For most of my life, the winter has signaled the arrival of cold months, of gloom and damp—and snow, ice, and brutal winds. Spring seemed faraway in those months, and on the coldest days, the longing remained ever present for the warm embrace of May and the colorful evidence of flowering new blooms. But a year and a half ago, I moved from New York City to the southwestern US desert and now the seasons play out on a different cycle.... Read more
Much to the dismay of my gal pals, and family, I embrace the darkness and cold of winter. Even the starkness, and seemingly absence of color of fall into winter, bears significance. It stimulates an abundant collage of inner thoughts and explorations. I especially love the celebration of earth changes and observances that mark this fertile time of the lunar calendar. The shadow side of darkness is very reassuring and consoles me. In spite of the busyness of numerous seasonal... Read more
Becoming a birth doula has felt like a calling, not just a career. As I take each step, I’ve been asking myself – to quote Carol Flinders – “What is at the root of this longing?” And I think it’s community. The truth is, though my life is beautiful right now, I am yearning for more community. What I’m imagining is something with a separate space for myself and my immediate family, and then communal spaces for cooking, eating and being... Read more
As winter closes in on us, we would like you to tell us about how the shift affects you: What is your intention as we enter the season of winter, when the days are short and the nights are long? How do you slow down in nature’s season of quiet and rest in the midst of the frenetic activity of the holiday season? As you consider these questions, we invite you to dive deep into your wisdom, and... Read more
I remember…….Charlie Cuozzo’s Italian grocer in Washington [D.C.]. Once a week, without fail, my Nonie and Poppa [immigrant grandparents] would drive slowly, and carefully, into downtown southwest Washington. Boisterous greetings and waves meet everyone who came and went in the store. Family, old friends, neighbors, kids, gathered; and yes, even long suffering rivalries were forgotten within Cuozzo’s store. Old men sat around and swapped tales or went out back in the tiny yard and played bocce’ ball. The women shopped,... Read more
She goes to blind school and otherwise lives in an attic. It is there she develops ceremonies that tender fervently the deepest nature of her heartfelt affection for her departed relatives. The composition of these ceremonies causes her to dig deeper and deeper for what she recalls of her vestigial leaning towards her indigenous roots. When Mom was a girl, it was not cool to be Indian. Better to be Italian! Saidi heard her mother telling her sister-in- law one... Read more
My ancestors – the past few generations of them anyway – were an interesting bunch… to put it politely. There was amazing talent there and some very special gifts to be sure, but as people… well, they were nothing any compassionate, loving human being would want to emulate. If you come to my house, you will see one small picture of my mother with my kids but nothing like an altar to her. I’ll say this for my mother, at... Read more
On 31st October 2011 I wrote a letter to my ancestors. I began by saluting both lines but principally addressed my maternal lineage because I felt there were restless ancestral spirits there. At that Samhain I decided that I needed to perform a ritual of forgiveness to help heal some of the unhealthy limbs of my family tree. Two years prior, my mother had gone into a nursing home and the few ancestral items not dispersed with her house sale... Read more
Our exploration for this month will honor the ancestors. People of many traditions remember the ancestors who have passed over at this time of year, including Samhain in the Celtic/ Pagan traditions and Day of the Dead (Nov 1st) in many cultures. Indigenous wisdom keepers have told us it is urgently important to listen to the guidance and messages coming from the ancestors NOW to guide humanity through coming Earth changes. How do you honor your ancestors and what role... Read more
When I review my list of things to do, whose many items catch my eye, I realize my heart strings have been tugging at me since the beginning of time. When I look at my list, it seems to resemble the makings of a medieval palimpsest blinding contemporary eyes with irresistible twinges of potential luminosity. In other words, I have too many things to do. Instruments of another time and place, whether scribbled on a white-washed wall or on a post-it... Read more
Voices of Women of Spirit and Faith
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