What we believe about the Sacred shapes the world we create. Today, as the rights of women are restricted and the elevation of hyper-masculinity celebrated, we must wonder how recovering our memories of the Sacred Feminine would help all of us to shape a more sustainable and just world.
Despite the lack of gender equality in liturgical practice in many religious traditions, the Sacred Feminine has been a powerful and important source of wisdom and sustenance to the adherents for thousands of years. In Buddhism, the term Prajnaparamita can mean both the Great Mother and the perfection of wisdom. The teachings of Prajnaparamita are the foundational texts of Mahayana Buddhism. In Christianity, Jesus, the embodiment of Christian wisdom and teachings emerges from Mary, who is the mother of God. In the teaching of the indigenous people of the Great Lakes, Skywoman brings the seeds of the Tree of Life gifting the world with land and plants germinated through the joy of her dancing and singing.
Although it is not always recognized in practice, the source of wisdom in our traditions does indeed lie in the Sacred Feminine. In this lively discussion, Rev. Cameron Trimble and Rev. Dr. Isa Gucciardi will explore the implications of this oversight and seek to refocus our attention on how the teachings of the Sacred Feminine enliven and nourish our own growth.
The conversation includes:
• An exploration of the Sacred Feminine Wisdom of different traditions.
• Practices that reconnect us with the sacred feminine energy within all of us.
• Reflections on the practical implications for our future based on rebalancing our understanding of the sacred feminine and on the failure to do so.
Rediscovering the Sacred Feminine Faculty
Isa Gucciardi
Isa Gucciardi is the founding director of the Foundation of the Sacred Stream, a school for consciousness studies in Berkeley, CA. She is the creator of Depth Hypnosis, which combines shamanic practice and Buddhist philosophy to create a catalytic spiritual counseling model that brings the power of these ancient wisdom systems into the modern therapeutic setting. She is the author of Coming to Peace, The New Return to the Great Mother, and the forthcoming, Depth Hypnosis, a Path to Inner Transformation.
Cameron Trimble
Rev. Cameron Trimble is the CEO of Convergence, an international leadership consultancy. She serves as a senior consultant, a frequent speaker on national speaking circuits, is a pilot and an author. Her books include Liberating Hope: Daring to Renew the Mainline Church, Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight, and 60 Days of Faith. Trimble is also an adjunct professor teaching leadership and organizational development. She is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ.
