As a child I experienced everything around me with awe and wonder. Receiving magic was natural and seamless. The path of the Priestess helped me to keep this channel open, and as a Maiden Priestess I revelled in my role as Receiver of Magic. In ceremony and ritual I was taken away on the wings of the energy, the music, and the Spirit helpers that joined us. During retreats I was guided through meditations that opened my crown chakra, I would soak in sacred waters, and spend hours practicing yoga. I could walk the Earth, still and contemplative, or run wildly with the wind rushing through my hair. I was an adult, yet I was still a Maiden, my life was still my own. Just when, where and how I served the Divine and her children was still my prerogative.

Pregnancy was the beginning of my transition from Maiden to Mother. I knew that I was walking through the fires of my rite of passage when I was in it, but I could not have anticipated what it would mean for me as a Priestess. I was prepared to lose my freedom in exchange for devoted service to the nurturing of my daughter Gracious and her soul's descent into the flesh. It was the dimming of the magic and the loss of space and time to consciously receive it that I wasn't prepared for. The elation of new motherhood was tempered by surprising feelings of grief. In prayer I realized that the tension of transition had brought a feeling of loss for the former phase of my life. I was grieving because I was becoming ready to embrace a new phase.

With each passing moment I could see the Maiden I once was reflected in my daughter. I watched my daughter’s eyes as they scanned the room in wonder, in awe of the twinkling lights adorning our bookshelf, smiling at the ceramic butterflies fastened to the wall above her as she breastfed. I would remember how it felt to sit in front of Christmas lights as a child. I would have moments of clarity where I could recall staring deeply into a flower or a ladybug . As a child I could feel the essence of the life that flowed through these beautiful creatures and creations. My daughter's birth highlighted how much I missed that innocent state of wonder. This longing was all part of my gradual release of the past, and as I accepted that, I became conscious of a new role I was growing into, that of the Mother Priestess. My transition had taken me from me from Maiden to Mother, from the Receiver of Magic to the Weaver of Magic.

The Weaver of Magic is one who gathers magic around her and creates a magical experience for someone other then herself. It was natural and beneficial for me to be taking in as much as I could during my Maiden phase, I was filling my well, the Maiden is unto herself and meant to be fully centred in self. When the Mother phase of life dawned on me my Priestess archetype transitioned into the Weaver. This signifies that it is my time to begin to extend magic into the world. As my grandmothers weaved baskets to carry food and nurturance for their community, my Priestess self weaves magic to carry the mystical truths and Heavenly realms to those around me. I am a beam of light, a benevolent Mother shining the Light that I have tapped into onto others.

My transitions began with the birth of my daughter, I had awaited the day I would have a daughter my entire life. I was unbelievably blessed and blissed when I found out that I would be birthing a Maiden. I came to understand that I was meant to begin weaving my magic for Gracious, and for my Beloved and in our home. I now embodied the Mother Goddess Archetype for my daughter and my husband, and while my days were not to spent in workshops and ceremony for now, there was much mysticism still to be lived.

The first thing that happened for me as I became aware of this new role was that I began to see how I had already begun living this within my family life, I recognized how I was already bringing some magic and mystery into our lives, simply by intuitively following my Mothering gut. As we Mothers take a moment to pause and reflect, the ways in which we instinctively weave magic for our children become apparent: nursery rhymes, bedtime 'routines' (rituals), healing touch (massages), herbal tinctures, holiday traditions, stories of fairies and elves and flying reindeer. These are all ways that we introduce our children to the mysteries and wonders that lie beyond.

Once I had the realization that I had become the Weaver, I began to consciously cultivate this role. Motherhood then became an even brighter, more purposeful journey. Now I had a tender little Maiden just waiting to see what her Mother could unveil.

Our night-time ritual has taken on a more mystical air. We dim the lights and play the same magical lulling music each night. This soothes and guides her into a deeper state of relaxation, preparing for the hour of dreams. She and I merge, skin to skin. I murmur the names of those she loves as I spell them out through touch onto her back and do the same with power words : love, joy, peace, and wisdom. This practice is inspired by Dr. Emoto's work with the crystals in water. He explored how water molecules respond to the vibration of words. Since my maiden is made primarily of water, her essence is also sensitive to the energy of language.

I work to maintain the purity of her vibration in those evening hours. Her Father prepares our cave of slumber. Changing what we call our everyday places offers a sense of wonder; ‘cave of slumber’ is so much more cozy and inviting then ‘bedroom.’ When the cave is prepared he comes for our daughter and begins to change and dress her for bed. A candle is lit beside them, they giggle and play as I wash clean from the day's energy. I lotion and pamper myself and emerge in my softest silk robe, loosely flowing open and my hair down (a real treat and break from the usual 'mom bun' I wear during the day). I enter the nursery and appear to my two loves as the embodiment of Goddess.

Gracious and I sit on Dad's lap, we read our story and then as I hold in the palm of my hand a tiny crystal rock salt candle I watch as my daughter's eyes light up as I invite everyone to get ready for the evening prayers. We say a simple prayer to the Divine Mother, highlighting some of the simplest and most profound truths of the Mother Goddess, we move into the family bed together after this and my Beloved and I do our adult prayers as she drifts off to sleep on my breast.

Our mornings begin with a devotional practice, contact with the Goddess and connection between the two of us. Our joy at waking side by side has evolved into a cheerful morning greeting ritual. We smile at one another, I welcome her back to the world, I say my adult prayers and then we say her baby prayers to the Divine Mother. Our morning song is sung from the bedroom to the nursery and once she is changed I lay her upon her lambskin. I plug in the twinkling lights that delight her and begin my morning yoga practice as she practices her rolling. After my savasana I sit up and prepare her for my 'om's.' "Are you ready to do some om's?!" I ask her as she smiles up at me, three deep resounding om's and her eyes are alight with wonder, I go within for my meditation and then we pull our daily Goddess cards, our fairy helper cards and read about the Goddess for the day. She holds her card (until she tries to chew on it) and then we place it upon the living room altar.

This sense of inviting in the magic of the Goddess stays with us as I move into more everyday tasks, washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms etc. However as the day progresses I continue to call upon my Priestess self to hold onto the reverence for the life that my daughter and I are symbiotically sharing at this point in our journey. I'll sing a happy song while I clean, showing her the joy in tending the material realm. When her fussy periods hit we pause and sit together on the couch, snuggling as a guided meditation plays in the background. We venture out for walks and stop to observe crystallized ice drops, bright flower petals, soaring birds. We continue our daily activities and throughout I commit to connecting to the Mystery.

Each day I watch as my role as a Priestess changes not only at home but out in the world as well. I am not only Mother to my daughter, but also to the world. I have a greater responsibility then ever before. As I encounter my sisters and brothers I find myself seeing them as my own grown children, even the sisters and brothers who are chronologically older then I am I feel are daughters and sons of mine as I tap into the lineage of the Divine Mother. I am moved to treat them with the same tenderness and integrity that I pray the world will treat my blood daughter. I am called to extend nurturance, love, warmth and patience to all of Gaia's children. As I am no longer unto myself, I am weaving a life of service with these attributes.

I feel the Divine Mother living deep within my bones, She doesn't rest. I am pulled to the point of tears at the sorrows of my sisters and brothers. I am aware that as I continue to step onto this path of the Mother that I will have to watch diligently for the lure of co-dependency, for just as my Maiden Gracious has a life path set before her, so does each and every other creature that I encounter. I can only be the presence of unconditional love for them. This is the role of my Priestess self. My human self falls short of this ideal daily, hourly, sometimes by the minute, yet the more I cling to my inner Priestess the closer I come to embodying this Divine role that is calling so strongly for me at this time in my life. I am here to take all that I have received and to weave it into a basket full of unspeakable riches to be shared with my daughter, my husband, my family, my community, the entire world.

The world is starving for the Divine Mother, we need her more now then ever. As I become a tiny mirror of Her presence another piece of Her comes back into the consciousness of the human race. May we continue to receive well so that we may weave well. May we continue to open up to the Divine Mother and offer ourselves open as Her weavers, creating a world of Light, Love, Mystery and Bliss for the seven generations to come.

Grace Be With You,

Priestess of Grace Candise Soaring Butterfly