the roof garden

if you'd like to learn how sacred love/loving can enhance your life, check out adoration of the beloved.

rev. majadi baruti describes himself as an "afrikan goddess evangelist", and his insights on the divinity of woman are breathtaking.

listen now, thank us later.

well, beloveds...

if you needed a sign, this could be it.

we adore examples of holistic masculinity. if you know some, holla! could be a new sidebar in the making...

yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

you must read this!

Gbe rere ko ni olu-gbe-rere!

"Give me Good Things from the Great One who gives Good Things!"

enjoy this beautiful video of women celebrating the yoruba mother/ocean goddess, yemonja.

quickie!

follow the southern honeys on their journey...a powerful collective of sistas creating, traveling and manifesting together!

the word

today's word is another jewel from the holy book by the illustrious dr. clarissa pinkola estes, women who run with the wolves.

and so we read...

Tears are a river that takes you somewhere. Weeping creates a river around the boat that carries your soul-life. Tears lifet your boat off the rocks, off dry ground, carrying it downriver to someplace new, someplace better.

quickie!

yet another way internalized oppression rears its ugly head.

thank you, dr. klein.

bring back the bitch

last night your loving proprietress watched bandit queen.

in some parts of the world, little has changed in the 20 years since phoolan became a folk hero to some and a demon to others.

how many phoolans are being born daily through their trauma?

how many exist now whose stories are going untold?

where are the 21st century revolutionary bitch goddesses?

the power of feminine rage has been largely forgotten. it is no longer an archetype that is respected, acknowledged and widely worshiped. it has been made ridiculous and funny on one hand and spiritualized beyond any real world application on the other. the love goddess--while sometimes still branded as a slut or whore--is far more acceptable and accepted than the bitch.

but can we deny the need for the destroying mother? violence against women is still too prevalent. rape, mutilation, sexual/emotional/spiritual abuse...

where is her place?

certainly it cannot only be in bdsm dungeons {in the west, sexualization = disempowerment} and mental institutions {defanged, satirized}.

balance is essential, and the full range of womanhood includes the bitch. period.

we are not speaking of the indiscriminately aggravating, tacky shrew.

we are calling for the passionate, fiery, bullshit illusion destroying bitch.

the castrator of cruel and imbalanced manhood.

the remover of stagnant, useless energy.

the harsh mother who demands respect, excellence and growth from her beloved children.

we need that bitch.


thanks & praise to oshun, kali, oya, the iyaami, ezili dantor, durga, yemonja and the other spiritual protectors and intercessors--named and unnamed--for wronged, abused, and otherwise enraged women. ase.

quickie!

the goddess herstory players have some interesting things in the works, including a goddess art museum and retreat center.

if you're in/around brooklyn, check it out!

sexy news

hopefully v-day doesn't get you down, but this might help you overcome valentine's day depression.

and just in case your date turns in to something more, ecuadorian "gravity births" could teach us something.

always grateful for inclusion: sex and disability. bonus link - david steinberg's photos.

apparently love ain't easy in taiwan.

alternative solstice celebrations/meditations

light and love, y'all.

we know our readers walk a myriad of paths, worship in all forms and fashions, and love abundantly. so why just be confined to carols and egg nog--not to mention the deadly black friday crowds--when you can enjoy a variety of solstice celebrations?

our good friend at incredible juju cited some interesting reflections on this year's solstice.

the wonderful women of casa atabex ache have also offered some lovely alternatives:

Convey love to family, friends, and everyone in your world, feasting together and exchanging home made presents. Continue this custom by visiting, entertaining, giving gifts, and sending greetings by mail and/or phone. Consider those who are and/or have been important in your life and share appreciation.

Reclaim the holidays, celebrate life. Honor the Goddess as Great Mother. Place Mother Goddess images around your home. You may also want to include one with a Sun child, such as Isis with Horus. Goddess forms traditionally linked with this time of year include Atabex  (Puerto Rico, mother of creation), Yemaya,(African goddess of home, fertility, love, family and the New Year), Tonantzin (Native Mexican corn mother), Holda (Teutonic earth goddess of good fortune), Bona Dea (Roman women's goddess of abundance and prophecy), Ops (Roman goddess of plenty), Au Set/Isis (Egyptian/multicultural All Goddess whose worship continued in Christian times under the name Mary), Lucina/St. Lucy (Roman/Swedish goddess/saint of light), and Befana (Italian Witch who gives gifts to children at this season).

Honor the new solar year with light. Do a Solstice Eve ritual in which you meditate in darkness and then welcome the birth of the sun by lighting candles and singing chants and women power songs. If you have a indoor fireplace or an outdoor fire circle, burn an oak log as a Yule log and save a bit to start next year's fire. Decorate the inside and/or outside of your home with electric colored lights. Because of the popularity of five pointed stars as holiday symbols, this is a good time to display a pentagram of blue or white lights.

Contribute to the manifestation of more wellness on Planet Earth. Donate food and clothing to poor in your area. Volunteer time at a social service agency. Put up bird feeders and keep them filled throughout the winter to supplement the diets of wild birds. Donate funds and items to non-profit groups, such as women healing spaces and environmental organizations. Meditate for world peace. Work magic for a healthier planet. Make a pledge to do some form of good works in the new solar year.

for you history honeys out there, here are a few links discussing the origin of christmas, from the christian, pagan, and scholarly points of view.

however you choose to celebrate this time of year, may the season and the new year bring you peace, joy, and all your heart's desires.

in bliss,

your devoted proprietress

the wisdom of indus kush

today we are honored to bring you a blog written by the illustrious iyalosa apetebii olaomi akalatunde, author of ona agbani: the ancient path, understanding and implementing the ways of our ancestors and the inspirational blog the bliss chronicles. she is also the creatrix of the ose tura institute.

iyalosa olaomi is also a priestess of osun, mother, teacher and all around fly human being.

**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**

One of the early civilizations created by the first humans who evolved in Afrika and eventually migrated out of Afrika and into other parts of the world was known as Indus Kush.

Allow me to quote renowned Afrikan historical scholar Runoko Rashidi from his lecture "The Afrikan Roots of Humanity and Civilization":

Exceptionally valuable writings expressing intimate connections between early India, Egypt and Ethiopia have existed for more than two thousand years. In the first century B.C.E., for example, the famous Greek historian Diodorus Siculus penned that, "From Ethiopia he (Osiris) passed through Arabia, bordering upon the Red Sea as far as to India....He built many cities in India, one of which he called Nysa, willing to have remembrance of that (Nysa) in Egypt where he was brought up." Apollonius of Tyana, who is said to have visited India near the end of the first century C.E., was convinced that "The Ethiopians are colonists sent from India, who follow their forefathers in matters of wisdom." The Itinerarium Alexandri, a Latin work written about 345 C.E. for the Roman emperor Constantius, says that, "India, taken as a whole, beginning from the north and embracing what of it is subject to Persia, is a continuation of Egypt and the Ethiopians.

Current Indian culture is a mixture of ancient Afrikan culture and the culture forced upon these Afrikans by the invading Aryan Vedics.

Ancient Indian culture, like all Afrikan culture, is gynocentric--meaning it is womb centered and recognizes the vagina, the breasts, the womb and the buttocks of women as sacred and holy and reveres womanhood, motherhood and mothering as the focal point of all life in the Wombniverse.

As such we have the pre-Aryan recognition of Shakti and her centrality to ancient Indian culture and lifestyle. We also see the development of Tantra--a system which is a woman and Goddess centered method of becoming one's highest self through the use of the Feminine Force in the Wombniverse called Kundalini by Indians. Note that the root of Kundalini is KUND meant to be pronounced like CUNT not like KOON as we usually pronounce it in the West. Kundalini is a system revering Pussy Power...as all wise ancients did.

Some of the pre-Vedic writings have survived over time and reveal the depth and intensity of love Our Ancestors possessed for the Divine Mother--The Source of all...below is one of my personal favorites:

Shaktisangama Tantra*

Woman is the creator of the universe,
the universe is her form;
woman is the foundation of the world,
she is the true form of the body.
Whatever form she takes,
whether the form of a man or a woman,
is the superior form.
In woman is the form of all things,
of all that lives and moves in the world.
There is no jewel rarer than woman,
no condition superior to that of a woman.
There is not, nor has been, nor will be
any destiny equal to that of a woman;
there is no kingdom, no wealth,
to be compared with a woman.
There is not, nor has been, nor will be
any holy place like unto a woman.
There is no prayer equal to a woman.
There is not, nor has been, nor will be
any yoga to compare with a woman,
no mystical formula nor asceticism
to match a woman.
There is not, nor have been, nor will be
any riches more valuable than woman.

*ed. note: as with many sanskrit translations, the single word tantra is something of a misnomer and can encapsulate many things, including the spiritual practice itself, its rituals, etc. you can find more on the role of the goddess in tantra here.

cradle of civilization

hetep, party people. let's take a moment to talk about our wombs, shall we?

this deceptively simple aspect of our anatomy does many things: aligns us with the phases of the moon, works to ensure hormonal balance, centers and informs creativity, populates the planet...

wait.

let that last one marinate for a breath or two. like an asana.

you populate the planet.

now that you've been reminded of this spectacular role, understand that womb health is a process. like most other things, what works for one sista may not work for you, and that's ok.

it is never too late to love your womb.

it does not matter if your womb is physically present or not.

you can love her if she is infertile. in fact, she could be infertile because you're disconnected.


you do not have to be a mother, nor do you have to desire motherhood. planet population has just as much to do with the birthing and nurturing of art, ideas, words, visions, and concepts as it does babies. all are important, valuable, and necessary.






your moontime does not have to be a painful "curse". in fact, it was never a curse at all. without it, there would be no life. {you.populate.the.planet}

learn which herbs, meditations, stones, sounds, and scents you need. don't fret if your sistagurl's sandalwood & myrrh makes you wanna retch. you might just be more of a lavender and palmarosa kinda chick.

the for the sensual intellectual sidebar includes many resources that can start you on your journey. several of the books deal with women's health, chakra work, and other womb-friendly practices.*

by now, most of our afrikan-centered readers are probably familiar with the wisdom of queen afua. sacred woman is a great way to start or continue on your womb wellness journey, no matter what your starting point.

dr. sunyatta amen is another excellent holistic health practitioner and womb advocate. her bellydancers of color association holds a conference each year.

dr. christiane northrup is author of the classic women's bodies, women's wisdom. she also has a lot to say about menopause, so if you're entering that phase of life or have a beloved crone** who is, you might want to look into her work. there are some who say that having a hysterectomy {spiritually} catapults you into crone status, no matter your age.

suns, if you've wandered in and all this sounds familiar, put your queen on. monthly trouble with her cycle, creative/emotional blockages, a sense of aimlessness...all these could be signs of womb distress.

if this is the first post you've come to, then you probably needed it! let your consciousness drift over the information here, and embrace your path towards a miraculous relationship with your womb! the love and support you need will rush to meet you.


*as stated in our disclaimer, always check with your physician and/or gynecologist before trying any "alternative" methods you may read about here or elsewhere.

**you've probably realized that words like crone, hussy, heathen, witch, slut, jezebel, old woman, harlot, and even bitch are used positively and with reverence at the shack. question the connotations surrounding the language you've been given. search for the knowledge it's meant to conceal from you.

seek the goddess

the mother of us all. the first manifestation of the divine.

if you want bliss...

she's got magic, too...

she'll transform your rage...



 




 








































and heal with her compassion...

oh, yes, darlings. she lives.



in order of appearance:
uzume - japanese (laughter, humor)
oshun - yoruba (fertility, sweet waters, abundance, bliss, magic)
yemonja - yoruba (salt water/ocean, universal mother, dreams, moon)
ma'at - kemet (reciprocity, justice, highest self)
het heru - kemet (love, bliss, fertility)
drapeau for erzulie freda - haitian vodoun (romantic love, magic, material wealth)
bast - kemet (sun goddess, secrets, women, mirth/joy)
oya - yoruba (wind/breath, warrior goddess, lightning/thunder and storms)
auset - kemet (universal mother, magic)
hecate - greco/roman (crossroads, magic)
pele - hawaiian (volcano goddess)
sekhmet - kemet (warrior goddess, destruction)
quan yin - china (bodhisattva of compassion)
gaia - greece (earth goddess archetype)