Goddess Centered Practice
In the woods behind my house rest a collection of nine large flat rocks. Daily, I walk down to these “priestess rocks” for some sacred time alone to pray, meditate, consider, and be. Often, while in this space, I open my mouth and poetry comes out. I’ve come to see this experience as "theapoetics"—experiencing the Goddess through direct “revelation,” framed in language. As Stanley Hopper originally described in the 1970’s, it is possible to “…replace theology, the rationalistic interpretation of belief, with theopoetics, finding God[dess] through poetry and fiction, which neither wither before modern science nor conflict with the complexity of what we know now to be the self.” Theapoetics might also be described, “as a means of engaging language and perception in such a way that one enters into a radical relation with the divine, the other, and the creation in which all occurs.”
The Second Candle: Fire
We are a circle
within a circle
with no beginning
and never ending...
(We are a Circle)
The second advent candle is lit. The theme is Peace. The element is Fire. Passion. Warmth. Nourishment. Light. Creativity. May we stoke our passions mindfully and keep the fires of our spirits burning.
We chose a family theme (harmony) and intention to carry us through the next four Sundays leading up to Solstice: “our family works in harmony to meet each member’s needs.” Each week, we will reaffirm this intention as well as reflect on the element and quality of the week. The second week is Fire and Peace so we each shared a resolution with how we will work for peace this week, in our personal lives, relationships, or community. We talked about the Fire of our spirits and one thing we would each like to do that would kindle our flame or keep our fires "stoked" and burning. We rubbed our hands together to generate heat, and felt how Fire lives within us.
Then, we sang We Are a Circle and We are Circling and, holding hands, reaffirmed our family intention: our family works in harmony to meet each member’s needs.”
My fire was then nourished when my four kids all spontaneously joined hands in a circle after this family ceremony and danced exuberantly around singing both of these songs again on their own as well as one called Circle Round that was made up by the two year old and joined in with everyone: "Circle round, circle round. Circle! Circle! Circle round."
Our family Solstice Prayer Wreath practice is based on the one described by Beth OwlsDaughter in this post (and shared by her currently in a series of weekly facebook events).
These are the themes/topics for each candle:
- Candle 1: hope (air)
- Candle 2: peace (fire)
- Candle 3: joy (water)
- Candle 4: love (earth)
- Candle 5: center (spirit, solstice night)
Brigid's Grove is offering a Worldwide Solstice Circle event online this year. Companion resources, journal prompts, a detailed free ritual packet as well as a collection of digital gifts will also be available in our new Creative Spirit Circle companion classroom. You are cordially invited to join us!
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Solstice Prayer Wheel Week 1 post.
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