Journey to Gaia; an Interview with Jackie Juno

Jackie Juno, celebrant, performance poet, artist, singer and comedian, has been leading women's groups for nearly 30 years. She will facilitate 'Journey to Gaia' at this year's Wise Woman Weekend. Her interests lie particularly in Goddess-centred cultures, prehistorical sacred sites, simple meaningful everyday rituals and joyful supportive shared creativity with women. She has travelled widely for much of her life. She lives with her guitarist husband and young daughter on Dartmoor, which is a constant source of inspiration to her. Her ease in communication, confidence and grounded humour make her a popular workshop facilitator. She is enthusiastic and dynamic, sensitive and warm, allowing women to experience the fragility, depth, and wildness of their true natures. Here she answers a few questions posed by the Wise Woman Team...
 

What is your main area of interest /expertise?   Simple rituals, creativity, journeying and facilitating sharing.

If this is your first time attending the Wise Woman Weekend, what is its appeal to you?   One of my favourite things is to spend time creating and sharing with other women in a focussed supportive environment. Also, I have always had a wonderful time when visiting Ireland!

What are your hopes for the future of the Wise Woman Weekend?   Meeting like-minded women, perhaps collaborating with them in creative projects; furthering my experience and broadening my knowledge. Having fun! Forging friendships and professional relationships.

What qualities do you bring to the Wise Woman Weekend?  Humour, experience, curiosity, excitement and very dark chocolate.

Do you have a few words or a gem of wisdom you would like to share with other Women?  We can help to change the world for our children and theirs, and beyond... by joining together and helping create a more loving, caring sustainable future.

What do you think are the greatest challenges facing Women today?  Environmental disaster (that affects everyone of course); violence against women seen as the norm; desperate inequality in many countries around the world; poverty and lack of education, which affects women and children more than men, statistically-speaking.

Describe the workshop you will be giving at this year's event:    A safe supportive environment will be established by the communal building of an altar, with each woman bringing some special object which represents her connection to the earth. We will use relaxation and visualisation to prepare for an inner journey to meet the goddess archetype Gaia. We will spend some time writing afterwards, and sharing our experiences.

Learn more about Jackie:

www.myspace.com/jackiejuno

Learn more about Wise Woman Weekend 2013:

http://www.wisewomanireland.org/

Interview with Katherine Howard.

 

In the first of this year's interviews with the women involved with Wise Woman Weekend 2013, we speak with Katherine Howard who will facilitate the Psychodrama workshop:

Women and Power: The Authentic Self in Relationship

Kath is a mother to 3 daughters and grandmother to a beautiful grandson. She works as a Psychodramatist in her counselling/psychotherapy practice in Sydney, Australia and has been a Consultant Occupational Therapist for 30 years, and a group facilitator for the same amount of time. Kath lives in the bush in the wonderful Blue Mountains, west of Sydney with her partner, Geoff, and 2 cats. She is a frequent visitor to Ireland- especially to her ancestral home in County Clare- and has a strong soul connection with the Atlantic coast and the Burren. Kath has a commitment to supporting the life of the goddesses that are in every woman. She acts as a co-celebrant  at the ritual 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year in the Moon Court in the Blue Mountains. At the time of the Wise Woman Weekend, Australia will be getting close to Winter Solstice (Yule)- at the same time as Ireland is coming in to Summer Solstice. Kath loves getting to do both at the same time! Kath is passionate about this Gaian earth (she is a “tree friend”) and believes that women ARE the earth and should be celebrated in a special way. She primarily uses psychodrama to do this.

 

What is your main area of interest /expertise? Psychodrama and women’s life journey issues.

How did you find out about the Wise Woman Weekend? I can’t quite recall, was several years ago. I was looking for women’s creative events in Ireland to attend when I visit.

What do you think are the greatest challenges facing Women today? Standing in and acting from our authentic feminine power, knowing that the power of the feminine is very different from masculine power, but just as strong. We don’t have to fight to hold our power. We simply have to hold to and act from our truth.

Describe your upcoming workshop at Wise Woman Weekend 2013.
‘Psyche' relates to the spirit or mind, while ‘drama' relates to the stories acted out in life every day. By combining mind and action, psychodrama gets to the reality beneath the surface. In this session, we will work cooperatively to do personal psychodramas led by the Facilitator (Director). The Director will ask someone to get up and act out some of their personal or communal concerns. Others in the group will join in, acting the extra roles in the person's drama. The session develops spontaneously as other people in the group take the lead role in their own drama or support roles in other people's dramas.  The dramas will focus on the theme of nurturing the authentic self in relationships and community. Barriers and problems will also be enacted, with new ways of being evolving in the drama. No drama or acting experience is required. Just bring your authentic self!

Kath's Website
www.actionmethodsforlife.com.au

Wise Woman Weekend Website:
http://wisewomanireland.org/

 

Amantha Murphy Workshop June 23rd&24th, 2012

A Celtic Woman’s Path
The Way of the Seabhean
JUNE 23^RD & 24^TH 2012, KERRY
With International teacher and facilitator
Amantha Murphy www.celticsouljourneys.com

Our stories are alive with the richness of powerful Goddesses and women who held sacred their passion for life. Goddesses like Brigit, Maebh and Aine. Women like Grace O’Malley, Biddies Early and Catherine Hayes. Our land is called in honour of Éiru, one of the three Tuatha de Danann princesses. Our Sheela-na-gigs, reminding us of our connection to the other/inner worlds – our wombs/tombs, birth and death - and our ability to please ourselves. Our ancient memories remind us of our ability to move beyond and within. To live in the passion of our nature.

A weekend of experiencing Women’s Mysteries coupled with Shamanic journeying.

To sit in a circle of women awakening to the Sisterhood
An opportunity to immerse yourself in the Woman’s path
Re-claiming our Power, Passion and Grace as women Re-claiming our succulent natures
Connecting to our Goddesses as archetypes Connecting to the Grandmothers, the Keepers of the Lore
Opening to our ability to be the containers
Carrying the Chalice of life and creativity, Our Blood – Our Power Honouring Ritual and Rites of Passage

We will be drawing upon our Ancestresses to re-member, re-weave and integrate the mysteries that are held within our bones and ancient memories, through Journeying and Rites of Passage.

As womyn we are wild, passionate, feeling, grace-filled expressions of the Divine Feminine. In our deep act of re-membering, we will re-weave ourselves whole.

Join us for this weekend of chanting, moving, playing and holding Sacred Space.

VENUE: Faha, Killarney, Kerry, Ireland

EXCHANGE: 200-160 Euros

CONTACT: Amantha at: murphy.amantha@gmail.com phone no. 066 9767253

For more information, directions and local accommodation, please contact Amantha