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The Goddess Path Issue #036
Winged Words
January, 2006
This Issue: Table of Contents
1. Goddesses of Mirth and
the Humor of Women
2. Iambe and Baubo
3. A Sassy Little Book
4. Winged Words
~The Goddess Quotes Competition~
5. Goddess Art Exhibit
Goddesses of Mirth and Humor
The war and the deadline for figuring out my business taxes, combined with the bleak dreary days we've
been having (and a timely inquiry from a subscriber who asks 'Is there a Greek
goddess of mirth?') led us to select this theme for this month's newsletter: The Humor
of Women.
Often when life turns stressful and bleak, it is the gifts of laughter and
lightness that sustain and heal us.
Who does not know by now that laughter has considerable medicinal value,
increasing circulation, improving immunity, and, of course, lightening "the
blues"?
When we think of humor in association with the goddesses three names
spring to mind.
The Greek goddess
Thalia, one of the nine
Muses (daughters of Zeus and
the Titan goddess
Mnemosyne who were in charge of "inspiring" others.) Each Muse
had her own area of specialization. Thalia was the goddess of comedy, assigned to bring
merriment into the world.
Then there was Uzume (the Goddess of Laughter, Dance, and Drumming) whose
merriment, lusty dancing, and insistent drumming rescued Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess and divine ancestor of the Japanese imperial
family. Visit the website and read about
Uzume
and Amaterasu.
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Iambe |
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And who could possibly forget
Baubo, the aging maidservant who "mooned"
Demeter
and cured her deep depression, thus restoring the fertility of the earth?
In earlier times Baubo was actually a
goddess herself and her name was
Iambe (more about her later). Alas, Iambe's legends disappeared
under the feet of the emerging patriarchy, but one gift of
this goddess, the rhythm of her satiric poetry (iambic
pentameter), continues to thrive. |
Musings on the Humor of Women. Click
here to enjoy some examples of
women's humor. Caution: There is a lot
there, and it might be possible to overdose!
The Goddess Guide
to Chakra Vitality, by Anita Ryan
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This month's delightful read is a 'little book'
about the goddess and the chakras, those energy
centers we all have that influence our vitality
and sense of joy.
It's full of
information, inspiration, and plenty of
practical tips and tools to rev up the energy
centers and give you a gorgeous goddess glow.
What's more, it's light-spirited and just
plain fun!
Those of you who belong to the
Inner Goddess Discussion Group know the author Anita as
"The Aussie Goddess". Personally, I tend to
think of her as "The Sassy Goddess" for she is
always bright, fun, and...well, a bit on the
sassy side. |
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For example, one of the tools provided helps you
identify the goddess who can help with your
throat chakra, the energy center related to
communication and creative eloquence that can
you 'find your voice'. The guide then directs
you to a message from one of the goddesses who
will help you speak your truth. Here's an
excerpt from the book about one of those
goddesses:
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Iambe |
Play With Words |
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In
Greek stories, Iambe was a wild
goddess of sacred sexuality who used
poetry and witty comebacks to
entertain those around her.
Her
modern energy: Through
creativity, humor and sexual
liberty, playful Iambe is free to be
true to her self. She relishes
laughter and merriment to connect to
her source of feminine energy. It's
too bad for anyone who locks
laughter away. They've got some work
to do, because it's only in the
release of sadness or fear that
female sexuality and joy is
restored.
Shakespeare recognized her creative
genius and emulated her style -- her
iambic pentameter verse -- in his
plays. As both Shakespeare and Iambe
knew well, it is easy to get swept
away with such a seductive rhythm,
so it's no wonder it has survived to
this day.
Do this: Rock in time to an
iambic pentameter beat, feel the
connection to the earth's rhythm as
you rock to and fro, and become
lighter and lighter in your
outlook.
Remember to laugh. Always remember
to laugh. |
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Winged Words
Last month we
asked you to start thinking of your favorite quotations to
submit for our annual goddess contest.
Your
challenge, should you accept it, is to:
Provide us with a quote, the author of the quote, and the
name of a goddess that might very well said such a thing.
The Deadline is
February 15 and, of course, there are lots of goddess
goodies as prizes for ten winners. You can use
this link to submit your entry:
Inner Goddess Quotation CompetitionBe sure to check
out the entries of the competition while you're there.
You Are
Invited . . .
To see:
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'A World of
Goddesses'
the sculptures of Bernette Rudolph
at the
PLEIADES GALLERY,
530 West 25th Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York
Jan 31 - Feb 18, 2006
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Athena |
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Tara |
Opening Receptions:
Thursday, February 2 (5-8pm) and Saturday,
February 4 (3-6 pm). |
| If you're in New York, be sure to take a peek! Get additional information (and directions) by sending an email to the artist at
bernette@earthlink.net
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Progress Report:
Here's a link for those of you who like to read
our monthly
progress report in full.
Keep Your Eyes Open . . .
For a mid-month mailing to those of you who
signed up for the Inner Goddess Special Offers Alert. It will contain a brief announcement from The Goddess Network about a new book and lots of free gifts for the women's spirituality and goddess community!
So if you want me to
notify you about special events such as these you need to
sign up for that alert with us by clicking here to join the
Inner Goddess Special
Offers newsgroup.
Till
next month, remember to . . .
Enjoy life, celebrate womanhood, and
be of good humor.
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