The Recovering Goddess

THE RECOVERING
GODDESS
Passing the Rattle in The Sacred Circle

The Sacred Circle
is a self supporting sisterhood of recovering women,
dedicated to reclaiming the Goddess and committed
to the healing of our lives. It was founded in 1987
by Rev. JoAnna Medina to bring like-minded women together
to Pass the Rattle, share experience, strength & hope;
honor women's unique mysteries & rites of passage,
& celebrate the power of the Feminine Spirit in various
Circles, Gatherings & Retreats throughout the year.

You are invited to join our growing community
of recovering women who honor the Goddess!

Come share your experience, strength
& hope with us.... Now!

All Women are Welcome!

Greetings Sisters!

If you'd like to join our Sisterhood & share
your recovery, discovery and empowerment
with sisters who are reclaiming the power
of the Feminine Spirit to heal from the
insidious ways of Patriarchy...

Please go to our
Membership Page
and sign up!

Love & Blessings.... JoAnna

The Recovering Goddess
by JoAnna Silverwitch

The Recovering Goddess is not a theory. It is a reality. Not only is the Great Mother Goddess
recovering from her forced oppression brought about by patriarchal religions & systems,
she's awakening loud and clear in the hearts, minds and souls of women everywhere!

When I entered recovery 28 years ago... I had no idea what was in store for me.
All I knew was that my life was a mess and I was done with life as I knew it!

Before recovery, I was strung out on Alcohol, Heroin, Cocaine, Nicotine, Caffeine, Sex, Sugar & Processed Foods.
I was jobless, homeless and bankrupt in every area of my life and desperately wanted it all to come to an end.
I was tired of my futile attempts at chasing money, property, prestige, sex, security, people, places & things.
At the time I had no idea I was suffering from the accumulated effects of Patriarchy, with its misogynist
religions and social systems. I just thought I had severe emotional problems caused by my inability to live life
on life's terms & my constant abuse of mind-altering chemicals! At least that's what everyone was telling me!

In October of 1982, at the age of 36, feeling utterly defeated in every area of my life and in complete despair,
I completely resigned from the world as I knew it and surrendered to powers greater than myself, asking only for
my true destiny and purpose to be revealed, if I had one. Shortly after that I was led to a 12 Step recovery program.

I embraced recovery with a fervor and my life got increasingly better. I loved this new way of life and devoted
myself to unity and service in the program... but like they say in many 12 Step Fellowships around the world
"More will be Revealed." And it was.

In my 3rd year of recovery, I had a profound mystical experience that revealed my oneness
with our ancient mother, the Goddess. This extraordinary epiphany occurred on a nature walk
in the Spring of 1985, and changed the course of my life in ways I never dreamed possible.

In all started when I began developing an insatiable urge to connect with Nature, so I found a lovely rural
preserve near home and started seeking solace & sanctuary there. Between my job, meetings and
family obligations, it became a daily habit to spend time in this beautiful rustic getaway, walking trails
on the creek's edge and connecting with earth, water, sky, sun, wind, trees and wildlife.
It was a delight that always nurtured my soul.

One spring morning as I strolled on my favorite dirt path near the duck ponds,
basking in whimsical enchantment & offering prayers of gratitude to Mother Nature,
I was abruptly stopped in my tracks by the sound of a mystical voice that resonated
through my consciousness! She told me I was made "in her image & likeness"
then... in a suspended moment, a powerful electromagnetic force rushed through me,
sweeping away all former ideologies and religious beliefs as if filled me with a
permeating essence of self-love and sacredness never before experienced!
My soul and sanity seemed restored in a matter of minutes & I was stunned,
but as if waking from a dream, I knew exactly who she was.

This powerful experience was so sudden and unexpected that it prompted me
to seek immediate refuge under my favorite tree by the flowing creek.
I sat down on the cool moss and wept, blubbering apologies to my ancient mother
from somehow forgetting her in a maze of hypnosis that seemed to be wearing off.
I realized that I had always been one with her, like her, separated only by illusions
of the mind. I felt like sleeping beauty waking from a spell of slumbering exile,
somewhat embarrassed that I had fallen prey to such a thing!

However, my reconnection with the Goddess assuaged any lingering guilt,
for as the symphonic sounds of her haunting laughter echoed magically through my
natural surroundings, I was deeply reassured that the joke was on me!

My weeping continued all afternoon... but the cleansing brought healing, relief and release from years
of self bondage. As I listened near the flowing creek, a tremendous sense of clarity came over me.
I knew at that moment just why I had become so dysfunctional and why I was in recovery.
It was clear that I had become a victim of Patriarchy, captive in its oppressive grip since birth,
and that under this powerful cultural influence I had unconsciously developed a distortion in my
thinking which led in time to soul fragmentation and the estrangement from my true feminine nature.
This deterioration of the soul also led to internalized oppression, codependency, self loathing,
neurotic behaviors, compulsive disorders and serious addictions which made my life unmanageable!
"How could I have been so blind" I cried. "How could I have done this to myself!"

As I sat there by the creek that day, my life flashed before me and it became painfully obvious why
I had always reacted to the world with contempt, rage and disgust. I now understood why I was
rebellious, defiant and angry... later buffering the rage and pain of my reality with mind altering chemicals.
It also became clear why I had problems with my sexuality and self image; why my relationships didn't work;
why I suffered for years with sadness, grief, depression; why ventures pursued in sincerity became
exercises in futility, even with my best efforts to conform to the systems around me.
I now understood why I sought various escapes from reality to survive; why the religions I was exposed to
didn't make sense or fulfill my soul; why I felt there was something terribly wrong with me
and why I had a huge void inside that I couldn't fill.

Yes... it all made perfect sense! My years of shame, suffering, deterioration and disease came from
a disconnection with my Feminine Spirit and my obvious estrangement with the Great Mother of all Life.
I had been indoctrinated by Patriarchy, with it's unrealistic social systems and religions, and I had been duped!
I had surrendered my uniqueness, power, beauty and magic to a system that taught me to hate myself as a women,
along with the unconscious humanity that continued to serve it... and now... sitting beside the creek,
my blindfold was being removed and my sight restored... and I knew... with absolute certainty, that there was
nothing wrong with me at all... and never had been.... that I was a visible spirit, divine in essence,
a Creatress of life, fashioned with the magical elements of Mother Nature, in her image, in her likeness,
and one with it all. YES.... THE JOKE REALLY WAS ON ME!

On that incredible Spring day in 1985, my spirit was made whole and my journey of Recovery & Reclaiming began!
My long lost connection with our Ancient Mother was restored and I knew She would not fade from my memory again.
When I got up to return home, I vowed to keep Her in my heart and serve Her in any way that I could.
I also knew I would carry the message of this incredible experience to others at some point,
but didn't know exactly how or when. I had never heard anyone speak of these things in recovery...
I had never even heard the word Goddess. So I kept silent about it for awhile and prayed for guidance.

The guidance came. I soon met a pagan in the fellowship with whom I shared my epiphany, and he encouraged
me to read some books on the old Earth Based Religions that were suppressed by Patriarchal Religions.
I took his advice and began my education. To my surprise, I discovered that ancient Goddess Religions,
rooted in the oneness of Nature and Spirit, spoke to my mind, heart and soul in a way that nothing else ever had.
So I decided to embrace this ancient path in my recovery, because it honored my feminine spirit.
I had come home.

I began integrating Goddess Religion into my recovery and practicing the old ways as a solitary. With new love
and respect for myself and the immanence of life, I stepped from the broom closet with new hope & inspiration.
Natural abilities suppressed all my life, for fear of ridicule or persecution, began emerging with genuine expression.
I now had the freedom to be my authentic goddess self for the first time in my life.... and I was ecstatic!
This is when I decided to become a minister.... and my recovery blossomed from there.

The time finally came when I shared about Goddess Spirituality with the women I sponsored in recovery and
about the healing that comes when we wake up to reality & embrace ourselves through images of the Goddess;
that true recovery for women meant honoring Mother Nature and the Feminine Spirit, along with our unique mysteries,
for this is the vital key to restoring self love, wholeness. power, magic and true authenticity... to remember who we are.

It didn't take long for some of these sisters to join me on this recovering and reclaiming journey
and together we developed deep bonds of love and trust while embracing ancient ways of the Goddess.
Hence, The Sacred Circle of Maidens, Mothers & Crones was born... and remained through the years...
with a continued desire to provide a safe sanctuary for sisters seeking recovery, discovery & empowerment!

MAY OUR HEARTS AND SOULS ALWAYS REJOICE IN HER WAYS
as we continue welcoming new sisters into the Circle.

Blessed Be...