Imbolc & the Goddess Brighid

This post have moved to my Substack Illuminated Perfume.

The Goddess Eostre

A very happy and splendid day to each of you. Spring is a trickster having many different days where she officially begins, whether we call it the Spring Equinox, Eostre or Easter or we don't name the yearly occurrence and instead observe a shift in the weather, plants or behaviors of animals, such as the ground hog.

Whatever name we choose for the Season, we welcome her with open arms as we transition from a cold dreary winter to a landscape filled with vivid colors, scent of flowers and birdsong. The transformation takes place on both an exterior and interior level as we defrost and emerge from a dark cocoon of reflection. Renewed by a period of deep reflection, we birth ourselves anew to the brightness and warmth of the extended sunlight.

"Eostre is generally said to be an Anglo-Saxon Goddess associated with the renewal of life: Spring (season), fertility and the hare (for its quick and numerous reproduction). Eostre has been made to be a "goddess of Dawn" by modern writers, improvising on the theme of Eos; there is no sanction for this aspect in any historical document or ancient tradition. Though it has been said that she was sometimes depicted with a hares head, no authentic animal-headed deities appear in Germanic or Celtic cult objects. And, perhaps for good reason, there is no Celtic depiction of an Eostre whatsoever. Most likely the name of the Spring Goddess was lost and the name "Eastre" was substituted in the transcriptions of the 8th century. Other names given to her include Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Estre, Eostre, Eoster, Eostra, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron, and Ausos."
- edited from Wikipedia

I tend to like to explore words and associated mythologies that humans have chosen to attribute to different days, festivals, etc. Any of you who are regular readers of this journal or my work have most likely already sensed my exploratory nature in those realms. And, again, you may have already noticed, I have an affinity with the roots of things and more ancestral & pagan traditions when humans lived in harmony with nature.

A re-occurring theme that author Leonard Schlain writes about in his book The Alphabet and the Goddess is the patriarchal trend on usurping a female deity with a masculine one. For example the attributes of the ancient Goddess Eostra have clearly influenced traditions, such as Christianity who adopted the Springtime symbols to denote the Easter Resurrection of Christ.

Symbols, the Pink Moon and the Tree Ogham of Willow

Attributes associated with this Eostre, Spring, and Easter are:

Colors: White, green, pastels
Symbols: Rabbit, egg
Suitable offerings: hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season
Associated Planet: Moon

Along with Eostre we had a glorious full moon a few nights prior in the astrological sign of Libra, called The Pink Moon. The name is in reference to the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring season.

Beginning April 15th we entered the Tree Ogham phase of the Willow, botanical family is the Salix. According to the modern neopagan Ogham calendar, it is the fifth month of the cycle falling between April 15th through May 12th. The Willow, termed Saille in this system of Tree Lore, is associated with flexibility and patience with an emphasis on femininity.

Like me, you may find yourself interested in ceremony and ritual, if so then I suggest venturing off to find a grove of Willow in your area and ask for a wish to be granted. We begin this little ritual by tuning into the imprint and hive mind of the willow spirit and the individual tree, asking for permission and sharing your desire.

If permission is granted, select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it while holding the desired outcome in your mind and heart. When your wish has been granted, return to the site and untie the knot while remaining in a state of gratitude and love. In some traditions a gift is left for the Willow, such as tobacco. I suggest asking the willow what gift it would like from the start, as I have noticed the trees are more interested in an intentional gift like LOVE rather than a physical endowment.

Here in New Mexico we have the red willow, Salix laevigata, also called the polished willow, which grows in abundance near sources of water. The plant is currently threatened by invasives such as Tamarisk trees, which are equally thirsty and difficult to eradicate. The ancestral roots of this tree are related to basket weaving by the native people. In Santa Fe we find a plethora of red willows in Dale Ball Trails in Upper Canyon. The photo below is in Fall when the red willows turn red.

"The Tiwa (or Tano) are a linguistic group of Pueblo American Indians who speak the Tiwa language and share the Pueblo culture. Tiwa (also known as Tano) is one of five Tanoan languages spoken by the Pueblo people of New Mexico. The name Taos is derived from the Tiwa word for “place of red willows.” The red willow is a variety known for its reddish or purple twigs and bark rich in tannin. It is also known as the basket willow, having pliable twigs used in basketry and furniture."
- NMHistoricPreservation.org

SPRING "Illuminated" Perfumes

Floral perfumes are the most aligned with the energetics of Eostre, Spring, and Easter but fragrances in the green family also work nicely. From our illuminated line I suggest either Vera (fresh, herbal, fougere), Hedera helix (Deep, rich forest green) or one of the many fresher florals such as Lyra, Fleurish and Aurora, find them all in their varied formats as well as sample sets here.

The EGG

Of all the different symbols associated with Spring, the one that has me most inspired today is the egg. The origins of the word Easter are found in the ancient Saxon Lunar Goddess known as Eostre and Norse Goddess Ostara. In both these traditions, as well as those of the Greeks and Egyptians we find the symbolic use of the egg and a theory of the Cosmic Egg as the source of all creation.

In contemplating the symbol of  the “egg” as a popular thematic image in our modern Spring rituals and archetypes there is the world egg in Vedic mythology related to an egg shaped Universe, but most interesting to me is the Upanishads where the universe divides into two halves, which alludes to the duality principal in Alchemy as well as the Ouroboros, symbolizing the unity of all things through the eternal process of change.

In August of 2003 when Greg and I attended the Visionary Art workshop titled Old Masters, New Visions in Austria, I learned a deeper meaning to the symbolism of the egg, specifically in reference to the Mishe technique where we use the whole egg for this painting procedure that has its roots with the Flemish brother painters Jan and Hubert van Eyck.

By utilizing a whole egg in combination with a specific layering of different colored glazes light is able to pass through the painting to produce a glass like appearance, resulting in fantastical depth to a two dimensional painted image. Go to a museum which has a Van Eyck painting in their collection and you will experience what I am typing about. Assuming of course, that the painting is the original, and not a reproduction.

Opening photograph: Mia from Alice of the WonderLand, Dale Ball Trail, Hedera helix collage and Eggs in Next photos ©RoxanaVilla, The Orphic Egg on parchment, original by Jacob Bryant, 1774
References: Desert Wild Flower
Copy ©RoxanaVilla

The Triple Goddess: Crone in Santa Fe

As you may already know, in September, Greg and I moved from Los Angeles, California to the high desert in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It's been a bit of a wild, Mr. Toad adventure which has presented many challenges and interesting (to say the least) characters (Crazed Tesuque lady) along the way.

A few weeks ago, along the dirt road that leads to our new temporary dwelling, we met a crone that walks with a tall staff. After passing her on the road and waving, Greg and I turned to each other and gasped, “Female Gandalf!”

"In Joseph Campbell's classic work The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the first encounter of the hero on his journey is with a protective figure who provides him with amulets or magic devices against the dangers he will face. The crone is one of the most common of these protective figures"

Then as we returned home, just before making the turn down that same dirt road, I spotted about ten bee hives to the side of a house with a little sign that said "Earth Nurse". I gasped and pointed it out to Greg. We started wondering who the “Earth Nurse” was.  ???
🐝

On another day, heading back from town along that same dusty and bumpy dirt road, we spotted the “Female Gandalf” once again. We choose to stop and say hello, assuming that she might be the "Earth Nurse”, after all she certainly embodied an Earth Nurse by her outward appearance and great staff. Her answer to the question was, “Well, the Earth nurses me.”

Indeed she is the "Earth Nurse" and in my opinion the community crone, a facilitator of balance in our little neighborhood here along the Santa Fe River. As we dialogued I learned that she is hosts many gatherings at her home and planning is to create a "closing" event for the Counter Culture exhibit currently at the New Mexico History Museum. Since the Counter Culture tribe is alive and well, particularly here in Santa Fe...meaning Holy Faith. Perhaps you have heard me mention that Santa Fe is the city of the retired hippie?

Despite the constant challenges, Santa Fe continues to enchant and surprise daily. In many ways she herself is the crone, an ancient city with a very bloody HIStory which may be being healed a bit by the creative presence found here.

Here is a link to the Counter Culture show here in Santa Fe just in case any of you are local or come for a visit in the next few weeks.

(1)  Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (orig. pub. Princeton University Press, 1968; 3rd ed. 2008), p. 57.
(2) Fine Art America, the Crone

Chamisa photo along the Santa Fe River and text ©Roxana Villa
I couldn't find attributions for the two pieces of art used in this post, if you happen to know who the artists are please leave it in the comments or send me a note. The second image says Wheel of Life, oil on canvas 1998 (?) with an attribution that is hard to read ©maiana.de perhaps?

Rain-date Sun-date

Due to popular demand...we are offering a RAIN date for our Venus inspired Goddess event! Please join us on Saturday, March 11th...for all those who were flooded, powered, or burned out from the rains!! We hope to see you on our SUN date at perfumery, everyone is welcome.

Below are the details from the original post from February along with a few additions, like chair massage! Read the re-cap of the first one we did during that crazy storm we had here in Los Angeles.

I’ve brought together some local sisters with like minds and hearts for a day of self love and nurturing! Just what you’ve been craving, an event devoted to Venus and inspiring the Goddess within each of us. 

Join a dynamic collective of women offering their wisdom and unique gifts.

Monika Peters, Goddess of Skin Care: Crafting a Seasonal Face Serum
Donna Malberger, Goddess of Wardrobe: Dressing From the Inside Out
Draza Jansky, Goddess of Insight: Practical Magic: Refining Your Intuition
Roxana Villa, Goddess of Fragrance: Scent as a Conduit

Saturday, March 11th - 10 am to 5pm

Presentation & Guava Mimosas* 11 am - 12 pm (limited seating)

FOR EXTRA SPECIAL NURTURING 

From 10am to 1pm Draža Jansky is offering 15 minute sessions starting at $25.
Read more about Draza below.

~ AND ~

Alison Savior, owner and practitioner of Transformational Bodyworks, will be offering 10 minutes of chair massage work for $15. Her customized session will take place within the lab area from 1-4 PM.
Alison's a private massage therapy and healing sessions are grounded in detailed anatomy and medical massage studies, informed by Eastern energy medicine practices, backed by 30 years of professional experience and offered with compassion, precision and reliability.
She is credentialed in ten different massage and healing techniques.
Give a gift to your self and experience her healing hands.

Book in advance to guarantee your spots
Alison Savior: tfbodyworks@gmail.com & Draža Jansky: drazadance@gmail.com

Roxana Illuminated Perfume

Whizin Market Hall

28914 Roadside Dr., Suite 219 

Agoura Hills, CA 91301

This event is FREE and open to everyone, both men and women. Keep in mind there is limited seating at the perfumery for the presentations and mimosas. If you would like to secure
a seat we recommend making a donation of $10 to reserve your spot!

ITINERARY

10 am - 11am
Meet and Greet / Shopping

10am to 1pm
Draža Jansky is offering 15 minute sessions starting at $25.

11 am - 12 noon
Presentations (no shopping)

12 noon - 5pm Shopping

 1-4 PM
Chair massage with Alison $15 for 10 minutes of customized work within the lab area.

PRESENTATIONS

"Crafting a Seasonal Face Serum"

Monika Peters is a licensed holistic esthetician and beauty nutritionist. Specializing in skin health, one on one consultancy & custom organic hand crafted products. She will do a Pre- Primavera Vitamin C Serum making demo, showcasing the maceration process while sharing his wisdom on skin health, age regeneration and seasonal skin care.

Mala Apothecary

†

"Dressing From the Inside Out"

Donna Malberger domestically designs and produces beautiful knitted, garment dyed fabrics for her gorgeous ready to wear line of clothing. Donna will share knowledge she has learned through intimately working with master stylist and color expert Jennifer Butler on how to choose clothing that works for your coloring and body type.

b By Donna M

†

"Practical Magic: Refining Your Intuition"

Draza Jansky is an Intuitive Life Coach and Meditation Teacher based in Malibu Lake.
Draza will share simple meditations, rituals, and coaching techniques to help you access and refine your powers of intuition, insight, and awareness.
Learn to use your intuition to create a beautiful life experience, inside and out.
Draza Jansky

†

"Scent as a Conduit"

Roxana will share a few insights into working with flowers as medicine as we experience the ethereal yet powerful message of Jasmine sambac hydrosol. Collectively we will sip this extra-ordinary floral water enhancing mind and body but also facilitating a connection to the ever present Goddess
within us.

Illuminated Perfume

Mimosas and snacks provided by Agoura Hills Blue Table

The Birth of Venus artwork was created for us by Greg Spalenka. If you would like to have an image created of yourself please contact him directly Greg at Spalenka.com. The model is DirtFairy Morley.

Goddess Rising

Here are a few photos from our event this past Saturday at the perfumery. The day before we had a heck of a storm which caused several power outages throughout the area, mudslides, trees down and even a crazy sink hole in Studio City! Since the weather report claimed the storm would be gone by Saturday we choose to move forward with the event.

The day before Greg created a chalk drawing on the board in the teaching space to infuse it with the imprint of Venus, in this case The Birth of Venus by Botticelli.

Gina from Blue Table Wine and Cheese Bar provided us with a cheese and fruit plate as well as apricot mango mimosas. We had intended guava mimosas but I couldn't find any guava juice at my local markets so we went for the yellow fruits which was delicious, thanks to Gina!

Our local intuitive Draza Jansky provided free readings for the attendees, here she is in my lab with Trina Watson.

I opened the "presentation" portion of our day by having all of us drink a absolutely glorious jasmine sambac hydrosol that was distilled with water from a waterfall in Hawaii. Draza shared a bit about her work as a life coach and her meditation system, she also provided us with a collective reading.

The jasmine sambac elixir I shared at the event is for sale, I will be listing it on the site shortly, if you want to come and have a sample of it misted on your face please send me a note to schedule a sacred moment at the perfumery.

Donna brought several racks of her comfy yet elegant clothes for sale. During her presentation she explained how she creates her clothing from fabric to finish in downtown Los Angeles. I wear Donna's clothing everyday and refer to them as my DonnaYums because they feel like a second skin.

Next up was Monika, one of my students who I am so very proud of! Monika has recently launched her completely botanical/organic/ handmade personalized skin care line, Mala Apothecary, using the same details as me when it comes to creating and sourcing her materials. Her products are custom designed specifically for you after a quick phone call or filling out her an online questionaire.

At the end of our day Donna, Monika and I posed like the Venus behind us, as you can see Donna was instructing Monika and I on how to be demure and strike the pose correctly.

Due to the crazy weather and power outages we are contemplating doing the event again in March. If this is something that interests you please let me know by leaving a comment or sending me a note.

VENUS

I’ve brought together some local sisters with like minds and hearts for a day of self love and nurturing! Just what you’ve been craving, an event devoted to Venus and inspiring the Goddess within each of us. 

Join in with a dynamic collective of women offering their wisdom and unique gifts.

Monika Peters, Goddess of Skin Care: Crafting a Seasonal Face Serum
Donna Malberger, Goddess of Wardrobe: Dressing From the Inside Out
Draza Jansky, Goddess of Insight: Practical Magic: Refining Your Intuition
Roxana Villa, Goddess of Fragrance: Scent as a Conduit

Saturday, February 18th - 10 am to 5pm

Presentation & Guava Mimosas* 11 am - 12 pm (limited seating)

Roxana Illuminated Perfume

Whizin Market Hall

28914 Roadside Dr., Suite 219 

Agoura Hills, CA 91301

This event is FREE and open to everyone, both men and women. Keep in mind there is limited seating at the perfumery for the presentations and mimosas. If you would like to secure
a velvet chair or seat we recommend making a donation of $10 to reserve your spot!

ITINERARY

10 am - 11am
Meet and Greet / Shopping

11 am - 12 noon
Presentations (no shopping)

12 noon - 5pm Shopping

PRESENTATIONS

"Crafting a Seasonal Face Serum"

Monika Peters is a licensed holistic esthetician and beauty nutritionist. Specializing in skin health, one on one consultancy & custom organic hand crafted products. She will do a Pre- Primavera Vitamin C Serum making demo, showcasing the maceration process while sharing his wisdom on skin health, age regeneration and seasonal skin care.

Mala Apothecary

†

"Dressing From the Inside Out"

Donna Malberger domestically designs and produces beautiful knitted, garment dyed fabrics for her gorgeous ready to wear line of clothing. Donna will share knowledge she has learned through intimately working with master stylist and color expert Jennifer Butler on how to choose clothing that works for your coloring and body type.

b By Donna M

†

"Practical Magic: Refining Your Intuition"

Draza Jansky is an Intuitive Life Coach and Meditation Teacher based in Malibu Lake.
Draza will share simple meditations, rituals, and coaching techniques to help you access and refine your powers of intuition, insight, and awareness.
Learn to use your intuition to create a beautiful life experience, inside and out.
Draza Jansky

†

"Scent as a Conduit"

Hippocrates said that the way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day! Roxana will share insights gleaned from the History of Perfume and take us through the steps and ingredients for making a mineral rich salt scrub that is cleansing to the mind and body but also

facilitates a connection to the ever present Goddess within us.

Illuminated Perfume

Guava Mimosas and snacks provided by Agoura Hills Blue Table

The Birth of Venus artwork was created for us by Greg Spalenka. If you would like to have an image created of yourself please contact him directly Greg at Spalenka.com. The model is DirtFairy Morley.

Number Nine

While working on a new pure fume here at the perfumery, I realized it's a power day! The number nine is composed of three trinities and is often associated with the goddess. Today is the 9th of September (9) and 2016 adds up to 9 making it a very auspicious day to call on the energy of the triple Goddess.

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535), the polymath born near Cologne in Germany, dedicated the sacred number to the Muses: Calliope, Urania, Polymnia, Terpsichore, Clio, Melpomene, Erato, Euterpe and Thalia.

Agrippa associated each of the nine Muses to an appropriate the Spheres, by noting that the first resembles the supreme Sphere (the Primum mobile), and descending in order to the Sphere of the Moon, he determined that Calliope is appropriated to the Primum mobile; Urania to the Starry Heaven, Polymnia to Saturn, Terpsichore, to Jupiter, Cleo to Mars, Melpomene to the Sun, Erato to Venus, Euterpe to Mercury, and Thalia to the Moon.1

"We all come from the Goddess…and to her we shall return."

There is also some interesting bit about the number nine and John Lennon which you can read about at the Beatles Bible blog here.

References:
Painting by Edward Burne-Jones titled The Garden of the Hesperides
Agrippa image via Wikipedia
1 Esoterica Archives

Musing the Goddess

This weekend marks the Summer Solstice, honoring the height of power of the Sun and one of the longest days of the year in our Northern Hemisphere. Wise and ancient civilizations that revered nature and inhabited the Earth during the Golden Age tracked the sun and heavens. These ancestors created huge monolithic sites all over the world, some quite famous and others more recently understood like Adams Calendar, a 75,000 year-old stone calendar considered the cradle of humankind in South Africa.

Besides observing the stars and living in harmony, the main unifying thread of these civilizations is that they followed matriarchal principals. Todays modern culture is locked into a patriarchal system which is focused on gross matter. The matriarchal based societies mentioned above flourished. Both PhD Carmen Boulter and Dr. Leonard Shlain have examined these Goddess based civilizations revealing that they lived in balance and harmony with each other and nature.

Keep in mind that a society based on Goddess principals doesn't shun men, its the energy between the two dualistic principals that these scholars are referring to. Matriarch/patriarch, feminine/masculine are contrasting dynamics also known as yin and yang, light and dark, etc. According to the Indian cycles of time termed as Yugas, also known as Ages of Man, they fall and rise. In the current stage of this great cycle we are toward the end of the period known as Kali, the Iron Age. In 2025 we officially enter the new Golden Age, which is known in our culture as The Age of Aquarius. In this phase the Goddess rises and brings with her the enlightened balance of mind and heart where nature is honored and the human once again becomes empowered with full use of their brain.

In keeping with this theme, my husband, Greg Spalenka is having a solo show of new and old work at the Cornell Winery this Saturday evening. The name of the show is "Musing the Goddess" featuring
new mixed media creations and some classics that celebrate the Goddess in all her mysterious and divine glory. Some of these are large pieces (up to 6 feet tall) with gold and silver leaf.

Saturday, June 20, 2015 – 7-10 pm

7:30 Lecture – 8:30 Book Signing – 9:30 Drum Circle

The festivities will include a multi-media lecture on Spalenka’s art career in publishing and film, a book signing of the newly published, “The Art of Greg Spalenka, Visions from the Mind’s Eye” (Titan Books/London), a Drum Circle (bring your drums!), and other special treats.

All images ©Greg Spalenka