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Feel free to use this as you will. If you do not have a copy of the original books, I suggest that you obtain them before trying to use this outline. The page numbers and exercises referred to will make no sense unless you have the basic book and workbooks.
Cakes for the Queen of Heaven is a thirteen-session seminar exploring the history and meaning of the Goddess in early cultures and in our lives today. Images, mythology and creative exercises about the divine feminine help each participant define her or his own theology. Cakes seeks to help participants reclaim the feminine in divinity.
Cakes for the Queen of Heaven was created for those who are interested in exploring women's religious history. Major sections of this workshop include:
* Why Women Need the Goddess
* Seeking Female Presence in Judaism and Christianity
* Contemporary Feminist Spirituality
Each meeting will have both Opening and Closing Ceremonies. After the first meeting, we will be looking for volunteers to lead these Ceremonies, as well as others to be involved with them. Please let us know if there is a particular topic that make you feel like you want to be involved with these Ceremonies.
We will pass around a candle at the beginning of the meeting, giving each person a chance to respond to a certain sentence or idea.
Facilitated by Dick Merritt and Gryphon Rosemead
Tuesdays, January – March 2002
Held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Hillsborough.
Class #1 – January 8, 2002 – Introduction/Overview
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Introductions
3. Explain "Candle" - After opening we will start each session by passing the candle and each respond to the prompt of the day. Of course, any participant may pass if (s)he wishes. This will be sort of like a check in. Candle: “I am ___, daughter of…”
4. Read quote from Jeremiah about Cakes
5. Handout: overview, course outline
* Break *
6. As a group, we come up with ground rules
8. Draw an illustration of and share where you are in your spiritual odyssey.
One of the leaders briefly describes her/his spiritual journey to give participants the idea.
Each participant is given a large sheet of paper and access to markers and crayons.
They are asked to reflect on significant events and changes in their spiritual journey, their religious history.
Draw a graphical representation of that journey on the paper. It might be a time line, a map, or a collection of symbols.
The graphic will be described to the group.
Each participant is given a few moments to describe their graphic and tell their story. If the group is large, consider splitting up into smaller groups.
Post the graphics on the wall.
9. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Volunteer to read from Chalice and Blade
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 2nd meeting
Class #2 – January 15, 2002 – Reclaiming Parent/Child Relationships.
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Genesis/Lady of the Mammoths myth
3. Candle: “What I remember most about my relationship with my Mother is ___ “
4. Gender based parent/child
5. Read Demeter/Persephone myth and discuss
6. Dyads discussion/share (#3, p.26)
7. Break
8. Reading: The Chalice and the Blade
9. Positive/negative Mom/child aspects on paper (#4, p.26)
10. Meditation (#5, p. 26)
11. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 3rd meeting
Class #3 – January 22 -- Reclaiming our Bleeding
-- Feminine hygiene products on altar
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “When I started bleeding or when I became aware of other’s bleeding”
3. Tammie’s calls to the Goddesses (from Blood WS)
4. Brainstorm bleeding synonyms
5. Biology of menstruation
6. Break
7. History
8. Etc.
9. Read poem, “First Menstruation”
10. Closing Ceremony
For next meeting:
* Homework: collages of ads emphasizing body image: clothes, cosmetics, etc.
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 4th meeting
Class #4 – January 29 – Reclaiming our Bodies
-- Bring in many different images of the female divine, photos, statues, drawings, paintings of different types of women
-- Sheela-na-gig
(2 things I can’t read from my notes: history –weightier female, rubinesque and draw adeuce…?)
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “What I like best about my body is ___.”
3. Opening from Tamia’s and Dick’s Midsummer Ritual
4. Discussion: changes from child to adult, write questions on flip chart, break into groups
5. Present homework collages
6. Video, women’s breasts, during break
* Break *
7. Share altar items
6. Guided meditation (p. 18, see yourself in mirror), write words on flip chart
8. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 5th meeting
Class #5 – February 5 – Reclaiming our Power as Women
-- Men need to recognize that it is right and just for women to reclaim power.
-- Bookmarks: moving day, not a slave
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “I feel powerful when __.” (when lighting, read p. 29)
3. Brainstorm, #5, pg 32 (Dick is Vanna)
4. Have different people read about power
5. Discuss power over, power within and power with.
6. Consensus speal
7. Archetypes “Goddess in Every Woman”
* Break *
8. Share altar items
9. Prose about women in power – reverse stereotype, p. 43 (Dick write thoughts on flip
10. Reclaiming – Ch. 1, p. 11, Dreaming the dark, feminine inclusive, not exclusive.
11. Here and now wheel (#4, p. 31)
12. Empowering ourselves and each other. Chant to each women in turn (replacing her name for “friend”):
“Friend, you are beautiful,
Friend, you are strong,
Wonderful to be with,
Carry us along.
Friend, hear our loving song.”
13. Draw names for the rest of the Opening and Closing Rituals.
14. Closing Ceremony
For next meeting:
* Bring any specific spiritual/Goddess statues or jewelry
* Ask Amy to bring in some air drying clay
* Volunteers to read theories shift from Goddess to God, need 4 readers (p. 34, 35 and Book of Shadows
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 6th meeting
Class #6 – February 12 – Shift from Goddess to God
1. Opening Ceremony
2. For lighting of center candle, reader recites bonsai poem
3. Candle: “When I was young, God looked like ___”
4. Dick & Gryph read paragraphs p. 37 (not numbered paragraphs), beginning with Dick, to top of p. 39 (I have this on cards, ready to go) as an intro
5. Video: “Rachel and the Teraphim”
6. Dick & Gryph read p. 34 as an intro to the other readings.
7. Readings of how/why shift happened: p. 34-35 + from “Book of Shadows”
8. Discussion
* Break *
9. Participants explain what items they brought in
10. Clay activity—something about who you are, p. 36, play Libana “Circle is Cast”
11. Relaxation, reading of the Star Goddess
12. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Remind person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 7th meeting
Class #7. February 19 - Reclaiming the Female Presence in Judaism
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “I believe the most positive thing about Judeo-Christianity is ___.”
3. Reading – from p. 12 (I will copy, put on card)
4. Video: -- “Jewish Mother”
5. Ex. #1, p. 44 (draw, while being read to about masculine religions)
* Break *
6. Feedback about how classes are going, what we want to change, etc.
7. Ex. # 3, p. 46 (your understanding of “God”, is it changing)
8. Ex. # 4, p. 47 (new deity, new religion), intro by reading p. 3-4 “Changing of the Gods”
9. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* 5 Volunteers to read “Job’s wife”
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 8th meeting
Class # 8. February 26 - Discovering the Voices of Women in Judaism
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “The part of the bible that had the most effect on me was ___”
3. Reading: “Job’s wife”
4. Video: “Rebecca the Jewish Woman”
* Break *
5. Read p. 48, Sarah
6. Ex. # 2, p. 53 (create poem, etc. for Sarah)
7. Discussion: #3, p. 54 (save bible or abandon it)
8. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Bring in any representations of Mary
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 9th meeting
Class #9. March 5 – Mary
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Read poems
2. Candle: “Mary always seemed ___ to me.”
3. Play “Mary did you know…”
4. Reading, p. 61-62, Dick and Gryph
4. Ex. 1, p. 63 (Mary/Goddess, good or bad for women; flip chart:
1) cult Mary/similarities to ancient Goddess
2) have questions for small group
3) chart for positive/negative aspects)
5. Video: “When we could worship Mary”
* Break *
6. Explain altar items
7. Ex. 3, p. 64 (descriptive words/labels, Dick, Gryph read, pass out paper)
8. Ex. 4, p. 64 (reader: p. 64, feedback about Miller’s label comments)
9. Reflection time—participants talk about the seminar, what has worked and what has not.
10. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* 2 Volunteers to read “Child went forth”
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 10th meeting
10. March 12 - Gnostic Christians/Kindred Spirits
*** Gryphon will not be there***
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: "I include _________ in my ethnic/religious heritage."
3. Reading: “Child went forth”
4. Ex. #1, p. 58 (retain/reject beliefs from past)
5. Ex. #2, p. 58 (discussion about Gnostic Christians)
* Break *
6. Discussion about Creation Spirituality
7. Ex. #3, p. 59 (cakes and ale)
8. Read “It matters what we believe” as call and response
9. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 11th meeting
11. March 19 - Other Cultures - Native American, African, African Diaspora, Asian, Islam
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: "I include _________ in my ethnic/religious heritage."
3. Poems from “Earth Prayers”
4. Spirituality only for those of direct descent vs. available for all.
5. Video: “Occult Experiences” the Shaman part
Break
6. Describe altar items
7. Create our “group path” on paper together
8. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 12th meeting
12. March 26 - Traditional Witchcraft
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “When I think of Witchcraft, I think of ___.”
3. Ex. # 1, p. 69, Dick & Gryph trade off reading, people draw
4. Ex. # 2, readings (I’ll have these on cards for volunteers), then break into small groups to discuss
5. Break
6. Describe altar items
7. Ex. # 3, p.70, Pentagram Meditation (trade off reading)
8. Readings, p. 73 (I’ll have these on cards)
9. Pass cup and put your own energy into it and repeat “Isis of the thousand breasts” chant, then pass around a second time and say “I drink of my Sisters and Brothers and visualize ___ for myself.”
10. Closing Ceremony
For next time:
* Person in charge of and volunteers for Opening and Closing for 13th meeting
13. April 2 - The Future - modern neo-Paganism
1. Opening Ceremony
2. Candle: “I see my past as ___, I see my present as ____ and my
future is ___.”
3. Ex #1, p. 76, Gryph reads, Dick is Vanna
4. Break
5. Two activities at once. Ex # 3a, kind of… we can divide the long
strip into past, present and future, then mark a long ambling path on
it; the participants can glue on pictures and draw in any place they
want to, so all of our thoughts are all mixed in together (I still have
paper we did not use a few classes ago and I have magazines) and
6. A variation of Ex #3b, p. 76. I will bring in long strips of cloth,
enough for each person. Each will write their name on the cloth and all
others will write wishes for that person on the cloth. These are prayer
cloths and will be tied to a high place at the person’s home where they
can see it frequently and so the wind can take the prayers up to the
Gods.
7. Course evaluation (I have the evaluation I found in my copy of Cakes
that I can make copies of)
8. Closing Ceremony
* How to form an ongoing Pagan group
