This contemplation was originally part of a Re-Storying Goddess class series that I facilitated throughout the 1990’s, and then some until 2011. These classes were originally offered over 6 weeks, often at a Women’s Health Centre, sometimes over a weekend, sometimes at university Continuing Education programs, or at my home. This class series formed the basis of much of my subsequent writing, my doctoral work, and eventually the authoring of PaGaian Cosmology.
Our bodies hold memory of the entire evolutionary history just as Earth holds the memory … seen most obviously in fossils. And just as Earth’s movements have uncovered some of her memories, so our movements and body posture can release some of our memories … or awaken us to something new.
This is an exercise in imagination – extending our imaginations – something very human and powerful.
I suggest pausing the video where it suits you, to add or extend your own processing and participation. I have made short spaces in the video where it could be paused.
You may like to have your journal and pen, and/or art paper and crayons/paints handy for writing and/or drawing at the end.
Use my words as a guide, taking the journey, but interpreting and enjoying yourself as you need.
NOTE: the image of the Old Moon curves to the right in this video, since that is the way it presents in the Southern Hemisphere.
Below is the text which is in the video.
Standing to begin if you are able, feet slightly apart, soft at the back of the knees, eyes gently closed if you like. As we progress through this meditation allow your body the freedom to move/posture, as and if you feel you’d like.
Take a deep breath … let it go, relax your jaw and your body.
Feel for your breath, noticing as it rises and falls. Enjoy it … as you might an ocean. Feel this power within you – the Breath that breathes you.
Notice your body sensations, and respond as you feel – a wriggle, a stretch, a movement, a sound, whatever … exploring this bodymind.
Imagine roots coming out of your feet deep into the Earth – all the way to Her core. This is the truth of where you come from. So imagine these roots – all the way to Her core.
With each breath, imagine drawing Earth’s energy up into you through your feet. Feel it as whatever you desire – pride, creativity, nurturance, wisdom, integrity. Draw it again and let it fill all your cells of your bodymind. Let Her nurture you, enliven you. Imagine yourself a tree drawing up water and nutrition from Earth to fill and enliven your wilting parts. Feeling this energy as it peaks, feeling its fullness … then the need to let go, … feeling the ebb … trusting it, knowing there is always more. Again letting it fill all the cells of your bodymind with each breath, from deep in her core – Earth’s energy, however you imagine it for yourself in this moment. Then needing the emptiness, so you can be filled again. Feeling this cycle – filling up, emptying out … thankful for the emptiness, the Space that may be filled again, as you desire. Thankful for the Unknowing.
Imagine yourself the moon itself, waxing into fullness, waning into darkness, then re-appearing again … imagine that.
Imagine yourself the ocean itself … ebbing and flowing, coming in, going out … filling up, emptying out, feeling the Space … en-joying it all.
Visualize now a waning crescent Moon, in the dark Eastern sky of the morning: She may be curving to the right in your hemisphere, or the left. See Her there in your mind’s eye … Her light decreasing, Her darkness waxing. Feel the comfort of Her darkness as it grows, beckoning rest, beckoning deeper Knowledge. Feel Her growing darkness entering into you through your eyes. Be comforted by Her Dark Sentience as it grows. She is the Old Woman, the Crone who knows the power of ending. She receives all. Let Her Receive you, as you receive Her. Feel Her Compassion as She receives you this moment, each moment. All things return to the Mystery whence it comes. Feel this Return happening in you always – ever present. This is a Native Place.
Feel this Native Place. Like the grain, you-we are all Food … constantly being consumed, and also finally consumed in this form, changing physical form. In this knowledge lies Wisdom.
The Crone/Old Dark One in you is wise, infinitely old. Feel your own age, the age of the elements that form you … they have been around since the beginning – all the way back. You go all the way back. The wisdom of evolution, the Transformation of the Ages – the Cosmic Unfolding – is stored in every cell of your body-mind. This is the Old One. You are She – dark and ancient Wise One. You are Old, so old – your bodymind infinitely wise.
Know your own power to end, to let go as well as to draw in; to de-struct what is stagnant and decaying, to preserve what is useful for life.
See/feel the Wise One, cloaked in darkness … know the fertility of Her dark realm within you, understand the necessity of the journey into Her inner terrain, for knowledge, connection and renewal. Name Her if you like, and feel her strength within you – it may be wisdom, age, creativity, compassion, anger, forgiveness … She may be many things.
Be with Her.
Perhaps feel her embrace if you like and comprehend her love … trust her compassion – for this moment.
Stay in your own space for a while, take some paper and draw what comes to you, if you like. Or write or spend the time reflecting.
…oOo…
Image credits:
– Bird-Headed Snake Goddess (Eurynome) 4000B.C.E. Africa. Hallie Iglehart Austen, The Heart of the Goddess. (Berkeley: Wingbow Press, 1990).
– Milky Way, Akira Fujii, David Malin Images, which I have been given permission to use.
– Nut 200 C.E. Egypt (the image is Plate 36, The Great Mother, Erich Neumann, and the text below is from Hallie Iglehart Austen’s The Heart of the Goddess)
The One of the Netherworld.
The Mysterious One.
The One of the Cavern.
The One of the Coffin.
She who Combs.
The One of the Water.
The Weaver.
(The Shrines of Tut-an-kh-amon by Alexandre Piankoff)
– photos by Glenys Livingstone
Music Credits:
Shores of the High Priestess, Dreams CD by Sky