Goddess Calling by Rev Dr Karen Tate

Goddess Calling by Rev Dr Karen Tate

Feb 27, 2014: Reveiw by Wendy Stokes | Published in MBS Magazine

This book has been glowingly reviewed and praised by Jean Houston, Barbara G Walker, Szuzsanna Budapest and many other ‘greats’ of the women’s spirituality movement of our time. I opened it with considerable excitement to drink in it its beauty and riches and enjoy its poetry, delight and magic. The author provides here a useful manual to explore the many aspects of the Sacred Feminine and to access inspiration, encouragement and empowerment, not just on a personal level, but also to create a “Wisdom Circle”, a community in which rituals can be held to further explore this dynamic and transformational spiritual path specially for women.

It is not realistically possible to exclude spirituality from politics because politics is the way in which we are governed and also conditioned. Under patriarchy, women have been in a subservient role to men. Men have acted as intermediary between themselves and a male, authoritarian Godhead who applauds hierarchy and oppression. Under patriarchy, there is no suitable role model for spiritual leadership by women. Yes, thealogy, not theology! Rev Tate, an ordained minister, tells us about the goddess as deity, archetype and ideal, and through devotion to the Divine Female, we can reshape our personal and societal values and culture. She explains how we can create our own services and rituals to honour the goddesses of the seasons or specific goddesses for particular purposes, such as fighting injustices that are inflicted on our sisters around the world. These can be simple acts of devotion, with lighting a candle and reciting an opening prayer, then providing readings, affirmations, meditations, chants, storytelling and the sharing of experiences. Beautiful prayers are provided with meditations and other useful material to support the work of the group. Rev Tate guides us in the conservation of our unique planet’s precious resources - a political stance which is at the heart of goddess and Earth based spirituality.

Whether you are called to teach, write, campaign, heal, inform and raise awareness or give of your time, skills or monetary capacities, the path of the goddess is one of the most important and enjoyable a woman can take. This book will help to awaken you to the goddess by creating a group for ceremonies and meetings to honour the goddess in all her many forms.

Heed the calling! Trust the journey! Make a difference!
Other titles by Rev Dr Karen Tate:
Sacred Place of Goddess 108 Destinations
Walking an Ancient Path Rebirthing Goddess on Planet Earth and various anthologies.

Karen Tate has a radio programme titled: Voices of the Sacred Feminine, visit this link: http://www.karentate.com/Tate/radio_show.html

Review by Wendy Stokes www.wendystokes.co.uk

Endorsements for Goddess Calling:  Inspirational Messages & Meditations of Sacred Feminine Liberation Thealogy

Jean Houston, Ph.D - World-renowned American scholar, lecturer, author, and philosopher.
A strong, courageous book that will either set your teeth on edge or make you laugh with joy.
Barbara G. Walker, Beloved Foremother and Author of "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets". Karen Tate's inspirational work celebrates Goddess spirituality and encourages all women to rediscover their sacred history, to break the shackles that patriarchal culture has imposed on them, and to take action for the preservation of our Mother Earth. Her meditations on the state of our world, past, present and future, are profoundly engaging. 

Rev. Ava, Founder and Presiding Priestess of the GODDESS TEMPLE of Orange County.
Women all over the world are rising up to create their own circles, churches and organizations to empower themselves, to express female spirituality and to better the world. This amazing book serves us well in offering brilliant wisdom, joyful ideas and gentle structure to our gatherings. We have been waiting for such a book and I'm so glad it's now here. Rev. Karen Tate is a treasure...one of our most profound thinkers and doers for an ancient spirituality that is coming through just in time for all humanity, that of "goddess."

Joan Norton, The Magdalene Within: 14 Steps to Awaken the Sacred Feminine, Women in the Circle of Mary Magdalene. To feel loved by the Sacred Feminine is a cure we need and Karen Tate's Goddess Calling helps bring it forth. She offers intellectual food, intuitional inspiration and experiential nourishment to seekers on the path of restoration of the feminine principle for our world. Goddess Calling can be used as a manual to create a wisdom circle or public ritual for a holy-day. She offers words to say for the important yearly cycles of renewal of the deep feminine, as well as guided visualization meditations to take us inward to meet the world goddesses.
  

Reverend Tate honors the archetype of Sacred Union through the story of Mary Magdalene and returns Mary to the company of her sister goddesses where she belongs. Mary Magdalene is but one facet of the world-changing strength of the feminine spirit that comes through in this book of rituals, meditations and political perceptions.

M. Isidora Forrest, author of Isis Magic: Cultivating a Relationship with the Goddess of 10,000 Names.

Goddess Calling is a valuable resource for those regularly called upon to create services or ceremonies for the exploration of Goddess spirituality. Karen Tate offers a selection of "Messages" relating the values of Goddess Spirituality - as expressed through the sacred myths of ancient and living Goddess traditions - to today's society, politics, and culture. Then she provides a series of "Meditations" that can help participants awaken those Goddess values in their own lives. Karen brings her deep experience with Goddess Spirituality and the liveliness of her long-running internet radio program, Voices of the Sacred Feminine, to this inspirational book. 

Donna Henes, Urban Shaman, Author of The Queen of My Self.
....a hearty “Brava!” to Karen Tate who has created such a powerfully lovely vehicle to help us invoke Her spirit and connect with Her wisdom and guidance as we struggle to create a world of peace, understanding and sustainability in Her name.

Book Review of Stephanie Sorrell's "Understanding the Black Dog" by Jade Ashcroft

Understanding the Black Dog by Stephanie Sorrell.

This is a fabulous well written and insightful little book which is a must read for anyone who cares for somebody suffering from depression. It is simple, concise and straight to the point. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get a better understanding of how Depression can affect the whole of a persons life, whether from a work related perspective or for a friend or relative trying to understand how to help someone to cope with their darkest moments.

Stephanie explains some of the different reasons and possible causes for the onset of depression, the symptoms of the different levels and how it might affect the ability to deal with even the simplest of tasks, and offers up to date information on the range of medication that is invaluable for friends and family caring for someone who is suffering from Depression. 

She explains very well the difficulties that come with this debilitating disease, and attempts to eradicate some of the stigma by sharing her personal experiences which no doubt will touch the hearts of anyone who has experienced Depression in their lives. She gives lots of common sense advice and from her perspective as a long term sufferer shining a ray of hope for anyone struggling by showing that life can and does go on after acceptance and suitable changes are made in ones life to work with it, and understand it rather than than the popular misconception that it can be eradicated and overcome.  

Book review by Jade Ashcroft Oct 2014

http://www.amazon.com/Depression-Understanding-Black-Stephanie-Sorrell/dp/1782791655

"Circles" by A Custom of Youth Music Review by DM 2014

"Circles" by A Custom of Youth

Sometimes when I'm asked to review music it's a massive task to pick out the positives of some really dreadful music. When I was asked to review the brand new album from A Custom of Youth.. I couldn't write anything for 2 days... it's that good!!

From the opening synths of "This Life" to the last note of the title track "Circles" I was transfixed by the journey I was taken on. You can see where the influences come from... from the 60's right through to the 80's and 90's.. yet this album still manages to sound so fresh.

Hailing from Merseyside, A Custom of Youth was born out of a desire to make some good music, regardless of genre or tastes. I can comfortably say this has been achieved with the release of this album. You can tell every track has been thought out to make sure nothing is out of place.. every note is exactly where it should be... the produciton is exemplary, the vocals are fantastic and the music to tie it all together is nothing short of inspirational. I cannot recommend this album high enough it deserves every accolade it's gonna get.

A Custom of Youth "Circles" is due for release sometime mid-April.... get it bought you won't regret it.

DM 2014

Ben Sims Enlightening Times Featured Artist

Back six years ago I had a minor break down while coping with the demands of a new baby and going to work every day, sleep deprivation can have that affect. As a result I had to take thing's a little easier for a while and one day I found myself sifting across material on Youtube on Reptillians. Having always been interested in Aliens I found the whole subject fascinating and began searching for more information, before long I'd came across David Icke and the idea of the Holographic Universe.

I found it so interesting, aliens and reptilians become a very small subject in the context of the world being holographic. The more I watched the more mind blow I was, I soaked up knowledge for a few years from many different sources including Red Ice, Alex Jones, Coast to Coast, Veritas and I also met Gareth Icke. It was Gareth who inspired me to think about what I could do to contribute to the momentum that was building.

It was then I hit the paint brush. I tried all mediums, spray paint to paint markers, oils acrylics. As I started I started running into synchronicity i.e. I want to an event in Manchester to see Thomas Sheridan, Author of Anvil of the Psyche and other titles.  

As I was there I bumped into Ben Stewart from America, Stew Art who was there speaking about art, as we introduced ourselves to each other and realised both our name's were Ben another Ben introduced himself, creating a Ben triangle which I found quite amusing. Ben was also holding an event only a quarter mile from my home which I attended and the following year I bumped into him in a lift in a hotel while going to see David Icke in London.

I have sold about 12 paintings so far and have continued to change from medium to medium, my favourite of which for now is medium sprays maker pens and oil paint on canvas. Ben Sims

Visit Ben's website for more information or to purchase your very own Ben Sims Artwork

All Rights Reserved 2014 

To write or not to write.... It is still your choice, for now.

In the wake of news stories about Journalism being compared to Terrorism and bills being passed through government which make it a criminal offense to take part in lobbying unless you have registered with the government for the right to do so... is it any wonder that more and more people are literally being frightened into silence?

The phone hacking scandal which has been all over the news recently is just one of the gift horses that presented the government with the perfect opportunity to bring in new legislation's to overhaul the industry by placing restrictions on who can act as a lobbyist by passing a law in which you have to register for the right to lobby and comply with a list of rules and regulations which include passing business and personal information and making in an offense to spend over a certain amount of money on campaigning in the year coming up to Elections.

Why would you be interested in lobbying? Striving to influence decisions being made by the government? The News is a perfect example of how to influence opinion in the general public when it is presented in a certain way, alongside images portraying things which the viewers will react with emotionally when they agree or disagree with the content being shown. What about unbiased reporting is there even such a thing anymore in the Mainstream Media?

There was grave concern voiced about the Transparency of Lobbying bill from Greenpeace and other Charities because of the enforced cap on expenditure on political lobbying before an election.   

• Charities National charity campaigns such as those against fracking could also be affected by the new rules if the Electoral Commission rules that they favour one party in the election. At a local level they could also fall foul of the new regulations. (Quote from Independant)

This is alongside all the information from the leaks that were published from information released by Edward Snowden proving that we really are living in an Orwellian surveillance state and that our every move is being logged, categorized and analyzed by someone somewhere sitting behind mountains of personal data that we we neither agreed to have collected or were even aware that it was being collected until the whistleblowing light shone from a great height to illuminate all of these shady goings on.

So where does this leave those of us who would like to know the Truth about matters? Free Speech may not be what it once used to be in the UK but it is not dead and buried just yet. The established Media outlets are not the only source of information. More often than not you will see a story spreading through twitter days before it is picked up by the mainstream and being reported not by trained journalists but by everyday people who are reporting facts, posting images and talking about things as they happen in real time. Surely a way forward is for the audience to participate in the output of information that is being reported and for it to be just as important as that which is carefully dissected, prepared and streamlined to a certain agenda before broadcast.

Mark Glaser, a freelance journalist who frequently writes on new media issues, said in 2006:^[10]

The idea behind citizen journalism is that people without professional journalism training can use the tools of modern technology and the global distribution of the Internet to create, augment or fact-checked media on their own or in collaboration with others. For example, you might write about a city council meeting on your blog or in an online forum. Or you could fact-check a newspaper article from the mainstream media and point out factual errors or bias on your blog. Or you might snap a digital photo of a newsworthy event happening in your town and post it online. Or you might videotape a similar event and post it on a site such as YouTube.

Everyone has a voice, an opinion, thoughts... and yours are just as important as the next persons. Question is will you exercise your right to speak out? Over the last few years the Enlightening Times Magazine has sought to promote creative people from all walks of life who have dedicated their lives to their work. Our youtube channel, the blog and Magazine is opening its doors to YOU to make a difference whether that is through writing Articles or sharing Stories to promoting your life's work and that of others who have chosen to live their dream or to write news stories as you see them! If you would like to be added to the Magazine Blog as a regular contributor please Email Rashelle and she will set you up.

Due to the arrival of two beautiful baby boys I won't be editing the Magazine anymore but will be handing the running of the new site and future editions over to the very capable Rashelle who is very lucky to have lots of helpers lining up to assist with technical advice and support. I have loved every second of the Enlightening Times since its inception and would like to thank each an every single contributor who has helped bring the Magazine to what it is today. You are all awesome! Keep those Articles coming. :)

By Jade Moore for the Enlightening Times Magazine
All Rights Reserved 2014 

Pamela Wells Featured Artist in the Enlightening Times Magazine

Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck highlights the universal wisdom, truth and power of each major arcana card as an evolutionary step towards higher consciousness. 

I created “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess” as a tool to honor the feminine aspects of God. By creating a tarot deck that deeply resonates with my own experience of the Divine Feminine, I knew I would transform myself in the process as well as awaken others to the wisdom and power of the Goddess.  

To me, the Divine Feminine is the gateway to universal wisdom and a compassionate guide into the nature of God and ourselves. The inner journey begins with the feminine task of self-inquiry and our thirst for greater knowledge and meaning in our lives. This is exactly why the tarot is such an exquisite tool. It takes us down into our souls and reconnects us with our own intuitive brilliance we were collectively taught to disregard. When we reconnect to our inner wisdom, we learn how to live from a place of love. We become more connected and compassionate about our own suffering, the suffering of all beings and more engaged in healing ourselves and the planet. 
 

Tarot enthusiasts know this: ask the question and the journey begins! There is a Divine Feminine intelligence within every human being that is ready to empower us, align us with our highest aspirations and fill us with our heart’s desire if we have the courage to begin the adventure into our own souls.

What got me started doing the tarot?

I had reached a transitional period in my commercial illustration and design career where I wanted to pursue creative work with less restrictive design rules. The step was an act of reclaiming my identity as a "fine artist" and overcoming my fear of becoming the "starving artist".

At about the same time I met a medicine woman who encouraged me to paint and draw what I felt passionate about. One of the first images I painted was the Strength card before I even knew it would become the Strength card!

The Strength card is mid-point in a majors only tarot deck and suggests inner growth and awareness that evolves over our lifetimes. Strength says, "I wisely use my life-force energy to create and direct my good work in the world." The archetypal significance or the card represented to me a message of passionate action. I was ready to fully incorporate the meaning of this card in my life.As I painted, I realized I could be guided in the process through meditation. All these wonderful synchronistic events unfolded during the creation of imagery as my faith grew that all would be well even if I didn't know where my creative work would lead me. About ten paintings into this intuitive process a large tarot card company contacted me and asked me to create a tarot deck. 

“Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess” deck has spiritual depth for those who are serious seekers, healers, mystics and intuitives. I included a challenging question and answer section at the end of each chapter in the spiritual guide-book included with the cards. The deck is organized around the universal spiritual teachings of each of the 22 major arcana cards. I was deeply moved by their profound wisdom and immersed myself into translating the spiritual and evolutionary meaning of the cards. The goddess tarot cards highlight each of the wisdom teachings with an affirmation. The book includes quotes from spiritual teachers, mystics and philosophers as well as poetry to elaborate on the meaning of the cards. I designed the box, book and cards to be used for individual contemplation, major arcana tarot readings, and for educational wisdom teachings. This set is also beautifully packaged and perfect to give as a gift or collectable. 

The cards are oversized for the purpose of seeing all the detailed imagery. The box and cards are printed with metallic gold ink. 

Where can people go to buy this deck? “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer”. It is available for retail or wholesale from ArtmagicPublsihing.com, New Leaf Distribution, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or DeVorss & Company. It is also available at iTunes as an iPhone app.

Becoming Real by Cherry Morris

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." “Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

Isn't that lovely? What a wonderful excerpt from the book, it really does sum up living authentically. It’s also very true; we don’t become real people until we have experienced pain, loss, real love, and what we thought was love. So no matter the source of love or hurt, we become real by acknowledging our true selves in every experience.

So the Skin Horse explains this by saying that people who break easily, have sharp edges, or have to be kept carefully, don’t often become real. Looking at this and applying it to life we can see what he means. If you break easily, everything becomes painful, every new negative experience builds on the last one, and we become so disconnected from our true selves, our dreams, our hopes that it becomes difficult to see clearly.

If you have coped with life by building a wall around yourself for protection, you may keep out the hurt, but you also keep out the chance of becoming real, and recognising real love when it comes. So your edges will be sharp, from a distance you seem okay, but get closer and those edges cut, the saddest thing is that it is you who will be cut the deepest.

If your response to life has been a desire to be carefully kept, (controlling your environment) then you are living a false life. Like living on a very small life raft in a very big ocean, you are very vulnerable to being thrown around by life’s ups and downs.

When we are hurting, we don’t see it at the time but it is the perfect time to take a long hard look at ourselves. To become real (authentic) we have to acknowledge every part of ourselves. The good parts and the not so pretty parts.

You can’t mend other people when they are broken, that’s a fact, an indisputable truth. No matter what you do for them, you cannot mend them. You can help them mend themselves, but they have to truly want to change or your energy and time will be wasted.

You can mend yourself though, with or without help, and the first step is to acknowledge that you are broken.

Just two questions, if you’re really smart you’ll be asking yourself both of them:

Why am I allowing these things to happen in my life?

Why am I treating other people this way?

That’s it right there, your biggest truth, your long hard gaze in the mirror: Two simple questions.

So how do you begin to mend yourself?

It starts with how much we love and value ourselves, those who've read all of my blogs will notice a common theme in that statement. What most people who read it won’t know - is that I have learnt all of these things the hard way by experience!

So right now I will be my authentic self, sharing the one simple fact that I know, if we don’t love, honour and respect ourselves truly, why should others?

Have you ever:

Put yourself last, feeling guilty for having needs

Beat yourself up for making mistakes

Had self-destructive behaviours that stemmed from low self-worth and attracted all manner of destructive people/events into your life

Talked yourself out of doing anything worthy, told yourself that you wouldn’t be good enough

Concentrate on all your perceived shortcomings far more than all the good things you’ve achieved

Develop some habits/strategies to feel loved, get attention

I have done all of the above, and probably a lot more too at various times in my life!

So how did I change? How did I become real?

I went through a most horrendous experience that left me vulnerable and scared, but at the same time something in me snapped and made me embrace everything I was, and everything I wasn’t.

I acknowledged my weak points and made a promise to myself to sort as many of them out as possible, and to love those flawed bits of me I really couldn’t change.

By accepting yourself fully, you begin the healing process, by looking at the dark side of ourselves, as well as the light parts (much more comfortable to look at) that is the route to becoming whole.

So I am not so different from you, except that I am writing about my flaws for the world to read, and I have to tell you – that feels ok, it feels right to acknowledge that I am not perfect. The reason that it feels right is that my foundation is now built on having the love and respect for myself that I deserve.

I don’t need everyone else to love me in order to love myself

I don’t need everyone else’s permission to be happy in order to feel happiness

I am happy being me, perfectly imperfect, and in living this way, I have attracted happiness in abundance into my life that I never thought possible..

So now you know, the whole reason for creating the village of Happyshire, is to help you find peace and happiness in your life too. To give you courage to change, to get out there and create the life you’d really like.

Live positively and value yourself, take chances, take risks...just do it!

The worst that can happen can turn out to be the best you ever could have imagined

Trust me, I know, for now that my hair has fallen out, I have scars, inside and outside, my joints ache... but I am real, and I am truly loved.

You can read the whole story of the Velveteen Rabbit here..

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit.html

This article was taken from my blog http://happy-shire.blogspot.co.uk/

My name is Cherry Morris and my website is www.cherriesnaturalhealing.co.uk

All Rights Reserved 2014