The traditions that have emerged over the years have been gifted to us by the Goddess. Each one made its way to our circle through the heart of a sister. We have shared our traditions and our ceremonies for over three decades and we are rich in herstory. The Women’s Summer Solstice gathering has taken many forms, and she is a living entity. She grows, she learns lessons, she grieves. But she is fiercely joyful and every tradition we engage in we do so with the love of our sisters in mind. We honor and give thanks back through the generations for the wisdom passed from woman to woman, teacher to student, heart to heart. We honor the native people who walked this land before us and give thanks the Mother Earth for holding us.
Below are some of the traditions and common teachings our community has embraced over the years.
She Who
She Who is a gourd filled with earth that came to the gathering for the first time in 1993. She was filled with earth from the land where the women had gathered. The Flying Turtles presented her as a thank you to the woman who had planned the event. Since that time, each year, the contents of She Who are emptied into a large bowl and mixed with pinch of soil from each woman attending. The soil comes from around the globe, mixed, remixed, added to and enriched by every woman who attends our gathering. At Closing Ceremony a new woman will feel the call and stand up to hold the gourd for a year. It is a responsibility and a cherished honor. Every woman attending takes a pouch of this potent prayer-saturated earth home with her.
First Bloods
Girls who are celebrating their first moon time. Usually it means that they had their first menstrual cycle sometime during the previous year or two. They are recognized during the Rights of Passage Ceremony and spend the night together in the Moonlodge. There is a sweet ceremony in the morning as they emerge.
Archetypes
Dress to represent one of six archetypes for ceremonies, and throughout the weekend!
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Maidens: Girls that are just blooming. They are either soon-to-bleed or have recently reached menarche. Colors: white, pink, or red. Season: spring. Direction East. Element: air.
Mothers: Women birthing and creating (not just through pregnancy.) Nurturing careers, or nurturing babies, mothers work with the creative energy. Moon blood is in full richness. Color: red. Season: summer. Direction: South. Element: fire.
Queens: Women who are shifting. They are taking their gifts out to the greater community, or turning focus (finally) inward and on self care. Moon blood is stormy–short cycles, long cycles, no cycles. Color: blue and gold. Season: fall. Direction: West Element: water.
Crones: Women who no longer bleed. Cones are the keepers of the wisdom. They are our teachers. Color: purple. Season: winter. Direction: north. Element: earth.
Fairies: Girls and women who are open to the magic. Wings, bubbles, giggles, and all things sparkly are often present. The presence of fairies around our campsites and Solstice ceremonies is a much-loved tradition. Young and old are encouraged to don wings, headpieces, wands, body art, and any other fairy-inspired attire throughout the weekend. The tiniest of Solstice Fairies have often been seen in service by gathering women to ceremony with bubbles and flitting around and about the circle. Please come prepared to take part in the magic! Color: green.
Amazons: Women who hold the boundary. They are the protectors, the Spiritual Warriors. An Amazon wears whatever makes her feel strong and powerful. Color: brown.
Masks
The masks first came to WSS in 2017. The intention in their creation was a one-time ceremony, but the masks had a different plan. You can learn more about the masks, and The Women’s Wheel of Life: Thirteen Archetypes of Woman at Her Fullest Power.