Kavannah 2018

Kavannah 2018

As in years past, we carry an additional kavannah (spiritual intention) into the Village, borne from our yearlong study since last PV  of the Divine Feminine in the Hebrew tradition.   We call Her by many names:  Asherah . . .Astarte . . .  Anat . . . Shechinah . . . Lilit . . . Sarah . . . Miriam.  What do these images, ideas, and archetypes have to teach us in this age of #metoo and #timesup?  In these times, what are we to make of the Zohar legend of the exile of Shechinah and her longing for union with HaKadosh Baruch Hu?   What have the ancients passed on to us in their Yichudim – prayers of unification of Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine?  What does it mean to honor the Feminine in Nature, the Great Mother, to offer ecstatic prayers to the Queen of  the Heavens while dancing around a tree?  Is this not also our Hebrew tradition?  Why has none of this been passed down through Torah, Talmud, Hebrew school?  Was the Feminine deliberately suppressed in our tradition, a reflection of the shift from matriarchal traditions to patriarchy that was happening in the ancient world at the age of formation of Judaism?  What traumas have been perpetuated because of this?  How have modern day women suffered from this?  Modern day men?  How can we reclaim our connection to Her, and does She want to be reclaimed? 

All of these topics are in the field, as we gather and enter our holy campground for another season of praise and community.  Moses asked Pharoah to allow the people to go out to the wilderness to serve their God for 3 days, and so we do the same. We hope you will joyfully join us this year in our councils, dances, rituals, and prayers as we seek relation with Her.