NURTURING OURSELVES
by Anna Jarrett
www.travellingstoryteller.com.au
It’s one of those very wet, very cold, dark autumn nights. We wait, in the sea cave, perched just above the rising tide, for the full moon to rise over the sea, and bring us her light. The small fire we’ve lit provides a little warmth and a lot of smoke, a cleansing smoke which welcomes us into the Moon Lodge Space. Ahh! Such a sacred space. I sit quietly smiling in the cave, enjoying the cool, hard surface of the sea cave floor, an earthy reminder of our ancient past when we gathered around fires every night, to talk, to eat and to rest under the night sky. The moon slips out from behind the dense grey clouds and her white glow sparkles on the sea ripples below us. Mmmm, I’m in heaven. I love my monthly Moon Lodges.
Well, this Moon Lodge was a little different to our other gatherings, as we usually start our lodges by gathering at a friend’s home or a beach cabin, with a little space outside for a fire. But every lodge is special in its own way. An open circle of women friends, who I look forward to seeing every month, come together to celebrate our life journeys and the cycles of mother moon. Together, we create a sacred feminine space for ritual, feasting, sharing stories, singing, reading tarot, drumming, dancing and healing. We all love the Moon Lodges as it’s a special time in our lives when we can gather as women, wild, wise and wondrous, enjoying the safety and comfort of womanspace.
The Moon Lodge ritual is a totally organic event where we never know who’s coming or what we might do, we just let the mystery of the night unfold. I love this. No controls, no boundaries, just an open feminine space where we can take turns to share our stories, holding the talking stick, supporting each other as we speak. This sacred space brings the comfort of deep listening and being listened to deeply by woman friends. Women who understand what it means to be living life fully and embracing our divine feminine selves.
In my daily life, I really enjoy sharing the love, friendship and hope which these Moon Lodges give to us all. Reclaiming these sort of spaces and rituals in our lives brings us strength and gives us a voice. These are sacred spaces where we are totally safe to share ours stories and to find insight, understanding, nurturing and support from other women as we journey together. The Moon Lodge ritual magically weaves together a strong community of women, connecting us all through this life, connecting us with women through time, connecting us with our ancestors and Goddesses.
My wish is for all women to have this magical space of Moon Lodges and circle gatherings in their lives. I’d love to hear from other women who are gathering at Moon Lodges. There’s also a wonderful woman in America, Susun Weed, who has some writings about Moon Lodges on her website. Susun is at: www.susunweed.con/moonlodge.htm.
Anna Jarrett is a professional storyteller, writer and life story facilitator. She lives in Long Beach on the south coast of NSW with her family. The song of the sea, open starry skies, spotted gum forests and an all day birdsong, are some of the soul food which nurture and inspire her
Susun Weed’s books include: |
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Healing Wise Author: Susun S. Weed. Superb herbal in the feminine-intuitive mode. Complete instructions for using common plants for food, beauty, medicine, and longevity. Introduction by Jean Houston. 312 pages, index, illustrations. Retails for $21.95 Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com |
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NEW Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way Author: Susun S. Weed. The best book on menopause is now better. Completely revised with 100 new pages. All the remedies women know and trust plus hundreds of new ones. New sections on thyroid health, fibromyalgia, hairy problems, male menopause, and herbs for women taking hormones. Recommended by Susan Love MD and Christiane Northrup MD. Introduction by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. 304 pages, index, illustrations. Retails for $19.95 Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com For excerpts visit: www.menopause-metamorphosis.com |
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Down There: Sexual and Reproductive Health the Wise Woman Way Publication date: June 21, 2011 Author: Susun S. Weed Simple, successful, strategies cover the entire range of options -- from mainstream to radical -- to help you choose the best, and the safest, ways to optimize sexual and reproductive health. Foreword: Aviva Romm, MD, midwife, 484 pages, Index, illustrations. Retails for $29.95 Order at: www.wisewomanbookshop.com |
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