Re-Membering Medusa
Retrieving the Wisdom of the Dark Goddess
21 Day Online Sadhana
with
Chameli Gad Ardagh
& the Awakening Women Team
November 3 – 23
All she wanted
was to find a place to stretch her bones
A place to lengthen her smiles
and spread her hair
A place where her legs could walk
without cutting and bruising
A place unchained
She was born out of ocean breath.
I reminded her;
‘Stop pouring so much of yourself
into hearts that have no room for themselves
Do not thin yourself
Be vast
You do not bring the ocean to a river’
~ Tapiwa Mugabe
The Dark Goddess, once adored for her vast intimate presence inside all things living and decaying, her darkness celebrated as the womb of the world, a source of rejuvenation and healing, has been relegated into the underworld of the unwanted, turned into something we must avoid at all costs.
In our fear of the untameable totality of the Goddess, we idolize transcendence and light; we denature body, death and darkness. Worshipping at the altar of fragmentation, we place the holy far away from roots and wildness.
In the myth, Medusa is beheaded by the celebrated “hero” who goes on to steal, and make his own, her powers of protection and healing. And it is through the lens of the hero we have learned to relate to the beheaded Medusa as the very symbol of the “too much woman”, the “nasty woman”, the danger and dire consequences of women wanting too much, being too wild, too loud and complex.
$147
We will donate part of the income to Pachamama Alliance and
Healing Center Project in Nepal.
“I feel so empowered being part of this circle, thank you for your loving blessings.”
I have grown up scared of women. I never imagined being with a group of women for 21 days, being vulnerable and soft, and here we are. The practices and meditations of this sadhana melted the barriers around my heart.
I am abundantly grateful for this loving and benevolent circle of sisterhood. I feel like I am rebirthing and thank you all for helping my process with this fierce feminine fire that is burning away all that no longer serves.
I feel more alive!
Richa Badami
Transformation Guide
RichaBadami.com
In this Sadhana we will explore…
…How does it affect your life and sense of self when the Goddess is decapitated and her powers co-opted by the patriarchal agenda?
…In what ways have you internalized the fear and persecution of the wilder aspects of the feminine, of yourself?
…Could it be possible that by facing and speaking the uncomfortable truths that you have been told to fear and avoid, you instead open yourself for the peace and healing that you long for?
Full of Shakti Keys, Medusa’s mythology opens doors into the complex layers of our fragmented self, and offers profound instructions of how to retrieve true relaxation and trust in who we are and what we belong to.
There are no unrealistic standards of perfection here, in Goddess sadhana you do as much or as little that works for you. This is a spiritual path that not only embraces your life but is your life—not the elusive perfect version of it, but just as it is.
With the support of potent daily guidance, short and to the point, we will embrace the exiled and unconscious parts of our own self, and by doing our own inner work we weave back into wholeness the tattered tapestry of our broken world. For the benefit of all.
“I feel like I have a new map in my body, a way to incorporate both the grief and joy, the love and light.”
Thank you Chameli and the Awakening Women team for Sadhana.
I feel like I have a new map in my body, a way to incorporate both the grief and joy, the love and light but also the fear of living a fragile, temporal life, into my being.
The framework of the myth and the support of the Yogini circle are a huge empowerment bringing more of me to life, to presence, to fully being here.
I feel more alive!
Ellen Davidson
Author
EllenDeeDavidson.com
$147
We will donate part of the income of this sadhana to Pachamama Alliance
and Healing Center Project in Nepal.
F.A.Q.
BLANK
What is Shakti Sadhana?
Shakti is a Sanskrit name for the feminine creative life force of the universe.
Shakti Sadhana is embodied spiritual practice, where the Goddess is the portal to awakening. In this practice, you consciously engage with both your inner and outer life, your darkness and your light, essentially seeing all of it as part of the unfathomable wholeness you are made of.
Shakti Sadhana is not a seclusive spiritual practice; it is a path that permeates every aspect of our lives.
The Yogini circle is a timeless field of wisdom. Our online 21 day Sadhana immersions are gatherings of several hundred women from all over the planet, when we come together with a shared intention of awakening, the power of the circle is activated, providing each of us with a powerful transmission of guidance and empowerment.
What will I learn in a 21 Day Sadhana?
In ancient Goddess mythology, we find maps supporting us in this awakening process, and you will be initiated into practices from this alive lineage of women’s embodied spirituality that Chameli and the Awakening Women community are dedicated to.
How does it work?
On Saturday, November 6, we will meet for the first of three live retreats with Chameli, on Zoom. These retreats will take place on Saturdays (November 6, 13 & 20) at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, 18.00 Northern Europe (November 6) 19.00 Northern Europe (November 13 & 20). The calls will last 90 minutes.
The retreats will be recorded so you can listen to them at any time. In between the live retreats, you will practice on your own. You can check in with your practice community as often as you like in the private online group.
Will I have the time to do sadhana in the midst of a busy life?
Once you enter the sadhana, you enter a mandala of Shakti, of transformation. The practices and teachings will, independent of how much you “do”, unfold in unexpected ways.
Who is it for?
If you feel called, a pull, a sense of YES inside…then claim your seat in the circle.
All levels of experience are welcome. Our focus in embodied spirituality is on direct experience.
YOUR experience is the authority. Always.
Do you offer scholarships?
“It is very rare to find guidance with so much lived yogic wisdom and humility at the same time.”
Also the container is so exquisitely beautiful, magical, creative and harmoniously ordered. I feel so deeply safe and heard, it brings me on the path of self acceptance and acceptance of otherness.
Aikya Nathalie Verburgh
Psychologist
SpiritandNature.org
$147
We will donate part of the income of this sadhana to Pachamama Alliance and
Healing Center Project in Nepal.
Practical Information
What is included?
:: Daily practices/guidance/poetry into your email inbox.
:: 3 Live online retreats ~ Goddess Mythology & Embodied Spiritual Practice.
:: Classes will be recorded, and will also be available to download as MP3.
:: Access to a private FB group where you can share and receive insights and support.
What happens after I register?
:: From Wednesday, November 3, you begin to receive your daily emails, Zoom details before each of the live online retreats as well as the recordings. You will also get access to the private FB group.
Your Guide
Chameli Gad Ardagh
Founder of Awakening Women &
The Women’s Wisdom School
Chameli (pronounced sha-meh-lee) is a story teller and women’s wisdom keeper. Her love of ancient wisdom teachings and her own practice in women’s circles all over the world has crystallized maps of spiritual awakening and leadership that are accessible, practical and honoring of women today. Rooted in earth honoring, devotional women’s spirituality and goddess centered tantric yoga, she is especially appreciated for her love of mythology and storytelling as a key to spiritual awakening and embodiment.
“I was able to feel the presence of Goddess like never before”
I was able to feel the presence of Goddess like never before. The message of softening was there again; softening of the senses and the mental grip. Thank you Dear Chameli Ardagh and sisters at Awakening Women Institute for taking the leadership to hold this Sacred Space. May all that’s done be a blessing to all. Namaste.
Safi Jayari
Volunteer at Isha Foundation
“There have been both subtle changes and massive changes in my life since I started the Sadhana!”
There have been both subtle changes and massive changes in my life since I started the Sadhana! I have now been able to adapt a daily practice and remind myself of so many gifts that she bestows upon me and my life on a daily basis. I would eagerly await your daily email in my inbox because of how it made me feel to be connected to her grace through you and this group of incredible women. I am eternally grateful for opening this door for me because I know that she has always been in my life but I didn’t know how to connect to her in a deeper, more meaningful way. Now I do!
Sapna Chandaria
Guide.Coach.Healer
SoulfulLiving.Co.Ke.com
“I am on my knees at the power of this circle”
It’s been a big Sadhana for me…a return home into myself, moving through lots of my own shadows. Sisters, I am on my knees at the power of this circle. I feel it. I breathe it. More and more in my life I realize the power of practice—that I really do not need to figure anything out. I am beyond words with gratitude! I bow to all of you. I send you my deepest love from my heart and the fruits of this work
Rosalie Whatley
Moon Cycle Educator
Rosalie Amber Grace
$147
We will donate part of the income of this sadhana to Pachamama Alliance
and Healing Center Project in Nepal.
Images by: Bibbie Friman and Melina Seto