Solo Together and Seven Greek Goddesses

Indeed there are goddesses in every woman.

In honour of Jean Shinoda Bolen’s work, friend and founder of our women’s circle, Mirjam Wagner has created an embodied way to help explore Feminine Archetypes.

For those who tune into the Earth Converse Podcast, you will know Mirjam from episode 47, when she had just published her book Yin for Life. Now offering a structured yet flexible self-study online programme, she inspires a deeper connection with the archetypes in the book.  Through beautifully expanding on the stories, qualities and challenges, light and shadows of the seven Greek Goddesses. In addition she offers yoga sequences to help activate, awaken and integrate their various qualities within us. To help us explore our full potential and live a life with joy, peace and power.

Having met each goddess, and spent quality time with them, I thought I would invite them on a Solo Together experience…

Solo Together in Mallorca

Solo Together is one of the experiences Earth Converse offers people living and visiting Mallorca.  I call it a micro vision quest, because it is doing what humans have always done – to disconnect from the realities of day to day, to go out in wilder nature, for inspiration, connection, healing and belonging.  In this instance, questers have a solo period of two hours which is ‘top and tailed’ by a sharing circle.

This is how it panned out one Sunday up the mountain.

Goddesses, one by one

Straight away Athene was the one curious about nature connectedness as a concept, research area and practice. And was keen to know more about Bill Plotkin’s Nature Based Map of the Human Psyche.  I was happy to expand… and also invited her to use the 2 hours solitude to try and connect with her body. Go naked I said! And she did. And returned grounded and content, able to be fully present to listen with an open heart.

Wild Artemis was a natural ceremonialist.  When I talked about “earthconversing” she knew instinctively what I meant about being in communion with nature.  She was clear she wanted to use the two hours to go on a medicine walk to severe a belief that no longer served her.  And in doing so, she brought back a skull of a goat. Although this freaked out a few (Demeter in particular) Artemis was able to tune into the sensitivity of the group. And decided then and there, to bless and bury the skull in a touching ceremony, witnessed by these beautiful women.

Hestia was the first to go and the last to come back from the 2 hours solitude. She had found her sit spot far away from the circle. And had relished her stillness in the silence, observing the minutiae of life.  When she (finally) opened up and told us her story, Aphrodite spontaneously mirrored part of Mary Oliver’s poem ¨Sometimes¨ back to her: “Instructions for living a life – pay attention, be astonished, tell about it¨.  Feeling seen and heard, Hestia glowed.

Persephone, the youngest of the group had made a beeline for the forest, skipping and singing into the dark dampest part. She emerged with stories from chatting with the birds and the rocks.  In delighting in her story, we were able to reflect back her potential, courage and maturity to venture out and explore both her roots and wings.

By the time Demeter had checked that everyone had enough warm clothes (even if I was there as the guide), and had got herself organised, she was the last to leave. I got the impression she was reluctant to go, and as it was, she chose a spot not far from the circle. When she came back, she shared (even guiltily) that she had spent most of the time sleeping. And in telling her story realised, she had finally listened to what her body needed.

Returning from her 2 hours solitude, Hera looked a different person from when she left.  She reported back that she had put everything in order (she had basically set up a home, creating a nest of twigs and leaves, and was all set to write in her journal about her relationship)…when all of a sudden, she heard the call of an eagle circling above…and felt this longing for freedom.  Tenderly fondling a feather in her hand as she talked, she revealed she had spent most of the time in tears.

And Aphrodite with her designer hiking gear, had ventured out with confidence and calm, and came back to the circle in the same way. She was the last to tell her story. With a flick of her hair and with mischievous eyes she proceeded to entertain us. She spoke about coming across her shadow in the face of a rotting log, as well as experiencing a feeling of oneness with the divine. And sharing in a way that only Aphrodite can, meant the conversation and connection with each other was transformed.

Of course, I can’t reveal too much.  Us girls don’t gossip.  What goes up the mountain, stays up the mountain.

Needless to say, they are looking forward to getting together for our three day vision quest together.

Aphrodite has committed to setting up the WhatsApp group as a start 🙂