Day 6 began calmly with a little pottering round the yard and then walking into the village to catch the taxi I had pre- booked.
Quite typically the taxi didn't turn up so I missed the flower printing workshop but on the plus side had a nice chat with 2 Irish ladies from Kildaire and then shared a cab with them when one showed up.
I went and had a chat with Stacey at the gallery about potentially doing some workshops for her next year, then wandered down the seafront and got chatting to a jewelery maker called Dimitri. I couldn't help treating myself to this beautiful silver necklace that represents one of my go to Goddesses Artemis.
I spent a little time on the beach reading and enjoying the waves and then it was time to go and meet Dimitra the Greek Archeologist who had agreed to do an interview with me for this blog.
When you meet Dimitra what strikes you immediately is her aura. She has the presence of deep spirituality and power. Fortunately she is also very kind and easy to talk to.
This Lady has so much knowledge and a deep unerstanding of the Greek Goddess archytypes . We had an absolutely fascinating conversation and it was nice that she was genuinely interested in our Celtic Deities and how we work alongside archytypes in the UK.
I learnt so much from her that I am going to do a seperate blog when I get home but let me share a little of what I learned from this unique woman.
Dimitra has a background in Archeology. During some difficult times in life she entered psychotherapy. This gave her a realisation on the importance of excavating yourself and your Soul. Wanting to approach this more holistically and focus on the connection between mind, body and soul, Dimitra went on to train as a somantic psychotherapist, this is a therapist who helps people release damaging pent up emotions by using a wide variety of mind-body techniques.
Whilst at the archeological site at the Asclepieion of Epidaurus , Dimitra was wondering how the ancient peoples of this place stayed grounded and sound of mind. She came across the base of an ancient statue with 4 legs and standing upon it she began to assume the poses of the Greek Goddesses ( each one has her own particular pose)
The photo above shows the pose of Athena.
The power and strength that filled Dimitra in these poses was the start of something profound. The following year whilst at Cape Tenaro at the southern most tip of Sparta,under a starry sky she walked to the sea and began with her body to make the shapes of the Greek alphabet.( All letters in the Greek alphabet are considered sacred and has it's own correspondences.)
Convinced she had found a powerful tool to help people by not just using talking therapy but by embodying the language and sense of place, the archeologist in Dimitra still wanted proof. Evidence was found in works by Socrates on the power of letters and the poses of the Goddesses.
Dimitra took me through some poses right there on the promenade. It made me feel incredibly grounded, centered and strong in my connection to Mother Gaia.
I have so much more to tell about all the things I learned about Goddess archytypes, Somatic healing, democracy, words. and so much more from this amazing woman but as I said I want to do a blog only about what I learned. It is wonderful when someone teaches you a way of looking at things that is new to you. Learning is growth.
Dimitra has a guest house in Sparta and does tours around the ancient temples of the Greek Goddesses combining Ritual and somatics with her archeological knowledge at each site.
Will I be signing up for a tour . Hell yes.
After a fascinating hour or so I headed back to the village to shower and change. I had signed up to attend a dinner for solo travellers and was determined to go.
When I arrived at the Taverna only 3 ladies were there although the table was booked for 12. One lady was getting stressed about the low attendence and wanted us to sneak off in embarrasment and eat elsewhere . I reasoned with her that surely it was better to stay so the owner at least was payed for 4 meals instead of none. There was reluctant agreement then when I explained to the owner, there was much moaning from the ladies as he asked us to move table. As we moved table a few more ladies turned up but things were a little tense by this time.
There a couple of vegans in the party and one of them was an nice easy going author currently writing a book about Fleetwood being lost into the sea and Preston becoming a seaside resort. The other lady was getting very antsy due to a lack of vegan menu. So much Greek food is vegan anyway so I tried to help by translating many of the delicious vegetable dishes on the menu. " oh no that sounds too greasy, too oniony , too tomatoey, I just know there will be nothing for me on this menu" Some other ladies were starting to complain about the menu too despite it being an extensive menu of fresh food to suit every taste.
The Northern Nana in me was trying to get out I was biting my tongue to not shout " Sit your arses down now, pick something and shut up"
Some ladies chose something but then a row errupted about weather the bill would come separate or all together. The Taverna owner who had developed a twitch by now explained due to being busy it would be one big bill and we could work it out ourselves. Well.... It all kicked off .
I did try to reason that we were all capable of a bit of maths and working out what we had but it had already esculated. Women were shouting, one was crying because she wasn't being consulted ?? It was crazy and followed by a big lesbian storming off to eat somewhere else. To me it was shocking behaviour and I wished I hadn't joined this group.
I was mortified but luckily not alone. Along with a couple of other ladies we hung back then did a sideways boogie and went off to eat by ourselves.
I ended up having a lovely meal with Robyn a German lady who decided to start living in her van 6 years ago age 60, and hasn't looked back despite various issues and health problems popping up. And Adriana a lady of Armenian heritage who lives in New York and who came out as a lesbian at 71 years old.
What truly inspirational women and no drama occured during our meal.
I'm beginning to understand that the impact on me is not coming from workshops or immersing myself in large groups. While workshops and groups are enjoyable activities, what truly inspires me are the connections with people, the intimate conversations, and the glimpses into their lives that are broadening my perspective.
It's these conversations and interactions with individuals that reinforce the importance of kindness, inclusivity, courage, authenticity, and resilience. These are the moments that will stay with me long after this journey.
While group therapy and self-help are so valuable and integral parts of our work at The Witches Hat, I have recently found myself gravitating towards the simpler things in life. I am drawn to casual conversations, forming connections, experiencing moments of happiness, and witnessing displays of humanity and love.
With so much negativity and conflict in the world, it can be overwhelming. Instead of focusing on changing the world, I am choosing to create small pockets of joy and love. If more people join in creating these little patches, perhaps one day they will come together to form a large enough quilt to make a positive impact.
Thanks again for reading
Bright Blessings and much love Bex xxx
Commentaires