What is Farther Shore?

This is the second-year program for those who have completed Ninth Wave and wish to continue on. Unlike the Ninth Wave program, which goes from new moon to new moon, the Farther Shore starts at the beginning of the month, and participants can start at any point on the Wheel of the Year. Each month has a particular theme topic as well as suggestions for self-study and connection to Goddess. When you have completed the full Wheel, you will have completed the program.

What does the program involve?

Farther Shore is a journey through one turning of the Wheel of the Year. During this journey, you will explore one theme each month appropriate to the season. These themes are intended to help you continue to deepen your spiritual practice and your connection to self and Goddess. They were chosen intuitively to augment and add to the work of the Ninth Wave year. As with Ninth Wave, at the beginning of each month, you will be sent a link to a new set of web pages. These pages offer ideas for journaling, ritual, creativity, and other ways to explore the month's theme. In addition, specific Goddesses, earth allies (such as stones and plants), and useful spiritual skills are suggested. This program is perhaps even more self-directed than Ninth Wave. You will not be spoon-fed information or dogma – it is expected that you will seek out the knowledge you need for each month's theme, guided and encouraged by Lunaea and other priestesses. We will always be right there to help you along the path, with the understanding that you will comprehend more and grow toward wisdom as you follow your own inner guidance and the guidance of the Goddess.

Is this a priestess training program?

No. The work done in Farther Shore offers many opportunities for deepening, clarifying, and drawing closer to Goddess. At the end of the year, the seeker can consider the possibility of continuing on for a third year of guidance to clarify and confirm a priestess vocation. As with Ninth Wave, it's vitally important to stay in the moment, absorbing and evolving, rather than planning ahead too much. The spiritual path is by definition one of growth and revelation. If you plot out your path too closely, you may miss the signs that lead you more easily toward your bliss.

Do I work alone or in circle with others?

For the most part, you work on your own. In some cases, with women who are starting at the same time, an online mailing list can be set up for them if they all agree. And of course, women who have worked together in Ninth Wave will often want to continue that connection. But the main work is done on your own. The reason for this is that mailing lists and other computer-oriented work can be distracting from the kind of deep searching that Farther Shore encourages. We want you to absorb the web pages' information, and then go work some magic in the real world.

What does it cost?

This is usually a Supported Solitary program, with contact one-on-one with Lunaea (either through email or in person) and possibly another priestess. The cost is $50 per month. If you prefer, you can take a Solitary (unsupported) path for this year's work, for $25 a month. You can, of course, continue working with your circle sisters if you did Ninth Wave as a local circle. In that case, the cost is the same as the Local Circle for Ninth Wave ($25/month for each circle sister, with a minimum of three participants).

How do I sign up?

The first step is Ninth Wave! When you have completed your Ninth Wave year, if you feel you'd like to continue on with Farther Shore you will be given information that tells you how to start. It is important to feel complete with Ninth Wave before moving on. If you skipped over some of the Ninth Wave material or life's circumstances prevented you from giving it your all, we strongly recommend that you go back over that material before starting Farther Shore. Contact Lunaea to discuss this and make a plan to get back in the boat and journey a bit more before alighting on the Farther Shore.