Kathy Jones & the Nine Morgen Sisters

Kathy Jones, the Nine Morgen Sisters and Animal Mysteries of Glastonbury

“Nine Morgen Sisters dwell on the Isle of Avalon. The most famous of them is Morgen la Fey, Morgana, Moraine, in the Arthurian legends, but she is just one of nine sisters. Over the last 35 years the Morgens have been appearing once again in Glastonbury, England, which is the Outerworld counterpart to the Otherworld of Avalon. Within Her nature they appear in the forms of crows and as weather.”

We are very pleased that Kathy Jones will be a featured speaker for this year’s conference. Her presentation will combine myths and animal mysteries of the land. Kathy is the founder of the Glastonbury Goddess Conference and the author of many books such as Priestess of Avalon, Priestess of the Goddess; The Ancient British Goddess: Goddess Myths, Legends, Sacred Sites, Present Revelation; and most recently Soul and Shadow: Birthing Motherworld.

Kathy describes herself as “a ceremonialist, teacher, writer, wounded healer, initiator, Temple Melissa and sacred dramatist.” Most recently she has helped create the Motherworld Political Party to support “a society where Mother Earth, mothers and the values of mothering – love, care and support for each other, are placed in the centre of life, rather than being left out on the periphery.”

Kathy has lived on the Isle of Avalon in Glastonbury for forty years and loves this sacred land of Goddess. www.kathyjones.co.uk http://www.goddesstemple.co.uk/

2018 Sarasvati Award Goes to “Sheela na Gig”

Sheela na gig
: The Dark Goddess of Sacred Power 

by Starr Goode

Published by Inner Traditions

 

The ASWM Board of Directors is pleased to present the 2018 Sarasvati Award for nonfiction to Inner Traditions for this provocative and beautiful book. With over 150 illustrations, this book explores the archetype of the Dark Goddess in the form of female display figures. It examines a range of images of supernatural females like Sheela na gigs adorning medieval architecture.

The award letter reads in part:

This book advances the field of feminist mythological/Goddess studies, presenting both scholarly information and wonderful images to the reader.  The inclusion of this large number of illustrations is essential in a work of this type, in order to convey the rich and diverse imagery of Sheela na gigs and displaying figures.

This book is very well-balanced in offering descriptions and lists of Sheelas along with scholarly explorations and an understanding of issues regarding their their deep meanings and mystery. Additionally, this book gives evidence of similar sacred display figures throughout the world: in Polynesia, in Africa, in India, in Europe, and in the Far East.  It takes the reader from sacred display figures dating to the Upper Palaeolithic, to those from the Neolithic, to those from the Classical era, and finally those dating to the medieval era in Europe.

 In short, we believe this book has great value in to interdisciplinary studies of myth and folklore.  We would strongly recommend it as a resource to faculty, researchers, travelers, and general readers.  

The author will be on hand to accept this award at our 2018 Conference in March.

Modern Matriarchal Studies Day: March 18, 2018

Sunday, March 18, 2018 9AM – 5PM (Registration opens 8AM)

Early Registration $60 until Feb 2, 2018

Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Priestesses of Pele, by Lydia Ruyle

ASWM is pleased to again work with the US Modern Matriarchal Studies group, who will offer a day of presentations following our conference in Las Vegas.  Stay for this exciting program!

We at Modern Matriarchal Studies Day are excited to offer a full day of Modern Matriarchal Studies following the 2018 biennial Association of the Study of Women in Mythology Conference (March 16-17, 2018).  We had a wonderful program taking shape with Vicki Noble https://www.vickinoble.com as Mistress of Ceremonies and leading our opening and closing rituals.  We will have a tribute to Lydia Ruyle, the Founding Mother of Modern Matriarchal studies day with Katie M Hoffner, Lydia’s niece, and Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost http://www.isadoraleidenfrost.com/, who is currently working on a film, The Lydia Ruyle Movie.  This year we are pleased to have Heide Göttner-Abendroth http://www.hagia.de skyping in from Germany.  Joining us in person are Genevieve Vaughan http://gift-economy.com/, Kathy Jones http://www.kathyjones.co.uk/, Mariam Irene Tazi-Preve  https://www.mariamtazi-preve.com/, Julie Felix http://www.juliefelix.co.uk/, Michelle Manu http://www.michellemanu.com/ and more.  While our official program ends at 5PM, we hope you will plan to stay and join us for a no-host dinner where we can carry on our conversation from the day.  We hope you will join us!
–Co organizers Letecia Layson, Vicki Noble, Joan Cichon and Lin Daniels
For more information contact Joan Cichon at cichon@oakton.edu and follow us on Face Book https://www.facebook.com/ModernMatriarchalStudiesDay/

Modern Matriarchal Studies is the “investigation and presentation of non-patriarchal societies”, and matriarchies as “non-hierarchical, horizontal societies of matrilineal kinship”, effectively defining matriarchy as “non-patriarchic matrilineal societies”. Matriarchy is characterized by the sharing of power equally between the two genders, an egalirarian model.  Heide Göttner-Abendroth

Please note:  Matriarchal Studies Day is presented in conjunction with ASWM’s conference, to the benefit of both groups, but registration for this event is not covered by registering for the ASWM Conference.  Register here for Matriarchal Studies Day:

Early bird registration–on or before Feb. 2 2018     $60

Slightly later birds–Feb. 3 to March 9, 2018            $75

Late birds and walk-ins–March 10-18, 2018           $90

For more information contact Joan Cichon 

2018 Conference Hotel Room Reservation Information

GOLD COAST HOTEL, LAS VEGAS NV

ESTIMATED ROOM RATE PLUS TAXES AND MANDATORY RESORT FEE

 

Thursday 3/15/18 Friday

3-16-18

Saturday

3-17-18

Sunday

3-18-19

Deluxe Room Rates     40.00     89.00    89.00    40.00
Tax 13.35% 5.35 11.88 11.88 5.35
Resort fee (17.99) inclusive of taxes 20.40

$65.75

20.40
$121.28
20.40
$121.28
20.40
$65.75
=$374.06 for a four night stay.

 

Please be advised that there is also a mandatory refundable security/damage deposit of $100 required at  check-in.

On line reservations can be made via our group link: ASWM Gold Coast Group Link This page will ask for the Group Reservation ID or Group Code:   A8WMC03.

You may also book by phone by calling central reservations toll free at 888-402-6278. They will need to reference this same ID: A8WMC03, to receive your special, discounted room rates.

Our special rates will be available from Wednesday 3/14 through Monday 3/19, 2018.

Hotel reservation cut off is February 13, 2018.