The power of entering into a period of exploring personal rebirth is one of the most challenging, and rewarding, journeys we can undertake. Through engaging with the spirit of rebirth, we reveal the pieces within us, be they difficult memories or personality aspects, that long to die. Myths such as Persephone and Inanna show us the universal power of the spiritual dismemberment and death, which ultimately lead to a new wholeness, where the soul is amplified and the shadow quieted.  I'm joined by Angela Natividad, whose insights into mythology and personal experience elevate any discussion. We cover so many components of the rebirth journey, from the inspirational ancient rituals of Eleusis to the practical applied concepts that really help us transform, and what solar/lunar energies mean. I read a passage from "Lost Goddesses of Ancient Greece," by Charlene Spretnak. To go deeper into the rebirth journey, join my soul school, The Covina Institute. You can access the self-serve class/meditation on rebirth by subscribing to the Keeping Her Keys hub on Searchie. You can learn more about both at keepingherkeys.com

Keeping Her Keys

All Things Must Die To Be Reborn: Exploring Psychospiritual Rebirth

C.G. Jung pioneered the exploration of archetypes as a means of connecting to the deeper world on the journey towards wholeness. Exploring ourselves, the deeper world, and the external one through an archetypal lens allows us to develop wisdom about the nature of existence. They are forms that cannot be reduced any further, whose force is purely of them. They combine in myriad ways to create all things. Archetypes are the foundational spirits of the universe, with consciousness and will of their own. Archetypes are at the very core of everything here in Covina. They are living, breathing and conscious forces that are enlivened in Hekate's many epithets, dreams, the cards, astrology, plant medicine, magickal correspondences, and so much more. To understand the archetypal nature of the deeper world is to become empowered with it's magick, medicine and mystery. Archetypes work on the everyday world as well, reminding us that there is truly no separation. We enter into the world of spirits each day with our Quotidia, the sacred daily practice that includes igniting the Sacred Fire of Hekate, meditation, and oracular work, that I teach in my school. You can find a brief version of Quotidia here. My class on The Archetype of The Witch can be viewed here. Both are also available on the Keeping Her Keys YouTube and as podcast episodes on most major platforms. Go deeper into your journey by subscribing to the KHK self-serve hub for more audios, videos, and downloads. LEARN MORE. Become a student in my school by subscribing to The Covina Institute on Mighty Networks. LEARN MORE. Further Reading: The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.9 Part 1) (Collected Works of C.G. Jung (48)) Man and His Symbols by Carl G. Jung Excellent book on symbols and archetypes: The Book of Symbols. Reflections on Archetypal Images Hardcover by Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS)

Short Intro on Archetypes

Remember whose you are. Hekate's Chosen. Never broken. Rising stronger. Keepers of keys. Seekers of mystery. Practitioners of the craft. Firewalkers. Torch-bearers. Flame-throwers. Shadow-walkers. Victorious. Dragon-tamers. Banishers of the profane, Binders of the evil, Blessers of the true. Speak unto the spirits of my Garden, Allowing them to fulfill their purpose as your true medicine. From “Entering Hekate’s Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft.” To enter Hekate’s Garden is to embark on a journey exploring the archetype of the witch and the goddess. It is the awakening of Anima, the sacred wild feminine force that has been constrained for centuries. The archetype of the witch is as old as humanity. Typically, female, although not always, the witch is the one who brings healing through her use of powers connected to the deeper world. This, across cultures and times, has always been done in the spirit of rebellion against the so-called civilized world. Thus, the witch is the outsider, the one who resists conformity. Perhaps it is these two characteristics, that of connection to the unseen world and resistance to authority that are at the heart of the archetype of the witch. Discussing the archetype of the witch inevitably evokes Hekate, the ancient goddess viewed across history as a Queen of the Night, ruling over witchcraft, prophecy, and spirits. These are the gifts she bestows upon witches. Go deeper into your journey by subscribing to the KHK self-serve hub for more audios, videos, and downloads. LEARN MORE. Become a student in my school by subscribing to The Covina Institute on Mighty Networks. LEARN MORE.

The Archetype of The Witch

Going deep into the meaning and mysteries of the High Priestess. The archetype of the high priestess can be beautiful. It can be empowering. It can help us develop our own identity, our own wholeness, and that desiring to be a high priestess is a transformative journey.  It's one of exploring the magic, medicine, and mysteries of Hekate and her deeper world. She truly teaches us that we are so much more than the mundane, that we are so much more than belonging to an ideology where God is male and on high, and that women and the feminine are fundamentally flawed and always to be seen as the lesser compared to the superior maleness. There's so much that the high priestess can teach us. So let's explore these mysteries. Part 2 of this episode and the infographic for the High Priestess Oracle Reading available in the KHK Hub on Searchie, and in my soul school, The Covina Institute. Go to keepingherkeys.com to learn more.

The Mysteries of The High Priestess

There's so much programming to unravel when we begin our journey with The Goddess. Join Covina to awaken The Goddess Within. Learn more HERE. My poems read in this episode: She crouches in the corner, Shivering from eons of damp neglect. Then Titaness, with eyes shooting fire-arrows. Next, ancient stone mother with snakes for hair. Daughter. Crone. Mistress of life, Bringer of death. The transforming Wild goddess. Trembling, dancing. Relentless thrumming. Whispers, shouts. Cave and mountain. River and desert. Pulse of the universe. Go ahead, she says, Remain. With your doom scrolling, panic-inducing nonsense. Plucking eyebrows, yet Avoiding the mirror. I’ll still be here. Getting water all over the bathroom floor. Sitting at your desk. In the corner of your bedroom, Black eyes shining watching you slumber. Legs stretched out from a kitchen chair, Watch out, don’t trip. Until. You. See. That it is a reflection. My Goddesses Are Wild And Free My goddesses are wild and free. Inconvenient, independent. Rebellious. Resisters. Revengers. My goddesses are wild and free. Hunting the wicked. Conquering monsters. Turning fools into swine. Driving dragon chariots across the sun. Shining pale moon beams, Burning torches. All the stars above, And the deepest depths. My goddesses are wild and free. Many faces, many moods. They scare the life into me. Shakers. Movers. Chain Breakers. Dream haunters. Screaming whispers, Dead silence. Enduring, changing. Fleeing, remaining. My darkest desires, My brightest dreams. My goddesses are wild and free. Death walkers. Truth talkers. Trouble makers. Impatient with fakers. Claiming those they desire, Casting others into the fire. My goddesses are wild and free. Answering my call, Showing up uninvited. Forever travelling their road, Leaving behind a trail That I must follow. My goddesses are wild and free. Eponymous chant for the episode title is by Jan Runnalls. 

Remember: Goddess Is Within

Imagine a little girl, alone in the woods with nothing but nature to comfort her. She speaks to the stones and understands their language. The green world opens her imagination to all that lies in the unseen realms. She knows what is in the heart of every animal she meets. When not in the woods or on the shore, she was immersed in the world of fantasy, mythology and folklore. The moon was her soul mother, and her dreams were of a life where she felt safe all the time. That girl was me.    To this day, nothing fuels my soul like being in communion with the plants, stones and animals. Witchcraft has always been my refuge from a world that never accepted me. It has inspired me to craft a life where I am safe to be who I truly am, healed into my own unique wholeness. Practicing a very personal form of spirituality.   I was unwanted, And witchcraft was my medicine. I was left broken, And witchcraft was my medicine. I fell into the abyss, And witchcraft was my medicine. I walked through the fire, And witchcraft was my medicine. I healed, And witchcraft was my medicine. I was reborn, And witchcraft was my medicine. I stand in my power, And witchcraft is my medicine. - from "Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft."   In a world that doesn't understand us, for if you are here watching this unedited version of an episode from my podcast you are kindred, it can be frightening to stand apart from the crowd. Yet, for me at least, all the ridicule, judgment and raised eyebrows doesn't come close to negating the way witchcraft feels to me. There is so much joy. Simply stated, I love it.   You can watch unedited episodes of The More Than This Podcast by going to keepingherkeys.com and choosing "podcast." Go there to join the KHK Searchie Hub, where you can watch with captions, download the transcript and search in the collection of videos. You'll find all the unedited episodes right in there, too.   Stay Witchy and Hail Hekate.

Witchcraft Is The Language of My Soul

Being "The Witch In The Room," can be incredibly beautiful, yet when we are in hostile settings, it is also incredibly challenging. In this inaugural episode of The More Than This Podcast, I talk about what being the witch in the room means to me.

Being The Witch In The Room

Welcome to my new podcast. I've called it "More Than This," because we are so much more than our physical existence, and so much more than anything we are currently going through.

Keeping Her Keys Becomes More Than This

The Keeping Her Keys Podcast has been retired to make space for my new show, "More Than This: At The Crossroads of Modern Life And The Deeper World." Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3WY8LBDcgcCLyfU8SRkvnj?si=7170df23d3874f19 

Introducing More Than This: At The Crossroads Of Modern Life And The Deeper World

MINISODE: Bit of an update on my next book and the new podcast. Go to keepingherkeys.com for more And Hail Hekate.

Book News + Podcast Update

The Goddess Hekate and her "daughters," Circe and Medea, mythic figures that evoke the mysteries of the deeper world. Associated with magic, witchcraft, and the natural world, they offer keys to exploring our interior life, and ways to understand our journey. In this episode, learn about their symbolic energies, and experience a guided meditation to Hekate's Well.

Hekate, Circe, Medea and Their Sacred Well

Join me and Tania Ciolek, along with our special guests, for Part 2 of Crossroads and Keys, exploring the keys of magick, medicine and mystery. There's a key inside of you that unlocks the gate to wholeness. The journey inward to living from the soul invites us to explore the deeper world. This is the heroic quest for a life that is empowered and enchanted. In this episode, we explore how to banish what prevents us from opening that gate.  Thanks so much for listening to the Keeping Her Keys Podcast 1.0. I'll be back in the fall with an expanded focus, exploring the crossroads of modern life and the deeper world. Request to join my soul school, The Covina Institute, to access the entire Crossroads and Keys Retreat for free. 

Crossroads and Keys Part 2

Are you being called to become more? Does a mysterious woman haunt your dreams? Do you experience synchronicities? In the Keeping Her Keys book, I wrote about how the Goddess Hekate comes to awaken us to return to our soul. In this first part of my recent Crossroads and Keys Retreat, we explore the secrets for manifesting our own unique keys. When I melt down those keys into one, the emergent form is full of magick, medicine and mystery. The way to manifest our "keys" - healing, abundance, and living from the center of our lives - is by turning to the deeper world inside of us. This is the second to last episode of the Keeping Her Keys Podcast 1.0. I'll be back in the fall with a fresh start. I wanted to finish up the "accidental" KHK 1.0 podcast with this episode, and the following one, as an expression of appreciation for all my listeners. To access the entire FREE Crossroads and Keys Course, you can request to join my soul school, The Covina Institute. 

Crossroads and Keys Part 1

This is an exploration of Hekate and four of her closest companions: Artemis, Circe, Medea and Persephone, including a guided ritual.  Come Goddesses and Witches,   Ancient but new, To this place, I beckon you.   Artemis, Medea, Persephone, Circe, Hekate, I welcome you! Sovereignty goes beyond independence, it’s about standing in the full power of your true self. What better time to claim yours than on the day that the sun shine’s the longest? Calling upon Five Sovereign Rebel Goddesses: Artemis, Medea, Persephone, Circe and Hekate in the brightest light brings them, and you, out of the moon’s shadow, allowing you to stand fully in your witches' power. Summon their sovereign power on the Summer Solstice. This ritual focuses on specific aspects of the Fab Five mentioned above. The ritual evokes these interconnected goddesses to activate within you the five archetypes of the sacred feminine: wild, witch, warrior, wise and wounded. Read the article that explores these goddesses in depth here. Within The Covina Institute, we celebrate this ritual live on the Summer Solstice, and explore these goddesses in depth. Learn more here.

Celebrating The Summer Solstice With The Sovereign Goddesses

This is a journey into Hekate's Garden to experience the splendor of her magick, medicine and mystery. Recorded live during the Beltane Botanical Salon (May 1, 2021). The Garden of the Goddess beckons. Hekate is Mother of the Eternal Garden, With her first breath she created the Green World and her witches. Her daughters are our sisters. Eternal Circe and Medea, And the others. They are the witches’ great teachers and companions. High Priestesses of the Garden They offer the keys to their magick, medicine and mystery. Will you claim them? The Garden of Hekate, the Great Mother Goddess from which all the world flows, is the spiritual home for the practice of pharmakeia, the ancient art, craft, and science of plant spirit witchcraft. Pharmakeia is an art, a craft, and a science. It is the use of botanicals for corporeal purposes, the crafting of magical formulations, and the art of transcending. It is holistic plant spirit witchcraft, transmitted by Hekate and her witches for our use today. Enter her mysteries with the heart of the Nyssa, the spirit of beginning. The Nyssa is the spiritual crossroads that we enter when we answer the call of Hekate to return to the practice of holistic plant spirit witchcraft.  - from Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft Go deeper into Hekate's Garden by applying to join The Covina Institute. Learn more at keepingherkeys.com

Entering Hekate's Garden Meditation

Join Dr. Cyndi Brannen as she discusses psychology, spirituality and witchcraft.

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Keeping Her Keys

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