Goddesses in Everywoman
What characters lie within you? Have you ever taken the time to explore your characters within? We all have different sides to us, some are deeply instinctive like a deeply rooted need to live and behave in a certain way, some we have experienced at certain points in our lives as we transition from maiden to mother and to wise elder. As a woman in my late forties, the past few years have been a journey of rediscovery and exploring the characters within have been integral to a deeper connection to and understanding of myself. Once one fully understands the characters that lie within, you can become more of a puppet master to your own life, deciding when and how they present themselves, how to accept, develop and nurture them and your whole self in the process. This is so insightful and empowering as a process.
Exploring my inner characters creatively has been such a revelation to me. What do they look like, what objects, activities, values, emotions, values and visual references do they have? How do they interact with others? How do I feel about them? I created visual mood boards of my characters and talked them through with my then creative coach Heather Mullin. Using symbolism, storytelling and creativity as an act of self exploration ignited something in me.
This month I have been reading Goddesses in Everywoman: Powerful Archteypes in Women’s Lives written by Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD and first published in 1984.
The Foreward by Gloria Steinem summarises the purpose and value of the book for all women to read. “The highlight of this book lies in the moments of recognition it provides. The author labels them of moments of “Aha!”: that insightful second when we understand and internalise; when we recognise what we ourselves have experienced, feel trust because of that truth, and are then taken one step further to an understanding of “Yes, that’s why.” Each reader will learn something different and that “Aha!” must be our own.”
At school I loved Greek Mythology, it captured my attention and imagination. Epic tales where I could create my own rich internal and imaginative world. Here, I present to you the archetypes with Bolen’s invocation to their particular strengths, for you to explore and summon at your will:
Artemis
‘Keep me focused on that goal in the distance.’
Athena
‘Help me to think clearly in this situation.’
Hestia
‘Honour me with your presence, bring me peace and serenity.’
Hera
‘Help me to make a commitment and be faithful.’
Demeter
‘Teach me to be patient and generous, help me to be a good mother.’
Persephone
‘Help me to stay open and receptive.’
Aphrodite
‘Help me to love and enjoy my body.’
Bolen states in the book: “There is a potential heroine in everywoman. She is the leading lady in her own life story that begins at her birth and continues through her lifetime. As she travels on her particular path, she will undoubtedly encounter suffering; feel loneliness, vulnerability, uncertainty; and know limitations. She also may find meaning, develop character, experience love and grace, and learn wisdom.”
“When difficulties arise, if she assesses what she can do, decides what she will do, and behaves in a way that is consistent with her values and feelings, she is acting as the heroine- protagonist of her own myth.”
This year we are developing an online community that pulls together leading methods from different disciplines (yoga, breathwork and mediataion, biological and natural sciences, literature, psychology & coaching, art & design), to enable women to deeply connect to themselves and navigate life armed with the best tools, methods and knowledge at hand. The platform will be on our website and will house a mixture of on demand content and live online yoga and breathwork, interviews and case studies, writing and creative prompts and manageable habit forming exercises plus regular meet-ups and signposting to other experts.
As part of this content we are interviewing leading women in the fields of yoga, psychology, nutrition and the arts with the focus on wellness for women. These interviews, in the form of video and audio, will hold innovatory insights tips and ideas. Our quest is to celebrate and champion other experts in the field and signpost you to their services alongside the content we generate ourselves. This is full time work and is born from personal research and learnings and a gift in making connections alongside a genuine passion to share this information to help others who don’t have the time to gather the resources they need for life with ease.
This is where research meets practice, a one stop shop for the resources, contacts and methods gathered together for you to utilise, to fully lean into your values and your life as a woman; forming awareness as an ongoing life learning. We help women to navigate the tough times and transitions with self-care and to celebrate and find joy, as an ongoing practice, as we all shift through life. We do the hard work for you by holding space and creating methods to live by. Everywoman can fill their cup in an accessible, flexible and manageable way.
The School of Creative Wellness is a space that is yours to truly discover, feel inspired and connect. This is a unique offering and one that has been lovingly put together in the knowledge that it is so hard to do this on your own in a holistic sense. We have dedicated time to gathering the best information, resources, links and practical tools. It will compliment but sit separately to the live in-person events we do.
We aim to launch this in the Autumn of 2024. If you wish to express an interest in hearing about developments of this unique Creative Wellness Community please add your details to this google form. No obligation to sign up to anything, We just wish to inform you about these developments and gather feedback along the way whilst shaping this exciting new offering.
And yes: innovative ways of exploring your inner characters within is going to be part of this offering.
Love from Susanna x
