Tewa Prayer

O our Mother the Earth,
O our Father the Sky,

   Your children are we, and with
     tired backs we bring you the
     gifts you love.

Then weave for us a garment of brightness;

   May the warp be the white
     light of morning.
   May the weft be the red light of 
     evening.

May the fringes be the falling rain,

   May the border be the standing
     rainbow.

Thus weave for us a garment of
brightness,

   That we may walk fittingly
     where birds sing.

That we may walk fittingly where
grass is green,

   O our Mother the Earth,
   O our Father the Sky.

     ~ FROM THE TEWA INDIANS
              OF NORTH AMERICA

Ideal Woman Emerging

Adapted from Sacred Space Goddess Circle Blog

Welcome Dear Sister Goddesses, as we connect to the Goddesses who inspire us and to one another. I am the Butterfly Maiden, the Sacred Goddess of Transformation. It is time to bring the divine feminine within us out into the sunlight of the new day. As the Goddess within is being born, we emerge into existence complete and precisely who we are meant to be, our own ultimate woman. We are all ready for these changes. For many it has been a long time coming, for others, it's just a matter of continuing to put one foot in front of the other. Step by step we have been creating transformation, silently, in the womb of our extraordinary cave. A lot has been transpiring. And this year, many of us will come into our own. Sister Goddesses, as women we have a special ability to embody this love and light for the renewal of divine life both within us and around us. May we share the love, grace and energies that anchor us here on Earth! We are creating the "ideal" woman. The really amazing thing is that we are not creating someone else's ideal woman, but our own. She is your gloriously individual creation and she is the embodiment of the Goddess.

So this is not a creation to please others, but an expression of each of our own souls through the power of self love and the desire to show the world our true beauty. In this endeavor, we capture the true essence of what it is to be a woman, a Goddess, a radiant, nurturing, strong and powerful force of nature and the divine. I am the Butterfly Maiden. I bring transformation and freedom. The freedom to be who we are, and most of all, the freedom to make mistakes, take risks, go for it and evolve into something entirely new...maybe a way of being that we've never known before. Women, take a glimpse of the staggering beauty that lies dormant within and the depth and breadth of our abilities to feel and express love. We flex our wings and as they unfurl, we take flight! May our journey with the Goddesses be blessed, as we transform together.

Adapted from post originated by Weaves the Web at http://sacredgoddesses.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html on February 11, 2008,
in association with http://www.sacredspaceflorida.com/.

The Labyrinth Crest

Lavender, Thyme, Rosemary – the waft in the air stirs the glee of the Goddess,
As the spiral stride of the maiden daughter prances amongst the moonlit labyrinth.

The fresh visage of the darkest hours of firmament make known
The secret meadow where grapevines are rooted: Bare feet; bare soul –

My intent delights in the union of Grace and Opportunity,
As Harmony and Serenity abound in the womb of the Mother.

The spirited laughter of children dancing and skipping along the path attests.
The Goddess Mother sings in joyful abandon: Bear out, bear witness –

The silence of the exposed land, now dressed in elegant terrain speaks,
As the Mother calls the babe to her breast in streams of love to nurture the spirit.

The winds of change, the fire of hope, the waters of enchantment,

Join the fertile ground in harmony with the Spirit of Life:

Bare open to the elements; bare open to love –

-- Marlene Terrazas

Make Me Strong in Spirit

Make me strong in spirit,
Courageous in action,
Gentle of heart,

Let me act in wisdom,
Conquer my fear and doubt,
Discover my own hidden gifts,

Meet others with compassion,
Be a source of healing energies,

And face each day with hope and joy.

-- Abby Willowroot

Spirit of Life - Fuente de Amore

Spirit of Life

Spirit of Life, come unto me.
Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion.
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea;
Move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.
Roots hold me close; wings set me free;
Spirit of Life, come to me, come to me.

Words and Music: Carolyn McDade, ©1981

Fuente de Amore

Fuente de Amor, ven hacia mi.
Y’al Corazon, canta le tu compasion.
Sopla al volar, sube en el mar,
Hasta molde ar la justicia del a vida.
Arraigame, liberame,
Fuente de Amore, ven a mi, ven a mi.

Version en Espanol: Ervin Barrios, ©1999


Rockford Unitarian Church Interfaith Replica of Rehnberg Memorial Window

My Heritage

I was born in the USA - Greeley, Colorado - Resident of California since 1983. My mom’s family was in southern Colorado since it was Spanish territory. On my dad’s side, I am third generation from Chihuahua, Mexico; One eighth Native American - Dineh - My great grandmother, was born on the Taos Pueblo Reservation in Taos, New Mexico. Here is a poem my dad shared with me (author unknown):

Christians by the grace of God;

Gentleman thanks to our Spanish decent;
Noble lords from our Indian ancestry;
And, Americans by destiny.
Thus, we are the Mexican-Americans.

To the Four Directions

Spirit of the East, spirit of air,
of morning and springtime:
Be with us as the sun rises,
in times of beginning,
times of planting.
Inspire us with the fresh breath of courage
as we go forth into new adventures.

Spirit of the South, spirit of fire,
of noontime and summer:
Be with us through the heat of the day
and help us to be ever growing.
Warm us with strength
and energy for the work that awaits us.

Spirit of the West, spirit of water
of evening and autumn:
Be with us as the sun sets
and help us to enjoy a rich harvest.
Flow through us with a cooling,
healing quietness and bring us peace.

Spirit of the North, spirit of earth
of nighttime and winter:
Be with us in the darkness,
in the time of gestation.
Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons
as we celebrate the spiraling journey of our lives.

--Dr. Joan W. Goodwin, religious educator and historian (1926-2006)