WELCOMING SPRING ISIS WORSHIPPERS ATTEND GODDESS FESTIVAL IN ENCINO.

Byline: Daily News

ENCINO - Dozens of goddess worshippers, clad in flowing gowns and heavy jewels, congregated at the Tillman Water Reclamation Japanese Gardens on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the Egyptian deity Isis and the coming of spring.

The celebration included belly dancing, drumming and sending floating ice-boats onto a pond, said Laura Janesdaughter, who calls herself a priestess of Isis.

``It was a beautiful setting and a beautiful ceremony,'' said Janesdaughter, with a wide, golden emblem of the winged Egyptian goddess hanging from her neck.

Suzanne Pond, who is known in the Isis circle as ``River Dancing,'' brought her two young sons, Spencer, 4, and Gregory, 2, to the ceremony.

``I was born and raised Catholic, but that didn't sit well with me,'' Pond said. ``I am going to give (Spencer and Gregory) the choice.''

There are about 400 Isis worshippers and several different sects throughout California, Janesdaughter said.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) People wait outside the gates of the Japanese Garden in Encino, where a goddess festival was held to welcome spring.

(2) People waiting to attend the festival play cards outside the gates of the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer