Dear Friends,
Please join us New Years Eve, 6-9 pm as we journey to confront our deepest fears and grief. We will ask; What needs to be slain and grieved within us in order to begin creative work in the New Year? We will ask and explore these questions in prayer, at our new Wailing Wall, as well as in walking the snake labyrinth in candle light, music and dancing, dream sharing and incubation, art making and a fire ritual. We will begin at the Wailing Wall where we will write and leave prayers to God in the tradition of the ancient Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. We will share the story of Ariadne the Greek Goddess of the labyrinth, the snake goddess, and tell her story of falling in love with the hero Theseus. Ariadne however is also a heroine in this tale for it is the two working together that enable them to conquer what has been undoable by others. She saves Theseus who has to journey into the labyrinth to slay the monster, but because of the red thread she gives him he finds his way back to her. Ariadna means 'holy one' and this Cretan Princess who was the daughter of King Minos and the daughter of the moon-goddess Pasiphae later is dumped by Theseus and then marries Dionysus. She is a goddess who does not give up no matter how difficult the life challenges she faces.
Symbolically we have inner monsters that we must symbolically slay. As we journey in and out of the labyrinth, guided by the spirit of partnership of Theseus and Ariadne, we will ask for her genius to help us find simple solutions and his courage and strength to slay our inner demons. Many Greek myths tell stories of a hero who can only triumph over challenges with the help of a woman. There is an inner partnership of the divine feminine and the divine masculine we all need in the New Year. "The harder the journey, the more and the tougher obstacles in his/her path, the more the initiate will be transformed and acquire a new self in the course of the voyage of initiation." Penguin Dictionary of Symbols, Chevailer and Gheerbrant Regardless of the personal and collective dangers we now face with climate and ecological catastrophe we must never give up and have faith that when we face the truth of present dangers we will rise to the occasion especially as we work in partnership with others.
The photo below is a statue of a woman holding two snakes from the Greek island of Crete. It is a Minoan sculpture from about 1500 BC. In Greek religion and mythology and in many ancient cultures the snake was a symbol of wisdom and fertility. Come join us in a beautiful and rich evening of wisdom. Come walk the snake labyrinth as we explore many wisdom traditions from the ancient world to find a way when there seems to be no way. No alcohol will be served and we ask for you to please bring finger foods to share. Please call with any questions.
Sending love always,
Bonnie
New Year’s Eve Dec. 31 6-9 pm no alcohol, dream sharing, dream incubation, guided mediation, fire ritual, walking the snake labyrinth, with music and candle light and NEW WAILING WALL., please bring finger foods.
Upcoming invitations:
Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer Contemplation of scriptures for Sunday and Centering Prayer, an ancient Christian contemplative prayer practice, every Wednesday 10 am.
Monthly Taize Chanting service first Sunday of every month
Beach candle light worship every second Sunday at Torrey Pines State Park at 5 pm. It gets cold and dark so please dress warmly.
Healing Service third Sunday worship at 5 pm.
Dream Circle every first and third Sunday before worship 3-5 pm.
Committee on Ministry meeting every third Sunday evening after church and pot luck.
Webinar with Environmental Justice Practitioners Network co-sponsored by First UU Church and Church for Our Common Home, once a month call Jamie Long (619) 436-9435.
MLK All People’s Breakfast January 21th, 9-12 noon $75 join Walt and Bonnie buy tickets www.alliancesd.org/all-peoples-celebration-sponsorship
New live stream worship on church web site, some Sunday’s 5 pm (PST) Churchforourcommonhome.com More info call (858) 248-5123
www.churchforourcommonhome.com
Our Common Home Counseling Center’s services: Addiction Issues, PTSD, Individual and Group Therapy, Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, Dream Honoring, Creative Art Therapies etc.
