Category: The Archive

By the Light (and Dark) of the Moon

By the Light (and Dark) of the Moon — Lunar Knowing: The Cyclic, Dark, and Regenerative Moon Nurturing Wisdom, Culture, Inspiration, and Research

Women have been conducting research and generating culture and knowing through relationship with the moon for tens of thousands of years. Part of the work of reclaiming ancient ways of knowing involves cultivating a resurgence of the luminous and dark regenerative cycles and dimensions of lunar knowing. This panel highlights several lunar ways of knowing, and provides both theory and praxis for research by the light (and the dark) of the moon.

Vicki Noble will describe a qualitative research design method that guides the positioning of the researcher with natal lunar phase astrological placements inside a cross-cultural mandala of ritual and seasonal significations. She researches the significance of this transcultural cyclic lunar template as an informing deep schema.

Researcher Demetra George’s scholarship will explore the cycles of birth, growth, death, and renewal via lunar cycle progressions, illustrated by the descent and illumination of Teresa of Avila. This case study demonstrates the powerful way that lunar cycles enable us to identify our unique timing and then offers guidance to pass through these periods utilizing the regenerative healing powers inherent in the dark of the moon.

Extending application of lunar knowing to focus on research systems, Marna Hauk’s paper will propose thirteen dimensions of research that can be informed or guided by lunar phenomena, framing a set of practices and methods as the methodology of lunar inquiry. It will consider the reflective, tidal, cyclic, and waxing-waning-regenerating aspects of the moon applied to qualitative research methodologies and methods.

Finally, We’Moon and We’Mooniversity founder Musawa Moore will share imagery and herstory to examine the moon’s transformative role as muse in contemporary women’s spiritualities and arts. Particularly, this last paper dives into how lunar knowing inspires an embodied, cross-cultural experience of cyclic diversity, oneness, and change-making.  To learn more about We’Moon in all its incarnations check out this post:  More About We’Moon.

 

Throughout, the panel turns attention to the multiple themes, approaches, and methods for emancipating women’s vibrant lunar knowing.

Max Dashu (The Distaff:  Fates, Witches, and Women’s Power)

Max Dashu, feminist cultural historian and artist, founded the Suppressed Histories Archives in 1970 to research and document global women’s history in images, to track patterns of domination, and to reflect the full spectrum of the world’s social systems, cosmologies, and cultural treasures. She is known for her expertise on ancient female iconography and sacred story, and for her many writings on recovering women’s history and dismantling patriarchal worldviews.

 

“What does a truly global view of women look like? One pattern that emerges — not the one we have been shown — is female spheres of power: culture-makers, weavers, and builders, medicine women, elders, herbalists, and drummers. We need to know about the egalitarian mother-right cultures, like thirsty people need water. Not all human societies have been based on domination.”

 

Max will present a visual history on the symbolism of distaff and weaving, and will also tell her story at the plenary panel for authors of the anthology Foremothers of the Women’s Spirituality Movement: Elders and Visionaries.

Ritual, Tradition and Feminine Intuition among the Wabanaki of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes

In this presentation, four Wabanaki Women, representing the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and the Mi’ kmaq and Maliseet First Nations, will discuss the impact of ritual in their lives. Ritual plays a role in nearly all aspects of tribal life.  It connects us to our history and helps us to propel ourselves into the future.  In this panel discussion, we will look at the ways that ritual helps to support our connection to a traditional and cultural way of life, as tribal members and as women. We will also look at the ways that ritual can interfere with our intuition and our traditional role of maintaining and nurturing a connection to the divine.  

The panel will consist of an Indigenous Rights Attorney and activist from the Penobscot Nation, an educator and Mi’kmaq elder in residence from St. Thomas University, a traditional elder, ceremonial leader and teacher from the Passamaquoddy Tribe, and the Director of the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council. Each panelist will discuss how ritual plays a role in balancing personal and professional roles within their respective communities. Thus, we will discuss the many ways that ritual intersects and defines the roles of women within Wabanaki tribal communities.

 

Patricia Saulis – Maliseet

Patricia Saulis is Maliseet from the Maliseet Nation at Tobique. She is a mother, sister, aunt, great aunt, cousin. She was raised in the Catholic tradition, but as an adult ascribes to universal understandings of creation, living and being. Patricia is currently serving her Nation as the Executive Director of the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council, addressing issues connected to the watershed, aquatic relations and the marine life. Speaking on behalf of those without voice is important to her as a woman and encouraging women to sing their ancestral songs is how she sees empowering our women to reclaim their voice and spirituality.

 

Miigam’ agan – Mi’ Kmaq

Miigam’agan is a Mi’kmaw traditional teacher and spiritual leader from Esgenoopetitj, New Brunswick, Canada. She is the mother of three, and grandmother of three. Her life-work has been dedicated to supporting empowerment for women, youth, families and communities, while preserving and teaching Wabanaki culture and spirituality. Miigam’ agan has participated in countless councils, commissions and circles throughout the U.S. and Canada, addressing issues related to empowerment of Indigenous women and the promotion and preservation of the traditional Wabanaki way of life. She is currently an Elder in Residence at St. Thomas University, in Fredericton, New Brunswick. 

 

Sherri Mitchell – Penobscot

Sherri is an Indigenous rights attorney, writer, speaker and teacher. She has been an advocate for Indigenous Rights for more than 20 years. She was a participant in the American Indian Ambassador program, and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship program. In 2010, she received the Mahoney Dunn International Human Rights and Humanitarian Award, for research into Human Rights violations against Indigenous Peoples, and she is the 2015 recipient of the Spirit of Maine Award, for commitment and excellence in the field of International Human Rights. She was a longtime advisor to the American Indian Institute’s Healing the Future Program and currently serves as an advisor to the Indigenous Elders’ and Medicine People’s Council of North and South America. Sherri is the founding Director of the Land Peace Foundation, an organization committed to the protection of Indigenous territories and the preservation of the Indigenous way of life. She teaches workshops throughout the U.S and Canada on building Nonviolent Indigenous Rights Movements that are based on traditional Wabanaki teachings and values.

 

Joanna Dana & Brenda Dana Lozada – Passamaquoddy
Joanna Dana is a Clan Mother of the Bear Clan. She is a respected elder and spiritual leader of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. She is known for her ceremonial knowledge, but also for her gentleness and incredibly loving heart. Brenda Dana-Lozada is Joanna’s daughter and a keeper of ceremonial knowledge and teacher. She is a Passamaquoddy language teacher at the Indian Township School.

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.