Gestare Art Collective

Dark Moon MA Praying


Praying while holding forearms with hands in several positions in front of the breast and the heart.


Male and female ancestor statues in eternal praying, Mesopotamia, from the archaic tepee of Ishtar in Assur (2400 BC).

Barbara's Prayer MA Pose, June 23, 2017


21 minutes, 10:30pm Dark Moon in Boone, North Carolina
with Katrina Plato, Brooke Hofsess, Shauna Caldwell & Jennie Carlisle witnessed by R. Michael Fisher

In Appalachia, in the backyard of Katrina Plato, home to a grass labyrinth. Five women walk in close formation into the labyrinth at the time of the dark moon. The center of the labyrinth calling, we follow the candle lit path. Wind is gathering and rain sprinkles lightly on us as we stand in a five pointed star,  energy radiating outward from the center of the labyrinth. Words form in my mind:

May spirit reign

May all heal

May spirit reign

May all heal

We remain in the labyrinth centre, standing in a quiet MA prayer pose for a long time. Our feet send seeds deep into the soil that will become flowing plants that will live in this place for a long time. As plants we will remain in the prayer prose calling for the healing of all -- for perpetuity. We walk out of the labyrinth quickly, with sure footedness and embrace each other as we exit. Michael standing as guardian / witness in the distance. 

We make our way into the house and sit around the round kitchen table, each reflecting on our labyrinth Ma Pose experience. We close the evening by writing and sharing our experiences with each other. 




photo credit Shauna Caldwell


Shauna Caldwell, Ma Pose, June 23, 2017.

There were many things that came up for me... while walking, I noticed the sweet way the plants kissed the legs of Brooke as we walked in and Katrina as we walked out.. Lately I have been overwhelmed with quite intense emotions I feel for people, but I have so much gratitude.. standing in the Ma pose and thinking of mothering... what it means to be a mother is somewhere I don't let myself go.. mostly because I feel like I'm not, or wasn't, ready to go there with myself but during this pose I realize that I've been there all along. My passion for connecting with and exchanging empowerment and inspiration comes from me trying to reclaim that sacred feminine connection and appreciation that I didn't have with my own mother. There are so many other ways to access that, though, and I have so many mothers that I am consistently grateful for... I think I am so grateful when I have this connection with someone, and hold on so closely, because I didn't have it for so long & didn't deal with it for a very long time because it was so painful for me.. I have so much, so many beings to be grateful for..” 

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