It has been said that Jews and Witches hid out together during the Burning Times. In those dark hours they shared information that the dominator combination of church and state had officially forbidden. Here you have the root cause of the high interest in Qabalah(1) and in "high" magic found in many Wiccan groups. Traditionally such groups have used the affirmation
Ateh Malkuth Yours are the kingdom
Ve Geburah, Ve Gedullah, and the power and the glory
Le Olam. Amen. forever. Amen.
To us this felt chauvinistic, though some of our friends insist it is equally applicable to the female side of the Life Force. Thus for the feminist Wiccans (and for herself) Yvonne created this equal-opportunity affirmation.
Lady Queen, Lady Queen, Lady Queen, (2)
Shining Maiden, strong Woman, wise Crone:
Yours are dominion, power, glory. (3)
Yours are grace, nurturing, justice. (4)
Thus it is. Thus let it ever be.
You may be interested to know that in our personal life we also use a dawn affirmation of gratitude : gratitude for all the good things that came to us in the previous day and gratitude that we are alive and living today.
We are grateful for yesterday. We are grateful for today.
We honor all the things that make our life possible and pleasant.
So let it be.
Notice here we use "So let it be", in contrast to the more popular "So mote it be". This latter expression again is a dominator way of thinking and speaking. We who have thought through some of the traditions know that it might be just as well not to tell the gods or the Elder Ones arrogantly, "It must be this way" or to demand that the coming day meet our specification.
Use what you like from the ideas above. If you think they stink, suggest something better.
Blessed be those who live mindfully. Gavin and Yvonne
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(1) Choose your favorite spelling from among the many variations on the theme.
(2) Because She is three.
(3) Fair enough, but there's another whole half of the Life Force to be acknowledged.
(4) Attributes approximating the way a human mind can perceive Her grace, Her nurturing, Her justice that correspond to the three aspects of the Goddess, to balance the dominator-male attributes of the original version.
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We'll be out of town to address Florida Pagan Gathering (FPG) presented by Temple of Earth Gathering (TEG), in Ocala National Park/ Forest, Florida. If you're within range to attend, there will be some great speakers and presentations. Information: flapagan.org
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I have to admit I'm unclear as to how what you call an "affirmation" (actually a part of a ritual called the "Cabalistic Cross") is "chauvinistic."
When looking at the Tree of Life, Malkuth, Geburah, and Gedulla form a downward pointing triangle with points on the masculine, feminine, and combined pillars. If anything, it is totally balanced. The downward pointing triangle is feminine, so you might even say that it is a feminist ritual!
The only aspect that in any way I can see that could possibly be considered "chauvinist" is the word "Amen." Although usually untranslated or given as "so be it," it is actually a Kabalistic "notariqon" (i.e., an acronym) taken from a well-known Hebrew prayer where the congregation, in response to the Rabbi's statement, replies, "Al Melech Ne'eman" (pronounced Ail Mehl-ech Neh-eh-mahn). AMN, the notariqon, is becomes amen with the addition of a vowel (there are no vowels in Hebrew). It means, "God is a faithful King."
Al is the god-name associated with the Sephira Chesed, or mercy. Although it is on the masculine pillar of the Tree of Life, it is still just a name and applies to a deity that is non-iconic, neither male nor female. Melech, or "king" applies to anyone who rules, much as Hatshepsut became the Pharaoh of Egypt, not Pharaohess.
So the only word that might be considered "chauvinist" in the entire ritual is the last one, Amen, and that only when viewed through a Deridaesque and pseudo-feminist, pomo deconstruction of the term.
Yvonne's affirmation is very nice. If she or anyone else chooses to use it, more power to ya!
However, I would respectfully suggest that it is not a replacement for the Kabalistic Cross (part of the Lesser Pentagram Banishing Ritual). It is something new and unique.
If anyone wants to be free of any Qabalistic influences (difficult for many as even Gardner and Sanders used them), they can certainly use Yvonne's creation as an affirmation, but it certainly doesn't have the balance of the the Kabalistic Cross and I would suggest that using it as a replacement for the Kabalistic Cross in the Lesser Pentagram Ritual would be futile.
Suggestion: Instead of ginning up a replacement that follows the model of the Kabalistic Cross, why not create something entirely different? Avoid the form and format. Certainly, many people who use Yvonne's version, and are also familiar with the Kabalistic Cross, are not going to focus on The Lady. Instead, they'll be focusing on "Not the Kabalistic Cross," much as when told, "don't think of a pink elephant" the first thing one thinks about is a pink elephant.
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