Sex, Religion, Power and Politics

Our Messiah of Ten Thousand Names - Presented onMagna Mater Palm Sunday @ the  Goddess Temple of Orange County.Within Judeo-Christian tradition, Palm Sunday traditionally commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The gospels record the arrival of Jesus riding into the city on a donkey, while the crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the street to honor him as their long-awaited Messiah and King.  But long before the new religion of Christianity arose, The Great Mother was celebrated in the ancient world at this season of spring by carrying in procession the branches of palms, pines and other trees.   Herstory records a Creatrix and Messiah –“She of Ten Thousand Names”—far, far older than the deities of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other more recent religions.So today I humbly take on the role of contemporary bard and prophetess to reclaim the Herstory, of the long-awaited return of the Great She, Goddess, our female Messiah of Ten Thousand Names, and we will together vision the prophecies attached to that coming, because that is the Goddess wayHow might life be different with the Divine Feminine or Goddess birthed at the center of the world, particularly for women and our like-minded brothers, without the domination of Patriachary's clenched fists? 

Returning to the show is priestess Amalya Peck of the Goddess Studio of Escondido, CA discussing the importance of Sacred Space and how to create it. In the second half of the show, Judith Nilan takes us to the Emerald Isle of Eire or Ireland as we discuss Beyond a Legacy of Leprechauns - The Power and Promise of Ireland's Spiritual Heritage.  What in the world do we mean?  We'll be discussing the Celts and theTuatha De Danann, the indigenous spiritual ancestors of Ireland and their wisdom traditions.  Judith will give us tips on finding our spiritual heritage and manifesting our sacred nature.

At the top of the hour, returning to the show, Normandie Ellis to discuss her book Imagining the World into Existence: A Manual of Egyptian Consciousness.  We'll discuss the Egyptians' understanding of Natural Law, how they defined magic, and why 5,000 year old Egyptian magic is still relevant today.  We'll delve into connectons between early Hebrew and Christian cultures with Egyptians and what Egyptian books of the afterlife tell us about their understanding of the spiritual world. Next up is Constance Tippett, artist extraordinaire, and creatrix of the Goddess Timeline and superb reproductions of Goddess artifacts chats about the influence of art and connection with spirituality of Goddess.

One of the most high profile Pagans and Goddess Advocates in the country, Rev. Patrick McCollum, returns to the show to update us on his latest work around the world bringing the voice and ideals of the Sacred Feminine into the mainstream and other cultures and religions. In the second half of the show, Elder Foremother Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary will chat about Pagan Religious Freedom and the related work of Lady Liberty League and Circle Sanctuary.

Back with us this Valentine's Day, we have fan favorite, Dr. David Hillman, author of The Chemical Muse and Original Sin: Sex, Drugs & the Church.  For our Valentine's Day Show, David will talk about how Aphrodite will always defeat Judeo-Christianity as well as continuing our discussion on the difference in how the ancients viewed the gods and our contemporary misunderstanding of the gods of ancient Greece and Rome - Part 2.  We began this conversation on Dec 27 if you'd like to hear Part 1.  Appropriate for Valentine's Day, we'll delve into the power of desire, or Aphrodite, and why, no matter how hard they try, Judeo-Christianity will never defeat Her.

Join us as Maxine Rasmusson discussed the Women of the Bible, why they're important, stories that got left out of the Bible we should know about and the Men of the Bible and their mixed messages that have omitted women's leadership and silenced the female gender within the Church. Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, a really fresh new topic, particularly for the cat lovers out there - compliments of Priestess Linda Iles of the Fellowship of Isis:  Bast, Cat Goddess of Ancient Egypt, the title of her new book.  We'll chat about all the things you want to know about Bast, including if she had a consort, what role She played in ancient Egyptian mysteries, Her role in the Otherworld, Her priestesses, the earliest known physical evidence of Bast and Her original form...and much, much more.  

At the top of the show, Birute Regine will discuss Iron Butterfly Power Circles - How to Start a Revolution in Your Living Room!  So important now is women remembering their power and women becoming agents of change.  Learn about these circles of empowerment, support and healing you can form in your own community using Iron Butterfly Power Circles as a template. Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, Laura Carillo of The Goddess Show discusses her energy work, including Feng Shui and how it aligns with Goddess Spirituality and sacred partnerships.  Learn how you can harnass the energies of Nature and make them work for you to improve your life and relationships. 

At the top of the show Gus diZerega,  whose first book was on democratic political theory and practice, his second, Pagans and Christians: The Personal SpiritualExperience and his next, Faultlines: The Culture War and the Return of the Divine Feminine, will chat with me about one of my favorite subjects - the connection between Goddess Spirituality and Paganism with politics.  Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, I have with me Christine Page, author of the new book, The Healing Power of the Sacred Woman discussing our topic: The Awakening of Women to their Sacred Purpose.  Just some of the issues we'll discuss are why women lose their identity, sacred sexuality, the definition of fertility, when most women are most intuitive, some reasons behind the onset of breast cancer and what changes might be possible if women reconnected to their sacred identity.

Urban Shaman and Priestess Queen Mama Donna Henes will discuss... Global Ascendence and how the New Era we are entering is the re-empowerment of the Feminine Divine.  Also, the role of women as activists, how protest is good for you,  how patriarchy is gaining a feminine mask, including those who use Goddess as a patriarchal over-lay. - and refocusing our energy on health, creativity, and spirituality.  Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, Catherine Tucker, author of The Maltese Dreamer will discuss Mystic Malta and the Mother Goddess.  Conversation will include Canaanite mythology, the use of the Hypogeum, what we know about the Neolithic temples of Malta and we'll speculate on the Sleeping Lady.  

Join us tonight as I chat with Delphine DeMore to discuss Women's Empowerment for the 21st Century, including such topics such as why women still don't feel equal, how the myth of "sameness" limits both genders, the devaluation of female strengths, the necessity of mothering skills for morality, culture, emotional maturity and relationships and the strengths of women that facilitate change - and much, much more - including an examination of Gloria Steinam's call for a "Revolution from Within." Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, returning is Dr. David Hillman, a show favorite, discussing how contemporary people misunderstand the gods and how their relationship with the gods is different than people in ancient times - Part 1.  Conversation resumes on Valentine's Day 2013.

Returning to the show is progressive Christian blogger, Jeanette Clancy, author of God is Not Three Guys discussing Harmful Sexist God Talk: The Imaginery Lord God and the connection between girls used as sex objects, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, sexism and sexist God-talk. Switching gears in the second part of the show, Glen Kreisberg, editor of the anthology The Mysteries of the Ancient Past, due out this fall, will share with listeners his exploration of the evolution of human consciousness, civilization and technology.  Some topics will include how modern science is aligning with ancient wisdom, how higher consciousness may explain many mysteries of our ancient past, the resurgence of elemental shamanism - and much more.

Elder Priestess and Foundress of Circle Sanctuary, Prs. Selena Fox, make her annual seasonal return to the show to discuss old and new ways to celebrate Yuletide and the pagan Winter Solstice roots of Christmas and New Year's traditions. In the second half of the show, Pastor Stacy Boorn from Herchurch and the annual feminist conference in San Francisco returns to the show.

Genevieve Vaughan, Foundress of the Sekhmet Temple outside Las Vegas, NV discusses in tonight's theme, Gift Economy: a maternal economy that is the source of communication and creativity. From the cradle to the corporation, the denial of nurturing is the problem with our present economy and our culture: our psychology and our spirituality.  Among other aspects of the topic will be how the gift economy is the economic structure of what we call morality. Its culture is made of the ideas and values coming from nurturing instead of exchange. The economy of peaceful societies of the future is a moneyless gift economy.  Tune in to hear more about this alternative to male dominated patriarchal society where we are all prey to corporations and capitalism.  Can we liberate ourselves from commercialization and consumerism this season?  Can we switch on gratitude and giving instead? Crossing the threshold into the second half of the show, Kathryn Ravenwood aka Raven, discusses her book How to Create Sacred Water: A Guide to Rituals and Practices.  Included in our interview will be how to create sacred water, how water recovers from pollution such as in the recent hurricanes and using water altars.

A special show interviewing Layne Redmond's project, Axe' Arixa: Dreaming Awake the Gods and Goddesses of Brazil, an illuminated film transmitting the dance, drumming and chants of the Orixas and their living presence in modern Brazilian culture. the tradition of candomble preserves the ancient role of powerful priestesses along with priests in service to both goddesses and gods.  The most oldest terreiros, spiritual complexes, in Bahia, Brazil are headed by priestesses. The music of the entire world has been invluenced by the music of Africa, yet the African religious traditions that created the source of this are suppressed and not recognized in the same way that other religious traditions are.  In the US it was stamped out as voodoo and devil worship, even as the rhythmic and remodic structures became the roots of jazz, funk, rock, rhythm and blues, and formed the heart of popular dance.  What would our lives  be without these rhythms?  Hear some here tonigh!

Hanna Rosin, author of The End of Men  discusses the rise of women and signals pointing to the end of male dominance and a rise in women's power and influence.  Hanna discusses what demographic is having the most trouble with the new normal and today's economy, the trend of successful "see-saw" marriages/partnerships, and why some men say women are no longer women.  Lots more, including why women still have to carefully negotiate so as not to be seen as too assertive. Switching subjects entirely, Meredity Smith, author of Dreamworkers Behind the Veil: Night Shift Dreams will discuss her 35 years of working in the realm of dreams....An intuitive reader of dreams, images, spirits and energy, Meredith gives us insight into the power of the astral realms and how we can use dreams to enhance our lives and discover our personal soul's journey - past, present and future.