Synchronicities

I went to a workshop yesterday called The Heroine’s Journey:  Create Your Own Mythic Story with Margaret Jones.  It was a lot of fun and quite insightful.  The idea was that each participant would create a character and, with her (or as her), embark on an imagined journey. 

Margaret began by placing cards of female figures from various Tarot decks on the circular table in front of our small group.  We were to choose one to be our character.  One of the few that landed right in front of me was the High Priestess card from the Mythic Tarot.  Now, interestingly enough, when I use Tarot (less and less often these days as my SoulCollage® cards are in the forefront for me), I almost always work with the Mythic deck.  Even more interesting is that in this deck, the High Priestess card is Persephone.  Here’s what the card looks like:

Synchronicity!  I love it when I find synchronicities, when I realize that synchronicity is what I’m experiencing.  This one was not at all subtle or hard to get!  

One of things Margaret asked us to do was to write about this character’s flaws or weakness.  What arose in my mind was that Persephone is strongly influenced and impacted by those around Her who have great power.  One of Her tasks is to come into Her own, to become who She is called by Her own soul to be.

I’ve just turned 67.  Surely, I am not still wrestling with this issue, right?  I’m a strong woman.  I can hold my own.  Right?

When leaving on our imagined journey, we were told to bring one thing along with us.  It was clear from my card what mine was to be: a pomegranate.  Okay, so not the most useful or practical object to take on a journey (others brought containers of water, flints to make fire, etc.).  Oh, well….  The image led me.  Better a pomegranate than the card's other choice - a handful of dead flowers.

We experienced various parts of the journey - advice and gifts received – aspects I won’t bother going into here – but one very interesting and difficult aspect for me was the destination.  We each selected a picture of a place, but we chose sight unseen.  When I turned my image over, I was truly taken aback.  Here’s what it was:

Devastation.  Clear-cutting.  Why would a journey lead me here?  Am I being called to witness the damage that men have done, or to heal the earth (well, yes, who isn’t?), or ….?

With a lot of writing and reflecting, I realized that what I saw as Persephone’s flaw came into play here.  I don’t think I’m unusual as a woman, even a strong and sometimes outspoken woman, to have spent much of my life under the influence of the powerful, and especially the patriarchal.  Patriarchy has wounded us all, including the earth.  And I admit that sometimes I still allow those who ought to have no power over me the ability to hurt me. 

But what She/I hold in my hand is the pomegranate, a bold symbol of female power and fecundity.  This is what the devastated world needs.  After all this time and work and awareness, I still need to work for the great healing.  Even more than ever. 

For those who have experienced SoulCollage®, I will be telling Persephone's story at the next session – Sunday, April 24^th.  There is still space.  Please come!  Just RSVP.