When Women Gather, the Earth Heals

It’s the one year anniversary of our last Goddess Festival and we thought it would be nice to look back
on the good times and friendships. This issue of Goddess magazine does just that, plus we’re
announcing the Goddess Festival for 2010!

Bobbie and I have a new gig to tell you about as well. We’re bringing even more awareness to the
Goddess and our Pagan roots. We’ve been recruited by the San Francisco Examiner’s online news and
information website to cover all topics Pagan. We’re syndicated in over 6,000 cities across the USA and
Canada, and in over 160 countries. Breaking new ground, we’re the first writing team that the Examiner
has allowed and we’re the first to write on Pagan topics. It’s a very big deal in terms of bringing the
Goddess to a more global consciousness.

We’re also looking for other women who want to write about the Goddess and Pagan topics in their
own area. If you follow our advice, you can earn a little income for the Women’s Spirituality Forum, as
well as for yourself and establish yourself as the Goddess voice for the Pagans in your area. You have to
be able to write around four articles per week (300-500 words each). If you think you can handle that,
then here’s the next step. Follow the instructions exactly please….

1. First, go to our Examiner Referral page and choose the “Religion & Spirituality” link.
2. Next, on top of the categories is a link to be able to choose your location … “Openings in San
Francisco (Change Location)” … click it and choose the city closest to you.
3. Now you have to choose a channel topic to write under. Sometimes there is “New Age” and
“Spirituality,” but if you want “Pagan” you will have to click the link that says “Write In Your
Own Topic.” Which channel is best for you really depends on what most of your articles will be
about. The most general one is the “Spirituality,” and that gives you a lot of flexibility in writing.
4. Once you chose, this brings you to the hardest part. Here, I’d suggest you do the work in a word
program or something where you can write easily, Then, refresh their page, copy and paste your
answers into their form. This page will time out on you. So, that’s why I’d do it on the side,
refresh the page and then, past it in when ready.
5. They ask you for your expertise, your insider knowledge and qualifications. If you’re working
with the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1, the Goddess magazine, the Dianic University, etc. you can
say that you’re a student of Z Budapest’s. Give them my contact info, and then let me know so I
can endorse you.
6. And the most important step is last! At the bottom of this form where it says “I was referred by
an Examiner:” … here you enter Pagan Examiner. If they accept you, then the Women’s
Spirituality Forum will get a few bucks as well for the referral. How cool is that?!!

Goddess Festival 2010

I am officially announcing that the next Goddess Festival will be on Sept. 9-12, 2010, in northern
California. I don’t have more information than that just yet. But pencil it onto your calendar, start a
Goddess savings account and stay tuned for more information … follow me on Twitter because I blast
out info all the time.

I’m also going to be appearing at PantheaCon in San Jose again this year. So, if you want to come and
have a wicked good time with me, the Dianic Clergy and the women of the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1,
then you might want to join us at PantheaCon 2010 on February 12-15th. I’d love to have other Dianic
coven there, and you solo practioners should come and get to know your sisters!

Whatever event you decide works best for you is fine. Just come out and join us! Get involved! Stop
putting it off! Tomorrow is always tomorrow. Get active today! The Goddess is Alive today!!!

Blessed be,
Z Budapest

The Dianic University Online for your classes!

If you're not studying with us, you should be.
If you didn’t attend the Goddess Festival of 2008, then you missed my Trysting to Bobbie. I am looking over photos
from the 2008 Festival and remembering all the beautiful faces of the Goddess who were there. Of course, I am
apt to also reflect back upon my sacred rite of passage into union with my beloved.

It was the end of the summer, early September, Bobbie and I were enjoying the Goddess Festival deep in the
Northern California redwoods. The air was hot, even at night, the scent of trees in the air, and the sage brush
toasting in the sun.

The Goddess Festival … one hundred and twenty five women learning, teaching, walking about, getting love from
everybody.

This was my comeback festival, the tenth I have produced since the nineties. Gathering the Goddess is my life’s
mission. I love to gather together with my sisters from all over the planet, and celebrate the Goddess in a real
temple, a sunken earth circle with a legal fire pit. A very big deal in California in the summer months.

My true love was working her end of the festival. She was driving her little brick red truck up and down the hills,
transporting the women to and from the magic circle. She was sweaty and hot. I liked looking at her, shining in use.
This was my best woman, met her late in life, but now we lived together from more than our traditional year and a
day, and it was a huge learning curve for both of us. We did fit together, not without friction of course.

But one night, while she loved on me, who knows why I did it, but I firmly stated, “I’m not the marrying type” and
gave a litany of reasons why marriage was not in the cards.

She leaned over me and said, “That’s okay, I know I’m going to marry you.” She has a knowing about things.

Stunned, I asked, “Did you just ask me to marry you?” It was just a spontaneous thing; just fell out of her mouth,
the question was popped easily. She nodded and smiled. My answer was already there. I knew it was the right
thing to do. Yes, I said immediately. So much for the litany.

I love this woman. Yes she is much younger than me, but after fifty years who cares? Twenty years doesn’t seem to
be so far away when we are both in the upper regions of age.

I always wanted a wife. Such a luxury men enjoy thoughtlessly. It’s their birthright. What if women had wives,
would we not be so much stronger? But we are not servants, or step-and-fetch-it, but equals, in love. Feels good to
return to this heart center, where there is this feeling of happy glow. She loves me and I love her back. Good times.

We had a beautiful Goddess wedding. I used to perform these weddings for women couples long ago, at the
Michigan Music festival, and elsewhere. I also married hetero couples, not to many. In doing so I started feeling
envy of the new the partners; look at all these women wanting to marry each other, and yet, nobody has asked
me, the priestess who reclaimed the ceremony for us all. Nada. This slowly has grown into anger at my fates and
finally I just stopped performing weddings. If nobody is asking me, I am not going to pass out these goodies
anymore either. Take that fates!

I felt better, but lonelier than ever. Many years went by. I had two very long distance relationships, each 17 years
long, but now I was living with a best friend who is straight. I had totally given up that this kind of union would ever
happen to me. I may have aged out from possible brides, or I grew too formidable, or too set in my ways.

I met Bobbie at the deathbed of Shekhinah Mountainwater. This was an old friend, sister in the goddess; she wrote
some awesome goddess chants, wrote a great book, taught women magic.

Bobbie was there as a long-time friend and priestess holding sacred space for her. When I stepped foot into
Shekhinah’s home, I could feel this big heart there; deep love. I glanced around for the source, and there was
Bobbie. After the ceremony, we went out to lunch together. This is when I realized I was very attracted to this tall
blond woman with the green eyes, and a radiating kind heart.

In the everyday conversation somehow I managed to weave into it my feelings about lesbian weddings, and how I
had stopped doing them because nobody has asked me. She was surprised.

Where did this come from? I wondered later. Obviously I wanted to seed a thought in her mind. Will she hear me,
can she love me? Would she love me ever? Last she confessed she had heard me. She thought, I could love her.

As much as I was attracted to her, she was to me. But our getting together took some time. We both had to
resolve our lives. Finally Bobbie came to Oakland to visit me. Let’s see how this goes.

My tall blond Amazon showed up at my door with her own pillow and a bunch of naked ladies, an Amarillo flower
that grows here in California like weeds on the roadside. They are my favorite flowers. Their scent is how I imagine
heaven to smell like. Delicate, pink, and refreshing.

We had kicked the tires, written emails, she came to visit me on weekends and finally, the only part that was left
to try was sex.

She started loving on me with a slow hand and kisses, and I started moaning, “Oh Bobbie, oh Bobbie….” I was
totally spent. This woman was inventive, passionate, and hungry. I want her in my life! Bobbie loved me from then
on every day, sex or not, kissing and loving.

We tried out being married. We had a good time, cooking, eating, walking, and working together. We didn’t want
City Hall involved. We are witches and to us a Goddess Tryst was far more binding. We decided to share our union
at the end of the Goddess Festival, with other women who would celebrate our love.

We planned our outfits. We bought rings. Our flower crowns were woven by sisters working it all night, they were
red and pink roses. I knew no matter how my hair turned out that day, the crowns of roses would make me look
beautiful. I wasn’t sure how Bobbie would relate to her pink roses crown, but she put it on without a whimper. She
looked stunning as well.

The women were already waiting in Hertha’s Redwood Grove. Somebody was singing a trysting song. Slowly we
entered; a short walk to the platform stage. I looked around for my Bobbie; I didn’t see her.

“What?” I asked loudly. “Where is my Bobbie?”

On the wedding video you can see where she was, waiting for somebody to clue her in to come, that somebody
now suddenly remembering and scattering to get her going, and in a short time Bobbie was standing next to me.

Birds were singing in the canapé of the trees. We looked at each other exhaling.

Ava our high priestess called forward the chosen priestesses to form a crescent around us. Among them were my
long-time friends Diana Paxson and Susun Weed, and my best friend Marcella Paolocci. In addition, were Miri
Hunter and Rabbit, and Jane Lowe who embraced the true Amazon standard for us in her nudity.

Ava conducted the women to call in the powers from the east, then south, then west and finally north. She herself
evoked Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and death, to bless us with longevity of feelings and happy loving life.

The amount of loving energies radiating from the women who were witnessing us was overwhelming. We were
literally glowing with white light. I’ve never felt so much heart energies. Bless them.

Ava has a temple for the Goddess in Orange County. She is beautiful, articulate and passionate. She told a great
story about Creation. Two Goddesses together in the big world Egg, Selket and Bast, who when they made love
their orgasm caused the world Egg to burst, and according to witches lore that was the real Big Bang. Everything
was born from this union.

There are a few steps we follow in these Goddess trysts.

First of all there is the constant representation of the Tree of Life. A big food tray is blessed, having on it roots,
stems, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruits. We offered each other something from this tray and say,
“May you never hunger.”
This means hungering for love, or company, or food. May you always have enough.

I choose a raspberry for Bobbie, and she gave me a blueberry. It’s easiest to eat and not get distracted from the
ritual.

Next we offered each other our chalices. Diana Paxson, a very close writer friend of mine, brought forward the
chalices filled with pomegranate juice. Bobbie is allergic to alcohol.

May you never thirst. Again thirsting for knowledge, thirsting for arts, and achievements. May you use your life
wisely. May you always have enough.

Next we exchanged rings; rose gold rings. We put them on each other’s fingers with a sacred promise to be true to
each other. Now it was feeling like a real wedding.

After these, Susun Weed, a dear friend and sister of many years, offered us a hand woven scarf, golden and green,
warm colors of the fullness of the year. This was our marriage “blanket.” She wrapped us together, binding our
love and we kissed.

Finally the sacred broom was laid down on the ground, symbolizing again the Tree of Life. This myrtle broom of
mine had married hundreds of couples throughout the years, and now at long last it was my turn. The broom was
decorated with white satin ribbons and white and pink flowers; another fine opus from the decorating, trysting
angels of the all night vigil. We had to jump over it, barefoot, as our landing would signal the first moment of our
commitments on the otherside of this new reality.

But Ava turned to us and said, “You talk to each other now.”

This was a time when our vows had to be said. What vows? I had nothing. I knew about this yet I neglected it.
People work on their vows for weeks. We both somehow avoided it. I just turned to Bobbie and said, “Thank you
for showing up in my life.” I felt that said it all. I had to be the oldest bride at 68, no time to waste.

She turned to me and smiled saying, “Thank you for coming to getting me.” Now this could be understood many
ways as well.

Then we turned our faces to the east, for the new beginnings, and jumped the broom together. It was more of a
hop than a jump, but who cares. At last I was married to my true love. I had a wife! She had a wife! Whoopee!

We celebrated with a wonderful feast of BBQ chicken under the ancient redwood trees, and enjoyed cornbread
topped with honey for our wedding cake. I drank a little champagne and signed some of my books for the women
who asked me. It was a joyous day and I thank the Goddess for every minute of it. As for my Bobbie and me, may
we live our love in peace and harmony and just with the necessary spices … not more.

I wonder now, what will the next Goddess Festival bring? I know there will be initiations into the Dianic tradition.
We want more music this next Festival. Musicians who want to share their music should contact me.

I know times have been tough for many women, but they’re getting better. The Goddess always finds a way of
taking care of her women. I hope I see all of you in 2010, beneath the redwood canopy as the bonfire breaths her
flame into a night sky and the voices of women fill the air. Good times!
August was a fun month for Z and I, we stepped up the Dianic Clergy program up a bit more. We have a
good sized group of women training now, with more women hearing the calling every day. If you hear it
too and want to train with Z directly, then submit your application.

We registered for PantheaCon, February 12-15, 2010, and submitted two events for consideration.
Also, PantheaCon is where Z will host the Dianic Clergy in-person training this year. And, also joining us
there will be many of the sisters from the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1. We’d love for all of you to come
join us! Also presenting this year will be Ruth Barrett and Rabbit. So, there’s going to be a lot of Dianics
there! It would be wicked fun to have other Dianic covens join the fun!

I scheduled Z to speak on a lot of radio shows during the month of October because it’s the Season of
the Witch. Pencil these dates and times into your calendar because they’re live shows … and you never
know where Z will go! Always fun!

The Dianic University Calendar:

Oct. 3 - Z Budapest on W.I.C.C.A.N Talk Radio 8pm PST
Oct. 17 - Z Budapest on the Mona Magick Radio Show UK 5pm PST
Oct. 18 - Z on Olympia's Tarot Radio Show 1pm PST
- Z on The Unexplained World Show 8pm PST
Oct. 22 - Z on Paranormal Women Talk Radio 4pm PST
Oct. 23 - Z on JaiKaur Radio Show 7am PST
Oct. 25 - Z Budapest on Hex Eduction Radio 7pm PST
Nov. 1 - Z on Witchtalk Radio 1pm PST

September 26th, this month, Z and I are going to attend Ruth Barrett’s PRIESTESSING YOURSELF &
OTHERS, being presented at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, in Palo Alto, California.

On October 20, 2009, Z is giving a lecture at Sonoma State University on the Herstory of the Dianic
Tradition and the Women’s Spirituality Movement. More details will be announced … follow Z on
Twitter to stay updated on all that’s going on.

And the BIG announcement is that there’s going to be another Goddess Festival in 2010!
Pencil in the magickal date and manifest attending on Sept. 9-12, 2010 at the most beautiful time of the
year in Northern California. More information is coming soon … follow Z on Twitter!
I thought you all might enjoy this photo of Z and The Ditty Bops. I surprised Z with tickets to their
performance in Berkeley. The Ditty Bops are a very sweet couple and right-on Goddess women; Abby
DeWald, Z and Amanda Barrett (Ruth Barrett’s daughter).

WIN FREE BOOKS CONTEST

Congratulations to our August Free Books Contest Winner:
Sara Hampton who will review The Goddess is in the Details by Deborah Blake
Goddess women … submit your name to win … Llewellyn gives you a chance to win a free copy of one of
their books, and in return you agree to read it and write a book review for Goddess magazine. You get a
free book, their authors get a little free press and we get to offer this cool contest!

This month one special book to give away for free!

Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries: Intuitive Ritual Creation
How can women turn birthday parties, baby showers, and other rites of passage into empowering
celebrations brimming with meaning and fiery feminine spirit?

Emphasizing the Dianic Wiccan tradition, Barrett shows women how they can create empowering,
transformative rituals that strengthen their profound connection to the Goddess. Instead of providing
shortcuts, scripts, or rote rituals, she teaches women how to think like a ritualist. Step by step, readers learn
the ritual-making process: developing a purpose and theme, building an altar, preparing emotionally and
mentally (energetics), spellcasting, and more. For beginners or experienced ritualists, solitaries or groups,
this thorough, engaging guide to the art of ritual-making can help women commemorate every sacred
milestone-from menstruation to marriage to menopause-that touches their lives.

"Ruth Barrett brings her many years of experience in teaching and priestessing in the Dianic tradition to this
book. Her thoughtfulness, intelligence and depth of understanding make it a valuable resource and will open
a new perspective for many Pagans." - Starhawk, best-selling author of The Spiral Dance and The Fifth Sacred
By Ruth Barrett Thing.

Book Review Contest Rules

 Must be 18 years or older.

 Must be a member of the Goddess magazine email list.

 Free books must be shipped to addresses in the USA or Canada.

 Send entry to zbudapest (AT) gmail.com. Title it “FREE BOOK CONTEST.”

 One entry per member’s email address.

 Winners are notified by email.

 Mandatory information: Full legal name, address, city state, country, postal code, email address.

Book Review Winners Obligations

 No negative reviews.

 Write about what you did like about the book.

 In your own words, write a 300-500 word review of the book.

 You don’t have to recommend the book, but you can if you want to.

 Work must be all your own writing.

 Book reviews must be completed and email to us 30 days after receipt of book or sooner.

 Book reviews must not be published anywhere else for 30 days after publication in Goddess magazine. Then, you go to Amazon.com
and Powells.com, and publish your review with an additional sentence at the end “This book review was originally published in Z
Budapest’s Goddess magazine.”

 All reviews become the sole property of the Women’s Spirituality Forum. We will publish your review at BookReviewBlogger.com
and in the Goddess magazine.
 PLEASE LINK TO US:
Dianic Clergy Priestess Training
Several sisters sent in their applications for Clergy training, The Goddess
and we wanted to let you know we have them. We’re www.The-Goddess.net
beginning to process your applications and you will be hearing Goddess Belief
back from us shortly. www.GoddessBelief.com

Did you want to apply too? The Application for Dianic Clergy Dianic Wicca (Dianic Wicca
Priestess is online. More information on the Dianic Clergy University)
www.Dianic-Wicca.com
program can be found towards the end of this issue of
Goddess magazine.

Sept BOOK REVIEW

Voices of the Earth
book review by Bobbie Grennier (Book Review Blogger)

I found myself saying, “Nice. Really nice.” After reviewing a copy of Clea Danaan’s Voices of the Earth.

Green spirituality is on the minds of lots of pagans these days. It’s a central theme running
throughout our spirituality, no matter the tradition. Clea Danaan embraces this idea and vets it in
practical application.

I love gardening and having my hands in the earth’s rich soil, so I have a deep appreciation for this
book. But you don’t have to be a gardener to appreciate and apply the life’s lessons Danaan has for
you on this path. Anyone can pick up this book and start practicing its common sense approach to
spirituality.

One of best lessons by Danaan came early on in Voices of the Earth. In fact, I actually bookmarked it because I wanted to share
it with you. It’s that important. Danaan says…

Our bodies and souls love the natural world, and only very recently have our minds disconnected from the natural currents of life
on our planet. In our highly technological, capitalistic culture, we have largely lost touch with changing season, the sources of
our food, and the living land. This disconnect is an illness. While there is nothing inherently wrong with money and technology,
when we divorce our conscious awareness from our roots, we become zombies. Instead of being controlled by an evil sorcerer,
we are driven by our demons of greed, fear and narcissism. (page xiv)

When you sit back and take in what she just said, you realize the depth of the impact this statement has on our lives. Here we
are as magical people who believe we can influence the outcome of events favorably, and yet most of us are totally
disconnected from the very thing we hold most sacred … the land. And ultimately, that means we are disconnected from
ourselves.

I liked Voices of the Earth because it was a gentle blending of herbal arts, pagan beliefs and Faery faith all rolled into one book.
It’s an easy read and kind of reminded me of Scott Cunningham’s books with it’s easy to follow and easy to do exercises,
practices and journaling. It’s not a hard core witchcraft book. In fact, it’s something that you could gift a friend with quite easily
because the book simply preaches the common sense rituals of “being Green.” And let’s face it, all of us could use a little
greening up. Get your own copy of Clea Danaan’s Voices of the Earth: The Path of Green Spirituality.
 Z Goes to Generation-z via New Media
Are you plugged in to the new media social networks? You should be!
If Z can do it, we all can. Twitter, Facebook and Skype are all free to
use. Learn more, just click on the images to the left.

If you want to be informed, get announcements of when you can

participate with Z live … these are the venues Z is using. Don’t miss
out … get yourself plugged in!

Z Lectures Live on Skype!

Get Skype, create an account, then post your new Skype name to the DU’s Z’s Cauldron’s
Skype discussion. We randomly invite those who ask to be invited to Z’s live lectures via
Skype. You wanted to experience Z in person, here’s how to do it. Plug in!
Goddess Is Alive!

The Year After

The bees hang heavy on the tall stalks of yellow flowers, as if they are now completely saturated with
pollen, their back legs flocked with it. The honey is made, and there is no rush to get back to the hive.
The mosquitoes are even lazy - they land with a plop on my arm and get blown away like the down on a
dandelion. It’s late summer. The leafy yellow and purple wildflowers that are blooming in great stands in
the woods tell me it grows close to Mabon. Soon there will be huge clouds of puffy white alyssum
settling in the clearings between the trees. The sky has started to be covered in gray every few days as
the brilliance of the summer takes her leave. Soon, there will be the impossibly blue skies of bright
autumn days and the carpets of scarlet, gold and yellow leaves that seem to embody their own light
source, the fragrances that only fall brings. The Goddess is luxuriating in the last of Her rich, green
foliage. And yet, there is something in the air which tells of the turn of the Wheel.

At this time last year, I was planning what to pack for the Gathering the Goddess ‘08 Festival in La
Honda, California. Up in the mountains above Santa Cruz, where the massive, ancient redwoods scrape
the sky, there awaited a life altering experience for me. I took clothes so I could dress in layers as befits
mountain climates (didn't need them, there was a heat wave), bedding, all the usual, and a journal.
Though I also took a camera, I did not take one picture. I wanted to just soak the entire experience in
through my pores. No one else I knew was going. This was all on my own - this call to come and gather
with women of like mind and heart.

It was really quite remarkable as many women entered the airport at San Jose from their arriving flights
from all over, it was no time at all before we recognized each other as sister priestesses. After a bus ride
to the camp where we would spend the weekend, there were those who became friends almost
immediately. This was a fated weekend. A sacred time.

I gained a new name as I was blessed by Z Budapest in the opening night ritual. We were in a great
amphitheatre with glowing luminaria encircling the uppermost edge, a dirt floor and a huge bonfire, as
well as a sweet altar to the Goddess, with offerings of laurel, shiny red apples and shells. The moon,
Diana Herself, rose up shining brightly over the evergreens as the evening progressed. We sang - over a
hundred and twenty women from countries all over the globe, we hummed and raised energy to direct
where we willed. True magic happened that night - and every night.

There were so many workshops, it was hard to decide on what to take. I took copious notes. There were
meals together, which are so important for bonding. There were walks in the night and in the morning
through the most beautiful woods, stars sprinkled across the sky above us. Deer, huge black ravens,
black jays - all speaking to us who would hear them. Z’s reminiscences of the beginning of her path with
the Goddess becoming a feminist activist blended with many stories and songs, and the last wonderful
day we were invited to be witnesses to her handfasting with Bobbie Grennier. That was a beautiful
ceremony, officiated by the High Priestess Ava Parks of the Orange County Goddess Temple, and a
beautiful day. By the end of it we were all so full, like the bees saturated with pollen.

As I went into this weekend of wonder, I went as a womyn chosen by Yemaya. She was there with me
and guided the new name I took - Boudicca Oceana. It was because of Her generosity in answering my
prayers of July at Lake Erie for Freedom Wealth that I was able to come to this gathering. After I
returned home, I was filled with joy, light and love. Everyone remarked on it. And then, I heard a new
call from the Goddess Hekate.

I shared all I had experienced and learned with women here in both the circles I was in at the time - and
anyone else that acted interested. I wanted to shout it all out from the rooftops as if I had just fallen in
love.

So how has my life changed in the last year? I had a new growth, a new commitment, an expansion of
the self. Since that sacred time last September, I have organized a joint Samhain ritual for both the
circles I was in, and said ‘Yes, please take me’ to the call of Hekate to become Her daughter. I joined the
Susan B. Anthony Coven #1, and have gained many delightful, beautiful, wise, kind and passionate
Sisters. I heard the call of the Dianic Clergy priestesshood, and bowed out of one of the circles I was in
at home so I would have more time to devote to my studies. Also, I knew that the Goddess
was beginning to use me to teach. I have completed the Tarot course at the Dianic University and begun
a new branch of my business called Wise Woman Healing which incorporates all the energy work I
know, astrology and the Tarot. I have become a Reiki Master. I have entered my Second Saturn Return
and the advent of my Cronehood. I have become, without any outreach, a wise woman whom women
consult for their problems. I have had a song given to me by the Goddess Diana about women’s First
Blood, the beginning of the blood mysteries in a woman‘s life. I have endured the near collapse of my
business and have pulled it out of the fire. And I have put my business up for sale to provide the entrée
to another phase of my life which I know is upon me. I have become a regular author/contributor to the
ezine "Goddess." I have been appointed a moderator on the Z-list on yahoogroups. I write for the
Goddess blog of the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1 (SBAC#1). I now have a vision of women’s spirituality
that is almost evangelical. I long to do all I can to raise women’s consciousness. Eve was framed! Here
in the Midwest, it is so important that women begin to think about the far reaching implications of the
misogyny that pervades this country and the Catholic Church in which so many of them were raised.

I have been blessed with work given me to assist in the growth of the Women’s Spirituality Movement
and I am proud and honored to devote time and energy to that. Along with that I have gained so
many interesting and wonderful Sisters at the Dianic University, the SBAC#1, the Z-list. As you can see,
my life has changed in myriad ways!

The Goddess has afforded me times of mystical communion and oneness in this last year - notably the
experiences I have had in the woods, at the crossroads, with Hekate and Her amazing, magickal
blessings to me as I have honored Her, as well as in rituals with my Circle Sisters. This is a fruitful time.
As Verdandi prepares to pass me on to Her Sister, Skuld - I know there will be more growth. I welcome
it. I embrace it. I am part of an unfolding and a re-membering. May the Goddess use me as She will. And
now I look forward to the next Gathering the Goddess 2010, where I know more deep magic awaits.

I urge every woman who reads this issue of “Goddess” to listen in her heart to know whether she is
being called to the next Goddess Festival in 2010. We need each other in this time of re-membering.
And women who do not yet have awareness of Goddess need us. If you are called, the money will be
there. Goddess will always take care of you.

Blessed Be the Women of the Goddess!

Corn Mother for Mabon
Here is a recipe reflecting the Corn Mother for Mabon. I actually made it for
Teltane/Lammas, but it fits Mabon, too! It is delish!
This substantial summer casserole makes luscious use of two staples of the
Native American diet: squash, and corn that has undergone a special process to
increase the availability of its nutritional value, turning it into hominy.
Add onion, sour cream, cheese, and jalapeno peppers and you get a piquant
dish reminiscent of the American Southwest, and a nourishing reminder of the
traditional Corn Mother goddess who gives herself so that her children may
be fed.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds mixed zucchini and summer squash, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
2 16-ounce cans hominy, drained (try to find hominy made by a traditional method, if possible)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (wear plastic gloves when handling or make sure you REALLY wash your
hands!)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheese
crushed taco chips for topping
1. Combine squash, onion, butter, and water in a skillet and cook slowly until tender, 10 minutes or so.
2. Add hominy, peppers, sour cream, salt and 1 cup cheese. Pour into greased 3-quart casserole, top with remaining
cheese, and sprinkle with crushed taco chips.
3. Bake at 325F for one hour.

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In this month of September, the remembrance of one year ago, making a journey to the Northern
California redwood forest for the Gathering of the Goddess 2008, is still so fresh in my mind. This was a
life changing weekend for me, both as a woman and as a witch. I did not know it at the time, but the
winds of change were blowing sweetly around my being.

Gathering with sisters from all over the world and having classes and ritual with Z, was a moment in
time that is frozen in my memory forever. I also was personally initiated by Z, with other sisters into the
most revered Susan B. Anthony Coven No. 1. The rest is herstory.

The Coven has grown, the Dianic University Online has grown, many powerful and wise sisters now have
joined hands with Z and Third Wave Feminism, and Dianic Wicca has spread over many sites on the web.
The winds of change and growth have spoken.

This past year has brought many winds of change in my life as well, both on a personal and spiritual
level. There have been ups and downs, the good and the bad... but, through it all I have grown and
learned many lessons. We all experience change, whether it be birth, death, marriage, divorce, moving,
beginning and ending relationships. The list can go on and on, and in some cases even our self-esteem
can be affected.

Change is inevitable... and the spell this month allows us to take control of what we would like to let go
of and what we strive for. For each of us this will be different and very personal, so this spell is an
outline, as our own hearts will direct what intent we see for ourselves. The winds of change are ever
whirling about us, and we must embrace these times without fear, and make it a path to wholeness. We
take the power, as the Goddess leads us, over who we are as women and what we desire, and we can be
blessed with unlimited possibilities.
As wise Z tells us in her book THE GRANDMOTHER OF TIME, this month of September is a time for
“Personal Growth, strength, obstacles to be overcome.”

The Yoruban Goddess Oya is a worker of transformation, female leadership and is certainly a most
powerful force to call upon for women who wish to resolve issues, make changes and for protection.
Let Oya work with you this month, as you dance upon the winds of change!

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got" ...Janis Joplin

OYA TAROT TRANSFORMATION SPELL

You will need:
One black candle,
one purple candle,
deck of Tarot cards,
cauldron or fireproof bowl,
a bundle of sage,
and a feather.

Time: This spell is best done at the New Moon, either the day before or the day after.

What to Wear: As the color that best pleases the Goddess Oya is wine or maroon, wear something with
those colors in them, or even just a scarf in those colors to please Her.

Altar Set Up: Set up a simple altar with the black candle on the left, the purple candle on the right. The
middle of the altar will have a statue or Goddess symbol upon it, placed in front of that will be your
cauldron for burning the sage and have your feather at hand.

Preparation: Before beginning this spell you will need to do some groundwork. Meditate and call upon
the ancestors, the ancient Grandmothers and the Goddess Oya. Take your Tarot deck and pull cards
that represent the things or persons you wish to let go of, the obstacles you have in your life, and set
them aside. Then go through the deck and pick cards that represent your desires and dreams, or even
cards that speak to you of self-esteem if that is something you are lacking. This is very personal and you
must take time to let the cards speak to you, as you must choose wisely.

When you have chosen your cards, place the cards of the things you want out of your life in front of the
black candle on your altar, and the positive cards that represent your personal winds of change in front
of the purple candle.

Ground and center yourself and call upon your ancestors, the Grandmothers and the Goddess Oya to be
with you in this moment.

Light your sage and take up your feather; waft the cleansing smoke about your body and your space
creating in your mind winds of change for yourself. When you feel ready, place the still burning sage
into your cauldron.
Light your black candle first and with deep intent call upon the Goddess to help you let go of these
things you have no need for in your life anymore, those obstacles that hold you back. You may
experience some deep emotions and tears may flow.

When you feel you have been able to send these negative obstacles away, extinguish the black candle.

Pick up the sage and the feather and bless yourself for your power, once again letting the healing aroma
cleanse and strengthen and protect you, wafting the smoke around you and your sacred space with the
feather. Place the burning sage back in your cauldron.

When you are mentally ready, light the purple candle and focus on the positive cards you have chosen
for yourself. Meditate upon each card, believing these things you desire will come to pass.

When you feel a deep cleansing within your being occur, thank your ancestors, the Grandmothers and
the Goddess.

Repeat 9 times (as 9 is the number for the Goddess Oya):

“Oya, I hear your winds of change calling me.

My truth shall be made clear.

My desire shall be granted.

My intent is pure.

Oya, I hear your winds of change calling me!”

Let the purple candle burn down, bury your black candle outside in Mother Earth and give thanks for no
longer having these negative burdens and obstacles you have been carrying surrounding you.

Extinguish the burning sage and go forth with a new attitude, as the winds of change carry you into a
place of peace.
THUS BEGINS THE SEASON WHICH BECKONS THE FACULTY OF REASON, to Trance....
TO COMMENCE THE SPIRAL JOURNEY TOWARD THE "WITHIN"
…and to Engage in the Dance
Of the Goddess's Kin...
May the Body of Earth form Firmly Beneath Thy Feet...
May Air become the Flight of Birds that you Greet...
May Water's Emotion Heal your Heart...
May Fire warm the Spirit of Which You are a part!
And as the Great Mystery of the Fifth Element is Revealed,
May the Magick of your Days be sealed.
In Sacred Silence may you Find Your Guidance.
May Shadow-Work Deepen your Respect for the Divine
May love ever-flourish between Thee and Thine.
I call the five Elements to merge as One...
The Season of Mystery has Begun...
May The Five fold Path grant you Insight to your Soul...
May the Ritual Integrate Thee to Make your Spirit Whole!
RECOVERING & RECLAIMING: WEAVING THE WEB & CUTTING THE THREADS
As summer begins to wane and the great wheel moves toward the west, the energy shifts to a calmer
pace, preparing us for cooler months ahead. Autumn is the season of the Crone and a time to let go,
relax, and enjoy the harvest of our lives. It is also a time of Thanksgiving with moments of quiet
reflection, introspection, musing and deep appreciation for all that has blessed our lives. It brings
release as well, and the opportunity to let go of all that went before.

My spirit always senses a deep mystery unfolding as Autumn approaches, as nights grow cooler and
turning leaves prepare to become compost for the Earth Goddess. They silently mirror the inevitable
and gently remind me that as a child of nature it¹s just a matter of time before I become compost too.
Since I am now in the Autumn of my life, my third destiny, mortality has become a reality, and although
my days seem to pass a little more swiftly and my body doesn’t seem to move as quickly as it once did,
I'm learning to adjust and go with the flow. It¹s quite an experience too! Besides having an incredible
amount of emotional freedom and joy, I have a good deal of acceptance, gratitude and humor because
I¹m being forced in many ways to slow down, take my time and appreciate all that surrounds my life one
day at a time.

It’s funny how meaningful life becomes when you know you¹re running out of time, how essential it is to
do what you love and eliminate all that no longer brings joy or comfort. As I age I find myself focusing
only on what pleases me and rejecting all that’s toxic or intolerable. Things I once thought so important
are been replaced with things meaningful and life affirming. Death has also become a closer reality, but
although it’s inevitable I don’t have time to bask in morbid reflection. I have to keep moving forward
because there’s lots I want to do and say.

I guess we are never really ready for death. Seems there is always a longing for more with many desires
still to be fulfilled. I guess that’s what makes living in the moment so priceless. In my youth feelings of
immortality kept me charging forward with fascination, excitement, exploration and enthusiasm. No
more. Instead, fleeting glimpses of reality intrude, confirming my fate, with the growing recognition that
I may not have time to do all the things I still want to do. And although time still appears to be on my
side, I still find myself wondering how much time?

In last month’s issue of Goddess, I shared about attending Z’s Halloween Gathering in San Francisco
many years ago, and how three stilt dancers representing the fates, made a deep impression on me. As
they danced in a circle to the constant beating of the drums, they moved slowly and gracefully in
colorful cloaks, tall and dignified, bigger than life. One woman held a large skein of thread; the other
was spinning it and the last was cutting it with her scissors. All moved around and around, miming the
intricate movements and synchronicity of our existence as the drums mimicked the heartbeat of the
Earth herself.

The dance spoke of our lives, for we are all weavers and cutters. We move consistently through life
weaving threads into various patterns with intricate detail... day by day, year by year... as if painting a
portrait or sewing a tapestry that marks our existence. Each stitch is a moment in time. Every incident
and interaction is a necessary step in the evolutionary process, while the forces of life continue moving
us on our marvelous, mystical journey.

Yes, we move in cycles, waxing and waning like the seasons, intertwining with others along the way, and
each experience brings meaning and value. We are drawn to these experiences like a moth to a flame...
and we bask in the fullness of each experience for as long as time allows. Then, they pass, leaving only
remnant memories as they fade away. Sometimes it’s hard to let go... especially if the experience was
pleasant, but when something is over it’s over, and we must move on. We must cut the threads.

Recovering and reclaiming is like that too. We uncover, discover, discard and amend. We learn to let go
so new life can emerge lest we become stagnant and leave no room for growth or transformation. We
weave and cut, weave and cut. We are born, we live, we die, we regenerate... season after season, time
after time.

Though the years, in my personal process of healing, many old patterns had to be banished so healthier
patterns could emerge. As I learned to let go, to make way for the new, cutting threads became easier
and brought a deeper trust in life. Unhealthy relationships, old ideas, even old religious beliefs were
severed and as I let go, new and wonderful experiences began to fill the gaps. I also learned that every
time a door closed another one opened and cutting the threads was essential to moving on. I’m grateful
for the lessons... and the memories... for in them I learned to trust the fates and the process of change.

Although my life is quite content today, I often wonder what kind of legacy I’ll leave behind. I long to
give something valuable to the world, to be remembered for my unique gifts, to express all that my soul
desires and touch the world in a good way but I guess everyone wants that, to know that they didn’t
live in vain, that they made a difference. Maybe this is the greater dream we all share as we trudge the
road of happy destiny.

Yes, to create a significant change in the consciousness of humanity would be a great thing, but
sometimes, when I reflect on my life, I realize that maybe the small things will be most remembered,
like a kind word, act or gesture that made a difference in someone’s life. With this growing awareness I
also find myself savoring every stitch of time I have left, doing what I love and loving what I do. On a
grander scale I feel I’m being moved, almost manipulated, along with many others, to bring about a
significant change in the world. I realize that I am only a speck in the greater scheme of things that the
evolution of the planet depends on each doing their part, but I know I’m part of this growing feminine
consciousness long feared by the Patriarchs, that reclaiming the Goddess and her ancient ways is what
it’s all about for me. It not only feels right, it feels good.
I finally came to see that I am the dreamer and weaver of my life, that the strands sown with my heart
and soul mark my existence, that my love, power and magic is woven into the fabric and my blessings
are many because of it. I’m also grateful that I continue sharing this dream with others along the way,
with sisters that are reclaiming the Goddess, with mate, family and friends, because every strand
matters in the greater scheme of things and I’m learning to become a better seamstress because of it.
Let’s remember: When the Women Heal, the Earth Heals. Blessed Be.

The Banishing

In flames of burning rage I banish all that gain

I banish all that stays
to hinder and control
and torment other souls
preventing those that be
to flourish peacefully
that thrive on others’ pain
inflicting ills or death
to benefit the rest
the selfish profits made
while others wail or fade

I banish all the cruel I banish all the crime

the patriarchal rule the righteous and unkind
violent wars that scream that poison the environment
insidious and mean punishing the innocent
oppression’s ruthless reign raping mother earth
and suffering in vain with greedy stealing curse

I banish all that victimize With purifying sage

blame & shame & criticize I cast a healing haze
blind opinions justified amending wretched flaws
violations sanctified, to honor Mother’s Law,
those who torture life I see us dancing free
with bigotry and strife and say... so mote it be!

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Sliding Home to Mother Love

How to save the world by dicing and slicing out the big state gods and dropping Goddesses in to
take their places: that’s the job we should all be working on.

You know who you are, big guys: Jehovah … Allah … Yahweh … Indra ... and all the rest of you
Big-Daddy dudes who adore war and diss our Mother, the Earth.

Your days are numbered, men. In my mind there’s no

doubt about it: in the near future much of the world will
see you for what you are … as uncool, unspun Emperors
with no clothes on.

At that point everyone will fall all over themselves

quickstepping back to the old Guiding Goddesses you
nude dudes have spent millennia trying to shoot and
bury; Hel, Gaia, Mari and Sovereignty in Europe; White
Buffalo Woman and Thinking Woman in North America;
Cybele, Tiamat Ma’at and Nut in the Middle East; Kuan
Yin in China; and thousands more all over the globe.

All over the world, old-as-the-hills pre-patriarchal Goddesses are just waiting for us.
Electrifying and awesome, these deities demanded - and still demand - that we love each other
the way healthy mothers love their kids.

To fix most of what ails us, all we need to do is to make the trade … big-guy gods dumped for
these grand old Mother-love deities. It can’t happen soon enough. So, get out your waders
and let’s creep into the muck together. Pull the plug on the Big-Daddy gods ASAP!

Join the Switching to Goddess class in the Dianic University

Various magickal times during the day
Sunrise - The day begins as light stretches out from the eastern horizon. This is an wonderful time to
perform rituals involving purification, success, study, employment, breaking addictions of all kinds,
travel, releasing guilt or jealousy, healing diseases, and the conscious mind.

Noon - The sun shines high above at full force. This is excellent time for all sunrise ritual purposes, as
well as those that involve magickal energy, physical energy, protection, abundance, and courage.

Sunset - The sun slips below the western horizon marking in the end of daylight, signaling a time for
breaking addictions, weight-loss, and banishing pain.

Night - The sun is now longer in sight, and darkness prevails. This is the time for beauty, dreams, psychic
awareness, spirituality, sleep, sex, purification, love, friendships, calm, and the time for healing

Rain Storms - Rain brings cleansing to the earth and are fine for purification, love, friendship, beauty
rituals, releasing guilt and jealousy.

Snow Storms - Snow carries beauty and stillness and is the time for gentle magick and purification. This
is a good time to release unrequited love and other attachments.

Lightening Storms - Lightening has periods of unparalleled energy from the sky above. All spells cast
during lightening storms will be empowered by them, and may prove to be more effective. Protection
rituals are ideal at these times.

Hot Days - Bright hot sunny days prove to be great for charging rites of protection, courage, and energy.

Heavy Winds - Winds blow away clutter clearing the sky and land. At these times empowering rites are
designed to break addictions, assist study by increasing concentration, and travel spells.

Lunar and Solar Eclipses - Eclipses are dramatic and rare moments both for their observers as well as for
witches. In the past, witches were urged not to perform magick during eclipses. Today, many witches
use the suggestive power of an eclipse to fuel spells involving banishment, including the destruction of
disease.
Growing Up With Goddess

I am a Witch, a servant and priestess of the Goddess, Her women and the earth. I am also the blessed
mother of five daughters. Jessica Ann-20, Krystan Bianca-17, Amaris Evann-13, Sienna Luna-12 and
Atirah Jewel-11. While they are all individuals with distinct personalities and different needs, they share
much in common. They are all very bright, intelligent, loving and compassionate young ladies. They are
also young Goddess-loving feminist Witches in training.

I am extremely proud of my daughters and their achievements and like most mothers, I have my
mommy bragging moments (I find myself taking those moments more often than not) and I take much
pleasure basking in them for as long as I can because while the achievements are ultimately my
daughters, they are mine as their mother too. As a mother, our role is expansive and diverse; we at any
one given time are doctor, lawyer, judge, referee, cook, nanny, friend etc., because the role of mother is
all encompassing. So while we are busy switching from Wonder Woman to one of the many other roles
we assume, somewhere in between we also slip into that spiritual advisor role and hopefully we help
them build a solid foundation from which to build their spirituality from when they are older.

Dealing With Sexism Early On

Through the years, I've received many comments ranging in tone from astonishment at my having “five
girls” to what could easily have been interpreted as disapproval. Because I have several children, people
would often ask if I was Catholic. I would respond nearly just as often with “No, I'm not Catholic, but I do
practice a fertility religion.” For the most part, they were too shocked at my response to inquire any
further. Others would respond to my having five daughters with total disbelief at my not “having a single
boy” to the ridiculous by saying things such as, “Wow, I would hate to be in your house when everyone
has their time of the month.” or “If they aren't on the same cycle, it must be constant PMS every week
in your house.” As well as, “You should really think about buying stock (shares) in Tampax, Kotex and all
those feminine product companies.” Then there is the trusty old, “Oh you better get yourself a shot gun,
sit on the porch and keep the boys away from them!” As if my girls are pieces of property that horny
boys could just walk upon and claim as their own possessions. Not! Finally, there is the one that never
seems to die, the “I bet you wish you had Chastity belts for all those girls huh, and throw away the key!”
I never found any humor in these jokes, nor did I hold the ignorant without blame for their insulting
comments. Instead of a snide comeback for the most part, I would just smile and say nothing.

Living in a society with people like this, I knew early on I would have a difficult struggle ahead of me,
trying to instill a positive female attitude within each one of my daughters. My favorite comment
though, is the one I received from a local artist and friend of mine when we first met. Upon meeting me
in a now defunct local occult shop she said to me, “You know, I think it's absolutely amazing that you
have five beautiful girls! How proud you must be
to be raising your very own Dianic coven!” Yule of
2004, she gifted me with a painting that she said
was inspired by meeting me and my five young
daughters a couple of years earlier. She aptly
named the painting “Mother and Maidens.”
Although I took her Dianic coven comment as a
refreshing change from what seemed to be the
norm, from my full blown Dianic household
looking back now, I realize that it may have been a
cryptic message directly from Goddess.

Mother and Maidens

Our Dianic Household

Our being blessed with an all female, Dianic household is one of many spoils from war, er… I mean
divorce. Having been divorced when my girls were still very young the negative and dominating father
role model in our house was eliminated early on. After my divorce I thought about what kind of women I
wanted to raise and how I would go about it as a single parent. I knew I wanted to raise young women
who had a healthy self-esteem and were very female positive. I didn't want my daughters to have hang
ups about being female, or think less of themselves because they were girls, believing they were there
to fill a role society created for them. I did not want my daughters believing they would become weak or
needy and dependent upon the opposite sex when they became adults because they didn't have their
father involved in their lives. So I made the deliberate and conscious choice to not get seriously involved
with another man or re-marry while my girls were still young. After everything they witnessed during my
toxic marriage, it was major damage control. Our own, all female, space was vital to that as it gave us
time to bond together, to heal and truly embrace the Mother and each other. I also wanted to raise
them to be the strong young Amazons they are now becoming without any interference. Because of the
role I was forced to play in my marriage, the last message in the world I want to send across to my
daughters is that a woman needs to have a man in her life. I believe that if a woman wants to have one
to compliment her already divinely female life it should just be an option not a requirement. I want my
girls to know and understand that they were whole and complete unto themselves and that while men
can be wonderful additions to their lives one day, they definitely aren't needed for them to be complete.
I didn't need to re-marry or live with a man so he could “help me” take care of my daughters. The only
help I needed was the guidance from the Goddess and I received plenty of that.

While I have made the conscious choice to not get seriously involved with men or had another man step
up and fill a “daddy role,” doesn't mean that we live in a vacuum or that my daughters aren't exposed to
some amazing positive male figures. Nor does it mean that I've been tainted and I hate men. I have
several wonderful male friends that visit, or “hang out” that are well liked and respected by my
daughters as well as a few who have very caring and positive relationships with by them. My inner circle
is so closely guarded that the men I date are simply not invited to get to know, become involved or be
part of my girls’ lives. My daughters themselves have several male friends, whom they love and adore,
so they understand and value and the importance of the positive role males can and do play in our lives.
It's those positive qualities that I hope my daughters look for when deciding on a boyfriend or a life
mate later on.
My girls learn the arts of gardening, cooking, cleaning, running a household and household repairs; they
learn spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, painting and all sorts of other wonderful crafts and arts. I
believe it's through many of these things that they learn about their strength as a female, their
independence, self-reliance, responsibility to one’s self and family.

Our most powerful bonds between us are those of womanhood and of Goddess. It's definitely a force to
be reckoned with. How I raised my girls on Goddess thus far obviously isn't for everyone, however, for
our personal situation it was the right thing to do. Auspiciously enough for us their father who,
unfortunately, has little respect for women, believes they are weak and are nothing without men, chose
to play little to no role at all in the girls lives growing up. Not having to fight with him over the rearing of
our daughters allowed me the freedom to focus more on creating a feminine, positive, safe space and
living environment where I could foster their free wills, their thoughts and ideas without fear of ridicule
and rejection. I nurtured them, guided them, and I have watch them grow and blossom into having a
healthy self esteem not impacted by their fathers negative view of women. They have a female positive
view of themselves instead of the weak and needy one they might have had. I believe that having the
freedom to grow without restraint undoubtedly contributed heavily to all of my daughters’ ideas about
themselves as females and allowed for a deeper and natural connection to Goddess to evolve.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

However, despite not having the dominating male role model in our lives that would contribute to the
false beliefs and destructive self image of being female and living in an all female household, we still live
in a society where we were and continue to be, bombarded by the media, television, Hollywood movies,
tabloids, articles, etc. that send negative messages about our roles as females in society. Having five
young and impressionable girls, it's been my duty as their mother and their warrior to counter this by
reinforcing the powerful knowledge, positive ideas, and beliefs about the sacred female. I have done
this, for the most part, through Goddess.

Female positive books, movies, stories were constantly encouraged, read and given to them. They are
constantly encouraged to discover stories of powerful and courageous women throughout herstory.
They read stories and mythology of Goddesses. Patricia Monaghan's “Wild Girls: The Path of the Young
Goddess” and “Goddesses and Heroines” books has been a fabulous resource for my young Amazons.
My youngest daughter read through “Wild Girls” and found herself totally enamored with Kwan Yin
because she saw a lot herself in her. Kwan Yin has since become my daughter’s matron Goddess. Aside
from my own use of the “Holy Book of Women's Mysteries” by Z. Budapest (my bible) and adapting
things to fit their lives as young girls, Ruth Barrett's Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries: Intuitive Ritual
Creation has become equally as invaluable to me as well as it shown me different ways in which I can
create opportunities for them to experience Goddess through ritual.

Play is a big part of their daily rituals too. Barbie has taken on a whole new incarnation in our house.
Beach Barbie has become Greek Goddess of the Sea Barbie and Doctor Barbie is the Wise Woman Healer
Barbie. In fact, she even sports a tiny bandanna, Susan Weed style, around her forehead. Many times,
the girls create appropriate clothes for her to wear and her story line always follows that of a particular
Goddess they are reading about. Other times they give the Goddess Barbie's roles to play in the modern
world. Incidentally, the issue of Barbie's shape and form has never been an issue for my daughters. They
know and understand that this dolls shape is completely and totally unrealistic and that has always been
enough for them. If they need her to be bigger, shapelier, curvier which they do at times, they will fill her
clothes out to make her look more lifelike and natural.

Playing dress up in my house revolves around dressing up as one of the many faces of Goddess as well.
They take many of my dresses and sewing fabrics, (those nice satiny sheets for the bed always end up as
a lovely pinned gown for Goddess) and make many a “Goddess gown.” For years at Halloween, my
daughter Sienna has been the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, eventually venturing out becoming a vampire
demoness for one year, only to return to the Goddess of love the next.

In regards to the media, when they were younger they only wanted to watch television shows with girls
or women in starring roles and listen to songs that were sung by a female (Spice Girls and Jennifer Lopez
were huge in our house). As long as it wasn't a movie, television show or song that perpetuated the idea
that women must fight other women for their cheating men or depicted them in some other demeaning
manor then I was OK with it. Now they are older and their interests have expanded, and luckily, so has
their understanding.

Another ritual we do is the Sacred Slumber Party or “Girls Night In.” The girls have had many slumber
parties over the years but the ones where it's 'just us girls” are the most memorable and enjoyable. We
gather books, movies, cakes, - sometimes even the most sinfully delicious junk you can think of - watch
movies together, pig out, do each other’s hair, play music, sing, dance, laugh, tell jokes, make prank
phone calls (yes, guilty, I have done it, but to a friend who already knew we were going to call), stay up
really late and tell stories about Goddess, read Tarot or some sort of divination. If weather permits we
spend some time under the night sky, running around or just simply taking in the energy.

Often in these slumber parties, sometimes even when they have friends over, at some point in the
evening, we make a point of getting in circle for a special “sister circle.” In this circle, everyone must tell
each other something that we love very much about that person. We do this because siblings are quick to
say “I hate you, you make me sick because....” That builds up over time, and although the words are
rarely ever meant, when spoken they still have impact. The purpose of our “sister circle” is to let each
sister hear how much the other one really loves the other. That special time most often ends up with lots
of tears, hugs and kisses.

I do this to instill in my daughters the beauty and positivity of true sisterhood, friendship, and nurture
these same bonds as they blossom into womanhood. Society teaches girls that females cannot truly be
friends and support each other, but rather, they must compete with one another on some level. I want
my daughters to know it's OK, and feel comfortable, having female friends as adults as well as build
bonds of sisterhood with them. At the same time I want them to understand that not everyone woman
will be positive or the best for their growth and it's OK to not have them in their lives.

Through my own actions, ideas, and beliefs, I have consciously tried to instill in them a great desire to
know and love the all feminine power of Goddess that lives within themselves. In doing this I have been
laying down a solid spiritual foundation from which my daughters could build upon as they grow into
strong women. I know that many Pagan parents discuss and talk about whether or not to raise their
children as Pagans or just let them come to their own spiritual unfolding as they mature as adults. This
sometimes includes whether or not to shape, instruct, guide, or influence their children's thinking or
ideas in any manner with regard to spirituality. Perhaps it is because I've always been a deeply spiritual
person and it's been a part of every aspect of my life that I cannot see spirituality as separate from my
life, and therefore, have taught my children from that view point. If spirituality is the search for self and
the search for self is the search for Goddess, then for me it's completely natural. Living life is
experiencing Goddess on Her many levels; the spirituality part is becoming aware of that fact.

Teaching my girls how to embrace Goddess has

not been separate from teaching them to love and
respect themselves as female because Goddess is
not separate from life. She is life. The girls learned
how to respect and love the earth and to honor
nature just like they learned how to eat, walk, talk
and ride a bike on their own - naturally, but with
encouragement. Growing up with Goddess for
them is not a formal process like it might be for
many people teaching their children religion. On
the contrary, nothing could be more natural than
encouraging my daughters to learn about, and
understand, the Earth and Her cycles. Teaching my
girls how to embrace Goddess has not been
separate from teaching them to love and respect
themselves as female because Goddess is not
separate from life. She is life.

The girls learned how to respect and love the earth and to honor nature just like they learned how to
eat, walk, talk and ride a bike on their own - naturally, but with encouragement. Growing up with
Goddess for them is not a formal process like it might be for many people teaching their children
religion. On the contrary, nothing could be more natural than encouraging my daughters to learn about,
and understand, the Earth and Her cycles. As a panentheist, and my daughters’ first mortal teacher, I
taught them to see and recognize the sacred divine Goddess within everything from the tiniest pebble to
the winds that blow. The wind, the rain, and raging storms that blow across the sky have all played a big
role in their teaching as well as the color and scent of beautiful blooming flowers and the birds that sing.
The sway of the trees and the stars in the black velvet sky, all Mother Nature, the incomparable teacher.
She who is all things and everything, wearing many faces; She who is everywhere and beyond it yet in no
one place. This is Mother Nature, the Goddess that my daughters and I know, love, honor and respect.
We acknowledge the lunar phases and celebrate the seasons in honor of the changing earth and divine
within ourselves, but not in an over the top way; our rites are not for pomp and circumstance, but
rather for reaffirming and searching for that seasonal or lunar, and feminine connection within.

The Choice to Homeschool

We live in a society that, jogging right along side of the media, news and MTV is the public schools
pressuring our children to grow up too fast. The public school is the center stage from which sexism,
racism, and stereotyping are nurtured and developed. Public schools contribute heavily to the pressures
of fitting in and accepting gender roles are overwhelming, especially for the girls. So the home-schooling
choice was another way to pull back, hit the brakes and take them out of that environment all together.
I have home-schooled all of my daughters for many years. But for a very brief time, during another
transitional phase in my life, my daughters returned to public school and were exposed to several
different degrees of sexism. The horrific experiences my daughters had, on many levels, during their
brief time in public school deserves an article of discussion all its own, as there is just too much to share
here. Because all of my daughters were feeling pressures of unimaginable levels, mostly gender based, I
felt it even more necessary to return to home-schooling to take them out of that toxic environment.

On Sexuality

Before I was divorced, I'd always been forthright

and honest when my children had questions,
especially in regard to sex and where babies come
from. Because of this, all of my daughters knew
where babies come from at an early age; an egg
that was fertilized by a sperm within the womb
and the baby grows and finally is delivered
through the vagina or birth canal. They knew,
sometimes, some women had problems and had
to have C-sections. When they began to ask
questions, which seemed to be around 4 years of
age, they were sat down to watch Nova's The
Miracle Of Life documentary. They were always
fascinated by this, at their own divine selves. They
recognized the greatness and beauty of Goddess
in the mother who was pregnant and had a living
being growing in her womb. Because I was so
open with them, talked freely and honestly about sex with them at age appropriate levels, my older
daughters were able to come to me without fear of my “going off on them” to discuss their thoughts
and feelings about sex. Whether or not they were ready to have sex. To talk about STDs and pregnancy,
and what they could do to prevent it. We talked about the emotional and psychological aspects of it too,
always openly and freely. Their understanding of this knowledge manifests itself in many positive and
creative ways; one of them is through art.

For me, teaching my children Goddess spirituality is, and has been, treated as a natural thing and just
part of daily living vs. something they must learn. I am confident that I have planted good spiritual seeds
in the fertile ground of their hearts and minds. I know there is great potential for something to take root
later for them to nourish and nurture on their own in their own way. As their mother, I have been my
daughters’ first teacher, their first idol and role model. My daughters learn first and foremost from me,
and whether or not I intend for them to do so, I am ever aware that they interpret my actions and
reactions to the world around me as natural and normal behavior and they adapt to it. While I would
never push any one of my children to accept my ideas about spirituality and religion, the quality of our
lives is definitely affected by it.
They call the painting “We all come from the Goddess”
while the altar is known as “The Altar of Creation”.

In this picture is two of my daughters, Atirah 11, and Amaris 13 created an

altar by painting a picture of the Mother Goddess giving birth to world.

Sisterhood and Pagan roots grow deep within them because of the rich Pagan and feminist environment
they have been absorbed in their whole lives. The monthly women’s circles, lunar rites and celebration
and other gatherings are as normal to them as going to a friend’s house for a barbeque, picnic or the
park for a cook out. Things haven't always been easy for us, in fact there are many times when it has just
been a complete nightmare but as everything else, these times fade away. Because Goddess has played
such a major part of our lives, I believe the female bonds between not only mother and daughters’ is
impenetrable but also the bonds of sisterhood amongst themselves. They know and understand that
value of female relationships and it is my hope that this will carry with them throughout the rest of their
lives.

After careful review of everything I've had to say from the Mother's personal viewpoint, I was curious as
to what my daughters’ views are as they were the ones actually growing up Goddess with me. I thought
I'd share what four of them have to say:
Sienna, age 12 says, “For me, growing up I saw Goddess in everything. In a house full of nothing but females it is easy to relate
to Goddess. I love hearing stories about Goddesses through my mother’s voice. Her voice is magical. My favorite stories to hear,
or read about, are about the Goddess and changing seasons, you know, the maiden, mother and crone. I used to think my
mother created the world through her womb and that she was the Goddess. As a girl in an all female house, I think it a good
thing to grow up learning about other strong women and Goddess. It's good to know how super important we really are even
though the world tried to tell us something different. I know this world belongs to the Goddess and other people are just slow
catching on. Because of my mother teaching us about Goddess in nature and everything around us, I know how important my
place is in the world. I know how important I am as a girl. I love and respect myself as well as other females simply as females. I
think that men can't handle a woman saying no, and that they can't have what they want so they steal it away or they crush
what you think as a woman, and say it's not good enough or “that's not what girls do”. So they created a male God for us to
follow and said that he will tell us what girls do and that's that. Thankfully, I was given a wise mother who taught us nothing
about God and everything about Goddess and introducing Her as Nature. When we stepped out into Nature, we stepped right
into the lap of the Goddess. The more I learned about her, the more I learned about myself.” ~ Sienna Luna

Atirah age 11, “I grew up in a house of all girls being the youngest of five. I was constantly surrounded by female energies, it's
all I know because that's all there really is. Even boy’s energies come from the mother and they were girls once before birth
too. Because of this, it's been especially easy for me to relate to Goddess. My mother told us stories of the Goddess, like my
favorite story of Persephone and Demeter and Hekate. Hekate is the matron Goddess of this house, She has always been since I
can remember. Music is a huge part of my mother’s life and she sings to us songs of Goddess even just making them up off the
top of her head. I love that.

How my mother taught me about Goddess is the same way your mother taught you how to walk, talk, read and write and even
eat. Everything I did came from Goddess, my first steps were on the belly of the Goddess, my first words were the breath of the
Goddess and what I read were books about Goddesses and powerful women. The food, well we all know that comes from
Goddess. It was all natural learning. It was fun; it was exciting. We were willing to learn the ways of the old because we had lots
of fun with it. My mom didn't sit us down and throw a book at us and say “OK, now you read about Witchcraft and you read
about Goddess.” It was just natural stuff like planting flowers and playing in the rain.

We were taught how to perform ritual and we made stone circles in our backyards to celebrate the festivals and lunar cycles.
Lots of people focus on the sabbats but in our house it's the lunar cycles and Goddess feast days that are celebrated but we do
celebrate sabbats too and sing about the Goddess. We turn Christmas songs into songs all about the Goddess so we like them
better too. I like Mabon, Samhain and Beltaine.

People tell my mother she has her own Dianic coven and I say they are right. Goddess is our everyday lives and every where
because She is everything.”~ Atirah Jewel

Amaris-13, “Growing up in a house full of womyn energy and having a Witch for a mother made it easy for me to relate to the
Goddess. I relate to the Goddess like I related to my own mother. My mother is a Goddess in her own right, and she has given
me life, so I honor her, love her and respect her as much as I love and honor and respect the Great Mother. I have always been
a nature girl, a little wild and free and through Goddess spirituality is the best way that I can express myself that way naturally. I
am a very strong, feminist young teenage girl and the Goddess is the mother of a feminine spirituality. My experiences relating
to Goddess is so much fun. One time, for example, when it began to pour down rain my mother came running in the room
where we were and said “Hey girls, lets go outside and play!” We did. We all ran outside in the pouring rain; we were dancing,
running and feeling the wet earth under our bare feet and all the water coming down on our heads. It was magical! We knew
this was about cleansing, revitalizing our selves and our own spirits. We stood for a moment and let our worries and
frustrations be washed away right into the ground and then we danced.

We have learned about ritual but never formally, just out of being there and part of it over the years. My favorite ritual was my
recent maidening ceremony celebrated with my sisters Sienna because she and I got our first moon-times 13 days apart even
though I'm a year older. We have always been the “twosome” so it was just natural that it happened that way. My mother
priestessed the rite and my friends and women of the community were there. Readying for some rituals can be hard at times
and a pain but they always turn out to be loads of fun, especially the feast. Through the many years of practicing Witchcraft,
learning about and understanding Goddess, I have learned a lot. I wont' tell you everything I know, but I will tell you that it's
enough to know that the path of the Goddess is one I choose to follow and will walk for the rest of my life. I am glad my mother
shared with me this knowledge of Goddess and the ways of womyn. It's been fun and exciting and I will share this same thing
with my own children.”~ Amaris Evann

Krystan 17, “Growing up in an all female household made it pretty easy to relate to Goddess. My mom introduced the Goddess
to us at a very early age. I remember how She just fit into our lives. There was no aspect where Goddess didn't belong. There
was no formal training or things given to us to study, but it was just very simple things. Watching the sunset or playing in the
rain held great significance and in many ways, deepened our understanding of the natural world around us. The telling of
stories of different Goddesses from different cultures and societies appealed to me very much because it showed the many
different faces of the Goddess. It's a blessing growing up in a house where our natural processes of being a female are honored
and sacred and celebrated when so many young females do not have this opportunity. There are so many thing that help me
understand, and bring me closer to, Goddess, love and honor Her as well as love and honor my own femininity.”~ K.B

The Goddesses gifts are many. Her gifts to me, and sacred charge, are that of five daughters, and the unusual opportunity to
raise them as free spirited and wild young girls. As a woman and a mother, I am painfully aware that not many females have
been raised as free or surrounded by female positive energy nor are they honored and celebrated for simply being female. As
Goddess spirituality continues to grow all over the world, I hope that more women know that it is possible that young girls can
be raised as aware, wild and free women from birth without the heavy burdens of male dominated society weighing them
down. But a woman must first set herself free from the chains of patriarchy that bind her and come face to face with herself as
a divine and sacred woman, a daughter of Goddess. Then, and only then, will she have that gift of freedom to pass onto her
own daughters. As for myself, I am truly blessed.
Dianic Clergy Priestess Path

It was exactly one year ago today, 8/26/08 when I made my first post to the Dianic University after
joining the SBA Coven. Bobbie Grennier asked the newbies to introduce themselves. I told the group
that I had joined the Coven in hopes of finding likeminded women with whom I could worship the
Goddess with. I said, I love the challenges of new beginnings and being initiated into the SBA #1 Coven
suited my life perfectly at that time. I told them how my old church, which I helped found, the Church of
Diana, in CT was now gone. I was a Priestess at our church. Although I didn’t have my own church
anymore, my love of the Goddess, and my desire to serve Her still burned brightly in me. The coven
initiation was a stepping stone to further work. I also said, I felt as if She had laid a path before me and
She was now calling me home. We were getting ready for the big Goddess Fest 2008 in Santa Cruz,
California. I went to the festival and met my Coven sisters and 130 other fabulous Goddess loving
women.

Once in California at the Goddess Fest, we had the initiation Friday night. That went well; I boldly went
through my necessary work during that ritual to become initiated into the circle of women. Saturday
night’s ritual, we were broken into groups by our decades. As a then 45 year old woman, I joined my
sisters to do our part of the ritual. As forty-something year olds, we felt powerful and earning new
wisdom that comes from living life almost to the halfway mark for some of us. We each decided to
discard an old thing and embrace a new thing. I discarded my fear and I loudly proclaimed in sacred
space, “I EMBRACE MY PRIESTESS POWER!” It has taken a year to manifest and finally come to me, but
embracing my Priestess power now, means application and acceptance into the Dianic Clergy Path at the
Dianic University. I found this excerpt below in the We’Moon Calendar and it beautifully describes some
of what I have been feeling.
 To own the word Priestess. I am becoming more brave,

Beside my thousand thousand Priestess–sisters.

I see the Goddess is returning through our troubled skies

Through wars and violated children, through land raped

Into angry dust and I will Priestess Her,

Call Her healing love through ritual and my daily living;

I know in all Her many names, She spells the flames of hope.

Excerpt: Rose Flint 2005 We ‘Moon 09

What is a Priestess?

Wikipedia definition: A Priestess is a woman who has authority and power to administer religious rites.
Priestesses honor the cycles and seasons of nature and of life. They learn from, and work with the
natural rhythm of the earth, moon, sun, and stars. They observe and value the relationships, between
earth and sky, nature and humanity.

In families and communities, priestesses bring awareness to the ways change affects life by creating
time and space to honor life passages. They create and often officiate ceremonies which recognize the
transitions of birth, puberty, and a new job, the loss of a job, marriage, divorce, elder hood, menopause
and death.

Priestesses may council and support others in times of crises, transition, healing, and creation. They may
assist through their prayers, meditation, deep listening, or simply being present and bringing awareness
and attentive witnessing to a situation.

A priestess brings the sacred into form by connecting to Divine energy in her creative pursuits, such as
dance, art, writing, music, theater, ceremonies, rituals, and celebrations.

Deeply connected to her spirituality, from the inside out, a priestess maybe a member of any religion or
have no connection to none. She may connect to the Divine in nature just as well in any home, church,
synagogue or temple. A priestess makes a direct connection to the Divine from within and can apply it to
any area of life. (Wikipedia definition)
 I am a daughter of the ancient mother

I am a daughter of the mother of us all

I am a daughter of the ancient mother

I am a daughter who has listened for Her call

I am a daughter of the ancient mother

I am a Her daughter and a priestess for us all

I woke us with this chant in my head every morning for the past few weeks. I made the words up.
Unfortunately they aren’t very good artistically, but they are honest and describe my new path. I have
been trying to avoid myself and my priestess power for a very long time. Goddess always catches up to
me anyways, so I may as well surrender.

When I got my first priestess initiation, almost 10 years ago, I hummed in my sleep. My sister initiates
heard me humming, “Ancient mother, I hear you calling, ancient mother, I hear your sighs. Ancient
mother I hear your laughter, ancient mother I taste your tears.” Apparently Goddess hums and chants
through me awake and asleep. Her chant had better words though. I drew an amulet from “Amulets of
the Goddess-Oracle of Ancient Wisdom” by Nancy Blair, a few weeks ago when I was looking for a sign of
where I was at with all this Priestess path work and the application to Clergy. Well as Goddess would
have it, I pulled the Labrys amulet. Labrys symbolizes Priestess Power.

Nancy Blair says, “When you receive the Labrys amulet, you are ready to accept and embody priestess
power. You stand strong, arms outstretched, winged, receiving and transmitting Her messages with
Divine clarity. Your energy is focused. You are now more in touch with your psychic awareness than ever
before. You trust process and the truth of your personal experience. As a benevolent priestess, you are
keenly observant and see beauty, even in the midst of decay. You acknowledge the Great Round-
Goddess as Source. You understand the spiritual concept of balance, which involves constant, unified
movement; without movement, life becomes static and stagnant. The labrys is a symbol of our
matriarchal lineage. In the faces of authority, you hold your ground, supporting radical changes for a
clean environment, better health care, child care and elder care. You know your decisions, not
conditions, shape your destiny”.
The Goddess associated with the labrys and priestess power are the Cretan Snake Goddesses, Amazons,
Deborah, Nanshe, Harmonia, Ishtar, Maat, Cybele, Artemis, Athena, Queen Kleite, Hippolyta, and
Antiope.

The Chapter closes with chapter with the following chant:

We are One with the Goddess divine.

We are priestesses of the ancient Mother time.

We know in our hearts Her story is true.

We are here to celebrate and share it with you.

A great Goddess blessing to us all as we continue moving forward with life on the planet as it is. If there
are things I can change, I pledge to. If there are things I can make better, I pledge to. I accept Her call
and serve proudly as priestess of the Goddess. I also pledge to make peace with those things I cannot
change. I also pledge to be an eager student so that I can learn Her ways well to share them with the
other women. Blessed be.

After more than thirty years in circulation,

The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries is still
a ground-breaking book in the forefront of Get your own copy of Z’s out of print books and DVDs at the Women’s Spirituality
women’s spirituality. Forum online store.
UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS

The Goddess Temple of Orange County

Events at The Goddess Temple of Orange County are designed for women - Sunday services

SPECIAL TEMPLE-SPONSORED EVENT! TEACHING, followed by RITUAL with Z BUDAPEST (for women),
December 12, 2009

CLASS: "The SOUL WARRIOR WOMAN" ... ...a short and powerful class -- in
Z's own unique, funny and to-the-point style! -- on hexing rapists and other
harmers of women-- what hexing means, what it doesn't mean, and how to
do it properly, ethically and with power. The word "hex" has tremendous
negative connotations in our language and culture; patriarchy depends upon
everyone accepting without question its false premise that women should
feel fear and shame for even considering using our magical female abilities on
our own behalf ... yet the ancient priestess knew the great power in hexing
ethically to help keep women safe from those who would harm us. In January
of this year, Z, leading a group of thirteen priestesses, conducted a hexing of
four Bay Area rapists who raped and tortured a lesbian woman ... and within a
few short days, the Justice of the Goddess had begun. (See video on her website.) Learn from Z
Budapest, an honored foremother of modern day Goddess spirituality, how to hex effectively, in group
and individually.

Shares Ava, Centerholder of the Temple: "Self-defense must be energetic as well as physical, and true
protection must be held concomitantly in the Unseen World, as well as the Seen. How long will we
tolerate the intolerable crimes against women? We women speak "peace and love," yet the crimes
continue. We must speak "peace and love" AND hold magical energetic knowing and protections.
Maintaining healthy boundaries, saying 'Stop ... now!' is not unspiritual; to the contrary, we are of the
Goddess, we are surely Her precious Priestesses -- and holding ourselves as valuable enough to do this is
one of the most spiritually mature actions we women can take -- must take. There is great power in
grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters coming together to claim this for women everywhere."
Ava will speak on moving through the world projecting the energy that radiates Divine Power to increase
personal safety.
HEXING RITUAL: following the class, the group will perform an ethical hexing on a selected individual or
group of individuals who are known to have harmed women that week.

INFORMATION: Orange County Goddess Temple or 949/651-0564 Also www.zbudapest.com Check out
Z's Dianic University online, classic Goddess books, and more great things at Z’s website!

The Dianic University Calendar:

Oct. 3 - Z Budapest on W.I.C.C.A.N Talk Radio 8pm PST
Oct. 17 - Z Budapest on the Mona Magick Radio Show UK 5pm PST
Oct. 18 - Z on Olympia's Tarot Radio Show 1pm PST
- Z on The Unexplained World Show 8pm PST
Oct. 22 - Z on Paranormal Women Talk Radio 4pm PST
Oct. 23 - Z on JaiKaur Radio Show 7am PST
Oct. 25 - Z Budapest on Hex Eduction Radio 7pm PST
Nov. 1 - Z on Witchtalk Radio 1pm PST

On October 20, 2009, Z is giving a lecture at Sonoma State University on the Herstory of the Dianic
Tradition and the Women’s Spirituality Movement. More details will be announced … follow Z on
Twitter to stay updated on all that’s going on.

PRIESTESSING YOURSELF & OTHERS

with Ruth Barrett, September 26-27, 9:00-4:00pm
Great Sophia Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, California
For more information: http://www.itp.edu/resources/divinefeminine/healingarts.php

CONCERT with Ruth Barrett

th
7:30pm, September 26 , Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, California
$20 General Admission at the door, $15 for workshop participants. Open to All.

CAYA Harvest Home Magick & Music Festival www.cayaharvesthome.com

Sept. 18- 20, 2009
Stone City Pagan Sanctuary, Livermore, CA

We have two separate camps set up at this event and one is an "Amazons Only" camp with specifically Dianic
activities, but men are on the land.

Costs: Early registration: $80 per adult before September 1, $40 per child under 18 (children under 3 are free). Regular
registration after 9/1: $100 per adult, $50 per child under 18 (children under 3 still free). Attend Saturday only, no overnight:
$25

The Sacred Circle ~ Recovering & Reclaiming Ancient Ways to Heal our Lives
Events in The Sacred Circle are for members only, unless otherwise stated. Call JoAnna 775-882-1599 for membership inquiries.
SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO GODDESS
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Dianic Wiccan Clergy Priestess
Overview
It is the goal of the Women’s Spirituality Forum to provide our members with
herstorical and philosophical foundations of the Dianic Tradition; including ritual and
spiritual practices from which to provide Clergy Priestess services to the public.

Dianic Tradition is an ancient Goddess and woman-centered, Earth-based, feminist

denomination of Wiccan religion. We are a teaching tradition.

In the Dianic Tradition, clergy are required to complete course work that enriches their
understanding of the sacred feminine Craft through cognitive and practical hands-on
experiences to use in their roles as clergy priestesses to the Goddess and Her women.

What is Dianic Clergy?

Clergy is a Greek word meaning “heritage” and from its origins, developed into a name
for the persons who kept records and practices of the heritage. In the Dianic Tradition,
we refer to the Clergy Priestesses as the active keepers and practitioners of our
traditions, records and practices. These are Goddess priestess women who provide
spiritual support to women (and their families) worldwide; and support women’s rights
as feminists.
 Ordained Dianic Clergy is not the same as an Ordained Daughter of Z Budapest.
Ordained Daughter is an honorary title for exemplary community service gifted by Z
Budapest directly. It has no legal ties to the Women’s Spirituality Forum.

What can I do with this?

Ordained Dianic Clergy can perform public rituals, including marriage rites, under the
legal auspicious of the Women’s Spirituality Forum non-profit status. The
Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc. is a 501 ( c ) (3) tax-exempt religious, educational, and
charitable organization.

Income you earn as Dianic Clergy and keep is not tax deductible. Income you donate to
the Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc. is tax deductible. The same is true for portions of
the income donated to the Women’s Spirituality Forum, Inc., but only the amount of the
donated portion would be tax deductible.
 What is expected from students enrolled in this program?
The Women’s Spirituality Movement, which
reclaimed the Dianic Tradition, was based on two
principles of action; movement happens through
the written word and through the physical doing.
We will require both from you. Expect to produce
high quality materials that you will use in your
Clergy Priestess practice.

We expect you complete your training in a

reasonable amount of time. You may not
complete this training in any less than a year and
a day, and not more than three years and three
days. We have made concessions for life’s
complications during your period of training by
allowing you longer than a year and a day to
finish, but also realize that this is a very serious
and intensive program for only the most
dedicated of Goddess Women.

Live In-person trainings are required. Online

classes in the Dianic Wicca University are
required. More on requirements and fees.

Ordination as a Dianic Clergy Priestess is required

before you will receive any acknowledgement of
successful completion. This ordination must be in-
person at an event of our choosing.

You will be required to complete an academic body of work using a variety of mediums
(written, video, audio, etc.). You will attend in-person events where you will be required
to perform leadership skills and be observed. If you meet all these requirements
satisfactorily, you will receive ordination as a Clergy Priestess and an official certificate.

Who should apply?

Women-born-women who live their lives as females, and are seeking to enrich their
lives and the lives of others by becoming knowledgeable about and intending to become
practicing clergy of the Dianic (Feminist) tradition of Wicca, an Earth-
based theology, as founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest.
Statement of Dianic Wiccan Faith
As a Goddess and woman-centered, Earth-based, feminist clergy, you must support,
defend and be prepared to propagate the basic principles of Dianic Wicca as follows:

1. Maintain a living practice the Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One.

2. Practice the Dianic Wiccan Rede code of ethics that honors the Earth and Her
creatures, "And it harm none, do what thou wilt."

3. Honor a feminine aspect of deity.

Ethics of the Dianic Wiccan Faith

 Manifesto of the Susan B. Anthony Coven Number One (Holy Book of
Women’s Mysteries p.1-2)
 Dangers of Magic (Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries p.10)
 Only the Women’s Spirituality Forum can ordain clergy under the auspices
of their non-profit status. While other non-profits might have their own clergy,
their credentials are not substitutions for the training and credential of the
Women’s Spirituality Forum.

The Application for Dianic Clergy Priestess is online

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 Goddess Resource Links
Z Budapest Website
Dianic Wicca University Online
Dianic Nation Women's Events
Z's Blog

Z's Events Schedule

Z's MySpace Calendar
Z's University Calendar

Z's Books
Summoning the Fates
Holy Book of Women's
Mysteries
Celestial Wisdom
Grandmother of Time
Grandmother Moon
Goddess in the Office
Goddess in the Bedroom

Holy Book Herstory

Have you ever wondered the who, what, where and when's of the creation of
the Holy Book of Women's Mysteries? We've put together a web page that highlights
the answers to these questions.

Please share the Goddess with your friends.

Have you done your self-blessing today? We do self-blessing every day. In fact,
it's the first thing I do every morning when I rise as I'm preparing to get dressed.
It's good mental health. Do your self-blessings and life will be sweeter. The Self-
Blessing is on page 120 of the Holy Book of Women's Mysteries.

This newsletter is sponsored by the Women’s Spirituality Forum.

Please help support our efforts to help keep the Goddess Alive!