Walking into the room early in the morning, ready to set up the room for Red Tent, I feel like once again Ive come ‘home’. The sense of being in a space that is imbibed with so much sacredness, hope, surrender, power, and beauty is almost overwhelming. As the day proceeds, the kitchen becomes the altar of offering from the Women who come to rejuvenate their spirits in a circle of sister souls. Soups, breads, crackers, teas, fresh fruit and always some form of chocolate or other delicacy to stir the appetites and provide grounding for the space where so much energy is released and raised in frequency. Altars are set up, candles lit, books placed so that all who come may partake of their gifts of knowing. The color Red permeates everything and everyone, the palpable sense of mystery and blood and power, and feminine wisdom. Throughout the day more women arrive, some new, some returning after having been absent in previous circles, and many who are consistent devotees of the Circle…..all gathering and accepted and nurtured within the matrix of maidens, mothers, and crones who make the Tent the special and magical space that it is.
Tarot readings, collage making, journaling, and storytelling flow through the day and through the women in a woven fabric of Love and Trust that has become an important part of life for those involved. As the day progresses, poetry is read aloud from the storytellers chair, and a discussion takes place about how each and every sister in the circle can contribute in different ways to help make the Red Tent gathering as flowing and smoothly operated as possible. Ideas are put forth on many issues and suggestions given that will lead to an ever expanding sense of community and a continued undertaking of sacred sisterhood.
As the structured circle begins, again with no designated Priestess, the air outside is rumbling and the electricity is building, with a storm threatening to attend our circle. Sage smudging and silence and reverence leads to another magical web of personal stories, fears, hopes, blessings, and intentions. As one magical woman aligns her intention with the spirit of Fire and the initiation through it, its becomes clear that the theme resonates with everyone in the circle, and suddenly we know that the days undercurrent is touched by fire and by lightening. We are blessed with a magical message directly from the hands of Zeus, through a sister Shamaness, and once again we are all raised from our mundane experience of ourselves, into something cosmic and all-supporting. The Great Fire as Initiation seems to express directly what the circle experienced and focused on.
As the circle came to a close and those gathered begin to disperse and say goodbyes for another cycle of the moon, the energy became more grounded and we prepared to walk into daily life, with a larger heart and a more open consciousness………which is always bound to happen…..when you are blessed enough to spend time in a sacred environment with your Sisters of Spirit.
The conjunction of the planets Mars(masculine force, fire, energy, drive, action) with Venus(feminine force, air, balance, relationship, beauty)for the past month and on into the next, is offering us a collective boost for harmonizing our internal yin and yang, so that the purifying fire of Kundalini can move through us smoothly and pleasantly. Use this time to integrate both aspects within yourself so you can become a clear channel for diving inspiration.
Tarot Card drawn to represent and reflect the theme of the Red Tent Gathering for August 2010
(drawn at random from the Thoth Tarot Deck, with passages from ‘Tarot of the Spirit’ by Pamela Eakins)
ACE OF WANDS (The universe must agree on the theme of Fire…hehe)
*Force*
Divinitory meaning : You feel a sense of transformative high energy; inner blocks are falling away, freeing you to move into newness; you have the will to change and you feel the great energy of new beginnings; you have a newly discovered source of power; you are excited, you feel exhilarated ; if there is an undercurrent of depression, it is only because the future remains unknown at this time; if you feel like you are burning up with no channel or outlet for your emotions, do not worry, the way will very soon become clarified, you wills soon find someone or something to connect with.
Meditation
Cancer, Leo, Virgo
Raw Spirit, Raw Power, Raw Force
Breath in the Void,
All Possibility;
The Essence, the Soul, the Intent, the Potential
Holy, Cosmic, Sacred, Inspired;
Breathing Spirals Whirling
Galactic Coils: Spirit of Will; Will of Spirit;
Sprouts Spikes Stalks Towers
A Sexual, Erotic and
Phallic Burst of Courage, Vigor
Essence of the Search for Real Meaning
True Intent.
Interpretation
At the one of fire, your spirit grows restless. It is time for a change, time to engage in new activities, new relationships, new interests, a new treatment of the body. Your internal Fire, the driving force of change and movement, is burning. You must do something. You desire newness, you desire meaning. At this point, however, you are experiencing only a blind will to change. You need direction.
You are experiencing the raw and undirected force of the first stage of creation. Here, the force of your own will to act, produce, or create becomes a focused point in the realm of all the unfocused and infinite possibilities of the Universe. This is the force of Ether on the Tree of Life, the first sphere-the creative force-that emerges from the void of possibility.
While burning desire is the essence of focus and creativity, and you ought to be feeling very creative at this time, it is possible that you feel neither creative nor focused. In reaction to the surging fire within, you may feel a variety of emotions ranging from exhilaration to depression. You may feel like you are burning up with no outlet or channel for the endless yearning and energy. You may feel frustrated. Do not be tempted, however, to suppress the burning. Be advised that the Fire within is the source of all your movement and all your wisdom. It is the source of all growth and change, whether such change is spiritual, emotional, mental, or physical. This burning energy is the force that will propel you toward realizing or maximizing your potential in all of these areas. Focus on the excitement.
At the One of Fire, you have tapped the central and elemental point at which your deep internal spirit-the force behind all change-begins and ends. When this burning flame flares, your energy level increases. You experience raw and infinite energy, unleashed, unabashed and undirected. Understand that you are about to undertake a new project, love, adventure or spiritual quest. You cannot yet envision where you are headed, but you know you are headed somewhere. You feel the Wheel of Fortune beginning to turn.
At this time, your internal Will is powerful and driving,. It can take you to heights you never fathomed. The force you experience at the One of Fire is not only the spirit of your own will-the source of all action and movement- but the will of your spirit. The will of spirit seeks to focus ideas and bring them into manifestation. The challenge of the One of Fire is to understand how to achieve the best focus.
At the One of Fire you are meeting the yang energy pattern within yourself. You are dealing with Fire in its most uncontained form. Fire is the primal Male element: the universal yang force. Yang, in Chinese philosophy, is the active, positive, masculine force or principle. It is the universal emitting force: the source of all light and heat. The yang part of you is now rising up, challenging you, and moving you to peaks of growth and awareness.
Through proper attunement, the creative surge of the One of Fire will soon become directed and rewarding. The only way you will find what you are looking for, and thereby direct your vast and potent inner force, is by exploring the cosmic sea: your own inner depths.
Turn within. It is time for introspection. It is as if you are a blind and empty pupil in the center of an eye. Although your visionary owers for the new stage are forming, you are not yet able to see the path with clarity. Stated another way, in order to learn to See, you must become a student in the center of the I. This means it is time for a deep penetration of Self. You must open yoru deep, inner Self in order to understand the depth and power of your own will as well as the direction in which you are now moving.
At the One of Fire, to open your deep Self, you need to access your feminine, or yin, side. Your feminine side, which is fluid and free-flowing, will give you the permission, space, and freedom to open to new possibility. Using your feminine aspects will end the uncontrolled burning or yearning for change. A balance of male and female energies within will allow you to expand and grow with flexibility, creativity, and clarity.
May your days be bright with Smiles and Laughter,
Charleen Johnston
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