A Priestess in Every Chair…July in the Red Tent

~A Priestess in Every Chair~

July in the Red Tent

On a juicy, sultry summer’s day, the earth rich with fertility and the sky ripe with moisture not yet released, the women came from the four directions. They came with their friends. They came with their sisters. Mothers and daughters, they came. Some came alone and knew they would not be alone for long. The light on the land was mystical. And so it should be on this day of a powerful solar eclipse which, though not seen by the naked eye in our hemisphere, was certainly seen and felt by the eyes of the spirit.

Every tent is different, unique, and special, and so we come in openness, ready for the gifts that will be given. This was the day of the Sacred Artisans’ Bazaar – a time of sharing our creative energies and the resulting beautiful and wonderful gifts we make, the products of the soul-deep gift of creation. When we let Spirit shine through us, the results are truly beautiful. And this is how the simple offering of our creations becomes a sacrament as we relish our Divine gifts and rejoice once again in the Divine in each of us.

So our free time was filled to the brim with the many ways that we nurture and rejuvenate ourselves and each other. Along with the joy and downright fun of sharing our creations, we continued with our many ways of experiencing the community of the divine feminine: conversation and quiet; music and laughter; stories and card readings; rest and movement; and nourishment that defies description at this fecund time of year. The berries and other fresh produce were exquisite. And what would the tent be without our soups, this month both hot and cold and all wonderful. Much gratitude goes to all the women who contribute their diverse gifts to the tent, each as she can.

We began our circle without a predetermined Priestess. This does not concern us for we have learned that there is truly a Priestess in every chair. All forms of priestessing have their value. When the leadership is shared by all, the energy flows differently and the gifts are as many and as beautiful as they are when one woman leads the way. This lesson is not lost on us. And so, as in everything, we remain open to the gifts Spirit has in store for us at any given moment and savor every one for exactly what it is. This is the way of Love and we know it and are profoundly grateful.

Here is a message from Spirit to the women of our beautiful Red Tent Temple. It comes to us through The Fifth Tarot, by Martien & Teressena Bakens:

The Elementor of Stones (excerpts)

The Elementor of Stones is the epitome of the Earth Mother. She is the fullness of the Pacha Mama, the embodiment of all creation. She holds the world in her loving embrace. Life flows from her life blood and the waters of her womb. At her heart is the tree of life, its roots forming her breasts that nurture and sustain all life. At her navel, the golden mean, the spiral of life, becomes the umbilical cord that give’s life to all earth’s creatures. The snow-capped mountains offer support to those who lay their head in her bosom. The cliffs form her hair, which creates a cloak of protection around all who reside in its folds. She opens her home to the pine trees, who climb on her back, in order to be close to her. We feel her strength in her legs that form the foundation on which the world rests. She is Mater familias, the mother of all Earth’s family; watching over her children day and night…

Symbolically, women are the carriers of life in their wombs. Men are the tenders of the garden of life after they have planted the seeds. All is honored and sacred when we hold it so. What comes forth from this union is miraculous new life. The Elementor symbolizes this sacred union of the divine masculine and the divine feminine and new life within the self.

The Earth Mother calls us to feel her heartbeat and allow her love and grace to pulse in our veins. The Elementor now understands that duality ceases to exist when we choose oneness with all our relations. We are the creators of our own reality here on this earth plane. In shifting the paradigm, we carry the light, not the weight, of the world on our shoulders.

Pacha Mama laughs a full-bellied laugh, delighting in the joy of life, encouraging all her children to find their joy as well. The ability to create is the power of the Earth Mother. Her capacity to love is her strength. The Elementor of Stones is the fullest expression of the beauty and abundance gifted in the suit of earth.

~~~~~~

Thank you to every woman who contributed to the magic of the July Red Tent Temple. Please join us next month on Sunday, August 8th, and help us to assure that the wonder and magic continues.

So it is. So it will be.

~ Diana Powers