Dancing the Goddess Incarnate

Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother and Crone by: Dorothy Morrison and Kristin Madden.

Life is an adventure, a game, a dance. Whether you're shakin' it at the disco with Athena or doing the Charleston with Hecate, each goddess offers vital lessons for exploring-and enjoying-every facet of our lives.

No matter your age, Dancing the Goddess Incarnate can help you get in touch with the maiden, mother, and crone within. You don't have to know the rhythm or the steps. Simply allow each of the nine goddesses to lead you onto the dance floor, outside your comfort zone, where you'll learn to unlock creativity, rediscover play, strategize success, and nurture yourself. This fun Pagan guide to self-exploration includes meditations, games, magic tips, herbal remedies, and exercises that can-with help from the goddesses-bring balance, beauty, and joy into your life.

Excerpt: Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother & Crone

Part One

The Maiden
Child's play and laughter and all that is fun
The simplest of pleasures, the warmth of the Sun
Discovering talents to plan a career
Becoming the warrior, admonishing fear
Embracing adventure and all it entails
Embarking on journeys, mapping details
Growth spurts and changes in body and mind
And learning that we're truly never confined
To what others expect, or their wishes or whims
And that the Dance of the Maiden-while not proper nor prim-
Is formed of our truths and of all we can be
And brings personal steps both to you and to me
Dorothy Morrison

Chapter One
Titania: The Playful Dance

There I was, minding my own business on a walk through the woods. I went to the woods to think things through. I wasn't having any fun anymore. Life seemed to be all about work, and I didn't even have time for that. The books said I needed to find my Inner Child, but I didn't know where to look, so I walked and I thought.

I was minding my own business when I saw light through the trees and heard music. I just had to take a peek. I was not prepared for what I saw. These things only happen in fantasy novels, and certainly never to me.

There in a clearing was a troop of fairies and their queen. Queen Titania sparkled and shone as she danced among the fairy lights. The light from Her happiness filled the clearing. She winked at me and beckoned me in. It was then that I recognized the music and her dance. "You put your head in, you put your head out."

"Oh, honey . . . I don't think so!" I said, turning back to the woods. "This is ridiculous. I'm not doing that . . . I need to think."
She laughed at me as she put Her head in and shook it all about. She grabbed my hand and whispered, "The Hokey-Pokey . . . that's what it's all about."

"It's hokey all right," I replied. "This is cute and all, but I need something to help me in the real world."

"What is the real world?" she asked. "Is it your Very Important Job and the bills you pay? Is it how the world sees you or who people want you to be? Maybe your experience of the world depends on who you are behind the roles you play. Maybe you will find your joy when you stop thinking and planning and start feeling and playing, simply for the fun of it and without any thought to the end result. When you freely dance the Hokey-Pokey, you will be able to find your own dance of creativity and joy." And with that, she shook Her backside at me and pulled me into the dance.

The Hokey-Pokey is corny and silly and loads of fun. Is there anyone who can do this dance and not laugh? This is the dance of unbridled, unaffected, childish playfulness. We don't worry what we look like or what others think when we dance the Hokey-Pokey. We do it for the pure joy of doing it! Children love it and adults get to relive a bit of the play of childhood when dancing it.

The thing about the Hokey-Pokey is that through all of its fun and silliness, it evokes the fears and beliefs we adults build up over time. We are afraid to look ridiculous or not be in control or let other people see all that we really are. These fears create blocks to our experience of life, ourselves, and our spirituality.

Only a self-confident, powerful Fairy Queen like Titania can risk the apparent foolishness of the Hokey-Pokey. This is a dance that expresses pure joy and an unabashed connection to Spirit. Your trust in the Goddess shines through as you move to a most definitely different beat for an adult. This is not a dance for the faint-hearted, but for the pure of heart.

Let's remember that the Goddess has many faces. She doesn't care if you think one of her aspects is silly or scary or rude. She dances to Her own music, being true to Her Self. She sees all those beautiful dances within each of us and she loves us-not in spite of our unique dances, but because of them.

To dance the Hokey-Pokey is to let go of all the garbage we have accepted about who we are supposed to be in civilized society. This is the first step to reconnecting with the playful, curious Wild Woman within you. Try it right now . . . yes, right now. Get up and put your right hand, left hand, and especially your backside (because that's really funny) into it. You can do it when no one is around if you like, or you can share this moment with someone fun. Clear your mind and find the child within that is free of limitation and readily feels the flow of creative play.

Loosen Up
Okay, enough of the Hokey-Pokey for a moment. Shake it out-shake your arms, legs, head, and everything. Loosen up! Titania finds us humans rather amusing (and fairy giggles are not to be missed) because we are so uptight.

We come into this world free and loose. Our muscles are limber, our joints move freely, our hearts readily embrace new friends, and our minds are open to all sorts of interesting possibilities. But as we grow up, we learn to behave in society. We assume the behaviors and acceptable values of our cultures. And we tighten up. We lose that ability to move and twist and think freely because we stop doing it.
There is that giggling again. Can you hear it? It's like the tinkling of silver bells.

"My dear humans, you are so much fun as children. That is why we bring some of you into our world-to protect you and preserve that precious freedom and joy."
"You know, there are lots of stories about fairies stealing babies. Why would you do something like that?"

Titania rolled Her eyes and raised one eyebrow, fixing me with a glare. There was no giggling anymore. "Stealing indeed! It is human society that steals the pure beauty of children. Turning children into little adults squashes their individuality. It forces them to conform too much and too early, and it blocks their awareness of the Otherworlds. By the time you get to Motherhood, you've forgotten how to dance. We aid those that call to us, that is all. Sadly, too many don't know how to call. But remember this: you don't need to be a child to call on the fairies. I come to all who ask."

She explained to me that humans learn the acceptable ways to move and act, even think, at a very young age. We have to sit still, use our "inside" voices, and walk in a straight, single file line. We stop playing make-believe and get focused on competitive sports or studies. And we definitely learn that the world we can see and touch and measure is the only real one.

But there is one game most of us play at least once or twice in our lives. One game that breaks the rules, cracks the ice, and certainly loosens us up. One game that Titania loves because it is so different and playful and dangerous. You know the one: Truth or Dare.
In this game, you get to choose whether to answer a question truthfully or take a dare, usually a fairly embarrassing dare. Well, as a clever Fairy Queen, this is one of Titania's favorite games, and she wants you to play. She's really hoping you'll give away some of your secrets to Her in the process, but the dare part is always great fun! And she's decided that your dare will be to dance . . . you guessed it . . . the Hokey-Pokey. Every time you come to a question that you would really prefer not to answer, you have to dance the Hokey-Pokey. Ready? Good. Let's play . . .

Truth or Dare
1. What is your favorite game of all time?
2. What did you play as a child?
3. Was your play encouraged or stifled when you were younger?
4. When was the last time you played just for fun?
5. Why did you stop playing?
6. When did you stop playing?
7. When was the last time you danced without a thought to who might be watching?
8. When was the last time you walked and talked and dressed without a thought to who might be watching?
9. How did make-believe make you feel as a child?
10. What are you afraid of?

Interesting. You know fairies have great powers of insight. Even if you freely answered all Her questions, I'll bet that Titania read more into your responses than you realize. What about you? Did the questions bring up any deeper intuition or understanding for you? Well, as we continue to play, perhaps that will become even more clear.

Lighten Up
Feeling loose and relaxed yet? If not, spend a little more time putting things in and shaking them out. Dance the Hokey-Pokey with your body parts, your responsibilities, your worries, your irritations. Shake them all out until they start to loosen up. And then it's time to lighten up.

Yes, lighten up already! Sure, life is serious, but does it have to be that serious all the time? I think not! A life without joy is not a very good game. And when we get to the point where we really need to dance with the Crones, shouldn't it be fun too? Because, I'll tell you, if you're still no fun by the time you dance with Hecate, Cerridwen, and the Cailleach, the dances won't be so easy.

So lighten up! Listen to the music. Can you hear them? The fairies are beginning one of their woodland revels. Close your eyes and imagine, or, better yet, go outside, into any area where there are trees or gardens, and sit quietly. You often see them just out of the corner of your eye. Imagine that they are pulling you into their circle of light. There is so much joy and fun and laughter. How does it make you feel?

Bubble of Happiness
Smile and imagine a bubble in the center of your chest. This bubble is filled with happiness, with pure joy. What colors are in your bubble? Oooooh, beautiful!

Keep smiling and feel your bubble expand. The joyful light inside grows and grows until the bubble surrounds your entire body. Your every cell is filled with the light of happiness. Enjoy this feeling for as long as you like.

From within your bubble, you become aware of other bubbles around you. Some are small, some fragile, and some are great bubbles of light like yours. Know that they are easier to see when you are aware of your own bubble.

Remember that this bubble is always with you. You may not be aware of it sometimes. You may hide it under a pile of tension or stress, but it is always there. All you need to do is smile to find it again.

The Bogeyman
When She made me dance the Hokey-Pokey, I was lucky enough to have danced my way right into Fairyland. What a glorious place, full of music, light, and laughter. We danced and feasted and played all day. Titania and her fairy attendants gave me the grand tour of their fantastic realm.

While we were there, Titania showed me a strange place. In a hollow hill amidst heavy mists, She pointed out a place of darkness. It raised the hairs on my neck and arms and gave me a very uncomfortable feeling.

"What lies within that hill?" I asked.

"The Bogeyman. Rarely does light penetrate that place," she said mysteriously.

"The Bogeyman is real?" I murmured, gooseflesh beginning to raise on my arms, not at all sure I wanted to know the answer.

She pointed at my heart. "Do you want to see?"

We all enjoy a good scare from time to time. Kids love to tell ghost stories around campfires. They sneak up on friends and family to yell "Boo!" and see people jump. But the Bogeyman has a nasty way of blocking joy and making us really uptight.

Now, we all have our Shadows, and the Cailleach has some powerful ways to help you heal some of your wounding and step through your Shadows. But it's hard to really play when you can't let go of fear. And since Titania already thinks we have too many hang-ups, She's not about to let this one go.

"Well, really child! I suppose I could just wave my magic wand and make it all go away, but you humans just don't stop." She looked slightly irritated until She and her train of fairies burst into laughter.
"It really is almost amusing the way you keep filling up the Hill of Darkness. You're quite good it, you know. But it does make you rather boring folk." They all giggled again.

Our Shadows are born when we are very young. "Be quiet." "Don't yell at your sister." "Work harder." Every admonition, every word of constructive criticism, every guiding rebuke to help us play well with others or do well in life causes a small part of us to be denied, to be repressed, to become a Shadow.

The thing is that those Shadows are too often forgotten. We bury so much of the limitless, energetic vitality we bring with us into this world that it transforms in the Hill of Darkness. It takes on a life of its own and becomes the Bogeyman.

Playing with Bogey
Titania leaned close to me and whispered, "Let me tell you a secret. One of the best ways to lighten up is to play with the Bogeyman."

"Are you insane?!" I yelled. Faced with a train of protective fairies closing in on me, I struggled to gain control and calm down. "I'm sorry. Really! But seriously, I'm not going in there."

"See, uptight and full of fear. That is what your people become."
Titania fixed me with a serious look. "How would you feel if you were the Bogeyman?"

"I have no idea. Maybe mean and angry and bloodthirsty?" This was a ridiculous discussion, and I was really ready for some more wine and dancing.

"The Bogeyman is everything you have pushed away, everything you didn't love and wanted to change." She waved her fairy wand and a pathway of flowers appeared, leading from me directly up to the entrance of the hill.

"Play with your Bogeyman. Remember all that you are and accept it. Be a trusting, wild, and free child again! Bring light and love into the Hill of Darkness and you may find that there is no Bogeyman after all." With that, Titania and her fairies disappeared.

And amazingly enough, I'm still here to tell about it. It was actually a really good game, and I'll help you learn it. It's a game of make-believe and then a little dancing, of course.

Have you ever watched children play make-believe? They completely create the scenario they are making up. In that moment, they believe it; they fully experience it. In short, they live it. The simple truth is that kids get it, and too many adults have forgotten. There is great power in make-believe.

Imagination springs from the same divine source as intuition and inspiration. These are fairy gifts, and we all have them. When you can really imagine something, down to the last smell, color, and detail, you have created it. Then you just need to sit back and allow the universe to manifest it.

Okay, it's your turn to play. Let Titania lead you into Fairyland and help you get started!

Table of Contents: Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother & Crone

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Part One: The Maiden
Chapter One: Titania: The Playful Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Chapter Two: Athena: The Warrior Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Chapter Three: Artemis: The Dance of Adventure . . . . . . . . . .49
Part Two: The Mother
Chapter Four: Venus: The Dance of Romance . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Chapter Five: Cybele: The Dance of Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Chapter Six: Tara: The Nurturing Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Part Three: The Crone
Chapter Seven: Hecate: The Dance of Attitude . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Chapter Eight: Cerridwen: The Dance of Magic . . . . . . . . . . .169
Chapter Nine: The Cailleach: Dancing Between the Worlds . . .191
Appendix: A Goddess Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Internet References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother and Crone by: Dorothy Morrison & Kristin Madden is another great release by this author. We always enjoy her books as she is so creative and really writes fantastic books. This particular book would be a great gift, or addition to your personal library.

Send to Friend