The Heroine's Quest: The Alchemy of Lamentation: Isis and Nepthys and Re-Membering the World Saturday, April 10 from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm PST
Isis, the Egyptian goddess of life and death, was the legendary originator of Alchemy. With her sister Nepthys, she discovered a healing pathway of transformation through sisterly cooperation and the songs of their lamentation. Artist and Intentional Creativity Teacher Katherine Witteman, Egyptian Scholar and Ceremonial Dancer Elizabeth Kelley will join mythologist and cultural historian Kayleen Asbo as we explore how the myths and rituals of Isis permeate Western culture. We will discover how Isis is the hidden foundation of Paris (the city's original name, Par-Isis name meant "By the River of Isis"), how some of most revered sacred churches in the world (including Notre Dame de Paris and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome) were built on the ruins of temples dedicated to the Egyptian goddess and how many of the most cherished images within Medieval Christianity were based on the images of Isis and Horus. We will use this myth to explore the fertile and rich territory of lamentation. How can we find ways of grieving together and through rituals that honor loss and death so that we find our way to new life and light?
Our day will weave together inspiring art and story with time for personal reflection and journaling with small group sharing.
Workshop Schedule: 10:30- 11:00: Opening Circle 11:00-12:30 The Myth of Isis, Inanna and Nepthys Through Art 12:30- 1:30 Break for private art journaling 1:30- 2:00 Sharing Circles 2:00 Closing Ritual
Recommended Reading: The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief, Francis Weller
Recent participants of Kayleen's one-day workshops have raved:
“Stunning! What a feast for the mind, spirit and senses! There is nothing else I know of that brings together so much beauty and inspiration in such an integrative, passionate and scholarly way" -Anna Elliot, writer
“ A perfect balance of the head and the heart. Kayleen is the new Joseph Campbell!” -Donna Colfer, Financial counselor and owner of Building Wealth From Within
“ I was surprised and delighted by what a profound experience of community was possible in such a short time even on zoom! The Heroine's Quest is exactly what I wanted and needed to ignite my own creativity -CM, artist and art therapist
Guest Faculty:
Elizabeth Kelley, MA, is a scholar of comparative religions educated at Temple University, California Institute of Integral Studies and UC Berkeley, with a particular emphasis in Valentinian Gnosticism and Egyptian Mysteries of Isis and the integration of spirituality with sacred dance and theater.
Katherine Witteman is a master teacher in the field of Intentional Creativity and the healing power of the arts. She is a painter, a poet, a mother of two artist daughters and a leader of ritual and ceremony throughout the world, from England to Egypt.
This is a sliding scale workshop. Choose your level of contribution:
Underwriting Patron: $120.00 (Self plus partial underwriting of a scholarship student) Basic Donation $90.00 Reduced Tuition: $60.00 Scholarship Rate: $30.00 (please complete the application below)