Honouring our Great Mother on Mother’s Day

“Circle, Mother and Child” by Sulamith Wulfing

This Sunday in Canada (May 14th) – and in many countries around the world – we celebrate Mother’s Day.

For some of us, this is a joyful day when we can spend some time with our mother… honour her… laugh with her…. share memories (and cake!). And for those of us who are mothers or grandmothers, we can delight in the time spent with our children.

But for others, it can be a poignant day, a day of loss. Perhaps you have lost your mother, as I did three years ago. Perhaps you have lost a child or miscarried. Perhaps you have a strained (or non-existent) relationship with your mother or child. Perhaps you are struggling with fertility.

However you choose to experience this day, consider holding a ritual to celebrate Motherhood in a way that is powerful and meaningful for you.

Perhaps you can…

honour our Great Mother — Danú , Gaia, Pachamama — or your Goddess
hold sacred space and love for the relationship you would like to have with your mother
step into a place of unconditional love, of healing and forgiveness
honour whoever is a mother to you in your life now
honour the child you wish to bring into this world or the child you lost
honour all mothers in a simple blessing
honour the women who are special to you – sisters, ancestors, friends
honour your Self and the medicine and gifts you have given our world…. ideas, children, relationships, beauty, art…

🌸 A RITUAL FOR THE GREAT MOTHER 🌸

These are only suggestions and I would encourage you to create your own ritual, perhaps using this as a starting point. You could do this on your own, or in Circle with others.

Collect some items for offerings to the Divine Feminine, the Great Mother of us all, whatever works for you and holds meaning for you: crystals, wild flowers, rose petals, or pebbles. Have something for each person/spirit you are honouring in the ritual.
Decorate your altar with items that represent both the Divine Feminine and Motherhood to you. These can be mementoes such as a piece of jewellery, a photo, a treasured gift, or items from nature such as a nest, an egg, a flower.
Place three candles on your altar to represent The Maiden, the Mother, the Crone. I like to use white and yellow on my altar but do consider using a red candle, representing our sacred flow.
Add a chalice or a bowl as a symbol of the Divine Feminine. This will be used in the ritual representing the womb. Add a small amount of pure water or blessing water.

🌿 TO BEGIN 🌿

Breathe deeply, relax and connect to the grounding energies of Mama Earth.

Create sacred space by calling in the directions, your guides, allies, ancestors… whoever supports you spiritually.

Light your candles.

Start by giving your blessings and gratitude to our Great Mother and all the mothers you wish to honour…. it could be along the lines of:

“I thank you, Great Mother, for birthing this place we call home, this Earth that gives us food and shelter, that nourishes us. Your love supports me. Your wisdom illuminates my life. Your energy flows within me. Thank you, Danú.”

For each offering, hold the item to your Heart Chakra and connect with both the person you are honouring and the item. Imbue it with your love, your intentions, your gratitude. As you place your offering into the chalice or bowl give words of thanks, being as specific as possible. For instance:

“My Heart and Soul thank our Great Mother, who nurtures and comforts us all, who protects us from harm, who unconditionally loves her Self and her loved ones.”

“My Heart and Soul thanks my mother-in-law who has always shown me unconditional love and embraced me with care.”

With your last offering, honour YOU and give thanks to YOU, in your own words, such as:

“I am thankful for my gifts of _____________________ (e.g. music, wisdom, dance, strength, healing, etc) that are my Medicine for this world, and for all that I have birthed ________________ (e.g. children, ideas, art, etc). I honour all aspects of my own Divine Feminine: the Goddess within, the Maiden, The Mother and the Crone. They are me and I am them. Thank you, Great Mother.”

When your offerings are complete, take some time to connect, journey or meditate with the Great Mother and ask for her wisdom. Give thanks to her when she does so.

Close by thanking the directions, your guides, allies, ancestors… whoever supports you spiritually.

Blow out the candles.

Celebrate with Hugs:)

If you love working with Mother Earth, following the energies of Grandmother Moon (Seanmháthair Gealach), aligning with the energy of the Celtic Wheel of The Year, or are interested in learning more about this path, you will find great resources – and the opportunity to ask questions, share rituals, and more – in our NEW private Facebook Group, the Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle. Limited to those who identify as women. For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

Connect to your purpose, your medicine, eliminate self-limiting beliefs, and integrate the new wisdom into your life through this unique you-centered blend of shamanic coaching and journeys, energy healing, alchemical healing, Earth Medicine, PSYCH-K® and PER-K® balancing, and six-sensory work. Together we draw on the modalities that best support your journey. Click on the picture for more information or visit our website: www.innerjourneyevents.com

Do you want a better understanding of the Wheel of the Year and how its shifting energies can support your own transformation and growth, support you in aligning with the rhythms of Nature itself? Subscribers receive regular free ebooks and articles, such as Celebrating the Equinox, along with tips for their personal practices, advance notice on free events and webinars, and much much more!

Passionate Transformation during the Full Flower Moon

Posted on May 10 by Della Ratcliffe

This Full Moon carries so much power. Not only is it in Scorpio — giving us a powerful and emotional experience — but this Full Moon is a very special day in the Buddhist calendar, marking Waisak aka Vesak aka Wesak, when Buddhists around the word celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha. Perhaps YOU are sensing that global energy of peace, enlightenment, transformation and forgiveness.

And each of Buddha’s transformations (birth, enlightenment, death) are closely aligned with our own theme in this lunar journey: Passionate Transformation.

Firebird by Susan Seddon-Boulet

You may feel like everything is enhanced, fired up… your intuition, your emotions, your sensuality, your passions. You are like the FireBird or the Phoenix… burning, transforming, coming alive. Zinging!

The Full Moon is a powerful time for the Divine Feminine energy within us, and for our emotions. Many women cycle with LaLuna… ovulating at the Full Moon, experiencing their Flow at the Dark Moon. But even if we don’t align in that way, the Full Moon is the time to celebrate our femininity and our connection to the Goddess. This is HER power time, no matter which Goddess you follow or work with.

At the Full Moon, many turn to the Mother Goddesses for support and inspiration, such as Gaia, Demeter, Isis, Hestia and Green Tara. But there are Goddesses associated with the Moon who can support us including Artemis, Diana, Luna, Mama Quilla, Selene.

SOUL WORK
At this phase of our Lunar Journey, we are aligned with the Direction of the South and the Element of Fire as we birth our creativity and manifest our goals. We are fully charged with the fiery Yin energy for the next couple of days, before we move into the Waning Phase when our intuition will increase once again, and we will start to feel the drawing down, the drawing in of our energy and connecting to our Magick.

Be intentional in your Soul Work during this Full Moon, calling in the Directions, Elements and Goddesses to start your ritual, whatever that may be. It could be a release ritual; a simple honouring of the Goddesses, your Self and/or the amazing women in your life; or it could be as simple as lighting a candle and meditating on the Soul Questions.

CALLING IN THE DIRECTIONS
We each have our own way of Calling in The Directions. Some like to start in the East (Air, Dawn, a new day in many traditions) and some in the North (Earth, Night, start of day in Celtic traditions). I tend to start in the East, with the inspiration of Air.

I recorded a sample Calling in The Directions that combines two traditions, that of Celtic Shamanism and that of the Chinook First Nation of the Pacific NorthWest. Click here to listen to the recording, or click on the picture to the right.

And for a basic introduction to Calling in The Directions, click here for a short SoundCloud recording or simply click on the picture to the left.

Once you’ve listened to these, perhaps you will be inspired to create your own Calling In.

SOUL QUESTIONS
For your meditations, journeys or rituals during the Full Moon consider these Soul Questions, or develop your own:

🔥 What is now flourishing in my life?

🔥 What is passionately transforming in my life?

🔥 What does transformation mean to me?

Full Moon Blessings on the Flower Moon!

Moon & Flower Image Source: an HD wallpaper on hdwallsbox

Soul Questions for the Waxing Crescent Moon

Posted on March 1 by Della Ratcliffe

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Wisdom from Seanmháthair Gealach (Grandmother Moon)
Day 4, Waxing Crescent 🌒🌘

We can now see a crescent of light in the Waxing Moon… it’s time to move from the reflective time of the Dark Moon / New Moon and step into action, to firm up your goals for the month.

This phase of the Moon is associated with the Daughter archetype, when we are at our most natural, connected to our Inner Wisdom, when anything is possible. Why? In part, because we are unencumbered by learned beliefs (both empowering and disempowering)… You might say “we don’t know what we don’t know”. And that can be very powerful! In this phase, we are supported by the goddess energies of Brighid, Juno, Kore / Persephone.

This is a significant month, with an Equinox in the latter part of the month. And, in some countries (US, UK, Australia), March is Women’s History Month. In Canada, we celebrate it in October. In our Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle, we celebrate Women every day, at all stages of life… The Maiden, Mother/Woman and Crone and all other steps in our journey through life.

So for this lunar cycle, I invite you to explore the theme of your personal power in a month that celebrates women… what your strengths are, how you manifest them, how your power has shifted and changed throughout your life, your connection to the Divine Feminine within. And what goals you can declare this month. Keep in mind that we are approaching an Equinox later this month which always marks a shift, a change, a new beginning.

There is a First Nations saying that you may have heard:

“At her first bleeding a woman meets her power.
During her bleeding years she practices it.
At menopause she becomes it.”

I have heard some women express that they become “invisible” as they age, and I’ve certainly had that experience on occasion. But many of us become bolder as we age, become activists and are hard not to see!

SOUL QUESTIONS FOR THIS MONTH’S THEME

Are you aware of your Power? Your Divine Feminine energies?
Do others see your Power in the same way? How would others describe it?
Has your Power — or your relationship to it — changed over time?
- If yes, how? If no, is that a positive thing or something you would like to change?
How do you express your Power?
How comfortable are you sitting in your Power?
How comfortable are you sitting in your Divine Feminine? With your Femininity?

TIPS
This is a good time to work with your Third /Solar Plexus chakra… checking in on it, balancing it, meditating with it, creating affirmations for it using the “rights” of that Chakra: To Act, To Be Free, To Choose.

Our Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle is now on Instagram!

Follow us there @Bean_Gealach_Circle !

If you love working with Mother Earth (known by so many names, such as Gaia, Pachamama, and Danú), following the energies of Grandmother Moon (Seanmháthair Gealach), of the Goddess(es), of Father Sky (Daghda), following the Celtic Wheel of The Year, creating or learning ancestral crafts and herbalism, or follow an earth-based spirituality…. or are interested in learning more about this path, you will find great resources – and the opportunity to ask questions, share rituals, and more – in our NEW private Facebook Group, the Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle.

For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

Or, CLICK HERE to join us today on Facebook

Imbolc Blessings

Posted on February 2 by Della Ratcliffe

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This week, we celebrate Imbolc (IM – OLK) and the Celtic goddess Brighid, goddess of fertility, creativity, the forge (blacksmiths and smithing), light, and livestock.

But exactly WHEN do we celebrate, you may ask!!

Some celebrate on the fixed date of February 1st whilst others will celebrate on the astronomical Cross-Quarter date of a February 3rd @ 15:27 Pacific Time (the precise midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox). I celebrate both!

Imbolc is the first of the Celtic spring festivals (Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltaine) and one of the four fire festivals in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. In the Christian calendar, this day is observed as Candlemas. And on February 2nd, many celebrate Groundhog Day…. clearly an anticipation of Spring!

Imbolc — the day we celebrate the goddess Brighid — marks the first physical signs of Spring: the birth of the lambs, the flowing of the ewe’s milk (the literal translation for Imbolc!), the rising of the sap in the trees, and the budding of trees and 🌾plants.

It was also a time of empowerment for our ancestors, as they cleansed their homes of Winter dust and soot, and started to prepare for Spring by clearing the land and preparing to plough and sow.

How perfect that this is the time to honour Brighid with blessings and rituals to purify us for the sacred growth and seed through a three-fold Fire ritual, exemplified in this blessing:

Fire in the Forge that shapes and tempers

Fire in the Hearth that nourishes and heals

Fire in the Head that incites and inspires

Legends of Brighid’s Mantle

The first legend described the goddess Brighid as hanging her mantle on a beam of sunlight. Magickal!

A second legend said that Brighid walked the land on Imbolc Eve, healing both people and animals Legend had it that the dew absorbed her healing powers. The next morning, women would cut up the Bhrat Bridhe (Gaelic for Brighid’s mantle) into strips for sharing within the family.

In a third legend, St Brigid asked the King for a plot of land for her Abbey in Kildare, but the King refused. Brigid then asked for a plot of land no bigger than her mantle. Of course, the King agreed. Such a bargain! So she walked to the Holy Oak on the land she wanted, accompanied by four Maidens. Each took a corner of Brigid’s cloak and walked in all four directions. Miraculously, the cloak grew and grew until it stretched out to the exact plot size that Brigid desired. The King recognised the miracle and converted to Christianity. Brigid built her church. A cathedral was later built on the site but, apparently, the original foundations of Brigid’s church can still be seen.
🔥🔥🔥

Bhrat Bridhe Ritual

Ideally done on Imbolc Eve which – for me – is tonight. Place a piece of cloth on a tree, bush or windowsill. You can use any cloth (natural fibres if at all possible), or even a piece of ribbon, which is easy to tuck into a purse, yoga bag, or even a bra strap!

I use a red cloth – a piece of ribbon actually – as that tradition resonates with me, but some use white or blue. Even a simple handkerchief will do the trick.

Use your Bhrat Bridhe for healing for your Self or loved ones. You can also use your Bhrat for extra energy when you need to stand strong. Brighid will be there for you.

🌿 🌿 IMBOLC BLESSINGS 🌿🌿

How will you celebrate this special day?

For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

Or, CLICK HERE to join us today on Facebook

Connect to your purpose, your medicine, eliminate self-limiting beliefs, and integrate the new wisdom into your life through this unique you-centered blend of shamanic coaching and journeys, energy healing, Earth Medicine, PSYCH-K® and PER-K® balancing, and six-sensory work. Together we draw on the modalities that best support your journey. Click on the picture for more information or visit our website: www.innerjourneyevents.com

Embracing our Crone wisdom

Posted on January 26 by Della Ratcliffe

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Last night I joined in a teleseminar led by Jean Shinoda Bolen, on the Goddess(es) in every woman after 50…. fascinating!

During the event, she talked about the “C” word… yep, Crone! A word many of us are reclaiming, just as many of us are also reclaiming the word witch, both with wise and sacred traditions of knowledge and wisdom.

Bolen spoke about the thirteen qualities that identify a Crone, in a light-hearted way, and the first of the thirteen really captured my heart: Crones Don’t Whine! LOL!

In her book Crones Don’t Whine, Bolen elaborates:

“TO BE A CRONE, you need to let go of what should have been, could have been, might have been. You need to silence the whining in your head that will come out of your mouth next. Whining makes you unable to live in the present, or be good company for anyone—even yourself. Whiners assume they were and are entitled to a different life from the one they have. Whiners do not see that everyone has had a share of the bad things that happen to people. Ungrateful for what they do have, whiners cannot enjoy the present.”

The book, of course, goes into this in much more depth… and defining what whining is (and isn’t).

It got me thinking about when I whine —or drop into Victim mentality, feeling powerless — vs. doing something about it. A powerful reminder!

🌀
In future… I will wine… but not whine!

And I will stand proudly as a Crone !!!

Crone Power!
🌀

For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

Or, CLICK HERE to join us today on Facebook

Connect to your purpose, your medicine, eliminate self-limiting beliefs, and integrate the new wisdom into your life through this unique you-centered blend of shamanic coaching and journeys, energy healing, Earth Medicine, PSYCH-K® and PER-K® balancing, and six-sensory work. Together we draw on the modalities that best support your journey. Click on the picture for more information or visit our website: www.innerjourneyevents.com

Ivy is the Queen of Old

Posted on December 24 by Della Ratcliffe

Day 4, 🌿 12 Days of Solstice 🌿

Of the three greens associated with Yule — Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe — the Ivy is most strongly associated female energy, the Divine Feminine, and is ruled by Grandmother Moon.

My female Celtic ancestors used the Ivy vines to weave necklaces, bracelets and crowns to adorn themselves during Yule. Men and boys would wear a holly crown (holly is ruled by Father Sun). Ivy was thought to bring clarity, and represented the vitality of Mother Earth and the Celtic goddesses (such as Arianrhod).

Last year I was introduced to crafting with ivy vines, working in circle with a group of women, creating baskets from ivy. It was an incredible experience — preparing the ivy, starting the weave, and sharing stories as we built our baskets. Pure magick!

Think about how you can use Ivy today… or, instead, sit in circle with your female friends — laugh, chat, share a story, drink some mulled cider and celebrate the Queen of Old.

For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

Or, CLICK HERE to join us today on Facebook

Connect to your purpose, your medicine, eliminate self-limiting beliefs, and integrate the new wisdom into your life through this unique you-centered blend of shamanic coaching and journeys, energy healing, Earth Medicine, PSYCH-K® and PER-K® balancing, and six-sensory work. Together we draw on the modalities that best support your journey. Click on the picture for more information or visit our website: www.innerjourneyevents.com

Explore the Women’s Wisdom Wheel Spread with us on November 29th

Posted on November 24 by Della Ratcliffe

Click HERE to Register

Join Jackie Ladouceur and Della Ratcliffe on the Tuesday, November 29th at 10 AM Pacific Time (yes, it’s the New Moon!) for an on-line exploration of the Women’s Wisdom Wheel, a new spread using your favourite oracle or tarot cards.

Each month, Grandmother Moon starts a new journey, giving us an opportunity for new beginnings and for reflecting on the previous month. And, as we move into Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, this is also a time for even deeper reflection and for planning our next year.

As Mother Earth starts her draw her energy downward, deep into the ground, we can do the same…. looking back at the past year and what we learned, what we have gratitude for… and what we want for the next year.

The Women’s Wisdom Wheel is a tool to help us do that, using our favourite oracle or tarot deck, and can be used at any time of the year, but can be most powerful at the New Moon and the New Year (in the Celtic Wheel of the Year that was earlier this month, at Samhain).

In this Introduction / Q&A, Jackie and Della will:
🌙 introduce you to the Women’s Wisdom Wheel spread
🌙 demonstrate a live reading (and ask for YOUR interpretations)
🌙 share some Soul Questions you can use for each direction on the Wheel
🌙 give you a special preview of Jackie’s beautifully designed Oracle of Horse Wisdom
🌙 answer YOUR questions about the Wheel and its concepts… and your cards!

PREPARATION
🌙 We will be doing a live demo of the Women’s Wisdom Wheel Spread during this event, so open up YOUR favourite Oracle or Tarot deck and join in…. See what wisdom shows up for you!
🌙 You may also want to have a journal or other device to take notes.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Jackie Ladoucer, Fields of Wisdom
Jackie is a Certified Life Coach, Reiki Master and Equine Guided Coach and Practitioner and mostly a Spiritual Journeyer and Seeker who continually pursues her passion in helping others live from the deepest essence of who they are and in being an advocate for the majestic presence and wisdom of the horse. She is continually inspired to discover new ways of capturing and bringing this work out through her ongoing creative passions and joy in sharing inspirational wisdom and guidance through her work with the horses, photography and imaging.

Connect with Jackie through the Fields of Wisdom website and Facebook page Fields of Wisdom

Della Ratcliffe, Inner Journey Events
Hopefully followers of this blog will recognize me….! I am a shamanic coach, hedgewitch, and PSYCH-K® practitioner, and passionate about holding space for individuals finding their gifts… their medicine… their authentic Self. I am passionate about entraining with the energetic rhythms of Mother Earth and Grandmother Moon, living in alignment with Earth Medicine and the PSYCH-K® Principles of Nature.

Connect with Della through the Inner Journey Events Website, Facebook Page and Facebook Group Wise Woman Bean Gealach Circle.

REGISTRATION is required for this event, and all registered participants will have access to the recording and to a download of the spread after the event. So, if you can’t join us live, you can join us virtually!

Click HERE to Register

DATE: Tuesday, November 29th
TIME: 10 AM Pacific time, 1 PM Eastern time, 6 PM GMT
LOCATION: Anywhere you can access your desktop, laptop, table or smart phone

Click HERE to check your local Time Zone for this event

For more information about the Circle, CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to join us today on Facebook

🌸 A RITUAL FOR THE GREAT MOTHER 🌸

🌿 TO BEGIN 🌿

Celebrate with Hugs:)

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Full Moon Blessings on the Flower Moon!

Moon & Flower Image Source: an HD wallpaper on hdwallsbox

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SOUL QUESTIONS FOR THIS MONTH’S THEME

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Legends of Brighid’s Mantle

Bhrat Bridhe Ritual

🌿 🌿 IMBOLC BLESSINGS 🌿🌿

How will you celebrate this special day?

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ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

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