Fall 2012 WSE Newsletter - California Institute of Integral Studies

goats. Madeleine and Bethany are both students at TheEvergreen State College in Olympia, an interdisciplinaryinstitute with brilliant professors and a dynamic studentbody. Maddie is a mathematics major and Bethany isleaning toward environmental with an emphasis in art.Mathilde and I work together at home---caring for theanimals and writing my dissertation. Even though thislatter endeavor is going more slowly than anticipated,with the love and support of my family it is gettingwritten. We have taken several trips to Montana over thepast 3 years in order for me to complete my research. Itwas on one of these trips in 2011 that we purchased ourfirst Boer goats from a breeder in Pleasant Valley,Marion, MT. In June we made a trip to Marion andacquired a young buck, named Sunny. He completes ourherd and we expect our first kidding in the spring.I miss the WSE community and with eachmissed event, fond memories are stirred and I givethanks. I hope this letter finds all well and blessed withthe goodness that comes from the Earth.Love,Marion & familyMary Beth Moser (PhD Candidate)is currently working on her dissertation,“Women’s Spiritual Agency in the FolkTraditions of the Italian Alps.” She was aguest lecturer at Institute ofTranspersonal Psychology (now SofiaUniversity) in Palo Alto, CA speaking on “Moonbeams ofMystery, Cycles of History: Lunar Presence andMetaformic Themes in the Folk Traditions of the ItalianAlps,” February 26, 2012. She co-edited anthology She IsEverywhere! Volume 3, published in March 2012(http://sheiseverywhere.net). Mary Beth hasinterviewed on “Voices of Women” by Kris Steinnes,founder of Women of Wisdom Foundation, along withShe Is Everywhere! Volume 3 co-editor, Mary Saracino,on April 20, 2012. She presented "Spirited Women ofthe Sacred Waters: Goddesses, Anguane, Grandmothers,and Madonnas in the Folk Traditions of the Italian Alps"on a panel at the American Academy of Religion,Portland, May 11, 2012.She is also part of an academic writing supportgroup with Marion Dumont (PhD Candidate) andMaryka Paquette (graduate student in the IndigenousMind Program at Wisdom University, http://www.wisn.org/our-work/indigenous-mind-masters-andph-d-programs/).She is also serving as Vice President of theSeattle Trentino Club, a newly- formed “circolo” (inTrentino, clubs are known as “circles”) dedicated tocultural sharing among Trentino Americans. Hosting ourthird annual Polenta Picnic on Sunday, September 16th2012. (Yes, food is spiritual! Especially to Italians!)From Louise Lieb (Baumgartner), MA WSE 1998,I am now a practicing herbalist. Last year, I completedmy studies and received certification from CaliforniaSchool of Herbal Studies. Since then, I have beenworking as an herbalist at Forestville Wellness Center,located in Forestville, California. The ForestvilleWellness Center opened in August 2011. It is affiliatedwith West County Community Health Clinics, whichprovides medical services to the underserved populationof West Sonoma County. It is gratifying to be followingmy heart--helping others find healing through plantallies. In addition, it is exciting to be part of this newmodel of alternative health care. It is among the first ofits kind in the United States.Jodi MacMillan (WS 2006) is celebrating BelladonnaSanctuary's 8th anniversary as a government-recognizedfeminist church ordaining priestesses in women'sshamanic traditions! The Belladonna Priestess programcontinues to provide legal licensure and professionaltraining in ritual ceremony, seership, trancemediumship,spiritual counseling and healing. Belladonna also offersfiscal sponsorship for a variety of women spiritualityprojects. Please email hibelladonna@mac.com for moreinformation.Adjunct Professor and leader in Women’s SpiritualityCarol P. Christ will be offering transformative andeducational Goddess Pilgrimages to Crete on May 25-June 8, 2013 and September 28-October 12, 2013. Thisis an opportunity to walk in the paths of an ancientmatrifocal culture that honored women and the Goddessas the Source of Life and that was not male dominant orwarlike. 1-3 units of credit are available. 3 Women’sSpirituality students will be on the fall 2012tour. Consider including the Goddess Pilgrimage toCrete in your academic planning.From Anna Joyce: Well, after a relentless few months,I think I am finally catching my breath and wanted to9