-Mayra Sofia Moreno
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| Ovarian Psycho Cycles Memory Cards on their Bike Tires 2012 |
Thursday came; it was after sunset and the Moon was coming out to guide us. It was a full Moon, not just because it was on its ovulation phase, but also because it was filled with Hope. At least that is what it felt like to me as I looked around whilst I waited at McArthur Park over on 6th and Alvarado. The world was celebrating International Women’s Day and things felt right. Even in the midst of the urban jungle vines with its concrete roads and traffic jams I swing on daily, it felt good to be able to get together with other Mujeres to ride down in L.A`s downtown metropolis.
Reflections and Perceptions
My feet steady as they took me across the streets of South Central, as they 
hopped me on Bus 52, and brought me back down on the pavement, swung me on my bike and began to take me away on my first Luna Ride. They brought me to the periphery of the dynamic vibe of McArthur Park. Why? To meet up with the Mujeres who were doing the Luna Ride with the Ovarian Psycho- Cycles. These Ovas, as they call themselves, have been riding together for almost two years as they spread their visions on wheels. They organize bike rides for Womyn and work in solidarity with issues that affect our community/ies.
hopped me on Bus 52, and brought me back down on the pavement, swung me on my bike and began to take me away on my first Luna Ride. They brought me to the periphery of the dynamic vibe of McArthur Park. Why? To meet up with the Mujeres who were doing the Luna Ride with the Ovarian Psycho- Cycles. These Ovas, as they call themselves, have been riding together for almost two years as they spread their visions on wheels. They organize bike rides for Womyn and work in solidarity with issues that affect our community/ies. 
As we gathered, some filled up their tires with air, others shared about their day`s activity/ies while checking their lights and strapping on their helmets. The evening was settling in and the city lights began to replace the sleeping sun. Once all the Mujeres showed up with their Ciclas, placed their Ovarian Psychos stickers on the urban deco, the femdrenaline energy was released and spread as a protective shield around us. We were good to go! ¡VAMONOS a pedalear! Push left, pick-up the stroll right, tight grip on the handle, attentive eyes, crossing avenues, skipping cracks, avoiding pot holes, taking over a whole lane, interrupting the car flow, breathing cold air, make a Left instead, looking for Temple Street, trying to avoid going up hills but forging ahead anyway, cold wind hindering a sweat drop from coming to life, dried mouth, and finally we made it to the event held at AF3IRM-Gabnet where womyn were being honored not only for the ride in life, but also for struggles, their courage and their passions.
It felt good to ride, and it felt even better to ride in company; to ride with other Mujeres. It felt good to feel my heart racing when I was going up hill, to be one less car driving in traffic, to save gas money, to contribute to a future with cleaner air, and to challenge myself to claim a space on the streets by opening up the tolerance level for L.A. Bikers in general. It felt good to represent all of these things by simply doing something I love to do.
My feet helped me ride my bike and brought me to join in on this experience, while other Womyn`s feet got them to the same event to do Spoken Word, to do some high rhythmic body healing with African Dance, and to stand with a Microphone in hand as they shared their voices. Cihualt-Ce (representing Ovarian Psycho-Cycles) shared with us her power of the word and reminded us that bringing together our communities to honor our sisterhood was a blessing. I thought to myself, “just like my hands grab the handles of my Cicla as I try to keep balance while I ride through the streets of my life, these Womyn hold a microphone; thus it is their poetry, their instruments, and their identity/ies that bring balance to everything around us.”
After attending the event with AF3IRM, we rode to Not a Cornfield to take part in a Womyn´s Circle where we reminded ourselves of the ancient wisdom that we carry and the need for us to bring it forward, share it with each other and spread it. As we recognized each other, and honored the indigenous land we were sitting on, the candles burned around a painted image of Coyolxauhqui and the sage purified the energy field—our own and the one around us all. The copal burned, releasing its sacred aroma to guide our honoring of the elements, and the drumming and singing worked to keep our hearts attuned. It was a night of sharing, of honoring yourself and then looking into the eyes of the other that stood to your right, your left, in front of you, behind you, across from you to acknowledge one another. That is how I, She and Her became a circle of WE.
Above us all, was the LUNA, bright and Full. She was hanging there; proud of us as we stood and made our own circle that replicated her natural shape. The Moon had somehow brought us together through the LUNA RIDE, through our needs as Womyn, through our desire to sit in with community, through the words of a Mujer who asked another one to come and share. The Collective known as Mujeres de Maiz, Iron Unicorn, along with Ovarian Psycho-Cycles came together, along with all the other individuals who came independently to make this ceremony happen. I also thought about those coincidental encounters that end up being not so coincidental after all. This was the way in which other Mujeres were brought into the ceremony. For any and all the reasons that can explain why we were there, the conclusion is that it took place and that it was necessary.
It felt good not to be the only one celebrating, it felt good to be in solidarity outside of the cyber space; It felt even better to have witnessed communities in L.A. coming together. It felt good to learn and share; it felt good to listen and speak. It felt good to be one of many Mujeres that RIDES the streets of L.A. bajo la GRAN LUNA.
For more info on the groups visit their page:
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