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Hello Dear Friends,
Happy May Day; I’ve just celebrated Beltane with another wonderful Awaken Your Inner Goddess Retreat at the beautiful Goddess Studio. You can go to www.goddess-studio.com to see wonderful photos of the lovely women honoring the Divine Feminine within.
This whole period of time is a juicy one because it is a time to joyfully embrace the fertility of Mother Earth. There is growth and pollination everywhere which will provide us with abundant harvests in the fall. Beltane, which means bright or sacred fire in the Celtic tradition, was celebrated on the eve of May 1st and lasted throughout the next weeks. There would be feasting, dancing, and merriment all the way through May 15th. It was a time when lovers ran off to the woods together to honor the Goddess with ecstatic lovemaking. In the Gaelic traditions of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, Beltane refers to the entire month of May.
At our retreat this year, we honored the roots of the Sacred Feminine of the Pacific Rim. The Polynesian cultures are similar to other Earth Honoring traditions in that they see no difference between nature and humans. The earth, the sky, the sea, and all nature are ours to care for, to cherish and to protect. We are truly part of the whole. That perspective has never been more needed than right now.
Our theme was Aloha: loving yourself through balance, harmony and forgiveness. ALOHA is a way of life. It represents living consciously and manifesting joyously in the present moment. The word Aloha means “the presence” (Alo) of “divine breath” (Ha). Similar to the Sanskrit “Namaste,” it is the acknowledgement “I see the presence of the divine in you.” Hawaiians also have a term, Mana, which refers to the power of the elemental forces of nature that are embodied in a place, object or person. These vitalizing life forces can be used to heal the body and soul in order to fulfill one’s life purpose.
I was so moved by the healing ceremony we shared together last weekend. It was inspired by Ho'oponopono—the Hawaiian tradition of setting things right, promoting balance and a return to harmony. We offered many ways to experience deep self-love. By being willing to forgive ourselves, we renew our inner harmony, releasing whatever is preventing our Mana from flowing. The forgiveness of self is crucial, for where there is love for self, so there is an abundance of love for our partners, families, communities and Mother Earth.
I would be happy to send you the Guided Meditation I wrote for the healing ceremony, just send me an email. Please celebrate this season by loving yourself as well as all those you cherish in your life.
Beltane Blessings, Linda
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