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 in 2005, and another book in 2023.
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.
To enhance your participation, you may like to have a good wholesome small (round) loaf of bread, ready for breaking, some wine/juice ready for serving, and perhaps some cut up fruit, for the Communion at the end.
Use my words as a guide – take the journey, but enjoy yourself as you need.
Below is the text which is in the video.
Standing 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. Be aware of your sensations and breath.
Take a deep breath … let it go, relax your jaw and your body.
Listen /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.
Imagine, as you draw your breath that you are drawing up energy and pride and integrity from the Earth through your feet. 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. As you draw each breath imagine drawing up energy and pride from Mother Earth 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. Imagine yourself a plant/tree drawing up water from the Earth to fill and enliven your wilting parts. Trust your natural intelligence to draw what you need from Her. And as it fills you there is an interchange – She in you, you in She – a reciprocity, a Sacred Communion. As you exhale, let the energy, pride, wisdom, creativity flow through you, out of you, let it go, give it away. There is more. With each breath, drawing it in again … feeling it peak, fill you – the Sacred Interchange – Birthing you – Birthing Her … then the ebb, the letting go. Open yourself to the cycle… now. You are whole and complete, yet you are open. Filling up, pouring it out. Feel your wholeness and your openness. Breath it in, draw what it is you need, feel it all filling you to capacity, until you can draw it no longer, then let it go, give it away.
You who are the beauty of the green earth & the white moon among the stars and the mystery of the waters – you are this same integrity … whole and open. Feel Her now within you – the Sacred Place, the Reciprocity. You are this.
Visualize a round full moon … see her now in your mind’s eye. Remember how Her light feels as it comes into your eyes, how you have seen Her so many times. See Her now in your mind’s eye. Feel her photons of light touching you, filling you. She is the Mother, the power of fruition and fullness, manifestation … the power to sculpt life, to weave it, to gestate it. Feel your own fullness as your breath peaks … your own power to create reality/life for yourself and for others … breath it in, this power – your power, to nurture, to sustain, to craft, to weave, to build and to make manifest. See the full moon there in your mind’s eye – and remember you are Creator … feel her now. You are Creator, you are the Source of everything; it is All within you. Imagine it All within you, peaking with your breath – keep drawing it in now (note G: picking up energy) … All that is – you are filling with it …. filling to your capacity. Feel the need now to birth it, to give it away, to express it, to pour it forth – to let the All go. Begin to imagine it now … imagine yourself now with your body, with your hands, however it is you create, about to do it – to pour forth creation … creating your world the way you would have it … begin to imagine it now.
Let us go back to the beginning of it All, where it All began … the Original Ovulation – and there you are, you are Creator, you are Source. Feel it all in you, it has filled you to your capacity. You desire to pour it from you – irrepressible, ecstatic.
You are filled with desire … for matter, for expression. You are She. Let it be so. Be bold, have courage … dare. What beauty do you imagine, is in you to pour forth. Pour it forth. Begin now. … first the protons, then the atoms, and the light – rushes away from you into the aeons. Feel it go from you, into the aeons. And hydrogen comes forth, helium. Now is the time for galaxies – you pour them forth, a trillion of them – you are at Centre. Now the stars, other gases and elements …. solar systems, planets … there is Earth, feel Her now, coming into form from you … oceans, water, lightning … then the miracle of the first cells.
… bacteria, small creatures – then photosynthesis – turning the Sun into food, then breathing … what miracles pouring forth from you – then plants and soft-bodied animals in the oceans
– the first eyes – form and colour seen for the first time
– the plants and animals coming on shore, across the continents.
– the first ears, the first sounds … hear them for the first time.
– the great forests, larger animals, birds, flowers
– eventually the humans. What feelings and thoughts would they have … weave what it is you want … what would they become. You are the Source of everything, Ultimate Creativity of the universe. Sculpt the cosmos, the world, think it, birth it, dance it, enjoy it, feel its pleasure. You are She.
Imagine it, pouring forth from you, sculpt it, weave it, dance it.
It’s time to rest now. You have done a great work. Lie down if you like, or sit … resting now.
It is time now to rest, to rest deeply. Take this chance, this moment to just give yourself to the womb of the Mother, in Earth’s salty waters … taste her saltiness in your mouth, curl up if you like, let yourself be nurtured by the sounds of the Mother.
“Floating
in the uterine waters
you are foetal
you are unborn – floating in the uterine waters of the Mother
you are Home
Floating
absorbing all
that Life has to give you – Receiving it.
umbilical cord
connecting
you absorb nourishment
all toxins and waste pass back out – a Reciprocity.
– immersed in the Womb of the Mother – nourished as you need – letting Her receive what you no longer need.
Simply floating.”
She is “the Mother who unravels from herself the net sustaining you.”[i] You are the Holy Child.
Coming into shore now … wriggling your toes and fingers, feeling the air and the sand. coming back now … (place, date, time)
when you are ready, sitting up
and as you open your eyes, coming to the circle and greeting the other Holy Children who’ve been washed up on the shore.
Now, Creators and Holy Children, I am going to feed you.
(Taking the bread)
This is the body of the Mother, of mothers everywhere, of all creatures, given daily for the life of the world – take, and eat. She is the Bread of Life. You are the Bread of Life.
(taking the juice/wine)
This is the blood of the Mother, of mothers everywhere, shed daily for the life of the world – take and drink. Do this in remembrance of Her – She who gives Life.
This meal it is ours, it is Hers. Remember – women are 80% the world’s farmers, we prepare the food, we serve it, we create and sustain the world. With this meal we may celebrate our physical & spiritual creativity, and we may celebrate the Mother in all beings.
(serving cut up fruit)
Enjoy the taste of the ripe fullness of the Mother.
…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.
Music credits:
- clips from Spiritbirth and Fish Nite Moon from Tim Wheater’s Fish Nite Moon album
- Ocean Waves – unknown source
- a clip from Shedville 28th Nov by Nick Alias
NOTES:
[i] Robin Morgan, “The Network of the Imaginary Mother”, in Lady of the Beasts (NY: Random House, 1976), 88.