Greetings from the Sisterhood!
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Remembering ~ Reclaiming ~ Renewing
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Image Credit: Carmona Rodriguez via Creative Commons.
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Moon 4
– Moon of Germination
Card Cycle
–
Thirteen Moons of Avalon
Goddess
–
Ceridwen
Moon
–
First Full Moon when Sun is in Aquarius; Full Moon in Leo
Herb
–
Vervain (
Verbena officinalis
).
Affirmation
–
I am reborn with each breath, and transformed with each choice to live from my sacred center and not from the fears which only limit me. I embrace the limitless potential of all that I am and all that I can become.
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Excerpted with permission from from
The Avalonian Oracle: Spiritual Wisdom from the Holy Isle
by Jhenah Telyndru, Illustrated by Emily Brunner. Available on Amazon
here
.
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Total Lunar Eclipse
January 21, 2019
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Moon 14
– The Moon of Cycle
Goddess
–
Arianrhod
Moon
–
Total Lunar Eclipse
Herb
–
Queen Anne's Lace (
Daucus carota
).
Affirmation
–
I recognize the wisdom of the Universe in action within me and around me, and I strive to allow it to work through me. I am part of a greater Whole, and seek to understand my place in the cosmic pattern. I trust the tides of my own becoming, and surrender myself to the natural cycle of my spiritual transformation.
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If you feel called, we would like to encourage you to be a part of the Sister Spotlight. Please
email me
if you would like to be interviewed for Sister Spotlight or would like to nominate someone.
Blessings!
Alena
Marketing Trustee
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What drew you to join the Sisterhood?
Avalon called me for a long time, beginning in my adolescence. For about ten years, I haunted the SOA website, printing the application and reading the materials and
Avalon Within
. Time and again, I was pulled back to possibility of Avalon. I was looking for connectedness, sisterhood, understanding, spirituality, and I found it in the SOA.
After joining, what was your first impression of the SOA?
I actually attended the Seeking Avalon Within intensive before officially joining the SOA and was struck by how at home I felt even with a group of women I had never met. I was initially nervous, but I was welcomed and valued and accepted from the very beginning. Joining the SOA was a homecoming.
What surprised you the most about the SOA?
I was surprised by the depth of the SOA. The tradition is incredibly rich and complex with a solid scholastic foundation, a vast array of learning opportunities, and a profound connection with the divine. These qualities of the organization allow every sister to follow her own path to the Holy Isle and to take up her own mantle of sovereignty in her own way at her own pace.
What positions do you hold or have held in the SOA? (ie. Hearth Mother, board trustee, etc.)
I currently serve as the President of the Board of Trustees and previously served the Board as the Marketing Trustee. I also serve as the Co-Chair of the Ninefold Festival Committee which I have been a member of since the inception of the festival.
Do you volunteer in any (other) capacity?
My role as Board President and Ninefold Co-Chair are both pretty big jobs, so those positions are my focus and priority at this time.
What SOA activities have you completed? (ie. Intensives, Quests, Pilgrimage...)
Over the years, I’ve completed all four of the intensives which were each incredible learning and connecting opportunities. I’ve also worked through the Gold Ray Quest and attended Pilgrimage to Glastonbury in 2017 which left me with a beautiful sense of homecoming and contentment.
What do you do for work (outside of the SOA)?
I’m a high school AP English Language & Composition teacher and I absolutely love my job! I’ve been in the classroom for sixteen years and adore my students, my department, my school, and my district. I also serve as the Campus Mentor Coordinator, working with first year teachers and teachers new to our campus, and as English I team leader. In addition, I coach academic UIL for spelling and vocabulary, ready writing, and literary criticism and sponsor the Gay-Straight Alliance club.
(I wasn’t kidding when I said I love my job!)
What hobbies do you have?
Outside of SOA, I’m in my last year of graduate school, pursuing a Masters in Education in Teacher Leadership which will aid me in teacher mentoring and coaching. I also am an avid reader and Instagrammer.
What would you tell someone who is looking into joining the SOA?
For those looking at joining the SOA, I would encourage them to spend time reviewing the Core Beliefs and
Avalon Within
by our Morgen, Jhenah Telyndru. Spend time going through some of the journey work outlined in
Avalon Within
, connecting with the Holy Isle and the Ladies of Avalon. Another great way to explore if the SOA is right for you is to connect in person at Open Tea events, Ninefold Festival, conventions, or other SOA event if you’re able to do so.
How would your best friend describe you?
I was at a loss in answering this, so I texted my best friend and she said: “funny, intelligent, passionate, hard-working (to the point of self-sacrifice), driven, well-read, beautiful, caring, and an absolute blast to spend time with.” I’m honored by this description!
How has the SOA changed your life? OR What part of the SOA has been most influential in your life?
The SOA has completed my life. Since joining, I have strengthened my connection to the divine, I have made friendships that will last the rest of my life, and I have been given opportunities to practice service to self, to sister, and to Goddess. I am eternally grateful to this transformative, affirming, phenomenal tradition.
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2019 Pilgrimage to Wales
There are a still a few spots available for the 2019
Priestess and Healer
Pilgrimage to Wales (August 16 - 22, 2019). This pilgrimage has the additional option for the Anglesey Intensive hosted by Kristoffer Hughes and the Anglesey Druid Order (August 22 - 25, 2019).
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Facilitated by Jhenah Telyndru
Morgen and founder
of the Sisterhood of Avalon
The Sisterhood of Avalon has been presenting our powerful, immersive Avalonian Training Intensives in North America and Great Britain since 1998. These four-day residential Intensives provide women with the opportunity to learn Avalonian ritual, techniques, tools, and philosophy in an experiential and supportive environment. Come to connect with the Goddesses of Avalon, immerse yourself in the transformational spiritual traditions of the Celtic Britons, and learn how to heal and empower yourself as you align with the Cycles of the Universe.
2019 Intensives Calendar
Seeking Avalon Within
May 16-18 – Colorado
Goddess Immersion – Blodeuwedd
June 6-9 – New York
Realm of Sky
July 11-14 – New York
Seeking Avalon Within
October 3-6 – Ontario, CA
The intensives run from Thursday evening through to Sunday noon. Time will be spent both in experiential workshops and in quiet devotion and inner work. You will return home with tools for self-exploration and for connection to the Goddess within you. Seeking Avalon Within is the foundational intensive and is open to all women. The requirements for other intensives are as follows:
- Goddess Immersions – Seeking Avalon Within prerequisite and SOA Membership required
- Realm of Sea or Land – Seeking Avalon Within prerequisite and SOA Membership required
- Realm of Sky – Application Only; Seeking Avalon Within, Realm of Land, and Realm of Sea are prerequisites and SOA Membership required.
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Caitlin Matthews is a writer, singer and teacher whose ground-breaking work has introduced many to the riches of our western spiritual heritage. She is acknowledged as a world authority on Celtic Wisdom, the Western Mysteries and the ancestral traditions of Britain and Europe. She is the author of over 70 books including
Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom
, a study of Divine Feminine in Gnostic, Jewish and Christian thought. Her
Lost Book of the Grail
is a new translation by Gareth Knight and herself of the
Elucidation
, a 13th century text: this study by Caitlín & John, opens up a mythic landscape where Holy Grail and Faery Grail meet.
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Jhenah Telyndru is a priestess, author, and educator. The founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon, Jhenah teaches four day retreat experiences around North America and the UK, and facilitates pilgrimages to sacred sites in the British Isles and Ireland with Mythic Seeker Tours. She is a frequent presenter and guest speaker at academic conferences, religious symposia, Women’s Spirituality gatherings, and Pagan festivals. Co-facilitator of Ithaca Red Tent, and co-coordinator of local World Goddess Day events, Jhenah also teaches workshops on writing, tarot, Celtic Paganism, and the Divine Feminine in Ithaca, New York. A priestess in the Avalonian Tradition, Jhenah has been dedicated to the work of Avalon for almost 30 years, and has been active in the Goddess Spirituality movement since 1986.
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Our Friday evening performance will be none other than the fabulous
Jenna Greene
. “The Greene Lady”, is a weaver of musical myth and magic. With a voice that is both ethereal and soulful, she sings of ancient lore, finding wonder and following dreams. She beautifully interlaces her Celtic and World Folk influences to create a presentation of haunting ballads, drum-driven dance tunes, lilting harp and mythic story. Jenna is celebrating the release of her fifth album, “Wings,” songs of hope and transformation. She is currently working on a book entitled
Wild Faerie Soul,
based on her series of mythology-meets-positive-psychology workshops.
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Published by the Sisterhood of Avalon since 1996,
Tor Stone
is an online journal charting the female path of personal growth and empowerment through the mysteries of Avalon and the guidance of the Goddess. The Tor Stone is a publication for and by the woman who wishes to share her creative and spiritual journey. Please join us there!
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Recent Offering
"I hear her as she calls to me.
..."
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Write for the Tor Stone!
We will be coming out with our Integration issue soon! The Integration issue will include highlights from past years, including the printed version of The Tor Stone that is no longer in publication. If you have a favorite past issue, please send suggestions of articles to include in the Integration issue to
editor@torstone.org
.
The Tor Stone continuously accepts submissions for articles, stories, poetry, recipes, guided meditations, creative fiction, chants, artwork, photography and more.
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SOA Goodies!
Not only has The Sisterhood of Avalon re-launched of our Cafe Press store, we also have offerings available at our new CowCow store! From t-shirts & scarves to mugs & notebooks to pillows & totes, every purchase made benefits the SOA. Support the Sisterhood of Avalon today!
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Sister Events
Open Teas, Learning Circles, & Hearth Gatherings
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By Jhenah Telyndru
Illustrated by Emily Brunner
Schiffer Publishing, 2016
ISBN: 0764350587
46 card deck, with 128 page companion book.
The
Avalonian Oracle
is a pictorial encapsulation of the fundamental elements of the Avalonian Tradition, a modern day reconstruction of the path of the Celtic Priestess. Drawing upon Welsh Mythos, British Legend, and the Mysteries of the ancient Celtic Druids, the Avalonian Tradition is a contemporary spiritual path of inner transformation and personal sovereignty.
The Avalonian Oracle operates on multiple levels:
- It is a divinatory tool that provides insight and guidance on the inner journey to the Self, the Goddess, and to the very shores of the Holy Island of Avalon.
- It presents a transformational symbol set that will stimulate and energize hidden pathways, open doorways into the psyche, and help the seeker access the realms of the Otherworld.
- It is a teaching tool to assist the seeker in connecting with the spiritual and philosophical principles of the Avalonian Tradition.
The Avalonian Oracle is comprised of seven card divisions representing different phases of the spiritual journey, and echoing the seven circuits of the walkable, three-dimensional labyrinth carved into the slopes of Glastonbury Tor. Glastonbury, in southern England, holds powerful associations with the Island of Avalon, and the Tor is a sacred hill which may have been a ritual center in times past. Like the undulations of the labyrinth, the seven Cycles of the deck integrate seamlessly with each other to form a cohesive whole.
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Rhiannon: Divine Queen of the Celtic Britons
Now Available!
By Jhenah Telyndru
Moon Books, April 2018
ISBN 9781785354687
To truly know Rhiannon, we must excavate the layers of her myth, decode the meaning of her symbols, and seek to restore the significance of her very name. Although she has a mythology around her, and has many modern-day devotees, nowhere in ancient lore has she been identified as a Goddess. We have no known cult centers or devotional altars dedicated to Rhiannon. How then do we approach this revered Lady? How can we best know her as Goddess? We need but call to her, and ask for what we need. Be it her bag of plenty, the soul-healing song of her birds, or the empowerment of the sovereignty she holds, when you call to Rhiannon, the Divine Queen of the Britons, know that she will stop... and know that she will answer your call.
*Sophisticated and elegant, steeped in scholarship and passionately written, Telyndru's offering to Rhiannon will take you on a journey deep into the heart of mystery, sovereignty and connection. Within these pages you will discover the tools necessary to develop a lasting and meaningful relationship with Rhiannon. To connect to the Divine Queen we must ask her to stop and notice us, Telyndru offers you a guiding hand to understand this process and move into relationship with the Goddess. What you hold in your hands is priceless, for this is a gift of inspiration.- Kristoffer Hughes, author of "From the Cauldron Born: Exploring the Magic of Welsh Legend and Lore" and Head of the Anglesey Druid Order.*
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Goddess in America Anthology
Now Available!
An anthology with contributions from nineteen writers (including three from the Sisterhood of Avalon), The Goddess in America is a book that identifies the enduring experience of Goddess Spirituality through a four-part discussion focused on the Native Goddess, the Migrant Goddess, the Goddess in relation to other aspects of American culture (Feminism, Christianity, Witchcraft etc.) and the Goddess in contemporary America.
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