Gratitude Challenge, Day 5: My Spiritual Life Another element of my daily life which sustains me through all of lifes ups and downs..... a connection which I am incredibly grateful for. 1. Crown of Glory Lutheran Church. This likely wasnt the first thing many of you expected me to write, but this is very much where it all began for me. Although my spiritual beliefs inevitably took me down a different path in life, I give tremendous thanks for my Christian upbringing, and more specifically, that it took place at Crown of Glory. At this church in my formative years, I learned some of the most important, however basic, tenets of religion: ritual, community, sacred space, reverence, questioning and learning. I was tremendously blessed to be under the spiritual tutelage of two pastors, Nylene and Garwick, who were warm, soft-natured men, both very humorous, and so open to all my young inquisitive thoughts, doubts, and insights. I never felt judged, let alone damned, for expressing my personal views and my own understanding of God, and Spirit. In fact, they seemed to encourage me along my unique path, with great love. This was a tremendous blessing in my life - that my spiritual leaders blessed my path, even if it differed from their own. I dont think that is something very typical in most religions, or religious experiences. I give heartfelt thanks to these men for that gift. 2. The Re-Formed Congregation of the Goddess, International. Fast forward to my mid-20s. I had spent the past decade awakening to my true spiritual path, as daughter of the Goddess. Really, what that meant for me, was honoring the divinity within myself - the divinity within us all - but as a woman in this lifetime, identifying with Great Spirit in its feminine form. This journey began in the early 90s, and at that time, there werent so many resources on the subject so readily at hand (especially during the years I was living in Mexico). It was around 2001 or so that I was leafing through The Edge, and found an ad about a priestess training program.... and to this day, I will never forget the sense of utter excitement, joy and relief in that moment! I had found community, and education, at last! I began the Cella program in Madison, WI shortly thereafter, attending weekend retreats, but mostly working diligently at home and checking in with High Priestess and mentor, Jade River. I have yet to complete the 6-year program, but the amount of study and work I achieved in those years provided a very solid base for all the spiritual work which was to come! 3. Heart of the Water Turtle Moon Dance. In 2012, about a decade since Id had that first experience of Goddess community and training through RCGI, I was once again blessed to be introduced to the Mexica Moon Dance tradition by abuela and staff carrier, Sylvia Lemus Sharma. As it was first described to me, the Moon Dance held within its tradition so many resonant elements of my own journey and life: it is a sacred tradition for women, born of the indigenous Mexican people, incorporating the drum (the heartbeat), the dance, the songs, the smoking of the sacred pipe, and the purification of the body and spirit in the inipi. Once again, it was as if Great Mother had just reached down and poured this sweet nectar into my ready vessel, and I overflowed with excitement, elation, and deep gratitude to find my community again. As I was unable to dance in 2013 and 2014, due to childbirth and childrearing, I am already bubbling over every time I think of the 2015 Dance, and reconnecting at last with my sisters, elders, and teachers there. My spiritual life is much more than these major life events. The real connection and expression is in the day to day rituals and disciplines I adhere to. It is quiet, and humble, with very little elegance of ceremony. Yet, it is what truly sustains me, and I have well learned in these decades that when I am committed to acknowledging my connection to Spirit, I enter into the Divine flow. I am grateful for this journey, the wisdom gained, and the lessons yet awaiting me. Blessed be.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 16:19:34 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015