Ancient Breasts

This was sent to me via Red Tent Temple and I found it very profound and wanted to share it here.

Ancient Breasts
Deep within you, whether you are aware of it or not, is your primal need for breast. It is part of you; it was born with you. It has been with you for millions of years.
When you emerged into the world of air, hunger came with you. And linked to hunger was the remedy for hunger, already known to you. You had, at birth, the skill to guide yourself to it by touch, by smell, by warmth, by sweetness. You had, and still have, internal, ancient coding to find the breast and suck.
‘Find the breast and suck.’ This message sings in you, in every one of us, from birth to death. It says: ‘Find the breast, source of nourishment, source of contentment.’ It urges: ‘Find the breast, where hunger ceases, where you are one with the mother, one with the pulsing heart of the Mother, at one with Breast/Heart/ Mother/All.’
The breast is bliss. The breast is enlightenment. The breast is the emblem of our most sacred aspirations. The Madonna holds the infant to her breast. Ka’aba (Hajar-e-aswad) , the holy rock of Mecca, is known as the Mother’s Bountiful Breast.
Breast is nourishment is life is sun is round and warm and full. A simple drawing of a breast is the symbol for Sun, nourisher of all life. And life is sacred, so breasts are sacred, so women are sacred, holy, whole. Always and everywhere women’s breasts have been honored.
Has anyone ever told you that your breasts are holy and sacred and moving with the energy of life? Has anyone ever told you that your breasts are a source of power? Has anyone ever given you permission to love your breasts, touch your breasts, adore your breasts? Has anyone encouraged you to honor your breasts and all women’s breasts as life, as the support of life?
Were you allowed to suckle at your mother’s breast? Have you ever received, ever given, nourishment from your breasts? Have you drunk from the breast of Mother Earth? Have you drunk from the wild springs of the Earth? Taken bites of plants still rooted? Spilled warm, raw milk into your mouth? Have you put your mouth upon the source and received fulfillment, ecstasy?
Do your breasts have a story? If you ask, they will tell you. Do you remember when your breasts emerged? What were you feeling about them then? Excited? Eager? Awkward? Embarrassed? Angry? Tender?
Do you remember the first time you felt your breasts move as you ran? The first time you felt your breasts float as you swam? The first time you stood in the shower and watched the water arch out over your breasts and waterfall off your nipples?
We are the Ancient GrandMothers and our breasts are ancient. Perhaps you find them ugly. See how they drift yearningly toward the Earth, lower with every passing year. We smile knowingly; we know our breasts contain a power that is resilient, flexible, supple, easy, and impossible to restrain. Whether the whim of fashion says our breasts are to be large or small, pointed or flattened, with cleavage or without, padded or bound, accented or obscured, it matters not to us. Our breasts fall free, untouched by current notions. The power of our breasts is the power of life.
The power of our breasts is the power of every woman’s breasts. As our breasts are life, so every woman’s breasts are life. And this is true of you, too, GrandDaughter: The power of your breasts is the power of life. Your breasts are sacred.
For more information, see Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun Weed. www.ashtreepublishi ng.com

What did you do for Earth Day?

So what did you do? Here is a little sample of what we did. We went with the kids to the civic center park, the one that hosts the Earth Day event each year. We cleaned up the stream. It wasn't too bad where we were, but we did get two trash bags full. And there was a strange large copper wire thing lying in the stream. Sophie and David and Jonathan enjoyed catching and releasing minnows, crayfish, and salamanders. Joshua spent a lot of time in the trees and I enjoyed cleaning up and resting under the beautiful old oak we were picnicking by. Sophie also had a good time at the playground with her dad. Back at home we got the gardens ready for planting and found that our compost bin was very busy over the winter and we have about 8-10 gallons of beautiful, black, sweet smelling compost to add to our gardens. Woo hoo! Gotta love those worms too, there were many HUGE ones in the compost. Lovely. More on the gardens coming up. I hope you all had a wonderful Earth Day and that you did something special for the original mother~Mother Earth. Blessings.

Mother Earth has awoke

Even Katy feels the call of Mother Earth....she spends a lot of time lying on the porch gazing at the yard and watching the birds and bees.

The beautiful Eastern Redbud that we planted at Sophie's Blessing Ceremony four years ago has gorgeous purple blooms on it now. She is so proud of "her" tree.

Welcome Spring!!!

More Catch Up

Cleopatra in the catnip.














Bumblebee enjoying the Bee Balm.














Gorgeous pink/purple hydrangea.














Squash flower-how very pagan!














Yarrow's first blush.

Happy Earth Day

We had a fabulous Earth Day together. This morning David & I took Sophie to the library where we tried, not too successfully to find Earth Day related books. Our library is small and the ones that they actually have were already checked out. (Note to self, don't wait until "the' day to look for books) However, they do have, brand new, "Green Housekeeping" which I have put on hold for myself as soon as its available. Yeah!

We spent the rest of the day outside and after we picked up the other kids from school, we went to the marina for some Frisbee and goose watching. Amazing! We were all mesmerized by the beautiful Canadian Geese and Mallards and one very strangely out of place, white domestic goose. There were even six little Mallard ducklings. So sweet and cute. (Unfortunately, there was some trash, but we picked up what we found, even in the edges of the water.)

After dinner, Sophie, the boys and I walked around our neighborhood and picked up trash and recyclables. Sophie truly is a budding environmentalist. She is very conscientious about litter, alerting us to it wherever she sees it.

We ended the day with a reading by dad of 'The Lorax'. Never out of style or favor, even my 11 and 13 year old boys listened raptly.

I hope every one's Earth Day was fun and successful and that you took even a moment to appreciate and love our Mother Earth. Blessings.

Crafty Gatherings

Here, gathered by my sewing machine is the makings of my first hippie skirt. It is to be denim & blue calico patchwork with an appliqued sunflower on the front. I figure it will be my "logo" skirt, since I am calling my little cottage business, "Sunflower Designs", after my fave flower. I hope to get started on putting it together this week. I already have the denim cut up. These are actually recycled jeans.

The other plans I have are for recycled shopping/tote bags. One like I posted before, made from old t-shirts. The other is made from the seat of blue jeans. So cool. I will share a picture as soon as I finish the first one. Wish me luck on this venture. I am excited by the possibilities, and the fact that it is so "green" and eco-friendly for Mother Earth is the best icing! Whee!

Egg Trees and Waking Mother Earth

Today was a busy day. Sophie and I decorated the egg tree that she wanted after seeing one in a neighbor's yard. She had a lot of fun.

It was hard to decide where to hang each egg, she gave it lots of thought.
Our finished egg tree, with a very happy little girl.

Also today, we had our simple ritual that I posted about yesterday to awaken Mother Earth. Sophie really got into this and enjoyed it very much. Here we are with our "staffs", last winter's gifts from the trees. Sophie ran to each point in our yard and yelled, "Wake up, Mother Earth, Spring is here!". What fun!

Earth Child

Here is my little earth child. She spent all day out in the yard playing in what was our fountain/pond. Looks like its to be a sand box/water play area for Sophie this year. In the evening we walked around the block, Sophie & I, and picked up trash. She has been very upset this week after seeing some trash that "people threw on the Goddess/Mother Earth". I thought giving her a chance to clean up some of the litter, safely, in our neighborhood would help her to feel like she was helping the earth and be a opportunity to teach her more about stewardship of Mother Earth our home. Her dad and I overheard her, while digging in the dirt, singing, 'Give thanks to the Mother Gaia, give thanks to the Father Sun, Give thanks to the beautiful garden, where the Mother and the Father are One, Give thanks, give thanks, to you we do give thanks." I have sang this to her every night before bed since she was born. But she's never sang it through herself until now, and at the most appropriate time, I think. I feel so blessed to be able to teach her the ways of the Goddess. Blessings.

Oh, what a feeling! Just finished up with yoga for today. It feels incredible! I feel so alert and refreshed. I am still just incredulous at the changes in myself, not only body wise, but mentally and emotionally. I guess I was a skeptic about yoga being so great. But no more-I am a believer and a devoted follower. I look forward to getting to my practice each day. And now I am gradually adding poses to my routine. Today doing Camel and Tree Pose along with my usual ones, it felt just great. I have such a sense of accomplishment and self confidence. I am now able to hold each pose for a count of ten complete breaths, these are slow, deep breaths. OOhh, they feel yummy. I also got through my practice today uninterrupted, if you can believe that! How nice.

I am looking forwards to taking my yoga practice outside once the weather warms up. I can just imagine how great it will be to work through the poses out in nature. Hearing, seeing and feeling all of Mother Earth's glories of spring/summer. Now that Imbolc is drawing near, I can really begin dreaming of spring. More on Imbolc next week. For now we must endure and enjoy the cold weather because the earth needs this time of rest and recovering in order to bring us a fabulous spring! Peace and blessings.

Yoga,yoga,yoga

Well, after a day without a complete yoga practice, I was more than ready to get back in there today. It felt wonderful to work through all the poses, plus I tried out the Camel, and Shoulder stand. Don't think I'm quite ready for the Shoulder stand, but the Camel worked pretty good, since I've been doing the Moon Salutation it has loosened up my back. I am so stoked about it. I am looking forward to adding more and more poses to my routine. I found that when I do yoga at night I am much looser in my movements. The other night I had the chance to practice in the temple and that was wonderful. It was so peaceful and I could meditate on the loving face of the Earth Mother in many of Her guises, due to the fabulous artwork that is housed there. I will add more about the temple later, for those who are interested.

More on the Sophie-yoga saga: today, while I am in Triangle pose, Sophie decides to do "My yoga too" on the same mat, which made her be underneath me. That being fun, she gave up yoga and decided that mom made a good bridge to crawl under. Through it all I am telling her that she is going to make me fall on her, but that didn't faze her. Must have been terribly funny to see. lol

Yoga and Children

Has anyone ever tried to get through a yoga routine with a three year old in the room? Its not easily done, let me tell you. Although she wants to be a part of it, this morning after only two poses she decided it would be a great time to ride the skate board past the television where my yoga video was playing while also pushing the button on today's "noisemaker of choice"- a musical saxophone that is very loud. I am sure that this would have proved very comedic to anyone witnessing it, but trying to be centered and peaceful and calm amid my daughter's antics, lets just say I was pretty much the opposite. So the next time she feels like doing yoga I am ready. Yoga Journal's website is awesome. Check it out, for parent/child yoga poses to practice together. http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2561 Looks like a lot of fun and a great way to share time together.

Well, it is cold!! Brrr!! I mean like 13 degrees when we got up this morning. Not our typical Tennessee weather, but it does reflect the Earth Mother's deep sleep of winter. I really feel like hibernating, so does my husband, David. It is very hard to get up and get moving to go to a partly outdoor job in this kind of cold. But he does it every morning and I am extremely grateful to him. Because it allows me to be home with our daughter while she needs me to be.

Last night I rented the DVD "Chocolat". Oh it was as much fun as I remembered. Of course, I craved chocolate all night, but hey, it was worth it. And Johnny Depp is just so hot!! We also got some of the sheet rock up in our down stairs bath. The laundry room is next and then I can finally get them organized and decorated. Oh it is so great to finally have it done.

Resolutions are going well so far. I am eating much better and working on some of the things that I wanted to get done. Kudos to me.