Gaia's Womb

Gaia's Womb Changes Lives

Welcome to the Sisterhood!

Imaging the Divine as intimate partners helps to balance consciousness of the sacred and heal the distortions of the current, rigid patriarchal systems in both our religions and our governments. 

On this site, you’ll find weekend experiences for women, with presenters we love, whom past attendees have suggested, and whom we hold in great regard. They have made, through one medium or another, a resonant and lasting impression, which is not an easy feat in these times in which we live.

You'll find Rites of Passage that honor the phases of womanhood, from First Blood to Croning, and that attune to the Divine Feminine as a creative source both immanent and transcendent. Gaia - She who constantly gives birth to Herself.

We present our weekends in the spirit of learning, laughter, and a longing for connection and creative thinking with other human beings. We invite you to bring your heartfelt curiosity, your skepticism, your sadness, your fears, and your joy to any one of our wonderful, interactive weekends.

We want to know you. We want to know how you move through the world.

 

 

An Important Announcement Friends, Members of the Gaia’s Womb Sister Tribe, Twenty six years can hold so many memories. The hundreds of women who have participated in the rituals that transformed us, the Rites of Passages, for Maidens, Mothers, Queens and Crones. (Some of those Maidens are Mothers now, and some of those Mothers have brought the daughters of the wombs we blessed, to honor their First Bloods.) The ah-ha moments, the things we’ve learned together from wise elders. The laughter and tears, as hearts and souls were moved and healed, in holy moments. Remembering faces of Beloved presenters who have gone shining. Margot Adler, Shekhinah Mountianwater, Patricia Monaghan, Nora Cedarwind Young, all gone too soon. Alas, all things must end, and so it is with Gaia’s Womb. This February will be our 41st gathering over a 26 year period, and it will be our last. If you’ve ever wanted to attend, now is your chance. We don’t know where the road will lead us but we are grateful for the memories, and will carry all of you in our hearts. May you ever hear her voice on the wind, feel her in the heartbeat of the Earth, may you taste the salt of her tears in the oceans. May the fire of her passion spirit warm your heart and illuminate your path. May you always know inner peace and wholeness, comfort and love. Gaia. Until we meet again.

Gaia’s Womb Presents - Word Weavers

A Winter Retreat for Women

February 23, 24, 25, 2024

Dekoven Center - Racine, WI

Our 26th Year

Featuring: Lilith Dorsey, Tansy Undercrypt, and Helen Bond

Photography by, Lucrecia Mortishia

“The old woman slowly stirred the cauldron of wisdom, and brushed aside her long, silver hair. “Magic is what happens on the web of life, between the strands of what is, and of what will be.”

My Loves, 

We will come together once more at the end of February, the time when dawn begins to break and the long night of the soul begins to lighten. We have spent this darkness tightening our circles carefully - spinning dreams, holding hope, standing watch with bated breath, grieving, and guarding our beloveds to keep them and ourselves safe.

We have listened, and gathered bits of information, some bits sharp like onions, some sweet, like ripe succulent berries. And while in the belly of our isolation we have taken the threads of fate and woven stories, recorded history, and changed ourselves, even as our world has changed around us. 

Words have power. Whether we’re writing a poem, telling a story, journaling, chanting, or spell crafting, we weave words together like multi colored threads, to convey a message, make a connection, paint a word picture, and form a relationship.

Within the season of Imbolc, we feel the quickening in the belly. The inspiration and creative flow begins. As new light cracks the dawn, tentatively, cautiously, we peer out from darkened places and prepare to come together, to awaken gently, to share wisdom, to celebrate, to hold ceremony, to hold each other tenderly, to BE.

The seed stirs in the Earth and what has lain fallow for a season now begins to unfurl. Our excitement grows with the anticipation of seeing what the fertile darkness will birth.

Wishing you health and good fortune as you make your way to us. We’re so looking forward to seeing you. -Gaia

Now, in our 26th year, Gaia’s Womb brings together three strong presenters who hold the keys to some of the mystery and the wonder that comes from weaving our words through writing, rhythm, and the magic that comes through our hands.

Join us for a special weekend of Word Weaving.

Share the space of the tribe, the sisterhood; a soul feast of camaraderie, connection, laughter and wisdom. 

Gaia’s Womb Changes Lives.

We will be gathering once more at DeKoven Center in Racine, Wisconsin (formerly known as Racine College). DeKoven Center is a waterfront venue situated on 10 scenic acres overlooking Lake Michigan.

We will be in Taylor Hall. (Think Hogwarts) Built in 1867, Taylor Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places, as are the other buildings on the DeKoven Center campus.

All meals and accommodations are included in the price of this event. Please see the registration form for pricing.

Lilith Dorsey

Lilith is a Voodoo Priestess and has been doing magic for patrons since 1991. With a traditional education focused on Plant Science, Anthropology, and Film at the URI, NYU, and University of London, and a magical training which includes initiations in Lucumi, Haitian Vodoun, and New Orleans Voodoo, Lilith’s work encompasses being the filmmaker of the documentary ‘Bodies of Water :Voodoo Identity and Tranceformation,’ and the choreographer/performer for Dr. John’s “Night Tripper” Voodoo Show. Lilith is proud to be a published Black author of Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism, Orishas, Goddesses and Voodoo Queens, Water Magic and the soon to be released Tarot Every Witch Way.

https://lilithdorsey.com/about

Tansy Undercrypt

Tansy Undercrypt, will be joining us this year, having fully recovered from the illness that kept her from us in 2023. Tansy writes dark fantasy and is known for her work in microfiction. She has written several books, performs live stage storytelling, and was recently inducted as a Fellow into the Royal Society of Arts for her literary contributions to short fiction and work in language preservation. Originally from the Midwest, for years she stayed hidden at the edge of the forest in the grim wilds of Portland, Oregon only to return to the Midwest this year, beckoned by a witchy little house on chicken legs. Seriously. Playing to type, this one.

Her website is: https://www.tansyundercrypt.com

Helen Bond

Helen Bond is no stranger to Gaia's Womb, as she is one of the Founders. She is a dynamic percussionist, teacher and storyteller who engages diverse audiences and students of all ages through the joy, energy and healing power of traditional West African hand drumming and songs. Helen is the recipient of the 2015 Jack Benny Arts and Humanities Award. In January 2016, she received recognition and certification for her drumming and teaching from the Institut Superieur Des Arts De Guinee (The Fine Arts Institute of Guinea).

Her website is: http://medusadrums.com

If you would like to vend at this event, please fill out the application and pay the fee here: