I'm writing this round up of the last two days of my trip from the comfort of my own lovely bed. I'm happy to be back but before I get into that let me recap the final days of my amazing trip.
Day 13 began with me heading down to Scala for a workshop on Goddess Archetypes with Dimitra.
No taxis were available but as I was contemplating hitch hiking down I spotted my old pal Den Pirazi the elderly boob groper and he offered me a lift.
Happily there was no funny business this time but he was channeling his inner Lewis Hamilton this day and the lift was a white knuckle ride.
I wonder what it says about me that I feel such fondness for a pervy old speed demon ? If he was a younger man I'd have slapped his face and got out of his car but because he is as old as the hills I find him endearing. ?
I arrived in one piece at Sapphos palace, the beautiful location of the workshop. Sapphos Palace has recently been taken over by Dr Ruth Shwartz who runs The Conscious Girlfriend Acadamy . An online community supporting Lesbian dating and Love.
As expected Dimitra fascilitated a profound and fascinating workshop about the Greek Goddess Archetypes and their relevance for modern women. The Greek Goddesses were independent women. The Ancient Greek Culture expressed the positive qualities of Women. Their Gods walked amongst the humans and expressed some very human qualities such as anger and vulnerability, which makes them all the more relatable.
Again, I'm saving what I've gleaned from Dimitra for a standalone blog. We had a nice chat afterwards, and I'm excited that she is interested in collaborating with The Witches Hat/Daughters of Danu in the future. I'm going to chat with Witch friends of ours who are very knowledgeable on Norse and Native American archetypes, and along with our badass Celtic Goddesses, I'm envisioning an incredible online resource which, in my head, has the working title of "Here Come the Girls."
Whatever you are going through, there is an archetype you can call on. We are all born with these archetypes already within us, so all that is needed is to awaken them.
I can personally testify to the transformative power of working with Goddess archetypes. In a world where the main patriarchal religions have no empowering, positive role models for women, reclaiming them is of vital importance right now.
One part of the workshop that made me emotional was when we discussed Hestia and what nesting means to us.
I haven't really ever experienced the feeling of being secure in a home environment. When I was younger, I think that feeling was so uncomfortable to me that if I began to feel secure, I would subconsciously do something to ruin it. For a large part of my life, I found the feeling of not having security easier than the thought of losing it.
Therefore, this was a complicated subject for me, and all I could contribute was that I have always told my children that I am 'Home,' whether that be a tent or a castle. Wherever I am, they will have a home. My way of nesting is to be the nest.
A good workshop will always bring up things for you to think about and work on. This one was no exception.
I also chatted with a marvelously inspirational author called Tina Laningham from the USA. A former political journalist and speechwriter, Tina was in the middle of cancer treatment but had taken a break from her chemotherapy to come to the festival. A warrior archetype right there in the flesh.
After the workshop, I went to meet one of my German friends, Karin, on the beach for my last swim in the beautiful Aegean and, of course, a beer.
Then I took myself home to process what had come up for me at the workshop, pack my two enormous cases (I probably wore less than a quarter of what I took, lesson learned right there), and have an early night.
Day 14 arrived with a mixture of sadness to be leaving and a readiness to come home. I've really come to understand how important familiarity and a sense of home are to me and that I do have everything that makes me happy here on the Fylde Coast. How blessed that makes me feel... I've learned a lot about living in the moment, even if it's a difficult moment. Something that's easier to preach than it is to practice.
I spent a leisurely day finishing my packing, cleaning the house, and had a last trip to Scala to pick up a few souvenirs.
I had to be back in the village by 5 pm because I had decided to treat myself to my first-ever Hammam bath and massage.
Nestled away in the village of Eressos is the 4-bedroom Errision Hotel and Hammam Spa.
It's a peaceful little haven and I began to relax as soon as I arrived.
I was greeted by Dimitri who showed me to the changing rooms and where the bathing room was and told me to get naked and get ready .
Feeling glad I'd been practicing a lot of nudity and body positivity I got ready and waited to meet the lovely Greek lady who would be doing my treatment.
Imagine my surprise when Dimitri came back into the room wearing nothing but a towelling loin cloth and head dress.
I am so grateful that I have been doing my self love ritual every day. Every time a negative thought popped into my head, I had plenty of positive affirmations to counteract it. It was easier than I expected to settle into it and I began to feel a bit like Cleopatra as Dimitri vigorously scrubbed off my tan .
It was a wonderful experience. I was steamed,scrubbed, had hot and cold water poured on me, washed with some sort of bubbles that felt like I was being kissed by 1000 Angels and then had the best massage I've ever experienced . Dimitri had very firm hands and at times I wasn't sure which part of his body he was using to massage me ( not that part for the filthy minded!! ) It was blissful and I could feel the knots undoing as he worked.
I will be researching my nearest Hammam at home. It was incredible and at the end I got to relax with a delicious iced peach tea and turkish delight. Perfection.
After my Hammam I practically floated back home to change for dinner.
There was only one way I was ever going to spend the last night on Lesvos and only 2 people I wanted to spend it with.
The women who have made this trip so much more joyful and fun, who have showed me so much kindness and friendship it has made my anxiety about travelling alone so much easier.
I am of course talking about my Germans Anya and Karin. I know these women are always going to be in my life now and I've so much love and grattitude in my heart for this crazy pair.
We spent a lovely last evening having a meal in the square and then some drinks on the patio at my house. I'm going to miss these two so much.
I also said goodbye to my cat gang who may be strays but have a pretty good life in Eressos where they have a decent spaying programme and everybody seems to feed them.
So there ends my first but definitely not last trip t0 the Magickal and Free spirited West coast of Lesvos.
I've so much to unpack ( and I don't just mean my enormous bags ) and process. I've taken so much away with me from this trip which I would love to share with you in a day or two.
Writing this blog has been so cathartic and both challenging and enjoyable . I've so much grattitude to you all who took the time to read about both my trip and my inner trauma. I've rediscovered a love of writing and will definately be doing a weekly blog moving forward.
But for now I am going to rest a little and soak up the joy of being back in my beloved Northern Seaside Town.
There really is no place like home and Fleetwood out of all the many places I've lived in my life has always been the place that has put its salty arms around me and made me feel like I belong.
No prizes for guessing where I am going tonight . Ginette Evans if you are reading this get your mascara on love, we are going to the Pub.
Much Love and Brightest Blessings Bex xxx
