How do you practice your Spirituality? A Magdalene Path Perspective
Introduction by Cole Goodwin
Welcome to the Spiritual Roundtable, an interfaith roundtable featuring a diverse range of spiritual belief systems in the Gorge Community.
Each week, spiritual leaders and learners will share their take on some of humanity's biggest questions, starting with: What does your spirituality mean to you? And ramping up into discussions about the nature of existence, the soul, the divine, and of course…a question as old as time itself: why are we here?
Roundtable writings will be published each Saturday and Sunday of the month. So look forward to new installments every Saturday and Sunday morning!
Take a deep breath… Meditate for a moment…And when you’re ready…keep reading to explore the diverse faiths, belief systems, and philosophies that exist in our communities.
This Month's Question: What is your belief systems basic belief structure? What are some of the major celebrations or rites of passage? What are some of the core beliefs and major practices?
Why this question was chosen: This question asks us to examine the basic principles and values that guide our Spirituality and expand our understanding of the many paths one can walk to live a Spiritual life.
About Claire Sierra: Claire Sierra, MA, LFT, author/founder of The Magdalene Path, is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Soul Alchemist, Spa Priestess, and Reiki Master on the path of awakening Feminine Soul since 1989. She shares intuitive, creative, spiritual practices through the lost wisdom of Mary Magdalene. Claire sees clients on-line and at Spa Sanctuary at the Balch Hotel, an elegant, award-winning inn in Dufur, Oregon, where she lives with her hotelier husband.
Learn more and access free resources for Feminine Soul at MagdalenePath.com. She can be reached at Claire@MagdalenePath.com
A Magdalene Path Perspective
by Claire Sierra
For as long as I can recall, Soul is the key. Feeding, caring for, and connecting with my own soul or guiding that process in others - whether as a psychotherapist, soul coach, or spa priestess - has guided my life. (Our soul steers our life and when we don’t heed it, we suffer.)
Self care is soul care, and in recent years we’ve all seen and felt the importance. Being connected to Spirit is not something I’ve tried to do, to be “good”, it’s just simpler that way. I’ve found that spiritual practices are necessary for mental, emotional and physical well-being. If not, we risk anguish, upset, and pain.
What practices help you to maintain (or regain) balance, ease, and connection?
I’ve developed a core of simple practices that inspire, awaken, and align me with the Divine. On daily and weekly basis, I tap into prayer, meditation, yoga or movement, walking in nature, writing, and painting.
I was raised Catholic, and my strong mystical streak inspired my quest for authentic, embodied experiences of the Sacred. Since I’m in a female body, I’m drawn to reflections of divinity that mirror my own, the Goddess, reminding me that I, too, am a spark of the Divine. I explored many wisdom traditions, healing modalities, and the earth-based spirituality of my European roots. I found myself on path of the priestess, returning home to a Christianity I was never taught, including the Sacred Feminine wisdom of Mary Magdalene.
As a priestess of the Divine Feminine in the Avalon and Magdalene traditions, my life is rooted in connection: with self, soul, Source (or Spirit) and sisters (community). I’m particularly attuned to the rhythms of nature and acknowledge the seasonal cycles our lives revolve around. Some of these holy days may be vaguely familiar: Solstice as Christmas, Spring Equinox as Easter, May Day, Hallowe’en (All Souls & Saints days).
These seasonal markers every 6 weeks help us mark, move and flow through the year. Being tuned in to the rhythm of the earth & moon, even vaguely, helps us feel connected to the monthly cycles we all seem to experience, even if unacknowledged.
Most of the temples and holy places of the ancient earth-based traditions of the Goddess were destroyed by new religions wanting power. In the Avalon and Magdalene traditions, we’ve had to scavenge from ancient texts and oral tradition, spiritual insight and creative imagination to create new traditions and rituals.
The same is true of the Way of Love, the path taught by Jesus and Mary Magdalene, which was almost completely eradicated by the church of Rome.
Now we find growing interest in the lost wisdom of Mary Magdalene—someone who was far more important than we were led to believe. My decades of research and spiritual connection with Magdalene have confirmed her role as a leader and healer in the early church. The path she taught in France and other parts of Europe, Jesus called the Way of Love & Light.
Connection with her is my primary inspiration, which I do through meditation, writing, and prayer. Recently I received a new way to pray the Rosary—to Mary Magdalene, which brings a deep state of peace and spiritual connection. (I’m delighted to share this practice in our monthly prayer circle, see the link in my bio!)
Receiving this connection with the Divine Feminine through Mary Magdalene has ignited my soul’s purpose. Awakening Feminine Soul to balance with masculine power is the primary task of our time. Without it our society and planet teeter towards collapse. “A more beautiful world that our hearts know is possible*” awaits us. We must find a way to a new story, that is beyond hate and divisiveness, a path of hope, love and light. Find yours.
© 2022 Claire Sierra, The Magdalene Path ™
Connect with me: Claire@MagdalenePath.com www.MagdalenePath.com
*David Eisenstein
Want to contribute to the Spiritual Roundtable? Read this first.
The Roundtable Mission and Vision
The goal of these roundtable writings is to:
Bring the spiritual community together.
Share ideas that elevate the human spirit.
Elevate the conversation around the spirit.
Embrace what is universal to all, while honoring what is special about each spirituality.
Center inclusivity and equity.
Promote our collective enlightenment.
Nurture civility and friendship between those with diverse belief systems in the Gorge.
Engage readers and spiritual seekers.
The Spiritual Roundtable IS NOT…
This is not a place for arguing about dogma.
This is not a place for ‘hating on’ or putting other belief systems down.
This is not a place for excluding, discriminating, or promoting fear or violence towards other people based on their race, color, ethnicity, beliefs, faith, gender, sexuality, ability.
This is not a place for hatred.
This is not a place for fear.
The Spiritual Roundtable IS..
This IS a place for hope.
This IS a place for joy.
This IS a place for comfort.
This IS a place for big questions.
This IS a place for learning.
This IS a place for sharing.
This IS a place for caring.
This IS a place for sharing what is special about your beliefs.
CCC News reserves the right to not publish any content that breaks with our mission, vision and values.
If you are interested in being included in the roundtable please email cole@columbiacommunityconnection.com
