Priestessing Skills
Priest/ess: Scribe of the Ineffable. Decoder of Dreams. Servant of Memnos
Keep an on-going diary and dream journal dialog, cataloguing your experiences, meditations, insights with each of the thirteen aspects of the Goddess. Journal about any symbolic or archetypal dreams. Particularly make note of any archetypal challenges offered by the Initiator during the course of this work! Note your progress on these issues! Specifically detail any ceremonies you do as to their intention and results. (As a place to start concerning results: synchronicity, telepathy and holographic connections are indicators of the results of resonant connection and alignment in a ceremony.) A journal provides a structure for your memories of lineage’s and commitments to service to arise. (Each of these areas will be called forth during our work together.)
Priest/ess: Hallowing the Moon Riding the Current
Follow the moon phases, by taking time each night (or as often as you can) to look at the moon phase & if you wish to go deeper to sit with the moon for a few minutes) by writing in your journal your intention on new moon, your response on full moon and what is being released in the dark of the moon. You would be served in journaling to witness, observe and keep track of any patterns that seem to arise during any given phase of the moon. Write down the pattern and the phase of the moon it took place in. We are looking for larger patterns, cycles and holographic connections here.
Priest/ess: Mouth of the Oracle. Lifting the Lamp Translator of the Divine
You will be served in this process of ordination by committing to either beginning or developing a tool for intuition to be shared through a form of divination that will support your priest/esshood. That may be a tarot deck, astrology, tea leaves, whatever you can get an open channel to guidance with. (You will need to let me know what specific divination tool you have selected. You will also need to find a partner from the circle to work with to develop your skill level in this area. (At the end of the cycle I will ask you to demonstrate your skill level by doing a reading for me.)
Priest/ess: Presencing Beauty
This area is a focus on creating resonance and maintaining the temple through beauty. In this work you will be asked to create and maintain on a daily basis, an altar area in which you will evoke and commune with the aspect of the Goddess that is the focus for that moon. You would be served in having at least one personal ceremony with that aspect during the moon. The question to address here is: “What do I want to manifest and how can this aspect assist me?” (The purpose here is to get familiar with evoking archetypal energy and becoming aware of how it feels.)
Priest/ess: Savant of Symbols
Here you will be learning to use symbol and metaphor to integrate consciousness that exists beyond language. Your altar area can be a means to work with symbols. Create a symbolic pattern with image, color, smell, taste etc. What is the symbolic message you are conveying in that patterning? What deeper message is encoded in the symbols? The symbols of Sacred Geometry are encoded with libraries of symbolic information. They make a rich study area in which to deepen your skill with symbols. Tarot decks are a rich source of working with symbolism. It would serve you to collect any imagistic or symbolic representations of each archetype, that would serve your use of these materials in working with clients or circles. (I will ask you to demonstrate your understanding of symbol and metaphor at the end of the work. Specifically you will be tested on your knowledge of the qualities pages on each of the 13 archetypes.)
Priest/ess: Practicing Presence, Pooling Silence, Strengthening in Stillness
This is the primary work of the Priest/ess. It is practicing empty presence in the present moment through full, reflective listening. This position requires learning not to prepare answers or responses to what you are hearing as you are listening! Rather it requires “book marking” or pegging key words or images upon which you can respond when you are asked to respond. You are to intentionally choose someone from the priest/ess circle with whom you can practice. You will practice two positions; l) being the mirroring, empty presence and then switching and 2) clearing your personal mirror of some reaction or issue.. This needs to happen at least once during each moon cycle. Please write down results of these sessions and what you experienced and learned.
Priest/ess: Keeper of the Keys
With each moon we ask you to focus on the sacred tool of that archetype. Tools are at first used as an access point outside us. In the end they are integrated into us as we fully recognize and realize that WE ARE the tools in embodiment. To fulfill this requirement answer the questions each moon: “Why is this sacred tool associated with this archetype?” and “What would full embodiment look like when the tool has been completely integrated into my being?” This can be done in meditation, dreamwork, collage, dance, art or whatever medium. At the very least, please answer the two questions and journal your results from working with each sacred tool. A means for working with them will be demonstrated during the initiation. Please specialize in the use of at least one tool. Journal as to what that is.
Priest/ess: Translator of the Divine
This work involves translating the frequencies of the Divine through your creativity in an abstract, non verbal means such as drawing, song, art, dance, mudra, storytelling, poetry, etc. During the course of this work at least once, and hopefully more often, the circle wishes to receive your gifting translation in this aspect. Please make note of this offering in your journal. This can be spontaneous expression or a veneration of a specific aspect of the Goddess in one of these non-verbal forms. Also look at how you are being inspired by Divine Mother to create in a larger context so as to affect the collective mind field, such as writing a book, creating a theater performance, starting a business associated with the feminine, etc.
Priest/ess: Celebrant of Sound. Diviner of Harmony. Resonant Repository
It is intrinsic to Priest/ess work to utilize skills with sound and light. During the course of this work we will be working alot with the concept of frequency. As a starting point, I would like you to find a piece of music or chant that you feel reflects the frequency of one of the aspects of the Goddess to share during our work. It would serve your work with clients to collect pieces of music that you feel are representative of each archetypal frequency so you can “prescribe” various music for people to meditate with that assists them in accessing that aspect etc.
Priest/ess: Partnering the Elements in Co-Creation
A) Find an intention you desire to manifest. Working with the Lunar Chart and the two word descriptions associated with each moon phase, follow the process of how to create and manifest in the Divine Feminine focusing on the part the element plays in the unfoldment of your intention. Journal your results. As you work with each archetype a tangible focus on the element associated with that archetype will serve your awareness as to how the elements can be used to manifest and create. As we go through the 13 Moon wheel, you may wish to commit to memory the five elemental poems for use in ceremonial process as they are pertinent to your work with the Goddess. B) During the course of this work, take time to be in full communion with each element at least once. Be IN a windstorm. Sit with a fire from the beginning flames until the last embers die. Journal your awareness and discoveries about communing with each elemental force.
Priest/ess: Sanctities Sentinel
A). In what way will you demonstrate your commitment to tangibly give back to the Goddess Gaia? To sanctify means to make sacred and holy. In what way will you make sacred your commitment to Gaia so as to sanctify her well being? You might maintain an earth shrine in your yard or commit to picking up garbage on outdoor outings. Or you might support one specific eco- cause such as the whales and dolphins, or global warming etc. Please note what tangible commitment you are willing to make to Gaia for the whole 13 moon cycle. B) Go into nature at least once during the 13 Moons with the clear intention to sit and merge with what Goddess Gaia brings to you as teachings. This may be all the way from a three day vision quest to an afternoon session in nature to apply the skill of the Priest/ess of sanctifying with your love and attention, witnessing in stillness and merging in Oneness. Journal your experience.
Priest/ess: Shakti. The Body as an Oracle.
A) In what way are you tangibly willing to take time to honor your body? What tangible practice will you undertake to assist you in listening to your body? That might happen through dance, self pleasuring, meditation, yoga, swimming etc.. By whatever means, demonstrate your intention to be in better relationship and come into closer communion with the wisdom your body holds. Journal as to what that commitment looks like and what you become aware of through the lens of the body. B) Make a tangible commitment to nurture each others bodies in support of this work. Make note of times that you offered a massage, aromatherapy session..anything supportive of the body being honored and integrated into this process.
Priest/ess: Consecrated Vessel of the Divine
As a priest/ess, to what will you be devoted and consecrated? In this 13 moon cycle, it is important that you come to clarity about a focalizing lens or container for your sacred work. In other words, being a priest/ess is a neutral skill. What you are being asked to do here is define to what your priest/ess skills will be applied. In other words how do you intend to use your priestess skills in the world? For example you may say as an overview that you wish to work with empowering women in their gifts, or assist people in accessing their purpose or their essence and gifts. In the course of the 13 Moons, as you become clear about this visioning statement, journal it and state it to the circle. If you wish to really sink this intention into the subconscious for quick manifestation of a clientele to receive your work, make a visioning collage around your use of the13 Moon material as it applies to your vision of a sacred container for your work. Share this visioning collage with the circle.
