Flashes of Insight

Omitowade Salewa Ajamu Teaching African Dance

Omitowade Salewa Ajamu is a lifetime priestess of Yemoja, raised in the Aftican ancestral spirutual tradition of the Yoruba. Along with the ordinary demands for drumming and chanting which are part of her priesthood Omito has especially developed her skill as an African dancer and fine arts painter, to further reveal the depth of her cultural heritage. Pieces by her are hanging in several institutions from South Florida to South Carolina. She has long given workshops in these arts all over the US and Jamaica. When not teaching or doing spiritual work, Omito spends time with her 12-year-old daughter Duni and 2 yr old daughter Dara who teach her refinements of dance guided by a spirit source beyond this world.

African Dance

Dancing us into awareness, Omito will illustrate in movement some of the differences between secular African dance and dances done specifically to honor each of three goddesses or “orisha” of the Yoruba tradition: Oya, Yemoja and Osun. She will then demostrate traditional movements and costumes and share with us the symbolic meaning involved in these steps, gestures and African outfits. At the end she will model and make available a few traditional dance head wraps (gele) and hip wraps (lapa) for those who might like to buy a set.

Omi Aladora Ajamu Priest of Yemonja

Omi Aladora Ajamu is a woman of great magic, music and power. She is a Yoruba Priest of Yemanja and founding mother of the African Connection an African Cultural performance group.

She and her family are part of the First Wave of Yoruba Priests that brought the Yoruba,[West African] Culture to the U.S. creating the Oyotungi African Village in Sheldon S.C.We are very fortunate that Omi and her family have resettled in Gainesville, Fl.

She worked in the early days with Martin Luther King as part of the Poor People’s March and was a lead in the Broadway production of Hair.

In addition she is a gifted Psychic and divines with the African Shells. She will be offering readings here at her booth.Omi is also part of the Blues Sisters as well as her own jazz band The Omi Aladora Ajamu Trio.

Workshop Goddesses of the Orisha

This workshop will introduce you to the magic and mystery of the Orisha, the Yoruba Goddesses… Yemanja, Oshun, Oya and others. Learn some of the chants and rituals of this ancient and very ALIVE culture.

PRIESTESS CHERIE LYON BIO and WORKSHOP for WWFest 7

Cherie Lyon is an Alchemical High Priestess and Facilitator. She has a private practice as a Shamanic Reiki Master where she integrates body-centered techniques with vibrational healing, acupressure, and mindfulness. She also conducts monthly empowerment circles, rituals, and ceremonies.

Through her devotion to the survival of the ancient mystery knowledge, Cherie’s mission is to promote the education and support of a holistic mind, body, and spirit. Her soul intention as she honors the tribal practice and Shamanic art of healing is to help others align with nature and shift their personal vibration. As each person’s vibrational field shifts, Cherie believes, so does the vibration of the world.

Cherie is from Chicago and makes her home in the greater Atlanta, GA area. She is available to facilitate anywhere in the country. Cherie is certified to facilitate the Natural Rhythms™ and Practical Priest~ess™ programs. She also functions as assistant to the director of Natural Rhythms.

Connecting with our Ancestry Lineage for Clearing and Empowerment (read on…)

SEVENTH ANNUAL WISE WOMAN’S FESTIVAL APRIL 9-11
@ Florida Coalition For peace and Justice Camp, Hampton,N. Central Fl, near Gainesville
One of the Nation’s only Multi Traditional Goddess Festivals for Women
only $60 in advance for 3 days of music, magic,Lakota sweatlodge, workshops, camping, poetry, healing and drumming circles, and an incredible Healing Ritual for the Planet led by Priestesses from 4 traditions to RAISE THE VIBE FOR THE TRIBE
Presenters, Billie Luisi Potts,”Witches Heal”, Flash Silvermoon, “The Wise Woman’s Tarot”, The Blues Sisters, Robin G White, Cherie Lyon, Omi Aladora Ajamu, Butterfly Circle Woman, Lylly Rodriguez, Ann Harmon, Mariel Masque, Aurora Whitebird and many more awesome women and YOU!
CONTACT FLASH SILVERMOON 352 4752432 @
www.flashsilvermoon.com

The Dream is Awakened

It is Nov 5, and we have an inspiring new president.
I FEEL SO WONDERFUL and I just keep tearing up. When I saw that park in Chicago so filled with love and light I remembered the last time I had viewed that space and it was during the Days of Rage from the Democratic Convention, so many years ago. That was a police riot where so many of us were maimed or killed. I wept for all the years that some of us have held this vision of freedom and justice. Images of being tear gassed and followed by the police flooded my thoughts..How many years we have worked to fulfill Martin’s Dream, how many years to honor the dead in Rosewood, the freedom riders Emmett Till Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman,SojournerTruth and Martin and Malcolm and Marley and Medgar and those that drowned during the Middle Passage and on and on. (read on…)

WEATHERING THE STORM NAY FAY The Contiuning Saga of the Storm that Wouldn’t Leave
My four legged familiars and I have been sitting on the edge of this Fay storm for days and it has been both challenging, frightening, grounding and heartwarming. So much time to let the inner emotional storms ebb and flow between chores, stabilizing the space, meditating, doing ritual, seeing clients, and basically hunkering down.
As I often do when some big hurricane,fire,drought is afoot, I contacted special spiritual friends to help me protect Moonhaven and generally hold a peaceful safe space for all in the path of the potential disaster. As always, I ask that the storm does the least harm and the most good also using the 3 D’s.Divert,Dissapate, and Dissolve which actually works quite well. (read on…)

Tree Magic at Moonhaven
Here at Moonhaven the trees have surely been teaching me. Some 10 years ago or so while in meditation my guides or perhaps the devas of this place spoke to me of what they wanted me to do for them and they were quite specific. They wanted me to arrange stumps bowls and stones around 4 particular trees. As I began to fulfill my task, I noticed that the 4 trees chosen actually made a cross in my yard. (read on…)

SACRED RIVER SACRED SPRING
I have never been to a man made grotto or any of the well known ones however there is a particular spring head in the Itchetuknee River which is a crystal clear turquoise blue spring fed river and this one in particular, known as the Blue Hole, is a grotto for sure. I have had the same feeling diving into other spring heads in the many springs and rivers of this kind in Florida but the Blue Hole to me is like diving into the Yoni of Oshun. (read on…)

Aphrodite and Oshun/Imbolc and Beyond
 

I like to celebrate the coming of the Sacred Love Goddesses starting on Feb 2 with Imbolc,Candlemas,Brigid’s Day and so on.
Mainstream culture likes to deify St. Valentine and give this bloodthirsty slayer of women the one day of the year that Love is supposed to Rule. How totally bizarre  and how the hell did he manage to grab that gig? I could research but let’s just chalk that up to the  badass patriarchy.
This just does not work for me at all so for years, I have celebrated  the time between Imbolc and Feb 14 or so as the Feast of Aphrodite. During this time one can delight in all manner of love rituals [as long as they are non-manipulative] and generally pump up your love groove. (read on…)

Modeling New Ways of Being-The Annual Wise Woman’s Festival Preparing for the 5thYear April 4-6!
by Flash Silvermoon

These are very exciting times and it has never been more important for us to start living into a higher consciousness.
The Annual Wise Woman’s Festival is one of those experiences of living into a such a consciousness and space that grows year after year in empowerment,safety,and deep sharing by all.
Its hard to find words to describe the intensity and subtlety of the uplifting feelings we enjoy at the WWFest.It is always a heartwarming empowering experience of soul connection for many with their sisters, lovers and friends. (read on…)

CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE
Yeah I am finally giving this workshop/playshop

COME RELEASE YOUR INNER DRUMMER

PLAYSHOP
FRIDAY DEC 7 7-9PM @WILD IRIS BOOKS
WITH FLASH SILVERMOON
There’s always something magical when women put their hands on a drum and this night will open that road for you.For the beginner and advanced levels

bring your drums and other percussive noisy toys and join in a circle of drum jams and drum talk.If you don’t have a drum, some may be available for sale and some will be available just to play.
Cost $15
WILD IRIS BOOKS 802 WEST UNIVERSITY AVE
GAINESVILLE FL FOR INFO CALL 375-7477
OR FLASH- 352 4752432
to hear some of Flashes Music and drumming go to this site below and download some free music from her CD’s
* The Wise Woman’s Tarot - http://www.flashsilvermoon.com *

WALKING A RAINBOW PATH
For me, there is nothing more important than my spiritual path which I am knowing and understanding more each day. I have walked this path  for many many moons calling myself or being called a Witch,Shaman,,Healer,Pagan, Goddessworshipper working with  Wicca,Yoruba,Native American,Feng Shui,Tantric paths and others.
  I finally recognize and have words for this path that I walk and it is a Rainbow Path where we honor diversity with many traditions, not to water any down but to embrace each unique part and hold Sacred that which resonates. (read on…)

I have most certainly experienced the pull and connection with the Orisha when I am drumming and particularly when I drum with Yoruban friends. It is very intense and transporting.

I remember one night I had travelled to the next town to drum at one of their ceremonies and that whole town had had a blackout.There was not a light on in the entire town.

As I approached Omi’s house, I saw many cars parked on the lawn. Atiba,the Priest of Elegba, the gatekeeper, came out and quietly greeted me with candle in hand.. As I entered I discovered a room ablaze in candle light and women and men clad in their traditional white robes.

This was an absolutely steamy Florida night and with no electricity for fans and air conditioners, the temperature inside was rising fast.

(read on…)

Dancing with the Orishas/Yemonja has her Night!

Last night, I had the honor to be invited to the 28th Year Celebration of Yemonja by my African Family/friends Omi Aladora Ajamu and Baba Olomide

Omi’s elder brother Baba Owheno opened the ceremony after some jams by one of the local Afro pop bands led by Femi on the drums and vocals..

I am most often the only white person or one of a few white folks present at these events and over some 17 years, I have been accepted as family by this family of Priests.
Some of the young Priests[Yawos, newly initiated’brides”of the Orisha] were Omi’s sons who I had known since they were knee high. it was so wild seeing them towering over me now with children of their own.

(read on…)

Ritual for Working with Hurricane Ivan /Oya
Date: 9/11/2004 9:43:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Many hours of preperation and thought plus a wonderful conversation with my Sister Priestess Omi Aladora Ajamu brought me to the place and time of this amazing ritual. It has lifted my heart and inspired me knowing that many of the thousands who have gotten my emails by now have circled up to help avoid this potential disaster. Ivan the Terrible.
“As you read my words,please feel free to work with what appeals to you in your sacred spaces,do your own rituals,keep the faith and pass on the empowerment needed to elevate the vibration sufficiently to save a lot of lives! I will continue as well til danger ceases. Blessed be!” (read on…)