Mother's
Day, 2000
Arise, then,
women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be
that of water or of fears!
Say
firmly: "We
will not have great questions decided by irrelevant
agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with
carnage, for caresses and
applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that
we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and
patience.
We
women of one country will be too tender of those of
another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure
theirs. From
the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with
our own. It says "Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is
not the balance of justice."
Blood
does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate
possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the
anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that
may be left of home for a great and earnest day of
counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and
commemorate the dead.
Let
them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the
means whereby the great human family can live in peace,
each bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not
of Caesar, but of God.
In the
name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a
general congress of women without limit of nationality
may be appointed and held at some place deemed most
convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its
objects, to promote the alliance of the different
nationalities, the amicable settlement of international
questions, the great and general interests of
peace.
by
Julia Ward Howe to establish Mother's Day. Boston
1870
How about
a million mom march for BOMB CONTROL?
Readers
respond
Dear sisters,
Menstrual Monday was
WONDERFULL!!!
A group of us , Maidens, Mothers
and Crones, were downtown in our little community
(Sebastopol of Northern California) reading poetry,
singing, dancing, splashing in the fountain, all dressed
in shades of Red, making sand and chalk drawings on the
side walk (for which a cop came to tell us it was illegal
but let us off the hook if we promised to clean it all up
once we're done, which we did...).
We had a big old white sheet with
the words CELEBRATE MENSTRUAL MONDAY smeared on it in red
paint, hanging from a tree at the edge of the plaza,
visible by all the cars who drove by and all the shoppers
from the center across the street.
We had 4 beautiful red altars at
each of the directions, honoring the Maidens,
Amazone-Artists, Mothers and Crones, with Goddess images,
flowers, candles and various artifacts. There was also a
space with various books about menstruation and women's
power that people could look through and learn from.
The high light was when all of us
roudy women of all ages stood by the road, holding
placards that read HONK IF YOU HAVE YOUR PERIOD! people
were honking and cheering, women (of course), men &
senior citizens too(!!!)
It was such an uplifting,
empowering and celebratory day!!! we were there for many
hours and I know in my being that the seeds we have
planted (together with women all over the world) - have
started a shift in consciousness that can not be
reversed!
Here is a big THANK YOU to:
Geneva Kachman, Molly Strange,JanisHunter-Paulk and
Mareyl Backstrom - the 4 women who intiated Menstrual
Monday this year as an Annual, International Celebration!
I know this will become a tradition in our
town!!!
Many blessings, DeAnna
WOW!! I am so thrilled I found
you. I am a 42 yr. old feminist witch,mother of 4,
voice-teacher, supply-teacher, Unitarian Church choir
director and all around crazy woman. The work you've done
in "The Altar" is absolutely stunning! It puts elequently
into words what I so fervently believe. It makes me feel
hope for this world! THANKS!!! Bright Blessings to you
all and I'll spread the good word.
Clarity-Jane
Dear Awakened
Woman Editors:
I've really
enjoyed reading the poetry and prose on your site. I
particularly admire Kristen O'Connor's meditation,
"Burning Ships." It is honest and compassionate, but also
very timely (at least for me).
I'd like to
submit a poem of my own for your consideration. Many of
my poems are inspired by nature and, I feel, empowering
for women.
Regards,
Jacqueline
Doole
Hi
Stephanie:
Congratulations -
The Awakened Woman is awesome!!!! The articles are really
excellent and the whole concept is wonderful. Hope it
attracts many, many, many readers - you're saying what
needs to be said. Brava!!! Many good wishes for a great
success!
Bright Equinox
Blessings,
Sandra
[Stanton]
Dear
Diane,
Love your new
zine! Especially liked the combination of spirit and
politics; I think that's especially needed in today's
world. I enjoyed the whole issue, especially the
interview with Starhawk, who I have yet to
meet.
Will try to get a
review of your zine in an upcoming issue...
Goddess-luck on
your fabulous new venture!
Blessed
Be,
Anne Newkirk
Niven
Editor,
SageWoman
AWe,
Congradulations!
Loving the mag and turning my
friends on to your publication. Am honored you liked and
used the partial words to my song, Power of a Woman. Glad
for the informative articles and vision you hold forth.
Particularly appreciative of the Helen Caldicott material
at this time. It just feels great that you're creating
such a deep forum on-line. Would love to offer you some
astrological perspectives when time permits!
Many good wishes on this good
road,
Coral Cadman
I have no idea
how I ended up on this web site - I am an organic farmer
and it is snowing outside and both my brain and hands are
frozen.. So Icome in to thaw out by the fire and the next
thing I know I am reading about you tromping off to see
Starhawk in search of a revolution only to get a dose of
Sonoma county permaculture instead.. That was the first
real good heartwarming laugh I have had in days - my
hands are now warm. Thank you.
I'm now your
number one fan in Quebec, bravo on the e-zine or what
ever one calls these things. Hey do you have a book I
should go out and buy? If not then I look forward to the
day. I can't wait for the December issue - by that time
I'll be frozen solid and in desprate need of another
heartwarming chuckle. Be well.
Merci, Jane Mac
Leod
Women's
Equality Day August 26
On July 13, 1848, five women met
for tea in upstate New York. Having commiserated about
the lot of women in American society, they did something
brash and wonderful. . . they sent off a notice to the
local newspaper announcing "a convention to discuss the
social, civil, and religious conditions and rights of
woman" to be held just six days later in Seneca
Falls.
The Women's Rights Movement was
born!
Perhaps inspired by the
sovereignty of Iroquois women, convention participants
drafted a Declaration of Sentiments which began: "We hold
these truths to be self-evident, That all men and women
are created equal. . ." One of the resolutions called for
universal women's suffrage. One hundred womenand men from
all walks of life signed that Declaration. Only
one,nineteen-year-old Charlotte Woodward, lived to see
women win the vote.
On August 26, 1920, after a
72-year struggle, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution
of the U.S. was finally ratified, granting women the
right tovote nationwide.
President Carter designated
August 26 as Women's Equality Day, as a reminder of
women's continuing efforts for equality
from
Gerri Gribi's Homepage
An
Offering
I offer the following with
love. I hope you can find a place for it in your
magazine.
Blessings, Jo Pettit
Violetfair@aol.com
Crone
I am the Goddess Hecate,
Crone Goddess of Wisdom and Death.
I live within you.
When you listen to that small, clear voice,
you are Wise, you are Crone.
Blood ceases, Wisdom grows.
Compassion is an expression of
Wisdom,
although it's not always
nice.
This is not a time for womyn to be nice!
Womyn have been nice, quiet and
afraid, for thousands of years and
look what it's gotten us!
The world is in a desperate
state.
Patriarchy is killing our precious Mother and, with
Her,
-- our Selves!
our Children, our Beauty, our Love.
It's time to take back our
Power
and claim it as our Own!
It's time to speak our Truth!
(It's time for you to speak Your Truth!)
Quit pussy-footing around
and change things - NOW!
Nice little girls seldom
make
anything happen
But irascible old Hags
can really shake things up!
So, embrace me, open to
me.
Re-member your Selves by
remembering Me!
I am Hecate - the
Crone,
the Hag, the Keeper of
the
Crossroads.
I am You!
July
Fourth Liberation Poem
We make love
for the women who can't
who won't
the women who don't.