“GREEK FOR A DAY”…

The bold blue text blared at me from a white background, with the characteristic Grecian meandros border along the edge of the circular sticker.  It’s still stuck to the corner of a jewelry pinframe on my dresser, where I left it last summer after a sun-and-wine-drenched day at the Kansas City Greek Festival.  I wistfully stuck it there to remind myself how it felt to be just that; Greek for a day.

I’ve lived in the suburbs nearly 14 years, and I’ve learned to take any opportunity to explore the expansively diverse culture that personifies Kansas City’s midwest mecca charm. “The Greek Festival is not to be missed,” I was told, and luckily I listened.

I’m not sure if it was the incredible food, the siren song of the dancing and the red wine, or the imagery of the Greek icons that seduced it’s way into the electrical patterns of my brain. I found my mind wandering back to that warm, lively day, and to those images in the little jewelry and trinkets and other items the vendors had; Medusa’s stony face, the Evil Eye, the meandros patterns everywhere. For that small moment in time, I felt like a Grecian. Even more so under Dionysus’ boozy and carefree influence, I almost felt like a goddess. The visions brought one of my favorite tome’s title to my mind, and before long I was dusting the binding, and opening the pages to dive in for what must be the hundredth time.

I’m not sure where exactly it resonates from, but the enigma of the ancient goddesses, Grecian or otherwise, have always fascinated me.  I’m not unique in that aspect, as humans have been creating powerful and awe-inspiring mythic feminine icons since before the written word was invented.  Ancient humans painted powerful goddesses on cave walls, etched them into stone reliefs, or sculpted them out of clay for centuries.  Archaeologists have indicated that the first known deity ever worshipped by human souls was that of the ancient great Goddess, a matriarchal deity predating all other religion by at least five thousand years.

Ancient Greece’s patriarchal representation saw the ancient goddess’s myths play out through tragedy, social isolation, physical deformity, and horrific circumstance. Yet, in subjecting powerful, immortal archetypes through circumstances that mortal women can identify with, they resonate. They vibrate a deeply familiar energy that speaks to that ancient, primal source within each woman.  The goddess archetype burns through the dust of time.

Our chosen selection’s author, Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, utilizes her clinical experience and knowledge as a Jungian psychologist to weave together ancient myth and modern understanding of mental health.  Her delicate but powerful approach to illuminating cycles, patterns, traits, and strengths common throughout womankind sets the stage for growth and empowerment through self-awareness.

Session One

Greek for a Day :

An Introduction to Identifying the Heroine Protagonist in Ourselves.

By Erin Rose Waller

“When a woman senses that there is a mythic dimension to something she is undertaking, that knowledge touches and inspires deep creative centers in her.”

-pg. 6

In our selection, Dr. Bolen guides us through ancient myth towards better understanding, and illustrates how to cultivate and balance, grow, and contain the powerful goddess archetypes already present within us. Through self-awareness and personal empowerment, we can learn to better navigate and understand our interpersonal and professional relationships, and our ever-changing life experiences.

Our session will span 6 weeks, with a new reading selection requiring 1-2 hours of total reading time per week (on average.)  Selections have been outlined to keep each week’s requirement basic, but it is NOT necessary for participants to read on-pace.  Discussions will take place on our private Facebook group page (request to join here), and selection commentary will be posted to the Dumb Luck Book Club blog page (bookmark main page here.)  You are welcome to read at whatever pace is comfortable for you!

Our session is scheduled to finish by March 14th, and we hope to have scheduled at least one in-person discussion meet-up locally by the end of our session.  (If you have a large indoor space that you would be willing to allow us to utilize for our in-person meetings, or know someone who does, please reach out through our contact us page!)

This week’s selection (January 24th-January 30th) includes the Introduction, Chapter 1: Goddesses as Inner Images, Chapter 2: Activating the Goddesses, and Chapter 3: The Virgin Goddesses: Artemis, Athena, and Hestia.  Estimated reading time is 2 hours (approx.) Selection commentary will be posted to our blog on the 31st, with next week’s selection outlined.  Updates will be posted to our social.

In our selection this week, we’ll be introduced to Dr. Bolen’s approach, and how to utilize the goddess archetypes as inner images.  We’ll be guided through activating the inherent goddess patterns within ourselves, and we’ll meet our first goddess archetypes: the Virgin Goddesses. 

Through Dr. Bolen’s timeless work, we’ll learn how to cultivate more than just a desire to be a Greek goddess, for more than just one day…

Artisan Erin Waller founded Dumb Luck & Witchcraft, LLC in her town of Liberty, Missouri in January of 2024. Erin hand-formulates, produces, and packages every item sold.

When not creating new therapeutics, she’s also a fitness coach, writer, mother, and feral housewife.

Erin was born in Bozeman Montana, but spent most of her childhood and adolescent years in rural Alaska, the youngest daughter of an Alaskan artist and a retired TWA pilot. She is currently writing a series detailing her personal experiences, to be released later this year. The series is entitled Between the Valley and the Midnight Sun: Stories of an Alaskan Child.