Jane Meredith’s Blog www.janemeredith.com

Here I am in Glastonbury! Getting ready to do a Fringe workshop on Healing Sexuality… and then the whole Conference! this year it is dedicated to the Goddess of Love, so I feel I am in exactly the right place. the colour is RED and everything, everyone, everywhere is red, red, red. Luckily I have a lot of red, even in my travelling wardrobe.

Coming towards Glastonbury on the bus last night, first it was very dark and then I saw drifts of clouds lighting up… we had been in a kind of low tunnel of road but the hill dipped slightly and I saw the nearly-full moon, looking incredibly witchy, with dark clouds clustered and streaked over and around it…. A bit later, getting off the bus, the moon was shining high and bright in the direction of the Tor and the paths leading to it… I thought ahead to BC WitchCamp and all the secret paths that lead to Avalon - and here I am!

Check out this year’s Goddess Conference at their website: http://www.goddessconference.com/

My sweet Isis-cat went missing nearly two weeks ago. I am terribly sad; I have had her for nearly ten years and she is a very special cat. She had a terrible kittenhood, and was lucky to survive … as a consequence, she lived the rest of her life in a very kittenish state - never really grew up, but stayed a bit batty and magical and other-worldly. She was a special healing-cat - when anyone was upset or injured, she would sit next to them (or on them) and wash bits of them. In fact, washing and purring were two of her favourite things. She had lovely fluffy fur (white and tortiseshell) and my son and I used to joke that all she had in her head was fur and purrs.

She loved being part of magic and circles, and would always come and take the spare cushion in a ritual. She was very affectionate, and peculiar, and individual. Her tail was a great stripey orange-black-white. I hope the great Cat Mother is looking after her well, washing her from nose to tail-tip. I miss her terribly.

Over Easter of 2011 the first ever Australian Reclaiming WitchCamp will be held in Victoria!!

There’ll be three magical Paths to chose from, evening rituals filled with the special Reclaiming magic of combining mythic ritual, personal magic, drumming and trance… Four days of magic and wonder.

We’ve invited two international Reclaiming teachers, Ravyn Stanfield and John Brazaitis and I’ll be the third teacher. As well, there’ll be three Australian student teachers, to craft and hold the magic of the Camp.

Our Vision Statement for the Camp is: “Australian Reclaiming envisions our first WitchCamp as celebrating this ancient land, our energetic threads of connection and our interaction with nature. We see a story arising from our birth out of the ocean and the earth, the web of life and our grounded rapture and innate wisdom.” From this vision, the Camp will be shaped…

Check out the Australian Reclaiming Community Website at: http://witchcamp.australiareclaiming.org.au/

Port Melbourne Readings store has set up a beautiful dsiplay of Aphrodite’s Magic… (beautiful to its author at least) - with copies of the book, an article printed out and piles of the postcard with the book’s cover, advertising the Author Event I’m doing there next Tuesday, June 29th.

If you’re in Melbourne, please come along! They are at 253 Bay St and you can arrive from 6pm for a 6:30 start. They’ll offer you a glass of wine, I will read from and talk about the book and later sign copies.

It’s a free event, but they’re asking people to book on 9681 9255.  Hope to see you there!

There was a fabulous launch of Aphrodite’s Magic: Celebrate and Heal Your Sexuality on Friday night in Byron Bay - 60+ people, Patricia Corner from the Australian Goddess Conference launching the book and much talking, discrete sipping of champagne and book signing!

The room was filled with women, excitement and a sparkling, Aphrodite-like energy. I felt really special as two major strands of my life - my writing and my priestessing - wove themselves together in this book, and I presented it, reading from the Invitation (at the beginning of the book) and a short piece from the Sixth Strand.

Also, I so appreciate those who have put the book - reviews, or interviews with me - up on their blogs - I’ve already mentioned the High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment, but there’s also Medusa’s Coils, SassyMinx and BadWitch. It is amazing to think of my book being read and discussed…

A friend of mine went to the beach, the day after the Launch and saw a towel on the sand, next to it a pile of clothes and a copy of Aphrodite’s Magic…. perhaps the reader was in the sea at that very moment, invoking Aphrodite!

I am in Melbourne, busy visiting bookshops… cute-as-anything little Spell Box in Royal Arcade off Bourke St Mall, Hares & Hyenas (gay and lesbian) on Johnston St near Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Readings in Carlton, Crystal Heart also in Lygon St Carlton (not really a bookshop, but they have books) and the peculiar little Haunted Bookshop in McKillop St, City - they are the ones keen to order Aphrodite’s Magic, so far!

I am inbetween weekend meetings - I spent last weekend with the Australia Reclaiming Community, brainstorming for an Australian WitchCamp and creating community, and this week I’ll be at Gaia’s Garden at a Goddess Gathering, discussing different approaches to the Goddess… I’ll be back there again at the end of June, for a one-day workshop, Dark Face of Aphrodite…

I’ve just read a beautiful review (which I’m very grateful for) of Aphrodite’s Magic at: www.medusacoils.blogspot.com

The online magazine of the High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment just published an author interview with me, amongst their other interesting articles!

http://web.mac.com/alicegrist/Alice_Grist/Magazine/Entries/2010/3/26_Jane_Meredith_-_Author_Interview.html

Also up there are articles on the Fear of Feeling and Relationship Coaching! The magazine and site spring off from Alice Grist’s book, High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment, described as:  the must have book for females who are looking to connect to something other than their internet provider! Alice Grist jumps stilettos first into all things spiritual and conjures up an entertaining, witty and honest account of her search for Enlightenment.

Aphrodite’s Magic: Celebrate and Heal Your Sexuality by Jane Meredith will be launched at Mary Ryan’s Books in Byron Bay on Friday MAY 21 at 5:30pm. - PLEASE NOTE, change of date!!

Launching the book will be Patricia Corner, Convener of the Australian Goddess Conference. All welcome!

Links:  To look at Aphrodite’s Magic: http://www.o-books.com/obookssite/book/detail/565

To pre-order Aphrodite’s Magic on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Aphrodites-Magic-Celebrate-Heal-Sexuality/dp/1846942861/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268353020&sr=8-1

To join the Facebook Fan Page of Aphrodite’s Magic: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aphrodites-Magic-Celebrate-and-Heal-Your-Sexuality/106540680755

My latest e-zine is up on-line, with a Healing Spell for Kids included.  I found it really useful, moving and educational to be able to work with my son magically as he was growing up, so these techniques became part of his ordinary response to life. When people are sick or dying, I think kids usually feel helpless and confused, as well as sad and sometimes frightened. Creating a simple spell such as this one can be a great talking point, relieve anxiety and produce positive (healing) results…

http://www.janemeredith.com/ezine.htm