“I am a spirit walking in the darkness by the light of his own divinity. I return to the rhythm of water, to the dark song I was in my mother's belly. We were all gods and we knew it. We are gods now dancing in whirling darkness, spitting flame like stars in the night.”
02. THE LOTUS POOL
Fertile Darkness , Opening Sensitivities + Receptivity, Plant Spirit Bathing, Water Blessings, Tantric Way of the Earth, Dream Work, Intuition, Sacral Chakra, Beauty Rituals, Aphrodesia, Body Oiling, Inanna/Ishtar, Underworld + Soul work.
Water. Sacral. Bathing + Aphrodesia.
Our Gatherings
Save the Dates in your calendar!
01.
MARCH 03 | TUESDAY | 6PM EST
Full Moon
Water Blessing + Plant Spirit Tea Meditation
(1.5 hrs.)
02.
MARCH 08 | SUNDAY | 6PM EST
The Goddess Temple - Aphrodesia + Beauty Rituals
(1.5-2 hrs)
03.
MARCH 15 | SUNDAY | 2PM EST
Dreamwork with Grandmother Sarah
(1.5 hrs)
04.
MARCH 20 | FRIDAY | 10AM EST
Equinox + Venus Gate
Lotus + Inanna + Planetary Ancestors with Teagan West
(1.5 hrs)
MEDICINES: Bathing + Lotus Water
This month we open to exploring the medicine of Plant Spirit Bathing; working with Lotus in the bath, shower, anointing oneself, foot bathing, & all the ways you may be called to work with lotus waters.
Plant Sprit Bathing is an ancient ritual woven through many cultures. It is a way of working with the plants intentionally and spiritually for healing + cleansing. Plant Spirit Bathing addresses the energetic, emotional, and physical body. It must be worked with in intention + prayer. Connect with the plant spirit, be in conversation, offer your prayers and open to receive.
Feel Lotus on your skin + in your energetic field. Communing, speaking your prayers, allowing Lotus to cleanse you, release tension and stress, bring your nervous system into a relaxed state of being, and open your senses to let go, feel, and receive.
Inviting you to lean on the waters this month - as a form of therapy + medicine + tool to receive and learn from direct embodied experience.
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1) Steep your flowers in simmering hot water on the stove. You can use as many flowers as you’d intuitively like to.
2) Once the water has come to a simmering boil, turn the heat off, place lid on and let infuse for 20 minutes or more. Sometimes I prepare this in the early evening/at sunset and let sit until later in the night when I will bathe.
4) Bring the infusion to the bath with you.
5) I suggest bathing with soap first if you wish.
6) After you are bathed - hold your sacred waters at your heart and call in the spirit of Lotus and share your intentions.
7) In the Bath: pour your infusion directly into the bath water, and soak in the embrace.
In the Shower: Make sure the infusion is not too hot. Pour the sacred waters over your head, body, wherever you wish.8) Do not rinse off - allow yourself to be covered in lotus water.
9) Pat dry + tune in to the energy of having lotus on your skin for the rest of the day or night. Especially so beautiful to do this directly before bed and slip into dreamtime.
*You can also simply just add a glass jar of your tea infusion to your bath/pour over you as well. It does not have to be so strong or elaborate to commune. Play + experience it all.
I love to bring my extra tea in the shower with me and do a simple pour over in that way often.
ANOINTING + SPRITZ:
1) Make a strong Lotus Spirit Bath infusion to keep in a jar in your fridge - use as you feel called to, for your feet or hands, heart, face- to have on hand and allow it to weave into your daily ritual and support you when you need it.
2) Place the infusion in a spritz bottle and store in your fridge to spray your body + energetic field as you feel called to.
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-Bathing with Lotus as you intuitively feel called to.
-Spiritual Bathing before bed + seeing how your sleep + dreams are.
-Tea Meditation/drinking Lotus in the bath or shower. I highly recommend experiencing sitting with/drinking lotus as you are submersed in water!!
-Drinking Lotus at the wild earthy waters near you.
-Daily Anointing with Lotus Waters like a perfume.
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What is Blue Lotus’ energy like in water?
What does it feel like on your skin? To unite your waters + bodies together?
How do you feel the lotus waters tend to your energetic field / nervous system / spirit during and after?
What do you see/feel reflected in the waters?
What medicine does lotus bathing offer you?
MEDICINE: Glycerine Elixir
This month we open ourselves to our Lotus Glycerine/Aphrodesia Elixir. A beautiful medicine of the senses, like drinking the mothers milk of the cosmos + waters - Lotus is a gorgeous aphrodisiac medicine that offers profound healing along the way.
Herbal Aphrodesiacs are defined as plants/spices/substances that affect the mind as well as the body and have been regarded as sacred throughout millennia. Their use is documented to at least 60,000 years ago. All cultures and peoples of the world have used, and continue to use, herbal aphrodisiacs. They serve as a source of joy to encourage and celebrate our love for ourselves, for life, for each other, and to nourish our love life and our life of love. They enhance + nourish + support the energy and creativity of erotisism as they help increase enhance, stimulate, and maintain physical desire, and thus nourish sexuality + sensuality.
What does it mean to be sensual? Sensual = gratification of the senses, something that gives pleasure to your physical senses
What does it mean to be sensitive? Sensitive = quick to detect slight changes or influences, delicately aware.
What does it mean to be receptive? Receptive = able to receive
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I invite you to take a few moments when you take a dropper full in your mouth to close your eyes and breathe, bringing in some presence and welcoming Blue Lotus into your body with gratitude.
Take 1-4 dropper fulls when you feel called to.
Wait 2-3 hours before taking more in one day.
Take up to 3 times in one day.
Tune in to when your heart is feeling called to take it - and take notice when the medicine is calling to you.I find it is strong and I usually only take it once (1-3 droppers full) of Glycerine and feel it with me all day and night.
Journal your experience and take note of how it feels different in your body, and how it feels working with Lotus in this way.
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Blue Lotus Glycerine + Aphrodesiac Medicine
- Sensory Stimulating Aphrodesiac
- open the channels + receptivity
-enhances the senses
- euphoric state that connects us to all senses of the body
- relaxing + uplifting bliss
- stimulates arousal
- increases libido
- increases circulation, gets blood flowing
- opening to the center of intuition
- consciousness shifts us into a sacred place
- connects the heart + womb
- heart opening
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BLUE LOTUS GLYCERINE
Supplies:
- Glass Jar with Lid
- Organic food-grade vegetable glycerine
- spring or filtered water
- Lotus Flowers/Petals
How To:
- Fill your jar half way with Lotus Flowers/Petals
- You will then fill your jar with a 3:1 Ratio of Glycerine:Water, so fill your jar 3/4 of the way with Glycerine and then the rest water.
- Place lid on and give a really good shake, mixing the water + glycereine fully, and releasing any air bubbles.
- After you shake if there is space at the top of your jar, top with some more water.
- Give another shake + label it with “Lotus Glycerine” and the date.
- Place somewhere in a cool + shaded place.
- Let infuse for 1 moon cycle (4 weeks), shaking occasionally while it infuses.
- Once its ready, strain and bottle as you wish.
- Store the strained medicine jar in a cool + shaded place.
QUICK INFUSION:
If you’d like to ake a quicker infusion, you can set up a double boiler method on the stove, on very low heat - with a lid on, and heat for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally and making sure it does not get too hot/burn. After a few hours, turn the heat off but leave the infusion there to infuse overnight and slowly cool down.
You can also simply place your glass jar in a pot of simmering water and heat the infusion this way too. Lid on.
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Blue Lotus Honey
Honey is a beautiful aphrodisiac in itself. A sweet golden nectar of the Goddess, that nourishes the sweet + sensual nature of life.
Honey also makes a beautiful offering to the ancestors and the goddess on your altar.
Supplies:
- Lotus flowers/petals
- Organic Honey
- chop stick/something to stir
How To:
- Fill a jar half way with Lotus Flowers/Petals
& top with honey, preferably one that is more liquid and able to pour
- Use a chopstick or something of that nature to give it a good stir, releasing air bubbles, and topping off with more honey as you go if needed.
- Place lid on and let infuse for 3 weeks.
- Label with the date you made it on.
- You can leave your lotus in the honey to serve and use, or you can fish it out if you’d like.
HOME EXPLORATIONS + INVITATIONS
Inviting you to make time + space to commune with the wild water of the land you find yourself on, the waters that nourish your life. It is so powerful to connect + pray with the waters of the Earth. They are so alive, hold so much story + wisdom + memory + medicine.
Communing with the Waters:
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One of the most enriching moments of my life was when I felt the call to discover the indigenous name of the river that I had raised me, that I had deep deep relationship with. I has always named the indigenous land, but for some reason it never occurred to me to do the same for the waters. It may take deeper research, but see if you can find the indgenous name of the waters of the land you’re on.
&. if you can, once you do, go to the waters and say their name out loud. Say hello, see how that acknowledgement feels in your heart, how the waters respond.
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Offerings + Prayers: Making offerings to the waters is so very profound. I love to bring lotus + roses to the waters, speaking my prayers not only for myself but for the world, and let the flowers carry those prayers through the waters.
I find that the waters love offerings of voice, song, poetry, words. The water remembers. Go speak to the waters, let the waters carry and hold you, and in turn begin to speak and mirror to you too.
Presence: connect and visit with a body of water this month. Go visit and sit with them. Offer gratitude. Just be.
THE SACREDNESS OF WATER: relationship + communion with water. “What world is possible if human beings devote themselves - personally + spiritually - to that which gives life?”
WATERS RISING (DIGITAL BOOK): Inviting you to read this digital book this month. A mosaic of voices of water protectors, activists, artists, organizers, stewards, community leaders and visionaries who have dedicated their lives in service to water and wellbeing in their communities - of those deeply engaged with water to reflect upon what they have learned form water as teacher and guide in their lives.
“We invite you to experience and bear witness to the magic and complexity that emerges when those reflections mingle and co-exist throughout these pages. Like tributaries joining a river, these poems, paintings, prayers, meditations, illustrations, and stories each offer wisdom and insight into what life could be if we again reconnect to the water body of the Earth and ourselves, to remember the water we are.”
HOME EXPLORATIONS + INVITATIONS
SHAMANIC JOURNEYING - DRUM - BRAINWAVES: humankind’s oldest spiritual healing tradition. Please listen to this before our Drum Journey together.
THE SACREDNESS OF WATER: relationship + communion with water.
“What world is possible if human beings devote themselves - personally + spiritually - to that which gives life?”
THE TANTRIC WAY OF THE EARTH: Opening to the Earth as beloved & the essence of the sacral.
A COLLECTIVE WATER PRAYER: with guest Nadia Irshaid. Moving the work we do with Lotus out into the world for healing. We open with a Tea Meditation and then go into a water prayer. So, have Lotus Tea with you.
THE ORIGINS + FERTILITY/BIRTHING MYSTERIES: Sharing about the Neteru of Nu + Nut (water) and some fertility mysteries of Lotus in the crypts of Dendera Temple.
THE DESCENT OF INANNA
Beloved Inanna/Qetesh/Ishtar - I recorded the descent story as shared in the Inanna book below. and summarized the ending of her rise to focus on a small aspect of her overall story.
Listen to it a few times, bask in it, see what arises for you.
What elements of the story speak to you in this moment?
What does this story share with you over all?
What guidance does it share with you at this time?
I find that each time I visit with the story, new elements are revealed over time, and in relation to my life as it ebbs and flowers, descends and ascends - each and every day.
We will discuss the story and its interpretations as well as the relation to lotus medicine in a class soon. But please share your musings in the group chat. The power of myth + story and sharing our own stories is the most medicinal wisdom we can receive and offer each other.
THE NUBIANS OF THE NILE
“The Nile River has already witnessed the displacement of Nubians in Egypt. The Frontline explores how climate change threatens their cultural connections to the river even more.”
”Descendents of one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Nubians are believed to have lived in the Nile Valley, an 800-mile-long strip on either side of the Nile, as far back as 5000 BC. And every year, predictably, when the river flooded, swamping the fields, sometimes requiring farmers to harvest crops from traditional sailboats called feluccas, sometimes drowning villages altogether, Nubians stood watch, understanding that the floods were part of a larger ecological order that transported more than 125 million tons of sediment rich in potassium and phosphorus to the sea each year. The river’s volatility during the high tides—and its coolness during the low—instilled a sense of admiration, fear, and reverence among its neighbors, who understood the power and alchemy of the river. The Nile is alive—and believed by Nubians to be guarded by a network of angels and spirits. Belief in the angels persisted even after the region’s conversions to Christianity just before 600 AD and Islam in the early 14th century. They are frequent figures in Nubian songs, which use a pentatonic musical scale, five notes per octave.”
- A very beautiful, raw story of awareness + love of the Nile today and the Nubians (the indigenous peoples of the land) relationship to these sacred waters.
“You know, they straightened out the Mississippi River in places to
make room for houses and liveable acreage.
Occasionally the river floods these places.
‘Floods’ is the word they use, but in fact it is not flooding;
it is remembering. Remembering where it used to be.
All water has a perfect memory and is forever
trying to get back to where it was.”
– Toni Morrison, The Site of Memory
BOOKS + RESOURCES
01. INANNA: QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH - HER STORIES FROM SUMER by Samuel Noah Kramer + Diane Wolkstein (book): I love this book. It directly translates the Sumerian tablets of the all of the stories of Inanna and includes images of the original artwork. I love Diane’s work and her devotion to Inanna.
02. WHEN WOMEN WERE DRUMMERS by Layne Redmond (Book): As shared in the Drum Journey lecture. A really insightful + beautiful look into the history of the drum and the Goddess worship cultures.
03. THE MAGDALENE MANUSCRIPT - THE ALCHEMIES OF HORUS + THE SEX MAGIC OF ISIS by Tom Kenyon + Judi Sion (book): A channeled book in communication with Mary Magdalene and her insights into the sex cult of Isis and their tantric practices. A really fun + activating exploration if it resonates. It stirred a remembrance within me.
04. WATERS RISING (DIGITAL BOOK): A mosaic of voices of water protectors, activists, artists, organizers, stewards, community leaders and visionaries who have dedicated their lives in service to water and wellbeing in their communities - of those deeply engaged with water to reflect upon what they have learned form water as teacher and guide in their lives.
“We invite you to experience and bear witness to the magic and complexity that emerges when those reflections mingle and co-exist throughout these pages. Like tributaries joining a river, these poems, paintings, prayers, meditations, illustrations, and stories each offer wisdom and insight into what life could be if we again reconnect to the water body of the Earth and ourselves, to remember the water we are.”
05. THE GODDESS TIMELINE (Video): An exploration of history of earth-based spirituality, female worship, the Goddess timeline from Paleolithic time. This woman did so much research and study to share this wisdom.
BOOKS + RESOURCES
INANNA: QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH - HER STORIES FROM SUMER by Samuel Noah Kramer + Diane Wolkstein (book): I love this book. It directly translates the Sumerian tablets of the all of the stories of Inanna and includes images of the original artwork. I love Diane’s work and her devotion to Inanna.
THE MAGDALENE MANUSCRIPT - THE ALCHEMIES OF HORUS + THE SEX MAGIC OF ISIS by Tom Kenyon + Judi Sion (book): A channeled book in communication with Mary Magdalene and her insights into the sex cult of Isis and their tantric inner alchemy practices. A really fun + activating exploration if it resonates. It stirred a remembrance within me.
THE GODDESS TIMELINE (Video): An exploration of history of earth-based spirituality, female worship, the Goddess timeline from Paleolithic time. This woman did so much research and study to share this wisdom.
CEREMONY PREPARATIONS
01. Water Blessing + Underworld Drum Journey
WEDNESDAY MARCH 12, 7PM EST.
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Make a strong, overnight infusion (if that feels good to you) of about 4 cups (1 qt. glass jars worth).
This will be used to both drink and for our water blessing.
Do not strain - keep flowers and/or petals in your vessel for ceremony.
I invite you to make your infusion in with intention + presence, whispering in prayers for your journey that lies ahead.
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Set up in a comfortable space where you will not be disturbed.
Prepare your space to be as dimly lit as possible. Have your blinds down if it is daytime, etc.
Set up on the floor with cushions, support, and whatever you need to feel comfortable to sit and lay down on the floor.
Please prepare an altar with your items that will support your underworld journey - if any. Maybe it is items that represent the goddess, your guides, water, the fertile void, the light that guides you.
Have a lotus flower or petals there with you too.& a candle if possible (inviting you to have a stash of candles to always have one burning during our ceremonies.)
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Come as you are - in comfortable clothing.
Prepare yourself for ceremony in whatever way feels good to you. Maybe it's anointing your body with oils, clearing your body with sacred smoke, laying on the Earth outside.
If you are able - I invite you to shower/bathe before ceremony to wash off the day/night.
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Lotus Tea Infusion - full jar with flower.
Tea Cup
Small/medium Bowl that you can put lotus water in.
A washcloth.
A small handtowel or towel.
Journal + pen
Sacred smoke + light
Candle
Headphones if you’d like to submerse in the drum deeper.
Eye pillow or something to cover your eyes with
Cushions, pillow, or any support you may need to lay on the floor
Blanket or sweater if you need to keep the body warm when laying down
02. The Lotus Goddess Temple
WEDNESDAY MARCH 19, 7PM EST.
Aphrodesia Elixir, Plant Bathing, Lotus Body Oiling, Sacred Sounds, Summoning the Goddess.
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I invite you to brew, in prayer, a Lotus Plant Spirit Bath/Shower (see our “Medicine of the Month” for how to) - and let infuse as we are in ceremony together. Maybe you want to bring it into your space to infuse in the energy of our ceremony.
I will invite you after our gathering to wash + cleanse with your spirit bath to close our ritual. This is a really special and important part so please do make the time to do it <3
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as always, come as you are.
Come with freshly cleansed skin from the shower/bath.
Wear a robe or something loose that you will take off later to be naked for oiling.
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Create a special goddess temple space in whatever way feels good to you.
Maybe you want some fresh flowers, candles lit all around, to cleanse the space with some smoke, etc.
Have a lotus flower or petals on your altar or with you, as always. (maybe this is the same flower you keep on your altar through the journey, or maybe its a different one each time.)
Set up comfortable, on the floor if you are able to - and lay a towel down with some space to stretch out your body for oiling.
Have a seat cushion if you’d like for our meditation part.
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Lotus Glycerine (the larger dropper bottle)
Lotus Body Oil (clear bottle with the black cap)
Sacred Smoke + light
Towel laid down for oiling
03. Womb/Sacral Steam
+ Tantra Meditation
FRIDAY MARCH 28, 10AM EST.
Opening to receive Lotus deeper into the Sacral/Womb - Nourishing + Releasing the Waters within - Tantric Meditation - Sound Bathing.
(( If you are contraindicated to Steam (see below the contraindications), bleeding, or do not have a yoni and/or womb - I will offer an alternative way to steam (Sacral Steam), so please set up in the same way and join. ))
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Below are contraindications to Womb steaming. If you meet any of these - you should not steam your yoni/womb directly - but you can still join and I will offer an alternative approach (Sacral Steam). Set up the same as above.
Hard Contraindications:
If you meet any of these - you should not steam your yoni/womb directly - but you can still join and I will offer an alternative approach.You are currently bleeding
It’s been less than 24 hours since you stopped bleeding.
Pregnant or may be pregnant.
Trying to get pregnant and its post insemination.
You have experienced spontaneous bleeding in the recent 3 months (having 2 periods within one month - including spotting - within 19 days.)
Post surgery: C-section, fibroid removal, surgery in the uterus/womb/yoni
Soft Contraindications:
These are okay to do a short steam with and up to you to decide if you’d like to as they can possibly cause irritation/issues.
Experience burning/itch/infections of the yoni - Yeast infections, Herpes, etc. - Steaming may be uncomfortable or trigger your infection.
Birth Control Inserts - Essure, Patch implant, IUD, Tubes tied. Steaming may loosen the implants/IUD etc.
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Prepare a kettle or pot full of hot boiled water about 10/15 minutes before ceremony. Bring this kettle/pot, with a lid, safely to ceremony.
- Gather a large bowl or pot that you will stratal and kneel over - a tall one is best - in Glass / ceramic / or stainless steel - no plastic. + a lid.
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Set up somewhere on the floor. In a space that is quiet + will be undisturbed. A space where you can absolutely relax.
Allow your floor set up to be comfortable, we will also by laying down here after - so have what you may need for support for laying down as well.
Have a towel down that you will steam atop of.
Have a candle lit, a lotus flower, and any sacred objects/allies you may want with you that represent + honor the waters, the Goddess, the womb, the sacral, the feminine.
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Your Blue Lotus Glycerine Elixir - if you have it, if not that’s okay, bring tea.
Your Kettle/Pot of hot water with a LID for it to stay warm.
Your Womb Steam Bowl/Pot with a lid/something to cover it.
1 Lotus Flower or a small handful of Petals for steam.
Towel to sit on.
Sacred Smoke + light.
Journal + Pen.