Dear ones,
Each of us has a role to play in building a culture of trust. Jane Goodall, who recently passed at the age of 91, spoke about how hope requires "action and involvement" and that is what makes hope different from wishful thinking. It was this very hope and action that lead Catherine Corless, this month's Modern Matriarch, to uncover the scandal of Ireland’s historical mother and baby institutions (more info below).
We have been reflecting a lot on the power of hope and action, and where Matriarch Makeover fits into that. We had our first Women's Retreat a couple of weeks ago, and I am so thankful to Catherine Lovella for the chance to co-facilitate alongside her and again participate in her powerful workshop. Catherine's teacher is Atarangi Muru of the Mäori Healers, who was recently featured in the Eternal Song film produced by SAND.
The retreat was a tender reflection of the importance of spending time together in a way that authentically honors our full being, including what our ancestors have given to us. Our last day of the retreat closed with a powerful unity circle where the women sat, shoulder to shoulder, and made commitments as matriarchs and matriarchs in the making.
In honor of the unity and healing that rippled out from that weekend, several new offerings came forth.
Starting November 1, 2025, Eli PaintedCrow of Turtle Women Rising and I are inviting you to join us for the Solidarity Scarves for the Global Sisterhood project, by participating in a chain-mail scarf giving project. Just in time for our honoring of Indigenous Peoples and our giving thanks in the month of November, may your gift of a scarf to a sister in your life serve as a powerful honoring and symbol of our unity within the global sisterhood. You are welcome to take the pledge, or post your own photos, using the #solidarityscarfsisters to help connect to other sisters globally. More information on how to participate is located Solidarity Scarf landing page.
I am also thrilled to announce an upcoming Informational Session next month, November 13, 2025, 8 - 9 am PT (6-7 pm EET), on a new monthly online Latvian Cultural Practices course I will be offering alongside the amazing Aija Harrison of Latvia. Also, stay tuned and mark your calendar for a new Lineage Recovery course starting in January, with author and activist, Hilary Giovale. That informational session will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 10 am PT, with the course starting later that month on a bimonthly schedule. All of these offerings will request a gift of reciprocity, but no one will be turned away due to a lack of funds.
With love and respect,
Maija
