6/30/2014

Navajo chant


White-Shell-Woman, she moves
Her shoes of white shell, she moves
Her shoes trimmed in black, she moves
Her shoe-strings of white shell, she moves
Her leggings of white shell, she moves
Her garters of white shell, she moves
Her buckskin-fringed trousers of white shell, she moves
Her dancing-skirt of white shell, she moves
Her belt of white shell, she moves
Her shirt of white shell, she moves
Her bracelet of white shell, she moves
Her necklace of white shell, she moves
Her earrings of white shell, she moves
The pollen of the various robes is placed in her mouth, she moves
Her visor of white shell, she moves
A white shell has been placed on her forehead, she moves
Her feather of white shell, she moves
Above her a male blue-bird dances about beautifully, she moves
He sings: his voice is beautiful, she moves
Sahanahray Bekayhozhon, she moves
Before her all is beautiful, she moves
Behind her all is beautiful, she moves.
 
Navajo Ceremonial Chant,
(translated by Dr. Hoijer)
 
 

6/20/2014

Solstice Blessings

 
Happy Summer Solstice!
May this season bring you abundance and joy.
 
 
 
(Heavenwards by Sophie Sophie Gengembre Anderson)

6/12/2014

Blessings of the Full Moon


May this full moon in Sagittarius bring you courage 
in manifesting your dreams and visions.
 
 
(Copper Woman by Susan Seddon Boulet.)

6/09/2014

River offering begins Odunde celebration


"In an African ceremony both somber and celebratory, about 500 people walked to the foot of the South Street Bridge toting gifts of fruit and flowers Sunday afternoon for the Yoruba goddess Oshun.The noon ritual, in which followers - many wearing white - dropped the offerings into the Schuylkill, marked the beginning of Odunde, the annual celebration of African culture that draws hundreds of thousands to the area around 22d and South Streets.  "Oshun is why we're here. It's as simple as that," said Oshunbumi Fernandez, chief executive officer of Odunde, the nonprofit that organizes the festival her mother, Lois Fernandez, founded 39 years ago."
(photo by A. Thayer, The Philadelphia Inquirer)

6/06/2014

Researchers Discover Traces of the Planet That Helped Create the Moon


"Researchers believe that a planet, named Theia, collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago, creating the moon from floating debris. . . Researchers have long hypothesized that Theia — named after the Greek goddess who was the mother of Selene, the goddess of the moon — collided with Earth and was destroyed upon impact."

 
 
 
(Getty Image of Moon, included with article)