running fast, creating a sense of urgency for getting it all done, trying to do everything FAST. But I am trying to appreciate what I have now, without that sense of urgency. I am trying to recognize that if I am clear about my intentions and focus, then I can do those things, and the rest just fades away. Because really, there are things in my life that really don’t matter, that can take up so much time, space and life energy that are not really all that important, OR, they are not mine to worry about.

But what might happens if we allowed ourselves to slow down? What happens when we stop to listen to what’s really inside? Often it’s uncomfortable, it feels overwhelming, or humbling, or sad. But honoring the truth within is a powerful practice. It also allow you time to get your bearings. For me it’s a bit like getting a break in the middle of rafting river rapids or after being on one of those old wooden roller coaster. My insides are so jarred I just want to stop! When we stop then we can recover, regroup, and recuperate.

Slowing down may take awareness, consciousness and intention, but maybe the No Hurry breath is inside you, available to you if you just slow down enough to tap into it. Breathe, see if you can see the No Hurry sign in your soul.

There’s an old Zen saying that goes something like “Meditate for an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case meditate for two hours.” It’s reminder when we are too busy, the very thing we need to do is slow down. I also love the quote “Goddess is never in a hurry, but She is always on time”. Or a good one for me is from Lily Tomlin “For fast acting relief, try slowing down”.

It is my hope, wish and blessing for you in this season of hurry,Meditate for an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case meditate for two hours. that the best gift you could give yourself is to slow down.

Bright blessings,

Genevieve

Photo credits: Shutterstock.com

Genevieve Mitchell is a Partner with Goddess Ink Publishing. She is a Priestess, a Seeker, a Flower Essence Practitioner, a photographer, a socially responsible investor, a mother, a grandmother and a devotee of God/Goddess/Divine/Spirit. You can contact her at genevieve@goddess-ink.com.

For more information and to follow Goddess Ink Blog visit www.goddess-ink.com or visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/goddessinkbooks/. Also, please sign up for the Goddess Ink Newsletter for a monthly dose of inspiration.

In Thanksgiving for You!

Classes, Compassion, Goddess, Gratefulness, Thanksgiving

Thank you!

It’s the time of the year to remember all the people in our lives and all the blessings of the past year. It’s also time to remember why we have this day as a national holiday at all, that is, the Native Americans were kind and compassionate enough to keep all pilgrims from starving. In case you didn’t know, November is National Native American Heritage Month. Something that many of us don’t know, but perhaps something we should remember!

For us here at Goddess Ink, it’s also a time to remember and thank our partners, our collaborators, our contributors, our customers, our supporters, our connections and of course you, for being part of this movement to share and offer a new way of thinking that includes honoring the feminine and recognizing the Divine Feminine as part of the new cultural norm.

We offer books, online classes and sacred tours to expand the awareness and focus the importance of recognizing the Goddess, the Female Face of the Divine. We want to honor and promote goddess studies and topics related to feminine spirituality. Thank you to all of you who support this work.

We wish you the blessings of love, light and joy in these days of autumn and deepening darkness. May Goddess fill you with wisdom, grace and courage to be you, the grand and amazing gift you are to the world.

Bright Blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!

Genevieve

Photo credits: Shutterstock.com

On Being a Presence (of Grace) in the World

Divine, Empowerment, Goddess, Gratefulness, Intuition, Priestess

shutterstock_416982001 I had a lovely chat with a dear friend recently. She was lamenting about her work at as a catering assistant. She longs to do meaningful and significant work in the world. She encountered a situation during a very elaborate expensive event where the man who hired the catering company had a meltdown and was quite ugly with the waitstaff. She was feeling powerless and very bad for her colleagues. But what I recognized in her was her ability to stand in grace and caring during a difficult situation. She could bring love, blessings, a gentle spirit and a calming influence to time when no one else seemed to able to garner those qualities.

I think it’s the same for all of us. No, we usually don’t do amazing, big or monumental things in the world. But we can do small, meaningful and loving things as part of who we are and what we do.

I love this quote by Helen Keller:

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. —-Helen Keller

We are the vessels of change in this world, and mostly in small but important ways. For me, it’s what I call being an agent of transformation. It’s how I try and walk in the world, it’s gives meaning to my interactions and my work.

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful pre-Thanksgiving week manifesting your Presence in the world.

Love and light,

Genevieve

Are you looking for a support on your Priestess Path? This is a wonderful resource, full of history, personal stories and a tool kit for your path. Stepping Into Ourselves cover_sio

Spring Equinox 2017: Ready, set, grow!

contemplation, Goddess, Gratefulness, Seasonal Greetings, spring equinox

Spring Equinox 2017

Today is the Spring Equinox, when the northern and southern hemispheres are bathed in equal light. It is a day to search for balance within and without. Spring is the transition from the dark womb of winter to the brilliance of summer, and we are at the moment when all the underground growth breaks surface.

I’ve had a bit of a dark womb winter this year, and I feel like a part of myself was either hibernating or hiding. There have been times I have wanted to come out of the cave, to pull back the heavy blankets, but I just wasn’t ready.

But now, I’m ready. The sunflower seed bursting from its shell:

For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction. Cynthia Occelli

This is where I am today, just beginning to break open through the seed. Its carcass is still on my leaves.

Take a moment today and consider where you are. Let growth take its natural course. Breathe into the beauty, vigor, and newness that is Spring.

Blessed be – Anne

PS: This sunflower seed was planted at the full moon during a wonderful and powerful ritual. I’m ready to shake myself awake!

More about Spring Equinox: Spring Equinox is often called Ostara, or Eostre, named for a goddess of Germanic origin who is the namesake of Easter. For the Northern Hemisphere, Spring Equinox is Mid-Spring, signaling the height of the season, occurring at 1° Aries in Tropical system. History and ritual ideas: http://www.schooloftheseasons.com/spring.html .

On Being A Creation Woman by Kimberly Moore and Genevieve Mitchell

contemplation, Creativity, Divine, Empowerment, Goddess, Gratefulness, Priestess, ritual

creation-woman-womanroots-kimberly-f-moore-shakti-womyn-ysl

What does it mean to be a Creation Woman? What does it mean to take my creativity, open it up to Divine inspiration, stir in some excitement and adventure….and head in to 2017? Where can I find my creativity? When I find it…then what? I’m pleased, puzzled, grateful and baffled by the opportunities I have to be creative and impactful. I also pray that I make wise choices.

It’s the last week of 2016….what a year, personally, professionally, politically and providentially. As as Creation Women, women and men with the power to create the world in which we want to live, it’s time to honor that creative capacity. Creativity is the powerful flow from the universe, it’s the energetic force infusing our lives. This creative flow, comes from Source, and manifests as Divinity in all manner of our creations. Our own creative potential is evidence to me that God/Goddess/Source exist…because we manifest that creativity in the mystery of living and in the creation of art, music, dance, ideas….the building of amazing building, the collaborative efforts to solve world problems, the creation of new technology….

Creativity is everywhere! Let us celebrate it, honor it, and use it, to create a world where there is respect and honor for the Earth, humanity and all our relations to the seventh generations. So how can we use ourselves as Temples of Creativity? Kimberly Moore from MotherHouse of the Goddess and Mystery School of the Goddess, shares some profound and very timely observations. Thank you Kimberly!

“Breathe Me, Woman, into your head, your thoughts, your intentions.

Breathe Me, as I breathe you into Creation.

Breathe Me deep, Woman, into your womb, your throne. Lay me bare on

your heart, your altar.

Let us embrace as Sisters on our thrones of Creation.

Give Me your seeds and let us laugh over them, pour tears into them, hold silence unto them.

Let us set them gently onto our thrones, adorn them, infuse them.

Let us clasp our hands on our bellies and feel them growing, kicking, burgeoning.

And when the time is ripe and our thrones are bursting,

Let us crouch and moan and rock.

Let us birth these seeds grown strong with intention, with our beauty, with our secret Selves.

Give me your Creation – I am your Midwife. I am your throne. I am the receiving Earth.

Breathe Me, Woman. Breathe Us into Creation.

Creation Woman calls upon us to claim our thrones. Unite with our divine soul seeds, to unveil our life mission, fight for our heart’s desire, to “bleed” with purpose. She is not to be ignored and if done, can result in pathologies such as depression, anxiety, and even more serious illnesses.

This month, part of your sacred living work is to work on your Temple, your throne. Notice where it needs work. Adorn it. Breathe into it daily, mindfully, powerfully. In this, you are creating your reality, making healthy and vibrant the place that allows you to CREATE. “

~ Kimberly Moore

Kimberly F. Moore is a Creative Catalyst and Mentor for Women; Shakti-Powered Entrepreneur; Goddess Priestess; Blissful Revolutionary; Hungry Goddess (food writer); Writer; and Photographer. She offers coaching and online courses to promote the Everyday Sacred in women’s lives for personally and professionally.

Kimberly is offering her Year of Sacred Living http://mysteryschoolofthegoddess.net/2016/10/17/a-year-of-sacred-living-with-kimberly-f-moore-open/ where she shares a year of Living Deeply with the Sacred. The poem above is from her course.

She is the Founder of the MotherHouse of the Goddess and Mystery School of the Goddess. Kimberly has been a Goddess Priestess for more than 20 years. Her areas of research, practice, and teaching are focused on Goddess Spirituality, Comparative Mythology, Archetypal Psychology, and Ritual Practice. She has a special connection to the Goddesses from the Greek, Hindu and Yoruban traditions, but has worked with many other Goddesses through the years. She is also an Aborisha in the Lukumi tradition and a Daughter of Oshun. Kimberly lives in Delaware with her son, two kitties, surrounded by Goddess altars everywhere.

Goddess Ink is your source for inspiration for the Divine Feminine. Find books, classes and sacred tours to feed your soul. For more information and to follow Goddess Ink Blog visit www.goddess-ink.com or visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/goddessinkbooks/. Also, please sign up for the Goddess Ink Newsletter for a monthly dose of inspiration.

Photo Credits: Top Photo by Kimberly Moore, bottom photo by Shutterstock.

Thank You, I Have No Complaint Whatsoever

Compassion, Divine, Goddess, Gratefulness, Priestess, Thanksgiving

shutterstock_518846149 “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving is upon us, as a holiday yes, and in my mind, as an opportunity to remember and acknowledge all the ways I am blessed.

My own personal world has been stunned and shaken by the turn of events in the US political scene, the ongoing concern about how we (collectively) treat our dear Mother Earth, and my own life and how it is evolving. I keep wondering, how can I best respond to these circumstances? Gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation for what I DO have, that just keeps coming up.

There is a story by Alan Cohen about a woman Zen Master named Sono who taught one very simple method of enlightenment. She advised everyone who came to her to adopt an affirmation to be said many times a day, under all conditions. The affirmation was, “Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.”

Many people from all arenas of life came to Sono for healing. Some were in physical pain; others were emotionally distraught; others had financial troubles; some were seeking soul liberation. No matter what their distress or what question they asked her, her response was the same: “Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.”

Some people went away disappointed; others grew angry; others tried to argue with her. Yet some people took her suggestion to heart and began to practice it. Tradition tells that everyone who practiced Sono’s mantra found peace and healing.

Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever. http://bit.ly/2galzdJ

I know that we all have the capacity to go to gratitude, but it is so easy to go to the place of drama, trauma, judgment, and complaints. But I know we are so much more than all of the complaints. Thanksgiving is an opportunity to practice having “no complaint whatsoever”. This idea of “Thank you for everything”, is such a powerful concept. How wonderful it could be if we could just be a vessel of appreciation and gratitude and share that with those we encounter, even when others are complaining. Yes, I know there is much to complain about, but those things require action, not complaints. So, right now, that’s how I am choosing to respond, to be a channel of gratitude.

My prayer for this Thanksgiving is “Thank you for everything, I have no complaint”.

Many blessings and a deep bow for this Thanksgiving week.

Genevieve

Photo Credits: Shutterstock Photos