The Temple of Divine Feminine Flow - A Growing Network

written by Helena Montelius
for www.sphereswomenscircles.com

I am grateful to have this chance to share about the Temple groups and our unique practices. Most of our work is non-verbal and deeply experiential but I will try my best to give you a taste through words.
Imagine an Indian Temple Ritual or a Bedouin Wedding with women ecstatically dancing and praying, celebrating the divine and each other, expressing everything that is in their hearts, then slowly coming to stillness, drinking each other in trough the eyes and like in a tribal women’s gathering; massaging and nourishing each other’s bodies, except without clay, henna or manure. The women leave the Temple fulfilled, grateful and open.
This could be an evening in the Nevada City Temple Group, which my dear sister Chameli and I founded in Feb.2005. We both had been involved in many different women’s groups and meditation practices and longed to create a new and deeper way of connecting with women. A circle where we could go beyond the mind and our personal stories and enter the spaciousness of our true nature in a feminine, allowing way.
In Temple everything is welcome, we share both our pain and joy as gifts, creating art and prayers through our bodies and voices, allowing the deeply feeling feminine heart a safe oasis. We share our stories and wisdom without words.
When we do talk, it is within certain inquiry practices such as: Tell me what it is like to live as an embodiment of love or: Tell me what your deepest longing is: Tell me what the feminine is. We also practice becoming the energy of each season and different Goddesses, speaking as that season or Goddess.
We touch, massage, caress and connect through our bodies, filling each other up with feminine juice and love (in a non-sexual way). Only women can do that for each other, as most women in indigenous cultures know. In the West we have lost the natural physical closeness with other women, trying to get that nourishment from our men instead.
Our Temple is open every Monday night, a “Temple Mama” is guiding the evening (Chameli or myself or someone we have trained) and you come to Temple when you can. We recognize the cyclical nature of the feminine and don’t want Temple to be another demanding commitment.
The Temple practices have deeply enriched our lives and seem to fill an empty spot in many women’s heart. Most women simply sigh and say: “I have been longing for this my whole life!” The Temple women feel more able to be present in love with their families, juicier with their partners and more capable of speaking up in their work situations. We endeavor to carry the awakened feminine heart into the world, radiating compassion and truth into whatever projects or types of work we are involved with.
Chameli and I are so happy and grateful that the Temple of Divine Feminine Flow is expanding into an international network with groups in California, Texas, Oregon, Sweden, Germany and soon in Idaho and New York.

Small Circle Ritual to Share:
• Stand close together with your hips touching and come to silence and take some deep breaths. Spend a few minutes gazing into each other’s eyes, then pair up with another women.
• One is the receiver and the other partner will give the “Temple Rinse.” Let your hands gently rest on her head and then stroke her whole body, all the way down to her feet. Repeat the stroke many times, moving around her and stroking every side of her body, imagining rinsing away any tensions and stress, helping her to come into the present moment and her body. Without speaking, change over.
• Then play some flowing music with a sensual beat and let each woman have her own space, with closed eyes, to move her body. Let the movements arise from within, opening all areas of your body. Breathing deep.
• After 15-20 minutes of individual movement, come into a circle again and, without speaking, each woman moves into the middle and share what is present for her, using her body and sounds. Allowing everything: playfulness, divine grace, rage or whatever else is present. Come to closing by holding hands and sharing gratitude through the eyes.

Chameli Gad Ardagh & Helena Montelius are both passionate feminine practitioners, authors and international spiritual teachers, who live in Nevada City with their families. To create or locate a Temple Group in your area, order the Temple Group Manual or sign up for the annual Feminine Face of Leadership Training, check our websites.

Chameli: www.wildlove.org, chameli@wildlove.org
Helena: www.lookwithin.net, info@lookwithin.net, 530-292-3723