A Female Rainbow

A Female Rainbow is a series of 3h meetings, once a month, for 7 months from November to May.

As women in our everyday life we embody a wide range of expressions, from the more traditional roles of wife, mother, and daughter to the independent, self-sufficient and alchemical models of leaders, activists, artists and healers. Some expressions are more familiar and comfortable to us, and some we struggle to fulfill the best we can. In addition, everyday different life situations require us to apply diverse qualities but we are not always prepared to do so.

In this workshop we will use Greek myths, Authentic Movement explorations and Expressive Art activities to evoke the qualities of the powerful archetypes of the Greek goddesses in our embodied presence.

As Jean Shinoda Bollen describes in her book “Goddesses in Every Woman”, the inner archetypes of the Greek goddesses can reveal intimate truths about ourselves. These archetypes are powerful inner patterns, forces within that influence what we do and how we feel. When we are able to understand them, we gain powerful insights that provide the key to self-knowledge and wholeness.

Each month will be dedicated to one of the Greek Goddesses and each workshop is independent. However, participating in the whole series will help you better understand which goddess is more active within, which you may need to cultivate, which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become a better “heroine” in your own life story.

Now more than ever, it is time to honor the entire rainbow of our female identity.

Dates:

1) November, Thursday 29:

Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the moon, personifies the independent, achievement-oriented feminine spirit.

Example of invocation: Artemis, keep me focused on that goal in the distance.

2) December, Tuesday 18:

Athena, goddess of wisdom and craft, represents the logical, self-assured woman who is ruled by her head rather than her heart

Example of invocation: Athena, help me to think clearly in this situation

3) January, Thursday 24 :

Hestia, goddess of the hearth, embodies the patient and steady woman who finds comfort in solitude and exudes a sense of intactness and wholeness

Example of invocation: Hestia, honor me with your presence, bring me peace and serenity

4) February, Thursday 21:

Hera, goddess of marriage, stands for the woman who considers her roles as student, professional, or mother secondary to her essential goal of finding a husband and getting married

Example of invocation: Hera, help me to make a commitment and be faithful.

5) March, Thursday 21:

Demeter, goddess of grain and the maternal archetype, represents a woman’s drive to provide physical and spiritual sustenance for her children .

Example of invocation: Demeter, teach me to be patient and generous, help me to be a good mother

6) April, Thursday 18:

Persephone, maiden and queen of the underworld, expresses a woman’s tendency toward compliancy, passivity and a need to please and be wanted by others.

Example of invocation: Persephone, help me to stay open and receptive.

7) May, Thursday 21:

Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, the alchemical goddess governing a woman’s enjoyment of love and beauty, sexuality, and sensuality, impels women to fulfill both creative and procreative functions.

Example of invocation: Aphrodite, help me to love and enjoy my body.

At the end of the series it is possible to add one more integration workshop for participants who completed the full series.

Note:

While we will be using practices for self-exploration this workshop is not a psychotherapy group or a replacement for working directly with a healthcare practitioner.

Participants are invited to buy the book of Jean Shinoda Bolen “Goddesses in Every Woman”, but it is not required.