Dancing in the Dark
Happy solstice, friends! Over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on the Winter Solstice and the inevitable dance between dark and light.
I recognize my own resistance to prolonged darkness, cold, and the slowdown the winter season not only encourages, but simply requires of me.
My mind’s eye continues to return to the image of a candle flame illuminating the darkness. Such as in the above image, which is a picture I took at the Church of Santa Maria dell’Orto in Rome during Easter Holy Week 2019.
In some traditions, the candle flame represents the soul as an individual emanation of the Divine. Meditation on such an image reminds me that the candle flame is brightest, strongest, and most beautiful when dancing in the dark. And more so still when the candle flame burns bright among a sea of likeminded flames.
It reminds me that no matter how dismayed I may be by the state of the world, I am surrounded by so many luminous souls who are each doing their part to—in the words of a dear friend—“be a part of the healing of this world”.
That brings me to the many illuminating conversations I have had the great pleasure to facilitate on Journey to the Goddess TV. This year I spoke with activists, authors, dancers, scholars, and artists on a wide variety of Goddess-related topics. Some of these women include: Artist Lisa Levart and the debut of her Goddess on Earth Oracle deck (including my portrayal of Mary Magdalene); Indian classical dancer and Success Coach for women leaders, Dr. Vena Ramphal on the Yoga of Dance; as well as my Everyday Goddess collaboration with activist and soon-to-be-author, Natasha Thomas.
Most recently, I was honored to have eco-activist, Zoë Tryon, join me live from the Ecuadorian Amazon, where she works as a cultural liaison with a handful of Amazonian communities, helping them fight international corporate corruption and ecological devastation of their territories.
I am blessed to have such incredible women who inspire and uplift me on my show. Each of their lights shine bright.
Where do you find meaning and beauty in the dance between the light and the dark?
🌺 Annalisa, PhD
P.S. Every year I also aim to support and amplify a woman-centered organization. This year it is: WomenSpirit Coalition: Sta’ni Shay’i, or Washington State Native American Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Because of many complex issues of colonialism, racism, sexism, treaty violation, environmental degradation, and geopolitics, Indigenous women around the world are one of the most vulnerable human populations on Earth. This is not because they are weak—quite the contrary—instead, it is more often because so many Indigenous women are on the front lines, willing to put their lives on the line, fighting for ecological, community, and personal justice.
For more info: Native Hope, Native Women’s Association of Canada, A Modern Trail of Tears.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Recent Journey to the Goddess TV Episodes
What I’m Reading
Feature: In Memoriam
Upcoming Interviews
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Latest Episodes:
I’m excited to feature my conversation, “Entering the Heart of the Amazonian Womb” with eco-activist, #ZoëTryon. Join me for this riveting and timely conversation where we discuss:
🌳 What #ecoactivism is and how it is rooted in Divine Feminine / Goddess consciousness.
🌳 Some of the indigenous women on the front lines to save their communities (and by extension, the whole world), from corporation lead environmental devastation.
🌳 The fight to hold oil companies such as Chevron accountable to ecologically restore the #AmazonRainforest and its communities.
🌳 The best ways to support Indigenous communities
🌳 What each of us as individuals can do to be a part of the solution.
In “Regent Women Powerfully Stepping into Midlife”, Dr. Andrea Slominski and I dive deep into the #REGENT archetype. This emerging archetype encompasses the #spiritual, psychological, biological and cultural significance of women’s midlife. In particular, Dr. A reframes and affirms peri-menopause, #menopause, and post-menopause as a time for women to step most fully into their own. In other words, aging is a woman’s superpower.
What I’m Reading
I know, I know…I am probably a little late to the party on this one. After learning I had not yet read “The Red Tent”, my friend Toni insisted that I read it. “The Red Tent” is a remythologzation of the Genesis story of sisters Rachel and Leah, as told by Leah’s daughter, Dinah. If you’ve ever read this story in Genesis, like me, you may have felt heartbroken by the rivalry depicted between the two women. This re-imagining remedies this rift and offers a nuanced, affirmative (albeit sometimes challenging) perspective on life, love, and sisterhood.
Feature: In Memoriam
(Image by: Liza Matthews on lionsroar.com)
bell hooks
Feminist scholar, author, activist, and professor.
bell hooks—a feminist scholar and author, an activist, and a professor—transitioned on December 15th, 2021. Though I have only encountered bell hooks’ work through the works of other feminists, I have long admired her from afar.
Her impact on feminism and feminists, women and men, is undeniable and palpable.
Of the many bell hooks quotes I’ve seen posted to social media platforms since her death, this is by far my favorite:
“The one person who will never leave us, whom we will never lose, is ourself. Learning to love our female selves is where our search for love must begin.”
🌺 Goddess Blessings on your journey, bell.
About bell hooks: bell hooks Institute
A few of her more well known books:
Upcoming Interviews:
Dr. Lisa Skura
Speaking on “The Feminine in the Tarot”