For Brighid

Holy Water, Sacred Flame
Brigid, we invoke your name
Bless my head, my hands, my heart
Source of healing, song and art

Book Review: Ishmael

Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn. Published by Bantam Books, 1992. ISBN: 0-553-37540-7.

This book came to me by way of a house guest who left it behind. I finally decided to pick it up and read it. I am so glad I did! The story is written in the first person and, like The Celestine Prophecy, we never learn the main character's name or gender. The main character sees an ad in a paper that says: "Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." Pessimistic yet intrigued, the character shows up at the address in the ad and begins a journey toward understanding "how things came to be this way". The teacher leads the pupil through discussions of human history, Mother Culture, and a bit of theology, until the pupil learns the answer to "how things came to be this way" and is able to envision an alternative future for planet Earth.

With the current conversations around Global Warming, the destruction of the rainforests and war, this book is a great resource for finding a language that most people can relate to. It is a serious discussion of the state of the world that includes humor and a path to understanding "how things came to be this way." It is an easy and quick read. I highly recommend it!

Brighid Speaks

There is a dark place deep within you
Search, and you will know it there
Do not fear the darkness
For I am the darkness

It is in the darkness that the seed sprouts
It is in the darkness that the chick grows
It is the darkness that holds the greatest potential

There are things I can only teach you in that place of internal winter
Where all things are possible and all visions true
One of these Truths is this: the darknes gives birth to light

For I am the spark of the Universe
The fire of Truth that burns in your heart
The fire of insight and passion that burns in your belly
It is my Fire that sings in the Blood of the Poets
Those who know the darkness, embrace it,
And know that Spring always comes

My gift of Poetry is Truth
Embrace the darkness within you
Find what longs to be birthed
Sing the fire into being
And feel the words of power burn within you
I am Brighid.
I am Poetry.

c. Bansagart 2000

Ritual for Imbolc

Review the holiday of Imbolc.

Light a candle and dedicate it to Brighid using either the Gaelic words or their English translation below:

Brighid bean oirdheach
Lasrach grad
Fetaim lasrach soillse
thoir coire sinne ris a bheatha
mhaireanach.

Brighid, excellent lady,
Sudden Flame,
May the fiery bright sun
Take us to
The lasting reign.

When we respect the earth, the land itself becomes a magic cauldron, full of abundance. The Earth is the Great Mother of all life. The health of the Earth is reflected in the health of our own physical bodies as well.

Today we focus our energies on sending healing to the Earth and honoring her gifts to us: water, fire, soil, wind, food, shelter.

Send healing energy to the Earth. As you are moved, feel free to voice your thanks to the Earth for her gifts, and any wishes you have for the healing of the earth.

Honor the earth in a phsyical way. You can work with clay to create a symbol of the earth for your altar, dig in your garden, or wiggle your toes in the sand at the shore.

A Celtic Blessing:
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace ofthe flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour the healing light on you
Deep peace to you

c. Bansagart 2004

Winter Solstice - Part 2

We gather together in homes and churches and synagogues, celebrating the light that will return to us. This is the time of year for sharing with the community the hope and faith that the light always returns.

Take a few moments and think about your life at this time.
Where is the darkness? Have you embraced it?
Where does this darkness need to be transformed?
Where do you need to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the rebirth of the sun/son?
What needs to be reborn in you, in your life?
What hope and promise of enlightenment do you crave?

As you are ready, light a candle to represent what you wish to give birth to during this season. If you wish, you can speak your wish out loud; giving voice to our wishes puts our intention out to the universe. You may do this for as many wishes as you would like.

This is the time of the Solstice, the longest night of the year. Now darkness triumphs, and yet gives way and changes into light. The breath of nature is suspended: all waits for the return of the sun/son. We watch for the coming of dawn, the return of hope and the promise of summer. This is the stillness behind motion, when time itself stops; the center which is also the circumference of all. Knowing that without darkness, there is no light, we breathe in the stillness, the great knowledge that all things are possible.

Winter Solstice - part 1

We have all noticed the days growing shorter and the nights longer as winter approaches. We complain when we remember how much we did outside last summer when the sun was up until 8:30 or 9:00 pm - and now it is gone at 5! The mornings, too, are dark, and we drive to work with our headlights on.

As we have approached the Winter Solstice, the days have gotten shorter and the nights much longer. If we pay attention to the world around us, we see that the summer flowers are gone, the hillsides are bare, and even here in Southern California, many trees have dropped their leaves. With less daylight hours, animals scurry to get everything done in a shorter amount of time, and the trees and perennial flowers are going into dormancy.

At the Winter Solstice, the sun reaches its southernmost point, rising the latest and setting the earliest of any time of the year. In the ongoing cycles of light and dark, darkness wins out. The sun seems to stand still for several days, rising at the same time and same place; but then, it begins to rise earlier and set later as the cycles continue in their spiral dance.

Our inner journey reflects the cycles of Nature around us. This is the time for shortening our days, scurrying to get things done during the shorter days. Some of us struggle with the weight of the darkness, not sure whether we will see the light again. Others of us enjoy this season the most: cleaning, shopping, cooking, and visiting with loved ones. Most of us seem to swing back and forth between the lightness and the darkness. This is the time to hold in our minds the promise of spring and rebirth. The darkness is strongest just before the dawn. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is nothing new in the history of humanity. Our ancestors struggled with the same issues, even without shopping malls. As the days grew shorter and the nights longer, as the sun seemed to stand still on the horizon, there must have been the fear that perhaps the days would grow shorter and shorter until there was only night. Perhaps the sun would not come back and they would never see the light again. We know that the sun has always returned, and yet, we can imagine what would happen if it didn't. We can imagine what our ancient ancestors must have thought, without electricity to light their evenings. What if it was always this dark and cold? How could they exist like this forever?

Around the world, the darkness and the fear that the winter brought gave birth to festivals and rituals that hailed the gradual lengthening of days after the winter solstice. All of these celebrations involved the lighting of fires to symbolically rekindle the sun, the triumph of the light and life over darkness and death. The entire community would gather, celebrating together, telling stories and feasting.

From what we know, the first Winter Solstice holidays were celebrated in Egypt over 4000 years ago. Mesut-re celebrated the birth of the Sun God Ra, who was later merged with Horus, the child of Isis. The Babylonians took up the celebration, holding the festival of Zagmuk in honor of the creator/sun god Marduk. by the time the holiday spread to Rome, it was a chance to honor Jupiter's defeat of Saturn in the festival of Saturnalia as the new year defeated the old. The Jewish people celebrate Hannakuh, the Festival of Lights, at this time, lighting the 8-tapered menorah in honor of religious freedom and the ability to hold the darkness at bay.

In Northern Europe, Yule was celebrated as the rebirth of the sun. The word "Yule" comes from the Norse word meaning "wheel", the Wheel of the Year. In ancient days, a druid would cut the sacred mistletoe from the mighty oak; evergreen trees were brought into the home to remind everyone of growth and life. Candles were lit to simulate the brightness of mid-day. A Yule Log was burned for 12 days, helping the Mother Goddess give birth to the sun-god, symbolizing the warmth and continuing light of the sun. By the time Christianity developed, winter solstice holidays were well-entrenched in peoples' minds. It made perfect sense to include the celebration of Jesus' birth with the birth of all other sun gods and sons of god. One of the newest Festivals of Light is Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration developed in the 1960s to honor unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

What did your culture or family call this holiday? What do you know about it?

How have you celebrated this season?

c. Bansagart 2003.

Laws of Ma'at - 7

I live in truth

What is truth? Is truth the same for everyone? or different?

If you look at this issue through the lens of Lawrence Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development, it seems that persons who have reached the post-conventional level (stages 5 and 6) of moral development would hold views similar to those of Moral Relativism, that justice is the measure by which all things must be viewed. Most people however, never move beyond the conventional level (stages 3 and 4), believing that rules and social conventions must be followed, that maintaining a functioning society is the basic measure. If people are at different levels in their understanding of morality, it stands to reason that the truth may be perceived differently as well.

So how can I live in truth?

When Ma'at judges my heart, She will weigh it against a feather. I will not be compared to any other person. That truth is perceived differently by others is not the issue. The only issue is "how have my actions and inactions weighed on my heart?"

I live in truth by being honest with myself about my abilities, limitations and motivations.
I live in truth by being honest in my relationships with others.
I live in truth by exposing and confronting untruths.
I determine what is truth for me, based on my interactions with the Divine, my understanding of how the world works, and my ongoing self-education.
I don't allow myself to be force-fed someone else's truth without question, regardless of how long they've had a tv or radio show, how many members are in their church, or how much money they have.

Sometimes living in truth can cause a dilemma. Sometimes we are faced with a situation where telling a lie might be the right thing to do. When faced with this dilemma, we must ask ourselves, "Whom does this lie benefit?" and "Whom does this lie harm?" We must make an honest evaluation of the situation, make a decision, and take responsibility for the outcome.

I choose to live in truth.

Ritual Follow-up

We celebrated our Winter Solstice ritual last night. Our theme was "Where will your wings take you?" as we move into the Dreamtime of winter, dreaming what we will birth in the spring. Elfkat and Mary led us in caroling before we began. Joanne was her amazing self as the Mistress of Ceremonies and led us in meditation. I spoke for the Wings of Justice, Callista spoke for the Wings of Heart, Catherine spoke for the Wings of Truth, Laura spoke for the Wings of Healing, and Anniitra spoke for the Wings of the Dark. Callista crowned our new Lucinas, Nicole and Ella. I'm hoping Elfkat will post some pictures in the next couple of days.

The ritual went beautifully, the feasting afterwards was wonderful. And we raised $200 for Heifer International.

Unfortunately, while we were in ritual in the hall, someone entered the kitchen and stole a couple of wallets, and some cash from another purse. We spent the 2 1/2 hours after ritual making sure no other wallets were taken, checking trash cans and the grounds with flashlights, and waiting for the police to show up and take a report.

Obviously, someone hadn't yet learned a cardinal rule:
Don't mess with witches!

As our participants heard what had happened, many of them were muttering spells to recover the lost wallets, to make the thief trip up soon and be caught, for karma to catch up with them, and a few choice other spells that I won't mention here. Let's just say they were a bit graphic. Was it really worth all that for less than $50 cash? You see, we don't need to see Justice be done to know that Justice is done. We've got the hardball players on our side: Ma'at, Kali, Justitia, Freyja, Themis, Dike, Astraea and Athena to name a few.

Winter Solstice Ritual

Long Beach WomanSpirit & Temple of Isis/Los Angeles present
our 2006
Winter Solstice Ritual

Where Will Your Wings Take You?

Saturday, December 16th
Unitarian Universalist Church
5450 Atherton St • Long Beach CA
Doors open at 7 pm - Ritual begins as 7:30 pm
$10-$15 donation requested*

Come Celebrate Winter Solstice with us
and Give Flight to Your Dreams
For your flight please bring
• a candle in a holder • potluck dish to share
• an unwrapped gift
for a child or resident of the LB Woman’s Shelter
* all monies collected will be donated to a global charity
This event is co-sponsored by the Spiritual Practices Committee
of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach

Winter Solstice Faire

Join Long Beach WomanSpirit and the Temple of Isis/Los Angeles for the
19th annual Winter Solstice Faire.

Saturday 2 December 2006
10:00AM - 4:00PM
Donation: $5 (includes 1 raffle ticket)
Many Unique, Goddess Themed Items
to entice your senses and celebrate your spirit
Plus All Day Entertainment,
Food Vendors, Networking Table,
and our Hourly Raffle of Vendor Items

Entertainment Schedule
Opening Circle 10:00AM
Ella Reed 10:30AM
Kahena and
Banaat al-Qamar 11:00AM
Lisa Thiel 11:45AM
Diana Wysinger
and Friends 12:30PM
Miranda Rondeau 1:15PM
Miri Hunter Haruach 2:00PM
The Nubian Divas 2:45PM
Closing Dance 3:15PM

Come and play and spend the day in the Cosmic Energy of the Goddess!
The Faire is held at Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach
5450 Atherton, Long Beach
(just west of Bellflower Blvd, between 405 Freeway and 7th Street)

Event is sponsored by Temple of Isis/Los Angeles
and co-sponsored by the Spiritual Practices Committee of UUCLB

Click on the link below for more details!
http://www.longbeachwomanspirit.org/

Who Is Isis?

Isis is actually the Greek name for the Egyptian Goddess Au-set, but since it is the most widely used version of Her name, I will use it here as well.

Isis, She of Ten Thousand Names, was said to be the daughter of Nut and Geb, one of 5 gods born to them during the epagomenal days, the 5 "days out of time" that were the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. The 5 deities born during these epagomenal days are commonly referred to as Osiris, Set, Horus (the Elder), Isis and Nephthys. Isis was paired with Osiris, her brother-husband, and Nephthys was often paired with Set.

There are many stories of Isis as Lady of the Words of Power who bested Ra (the Sun god), as Great Mother of Horus (the Younger), as the grieving and desperate wife of the dismembered Osiris. The stories are long, and perhaps a retelling will appear on these pages soon.

The worship of Isis began several thousand years ago in Khemet, or ancient Egypt. The one most often associated with Isis is the Temple of Philae, near present-day Aswan. The Isian religion eventually spread from Egypt to Greece and the entire Roman Empire. Archaeologists have found temples of found as far away as England. Modern worship of Isis can be seen in groups such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Fellowhsip of Isis and the Kemetic Orthodox Church. If you are interested in learning more about Isis, either in ancient Egypt or today, you might want to explore these books:

Isis Magic by M. Isidora Forrest
Offerings to Isis by M. Isidora Forrest
Dreams of Isis by Normandi Ellis
Awakening Osiris: The Egyptian Book of the Dead by Normandi Ellis
Feasts of Light by Normandi Ellis
The Mysteries of Isis by deTraci Regula
Circle of Isis by Ellen Cannon Reed

Blessed Samhain

This is the time of year when the final harvest has come in and the fields are brown and dry. Unfortunately, it is also the time for us in Southern California to experience the Santa Ana winds and the late October firestorms that rage every year. There is a connection: we have harvested everything we can for this year’s growing season and we must let go of what is left behind. If nothing died, there would be no room on the earth for new things to be born. There would be no change or growth. We have learned that some plants require fire in order to break open the seeds, which will provide new green growth in the spring. For many cultures around the world, this was a time of bonfires to celebrate endings and beginnings; perhaps Nature is providing for us what we have given up as “superstitious”.

Our inner journey reflects the process of Nature around us. It is the time of reviewing what we have harvested in our lives during the past year, of giving gratitude, and of releasing whatever is in our lives that is no longer needed, or is preventing us from new growth. It is a time to store up whatever is needed to get us through the dark winter months ahead.

This is the time when many cultures had celebrations to honor the dead, the ancestors. In Japan, the festival is Obon; in Vietnam it is Wandering Souls’ Day. Among the Dahomey of South Africa, it is the Festival of Setting the Table for the ancestors. The people of Laguna Pueblo decorated the graves of their loved ones at this time, as did the Aztecs. This was the beginning of what we now know as El Dia de los Muertos. In old Britain, this was the festival of Samhain (Sow-en), a celebration of the final harvest, a time to honor all those who had died, and New Year’s Day. The Christian church adapted this festival and it became All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day, a time to honor the saints and holy ones who have gone before, and to pray for all those who have died who might be in purgatory.

Questions for Reflection:
- What did your culture call this holiday? What do you know about it?
- How have you celebrated this season?
- How does an awareness of your ancestors help you define who you are today?
- Who in your family of origin has had the most spiritual impact on your life?
- As an ancestor to future generations, physical and/or spiritual, what is the most important thing you would like them to inherit from you?

Ritual for Honoring our Beloved Dead

Rather than fearing our beloved dead, we choose to honor their memory. Our beloved dead can be of any species; we acknowledge that the death of an animal companion is sometimes the most difficult.

Light a candle for someone whose memory you wish to honor today. Speak their name, and reflect on the gifts they have given you. Light a candle for as many beloved dead as you would like.

Speak to the spirits of the departed, saying:

May the air carry your spirits gently. May the fire release your souls. May the water wash you clean of pain and sorrow and suffering. May the earth receive you. **

Be free, be strong, be proud of who you have been, know that you are mourned and missed, that no one can replace you, that you have loved and are beloved. Move beyond form, flowing like water, feeding on sunlight and moonlight, radiant as the stars in the night sky. Pass the gates; enter the dark without fear, returning to the womb of life to steep in the cauldron of rebirth. Rest, heal, grow young again. Be blessed. **

In the memory of all whose names have been spoken, and for others whose living and dying has been a gift to us, we are grateful. Death is a part of life, just as Birth is a part of life. There are no endings, only beginnings, in this great Circle of Life. We are not isolated individuals, but invisibly connected to all of life.

** Prayers adapted from The Pagan Book of Living and Dying, by Starhawk.

c. Bansagart 2003

"Sounds of the Divine"

Sunday, Nov. 12, 2006 10:30-11:30am
Presented by Glory Vernon and Denise Allen

Connection to Spirit manifests in many forms. We use our voices to make sound...to whisper, speak and sing our intent to Higher Power. Our voices are not our only instruments. Sound takes on many forms from the gentle tones of temple bowls to the heart rhythms of the drum. Join us as we raise vibrations and create a rhythmic, healing experience.


Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach
A Welcoming Congregation

Glory and Denise are ordained priestesses of the Temple and Fellowship of Isis.

Magdalen Hallowmas

Greetins lovers of the Magdalen, her Mysteries and Rites:

Please join us on November 5 at 5PM for the Magdalen Hollowmas
Where: Wylder Hall of UUCLB
Bring: Hearts, hands, and light pre-dinner foods
Who is Waiting? The Ancient One, Shamana
"She Waits" the powerful meditation text of Rosamonde Miller
with the body artistry of Anniitra Ravenmoon and the sound artistry
of Miranda Rondeau.
"She Waits" illumined by the Full Moon of Samhain-tide
reaching to the dark and the depths..."She Waits" in the cave of Deep
Time, in the deepest recesses of soul and World Soul
She waits for our hearts, our extension of love, our vision.
She waits for us.
Questions and RSVP to Catherine at thearosa@adelphia.net or
call 323.982.9662.
Please pass the word to circles and lists and tribes. She waits for
all of us; men are welcome.
Blessing and Blessed Be!!

In Between

The waves lap quietly upon the rocky shore
Swirling among the carpet of mussel
Not often exposed at this depth
A pelican swoops before me
Gulls and fog horns call in the distance
Passing craft send the waves more hurriedly to my feet
It is quiet here
Mostly
It is that in-between-time
Summer but a memory
Winter still offshore
but growing closer with each passing day
It is the low Moon Tide
Somewhere between summer’s bustling heat
and winter’s biting chill
It is a time of preparation for the coming darkness
It is the time to collect and recollect seasons past and future
It is time to gather the fruits of our harvest
To store them until there is time and need to sort them
and chew them and refashion them for new uses
Soon it will be time to think and plan and do
the quiet work that prepares us for fresh new things
But that time is not yet here
Today we sit in-between
We act and gather and collect
To prepare for the resting time to come

c. 1995 Bansagart

Deep Time Ritual

The Temple of Isis/Los Angeles
and the local Iseums/Lyceums of
The Fellowship of Isis
are celebrating the 2006 visit to Southern California of
Olivia Robertson, FOI co-founder
Join us in a
Dance to the Music of Deep Time
on Saturday, September 30th, 11AM
at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach
5450 Atherton, Long Beach 90815

DEEP TIME
The Past and the Future
Spiral around the Present
To go into the Future or the Past,
You must enter through the Present
and be totally present.
There is a fourth Time, Deep Time
which is only accessible
through being totally present
by bringing your heart and mind
back together

This event is co-sponsored by the Spiritual Practices Committe of UUCLB

Who is Ma'at?

Ma'at is a Goddess of ancient Egypt. She represents Truth, Justice, Balance and Order. More than a deity, Ma'at was the personification of Universal Order, underlying everything else. In hieroglyphs, She is represented by an ostrich feather, also known as the Shu feather. It is said that when a person died and entered duat, the underworld, their ka was weighed on a scale opposite the feather. If their ka weighed more than the feather, then the person had violated the Laws of Ma'at, had obstructed Balance, Order, Justice and Truth in the universe, and they were devoured by Ammit, dying forever. If their ka weighed equal to the ostrich feather, then their ka was mayet, in harmony with Ma'at, and was allowed to enter the afterlife.

Much of what we know of the ancient code of mayet is found in the "Negative Confessions", in Chapter 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. They are called the "Negative Confessions" because in them, the petitioner lists the things they have not done in their lives. The version of the Laws of Ma'at being explored in this blog are based on those Negative Confessions, but rewritten for people of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Laws of Ma'at - 6

I give offerings that are genuine and generous.

When I approach the altar of the Goddess, I bring offerings from my heart, that show my devotion to Her. They might be flowers, incense, artwork, or a variety of other items. My offerings are returns to Her for Her abundance.

Genuine and generous offerings can be in the form of donations to humanitarian causes, whether organizations or individuals. The offerings can be monetary, or in the form of my own labor and time, volunteering as my offering to the Goddess.

When I donate, is it out of the stirrings of my heart of compassion, or out of guilt or a case of the "shoulds"? My offerings should be made from love and abundance and gratitude, and the desire to thank Her for Her gifts.

Just-a-Minute (JAM)

http://www.gvnr.com/113/3.htm
Global Village News and Resources Issue 113 - August, 2006

A dynamic new campaign to create personal peace in an ever-increasing global climate of chaos and change is being launched at Wembley Arena on Sunday 17th September.

Organised by the Brahma Kumaris, a global women-led spiritual organisation, the initiative introduces regular one-minute periods of silence into people’s lives, whether stressed out city executives, busy mums or high profile public figures.

Entitled just-a-minute (j-a-m), the worldwide campaign includes multi-media tools, such as one-minute spoken meditations to download onto computers or podcast; a creative viral campaign; events in major cities across the world, including Rio, Moscow, Sydney, Johannesburg and Madrid plus a simultaneous minute wave of peace to be linked live on the internet to over 100 countries.

The audience will also experience the love, peace and wisdom of three women, who between them have the combined power of 200 years of spiritual study and meditation. Now in their senior years, these three yogis, Dadi Janki, Dadi Gulzar and Dadi Prakashmani, who had no formal education and who set aside the constraints of social convention in their homeland of India, to become renowned world spiritual leaders, will be appearing for the first time together on the international stage.

The just-a-minute launch event is dedicated to the United Nations International Day of Peace and celebrating 70 years of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.

Influential personalities, leaders and community heroes, including the Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks and leading environmentalist Satish Kumar are lending their support for the campaign and sharing their stories of the impact of moments of silent reflection on their lives, to be featured in the just-a-minute DVD and website.

Visit the website at www.just-a-minute.org and click on the link to view an animated presentation of j-a-m: http://www.just-a-minute.org/movie.html.

Laws of Ma'at - 5

I affirm that all life is sacred.

In this time of unrest around the globe, and comments like "there is no moral equivalent" between the deaths of Israelis and the deaths of Lebanese civilians, this Law of Ma'at is particularly timely.

All life is sacred - not just human life, but ALL life - the four-leggeds, many-leggeds, no-leggeds, feathered, scaled and rooted. Each person must determine for themselves how this belief plays out in their own life. Will you choose to be a vegetarian? or a vegan? or only eat free-range, wild-caught, organic foods? Will you choose to kill the spider in the bathtub, or catch it and release it outside? Will you choose to be a pacificist or to defend yourself?

All life is sacred - no life is to be considered as one's property. No life should be taken indiscriminately or just for pleasure. Life that is taken should be consciously honored as a gift from the Goddess/God.

All life is sacred.