Category: Conferences & Symposia

ALisa Starkweather

ALisa is a tireless culture worker and the founder of many powerful women’s initiatives including the Red Tent Temple Movement, Daughters of the Earth Gatherings, and the Women’s Belly and Womb Conferences.  Thirty-two years of dedication to women’s empowerment gave her a reputation where she is known for her passionate archetypal work that focuses on transformation, healing, community, ritual and the rebalancing of the sacred feminine.

ALisa began the women’s mystery school, the Priestess Path Apprenticeship in 1998 out of her belief that women are an important part of the change that we need today in our ailing world. Believing that a pivotal part of healing means facing what one disowns, in 1993 ALisa began training to facilitate dynamic healing with both the unlovable and golden aspects of shadow. She is a founding member of the original Shadow Work® Guild.

More recently over the last several years ALisa is carrying her vision out globally by women raising a Red Tent Temple in every village, city and townThe Red Tent Temples hold the possibility for women of all ages to unify and strengthen, to support the greater changes being called for in our culture today. Alisa worked as a co-producer of Things We Don’t Talk About; Women’s Stories from the Red Tent with filmmaker Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost and film music scorer, Ruth Mendelson that debuted in September of 2012. This award winning film has now been viewed by over a million people around the world and translated in to several languages.

ALlisa’s workshop for the ASWM conference is titled, “The Builder’s Daughter: Out of the land, out of the myths, comes our living work”

 

Tamara Agha-Jaffar

“After serving all my professional life in academia, first as a professor of English, then as a dean, and then as Vice President for Academic Affairs, I retired in July 2013 to pursue my passion of reading and writing about women in mythology.

“I have written two books of non-fiction: a feminist analysis of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter entitled Demeter and Persephone: Lessons from a Myth (McFarland 2002), and Women and Goddesses in Myth and Sacred Texts (Longman 2004).  (You will find a review of this book, which is a sourcebook for teaching goddess studies, by Johanna Stuckey, right here on the ASWM website.)

“While in the throes of researching and writing my first book, I became captivated with the idea of exploring the Demeter/Persephone story through first person narratives of the characters involved in the events. This concept led to the birth of my first novel, A Pomegranate and the Maiden (Anaphora Literary Press 2015).”

In addition to working on a manuscript for my second novel, Tamara blogs at tamaraaghajaffar.com, where she “seeks nuggets of wisdom in various myths.” You can also find her on Goodreads.

Tamara’s presentation for the 2016 ASWM Conference is “Demeter, Persephone, and Iambe: Three Rebels with Cause.”  

Laney Goodman

Conference Workshop:  MOTHER DRUM CEREMONIAL CIRCLE

“We will learn how to best be in balance together in a tribal way – once again breathing new life into ancient wisdom for our present time, where it is needed for healing our hearts, minds, and the global community.”

This workshop relies on the MOTHER DRUM – a large community drum that can be played by a number of drummers together – to keep the “one” heartbeat throughout our journey together.

“Drumming in the Four Directions with the Mother Drum will let you connect to the Great Mother’s heartbeat.  We will experience air, fire, water and earth, the elements of the four directions, with drum and chant in each direction.  Women who attend this ceremonial drum and chant circle will have a chance to play the Mother Drum themselves along with 4 other women in each direction.  So please bring you drum or rattle and experience the deep connection of the heartbeat of the Mother Drum and know that we are all ONE.”

Laney Goodman — visionary drummer, ceremonialist, vocalist, and nationally syndicated radio host — leads ceremonial drum circles “Drumming in the Four Directions” with the Mother Drum.  Her Cherokee heritage from the Great Smoky Mountains blends with German, English and Scot/Irish ancestry to bridge time and tradition in ceremonies of community, especially for women. Laney studied with African-American drum masters and indigenous elders and has professionally presented Ceremonial Drum & Chant for over 25 years.

You can find more information on Laney’s work at: www.sacredwavesofrhythm.com

Note:  You are invited to bring your rattle or small drum to the Mother Drum workshop to participate in this ceremony.

Constance Tippett

Constance is an artist and creatress of The Goddess Timeline. She also makes graven images and will bring her replica of the famous “Goddess Council” for her presentation.

Women have been meeting in groups since the Paleolithic and they left us archaeological evidence to prove it. From Laussel, France, and Old Europe, to deep in the Amazon jungle, they carved on rocks and created beautiful clay tableaus as a visual language to record their meetings.

Were they deciding the fate of the tribe, synchronizing their moon time, deep in a shamanic experience….or just having fun? We’ll explore the grandmother’s Goddess Council by having our own.

Constance’s presentation, Archaeological Evidence of Ancient Women’s Gatherings, will give women the chance to see and touch her beautiful replicas of the “council” figurines.

Yuria Celidwen

I am a native of Chiapas (Mexico), where life is ardent, impetuous and fierce; magic abounds and life swells. Yet, despite being such a lush natural area, the conditions of life can be very hard. Fight-or-flight is much of the daily bread, so I grew up aware of the fragility of life, learning to truly enjoy the present moment. This led me to ponder ways to care for myself and all others, through the cultivation of kindness, wisdom and compassion. I aim to improve the quality of life of all beings, starting by acknowledging and taming my own shadow, and then helping others do the same. I know our conditioning can be transformed to one of cooperation and growth. Through the study of mythology and mysticism, it has become evident to me that a tension between opposites is necessary for creation to arise. My aim is to awaken consciousness to the holiness of everyday life, in order to be of conscious service, respecting the natural world and our natural being, for the benefit of the world we share.

Yuria is a Mexican PHD candidate in mythology and depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute.  She is a graduate from the Four Year Program in Sustainable Happiness and the Contemplative Psychotherapy Program  from the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Sciences.

“To create stories of atonement and empowerment, one has to converge seemingly opposite views of life: suffering and hope, shadow and psychic awareness, abuse and respect.”

Her paper, Tonantzin Coatlicue Guadalupe: Christian Symbolism, Colonization and Social Justice, reconciles these polarizations through the image of the Mexican icon of the Lady of Guadalupe as a symbol of the dispossessed, a shadow of conditioning for colonization, a relation to Aztec goddess Tonantzin Coatlicue, and an emblem for atonement.

Kate Brunner

Kate Brunner is a writer, healer, ritualist, & member of The Sisterhood of Avalon, where she currently serves as Hearthkeeper Matron on the Council of Nine. She is also Project Co-Weaver and a permanent contributor at the Feminism and Religion Blog Project. Her writings appear in Paganism 101: An Introduction to Paganism by 101 Pagans and the forthcoming Goddess in America anthology, both from Moon Books. She holds a BA from Tulane University, where she studied Economics, International Relations, & Religious Traditions.

Kate is a presenter for Red Tents & women’s retreats. She also hosts seasonal women’s gatherings, facilitates labyrinth & rite of passage rituals, and leads workshops on an assortment of women’s spirituality topics. During 2016, in addition to presenting at the Association for the Study of Women and Mythology Conference, she will also be teaching at the inaugural Ninefold Festival in Orange, CT.

She will be bringing two of the Ladies of the Mabinogion to life at ASWM this year with a writing workshop, Becoming Branwen the Peaceweaver and a presentation  “Rhiannon, Great Queen of the Mabinogi” on the panel, Women’s Spirituality, Transformative Scholarship and Personal Quest.
“Goddess myths endure because of their sustainable relevance to our internal & external lives. Paradoxically, understanding the cultural context that birthed Goddess myths actually helps us to better grasp their relevance to us as modern practitioners of Goddess spirituality, feminism, & activism. Threads of the struggle for social justice run through many of our ancient & medieval Goddess mythologies, patiently waiting for us to spin them out and reweave them back into modern context. These are the sacred texts of our collective Goddess traditions. As such, they deserve careful scholastic exegesis followed by mindful modern eisegesis in order to grasp their full power in the modern age.”  

Małgorzata Oleszkiewicz-Peralba, PhD

I was born in Poland, and spent my childhood both in Warsaw and in Montevideo, Uruguay, visiting many other countries in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. During my adult years I lived in Poland, Peru, and New York, with extensive stays in Brazil, Mexico, and Spain, and for the last 20 years I have resided in San Antonio, teaching at the University of Texas. Thus, since childhood I have been exposed to different cultures and languages that became the subject of my cultural and linguistic studies and my passion. My cross-cultural, women-centered interests have been reflected in my numerous presentations and articles around the world in six languages, as well as in my two recent books, The Black Madonna in Latin America and Europe: Tradition and Transformation (UNMP) and Fierce Feminine Divinities of Eurasia and Latin America: Baba Yaga, Kali, Pombagira, and Santa Muerte (Palgrave). I am proud to have been able to bridge the rigors of academia with my research centered on the divine feminine, and to have recently been promoted to Full Professor as the first female faculty member ever at the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at UTSA.

Malgorzata’s presentation is entitled, Liminality, Transgression, and Feminine Empowerment: The Case of Kali and Pombagira:

“Kali–an Indian goddess—and Pombagira—a female trickster entity from the Brazilian Umbanda religion–are surprisingly similar. They both represent the concepts of liminality, outsiderhood and structural inferiority, embodied in the divine feminine. They are strong, independent, unrestrained, and full of magical powers, including power over sexuality, transformation, and death. In fact, they are the opposite of what has been promoted as the model for western females in the last millennium, with traits such as motherliness, docility, humility, passivity, and obedience.  Conversely, they are untamed feminine divinities that are powerful, fiercely independent, childless, courageous, and wise.”

 

Ingrid Kincaid

Ingrid is an “irreverent wise woman.” Her work as an author, teacher and ritualist is deeply rooted in the wisdom traditions of pre-Christian, Northern Europe. Ingrid is dedicated to reawakening connection with our ancestors and the neglected myths of indigenous Norse and Germanic tribes. Her latest book, The Runes Revealed – an (un) familiar journey, challenges its readers to remove the distorted lens of patriarchal interpretation and start viewing history, archeology and mythology with new eyes.

In order to find refuge in our histories we need to hear our stories told in our own voices, not in the voices of men. In order to find safe harbor in our stories they must be meaningful and relevant to the lives we live today.

Ingrid’s presentation for the 2016 conference is entitled “Playing By Your Own Rules When The Gods Cheat:  The Saga Of Skadi  – How A Strong-willed, Independent Norse Giantess Found Safe Harbor By Claiming What Was Rightfully Hers”

“The saga of Skadi is both ancient and modern. It’s the tale of a giantess who was willing to rebel against the system, demand retribution for injustice and lay claim to her rightful inheritance.  She made choices that were strategic and far-sighted and choose divorce rather than settling for anything less than her own happiness.  Skadi is an example of freedom and independence, and yet there are parts of her story that beg to be reexamined and retold. ”  

 

Meagan Miller

A few years ago a doctor friend mentioned to me that 90% of all women are unhappy with their breasts. Although I knew I was part of that percentage, the magnitude of the number stunned me.  My thoughts immediately went to the women in my life who were struggling with their breasts.  

Some had body image issues, others grappled with breastfeeding woes, and still others had cysts or cancer.  Suddenly I realized that what I had been thinking of as strictly personal was actually a large-scale issue. It was therefore essential that the women feel they had nothing to hide, and that they feel connected to their bodies.

My goal for The Breast Archives was to invoke women’s wisdom regarding their breasts, to invite it out of hiding.  

 

https://youtu.be/oinueiSa2RY

Meagan Murphy is a firm believer that social transformation can be achieved through courageous storytelling. With 25+ years of experience in film and broadcast, Meagan has earned a Communicator’s Award for her work with teens and a Medical Journalism Fellowship through Blue Cross Blue Shield. While at PBS-WGBY, she contributed to and oversaw several award-winning series. Her film repertoire includes Night Deposit, Fathers & Sons, and Victor’s Big Score. She also completed a 2-year women’s spirituality program and is trained as a girls’ mentor. In 2012, Meagan formed Deliberate Healing Productions LLC in order to The Breast Archives, a film about body-based wisdom and the complex, un-discussed relationship women have with their breasts. Ms. Murphy is a member of the Easthampton Arts Council, Women in Film & Video, The Independent Documentary Association, eWomen and Women Business Owners Alliance.

 

Meagan will participate in our Film and Filmmakers Roundtable at the conference, bringing the trailer for The Breast Archives. You will also see her videotaping the keynote presentations and authors’ panel.