Welcoming the Green Woman
As the Otter Moon approached on 2nd February, the women of White Fire, Kesha, Bhargavi, Rupal, Idil, Beyza and Olivia, were called to create and share a ceremony honouring the feminine spirit.
"We approach Otter’s Moon (February), which is the moon (month) in the cosmology that Bearch the Primal Woman came to the Dream time of Fear the man. Born from the weavings of the trees of the forest and enlivened by the waters of Muc the mother boar, the milk of Bo the mother cow, and the moonlight of Gearlach, she is the primal feminine spirit of innocence, beauty, purity and grace. In current time and in many countries, even our own communities, women do not get to be celebrated or honoured as this ‘divine’ essence. In the cosmological story Bearch ‘enters’ the dream of the man. This is a metaphorical device to say that in many forms and ways, the feminine spirit enters into all things, imparting that essence into the manifestation of that thing; all created things, regardless of implied gender or sentience, contain this feminine spirit."
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Working through Prayer Trance, the women of The White Fire gathered threads to create a ceremony to honour, celebrate and direct this spirit.
The Ritual:
The Green Woman Ritual was to find, honour and celebrate the feminine in all of creation, despite the imposed gender identification of any specified part of creation; i.e. male or female, animate or inanimate, human or non-human. A simple yet powerful ritual, for all to share, partake in and experiment with. And as with all rituals, the experiments take on a Life of their own. Towards Bearch, the Primal Woman, and all she brings with her.
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Follow these directions, in your own way, with open heart and innocent surrender, to yourself and Bearch....
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Opening space, calling in the spirit of Bearch to be present with us in this ritual, acknowledging that we are her daughters.
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Stand tall with dignity, recognising the personal freedom from being the daughters of Bearch, expanding our Being, not pushing ourselves up or pulling ourselves down, just being who we are, pulsating with our life force.
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Create a big red dot on the forehead. The red dot of Bearch as a representation of the womb, in a sense expanding and holding space for creation, while losing herself into the song of Fear. Realising perhaps that the act of losing oneself as you know it, is really an act of creation.
Paint the night forest for 9 days: Bearch born of the night - recognising that when we bring out and share our darker aspects, with honour and without shame, we open our eyes and see clearly, and all wounding and darkness get transformed into starlight, that brightens the forest for all animals and travellers.
Adorn the trees and dress them with colour. Coloured Yarn, flowers, string, a lot of red and yellow; preferably with organic, bio degradable materials so that they can integrate with the trees long after. Celebrating vitality and life. Connecting our inner selves with Mathair Tei, in intimate relationship.
Closing space, by being together, and closing with a simple gesture of bringing our hands together.
