Sunday, March 25, 2012

ERZULIE: An Ancient Eco-Sensual Goddess in Our Midst!

"Erzulie" Painting By Sandra M. Stanton


Ever find yourself being much more than yourself? Ever find yourself in the midst of a spontaneous 'letting go' into a domain of love and sensuality that embodies more than just your usual physical self and personality? Ever awaken to find yourself in a spirited space on the dance floor, somewhere in between he midst of your own beauty and the joy that surrounds you? Ever experienced a radiate essence, drawing to you souls that are moved by your light, tantalized by your sexual powers? Ever watched people entranced by the alluring motion of your body sweetly wrapped with the sensual aroma of your temple? I was there! I am still there! She is with me! She is with us!

Erzulie arrived on this sensational Friday evening when I welcomed a beautiful water goddess sistah who has now entered my life and the space of the Eco-Goddess Temple; an eco-sensual partner in both healing and business in the world of earth sensuality and eco-conscious womb love! I welcome her and I welcome the spirit of our shared goddess.... Erzulie!

We began the evening with Salsa Lessons of an intermediate level at Habana Village. Salsa is one of my favorite styles of dance expression. We stood lined up and paired with about 20 other dance players, learning and integrating new steps and movements that sometimes challenged and other times dissolved the old. The music was just the right tempo in which we were allowed to absorb the steps while the atmosphere fused people from various backgrounds and exotic spots around the globe. From Serbia, to Jamaica, to Bolivia, to Puerto Rica, to Ghana, to Cuba we traveled through the dance to exotic destinations.

Somehow, my left foot kept getting in the way. Recognizing this each I had my chance to dance with the teacher, who never failed to put the light on my left foot. My intuitive means of processing made me ask myself, "Do I let my emotions get in the way of my dance on earth, my life?" There was no second guessing that I was in the midst of a soul transformation and a beautiful awakening that allowed me to understand myself more, providing a spark of insight and wisdom on how I could take more harmonious steps within me and through the world and all my relationships. Not hiding it from anyone, I began to gently talk to and nurse my left foot so that it would let go and let me go forward and more gracefully within my dance.

The power and mystic of allowing the dance to infuse me and each partner spoke volumes. Salsa, like many other exotic, cultural dances are highlighted and intensified with the eye contact of each partner as a necessary component of the dance. With partners gazing into the eyes of each other we are anchored within the soul of the moment and carried by the spirit of the dance. It presented earthly moments of the stellium of planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Uranus) that lined up in the sky and in my 7th house of one-on-one relating. The moments on the dance floor mirrored the powerful dance in the sky. Turns dancing with each partner were like lifetimes of sensually stimulating and sexually sustainable relationships. Not many can comfortably look into the eyes of what appears like a stranger but there was no second guessing that each of my dance partners were dance lovers of past lives. For me it was a magical re-visit, a re-call, a re-membering of a soulful connection when I entered the gateway of the past through their eyes - the windows of their soul. No physical bodies, just sensual infinity. Each moment, each movement, each contact nurtured the inner goddess and fed the divine feminine within me.

Flavors of Brazil infused with that of Cuban motions through the tasty, gentle, yet passion filled drink - caphrinine! We sipped as we stepped, moved and tipped; we swallowed as we twirled and spun on our feet and toes. Eyes glittering, faces smiling widely and lost in moments that seem like eternity.

Later we had a light Thai dinner - a papaya salad with cabbage and tofu for me. Then an evening stroll with the airs that breezed through and the puffs of nature that we added into the atmosphere while we talked about plans and the work we have come together to do. After dinner we were invited to the dance floor with complimentary drinks to top off as gifts to the dancing goddesses. One was actually enough for each of us.

We ended the evening with live reggae music at one of my old stomping grounds Bukom Cafe. There I ran into a few old friends who welcomed us, adorned us and worshiped us like the goddesses were are. It was a delightful and fun, fun evening of pure laughter, heightened pleasure, sensual perks and sexual undertones that were reflected in the eyes and bodies of those within a certain radius of our glow. My guess was ecstatic and thrilled, falling love with Chocolate City DC which that night looked like a global mixed toss salad. Erzulie was truly alive!!


Judith Burnett - "Salsa Dancing"




ERZULIE
is the Haitian Goddess of Love whose roots go back to West Africa. She is beauty, sweetness, love and sensuality personified and is renowned for her generosity. The arts, especially dance, are her domain. Rivers, streams, lakes and waterfalls are hers and she can cure WOMB-related problems with her cool waters. The fan that she is holding is from Osogbo, Nigeria and belongs to a priestess of Oshun who is the mediator between the divine or natural world and the world of people, the cross in the circle indicating the meeting of the two worlds.

One of the characteristics of Erzulie that I embody is my ecstatic depth -the knowing of both deep pain as well as the healing power of pleasure which my pathway has brought forth the experiences of both worlds and the mastery of integrating them - like the Sun and the Moon; daylight and nightlight! Like Erzulie I portray in this lifetime Goddess spirit who is well ahead of her time, one who continues through the love of her followers, allowing the old traditions of my African birth world to live on and be merged with the new order of an eco-sensual religion based on earth as both mother and lover.

Erzulie is a love goddess who developed during a time when slave owners broke up families and separated husbands and wives at will, and considered raping female slaves a pleasant way to produce more slaves.

Erzulie manifests deep, deep passion, and Her moods can range from the height of joy to the depths of misery--when She mounts (spiritually possesses) a follower she or he goes from coquettish and seductive to crying her or himself to sleep, weeping for the limitations of love.

There are numerous sister forms of Erzulie, and She is sometimes considered a triple goddess. As such She has three husbands--Damballah (the sky god), Agwe (the sea god), and Ogoun (a god of fire and iron), and She wears three wedding bands.


This card in a reading indicates deep and abiding love that may well be in opposition to the current situation. This passion will make for a wild ride--hold on!

Like many other Goddesses of Love, Erzulie controls her love affairs in the same way that she is so blatant with her sexuality. She chooses her lovers as she deems them worthy of her affection, whether it is for an hour, a day or more. Then, in the same manner that she has chosen them, she just as easily dismisses them, whenever she happens to find a replacement to keep her amused.
Offerings to Erzulie are all the sweet things She loves--perfume, sweet food, and desserts such as bananas fried in sugar.

Her sacred days are Tuesday and Thursday: It's suggested that, if possible, initiate rituals around her on either of those days.

Her Favorite Colors: Pink, Blue, Lavenders, Purple and Orange. Try to use them anytime you need her assistance. These colors can manifest with clothing, altar items, candles, gifts, bottles and even food.

Suggested Offerings to Erzulie Freda: Would include Sweet Cakes, Pink Champagne, Perfume, Flowers or Beauty Products. She LOVES anything beautiful and decadent.

Erzulie's Symbol: heart shaped Veves

Blessings adorn our physical selves, our fire filled hearts and our earthly bodies with the spirit and dance of Erzulie! We give heart-full thanks to our WOMB goddess!!





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