The Womancraft Podcast

Laura – Four Seasons Journey. 2021 For this episode, we are grateful to be joined by Laura. Laura shares a story of an extended Four Seasons Journey with the opportunity to do her wilderness solo again after years of many cancellations and postponed gatherings. We share such definite connections between Laura’s own birth story, her drum-making and what arose from these experiences. Laura shares her amazing work in birth trauma and compassionate listening and how her vast history of immersing in many different cultures working as a midwife has shown her a way of space holding that is driving her passion in birth trauma and women’s work. Here is a bit about Laura from her website: I was born and grew up in Italy. My curiosity and passion for life have taken me across the world for many years to meet many communities, elders, and women, to discover about life & birth. I worked in more than 10 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe to explore women’s sacred wisdom, knowledge and mysteries. I am an intuitive woman, a revolutionist, a space holder, a facilitator, a Custodian supporting women & families in reconnecting with their true essence. I guide women, in a heart-centre way, to remember their inner knowing and wisdom, connecting with the body, uncovering trauma, accompanying them in the rite(s) of passage of motherhood. I respect the sacrality of motherhood. My personal vision is to express my creativity. I am committed to my personal growth, to live my life in joyful presence & abundance, to build strong connections. I am here offering my talents to the world with honesty, integrity, compassion and love. Musings from Laura “I realise in the four seasons journey; I brought awareness in my journey holding space for myself and other women.” 25:45 “The Four Seasons Journey has contributed to my personal healing.” 26:30 “It was beautiful to be able to use our bodies to express our wound during the full moon gathering” 28:28 “The sense of community and the beauty of being with others in the Four Seasons Journey.” 43:00 “The Four Seasons Journey feels like answering the call .” 55:00 “The connection is so profound” 56:10 Flow with Laura Instagram:  @heal.birth.heal.earth Website: lauralatina.com

Laura Jayne – Four Seasons Journey. 2022 Laura Jayne shares the insightful and loving story of her Four Seasons Journey, which actually spanned over 11 seasons! We talk about the support of the school during that time with online Zoom connections monthly with her sisters,  as well as getting the chance to journey again in person. It was an expansive journey and left Laura Jane feeling there was a richness during that time that helped her grow stronger. Laura shares how being a part of the Four Seasons Journey assisted her in setting up what now is her soul work – Wilderness Within… Musings from Laura Jayne “I had so much space to drop into the process.” 18:00 “I definitely felt deep respect from all of the women who were going on wilderness solo and all the women that were holding space for what the ceremony was for us.” 24:00 “Trust in the journey I was meant to have” 26:00 “I still feel the magick of solo.” 29:00 “This journey has helped me become the woman that my family needs .” 39:00 “The Four Seasons Journey has catapulted me into my soul work” 43:00 Flow with Laura Jayne Instagram:  @wilderness_within_ Website: https://www.wildernesswithinofferings.com/

Sonia – Four Seasons Journey. 2022 Sonia takes us through her calling to journey with the school after a conversation at a friend’s party with someone who had just finished her Four Seasons Journey. Sonia decided to park this for a while, yet found herself activated by this experience. A few years later, Sonia began her journey. In this episode, we hear how beautiful the healing of the red thread can go, as we hear of Sonia’s insightful story of her menarche and how this weaved in her journey and connection to her mother and the opportunities the school provided to facilitate this. At the end of this episode is Sonia’s story ‘HER’ that was read by Sonia at the closing gathering. This is best listened to with closed eyes, as it is incredible! Musings from Sonia “The course’s impact on my relationship with my mum has completely changed and opened up a different relationship between my mum and me.” 25:10 “The year with the school was such a compliment to what was going on with my life, and it helped me process and deal with what was going on in ways I could not ever imagine .” 35:00 “When making my drum, I felt my whole lineage coming through me helping to craft the drum.” 37.31 “You have the tools; tap into it.” 52:30 “All of us, in our own way, will take this out into the world. It’s what the world needs .” 59:00 “The school is incredible!” 59:00 STORY ‘HER’ BEGINS AT 1:00:00 Flow with Sonia Instagram: 

Emilie – Four Seasons Journey. 2012 Emilie attended her first Shamanic Dimensions of Pregnancy back in 2010, when it used to be run as a three-day workshop. She gained so much foundation during her pregnancy to help Emilie have the birth she felt she needed to have and a connection to the baby. From there, Emilie entered the Four Seasons Journey… This podcast aligns with the beautiful nature of birth and transformation, and Emilie shares interesting lessons about what comes up for her during her birth experiences.   Musings from Emilie “It was a big initiation.” 29:51 “I believe now we meet our fears; we meet what echos deep stories in us; I found in my birth I could move through my story.” 32:05 “Allowing my journey to unfold, and I needed the time.” 39.47 “There is spirit in birth.” 41:38 “My relationship with my drum was not immediate; it needed time for bonding .” 51:00 “Witnessing people making their own drums felt empowering for myself and the women.” 54:18 “It felt liberation knowing we can create our own tools for our own inner journey.” 54:18 “Applying all I learned in the Four Seasons Journey into my birth.” 1:00:00 “I’m definitely not the same woman as I was when I first walked into Janes’s workshop 12 years ago!” 1:08:52 “Its the time of your life to do it!” 1:12:32 Flow with Emilie Instagram: @wombconnect Website: https://wombconnect.com.au/

Arahni – Four Seasons Journey. 2014 Arahni attended her first Shamanic Dimensions of Pregnancy workshop in 2009. From there, Arahni joined in 2013, which was once called ‘The School of Shamanic Midwifery’. A beautiful insight into Arahni’s growth over the ten years to now as a teacher of the South Coast Four Season Journey. Musings from Arahni “It was as if the Fours Seasons Journey was set up so I could do the inner deep deep transformational work, at this point in my life where it was actually a life line for me.” “I had found it and it had found me, it was perfect timing.” “On my first gathering, it felt like I was already welcomed there.” “In birthing my drum, I felt I was birthing a new aspect of myself.” “Everything was done with such a natural way of being.” “Wilderness solo was a once-in-a-lifetime deeply transformational time for me.” “In each of us lies our own innate knowing and way of being in the world that serves us and serves the world.” “Deep presence with the present.” “As women, we travel through the blood mysteries together.” Flow with Arahni Instagram: @arahni.lion

Anne – Four Seasons Journey. 2018 Anne uses the creative practice of process to explore and learn from the world that surrounds her. Working with plants and place, she uses her sense of curiosity to investigate how knowledge can be embodied through the senses, and translated into bodies of work that can be shared with her audience. The intentional transference of knowledge is to inspire others to understand and explore the sacred of the everyday. Originally growing up in Australian Regional towns, as a small child Anne spent a few years living on a remote Island in Arnhem land with her family. During this time, she experienced what it was to be the ‘other’ and how culture, art and place are all part of everyday life. How the sacred holds the cycles of life and creates space and containers for these cycles to occur. The process Anne uses includes Natural Dye, Ink, Mark Making, Sensory Mapping, Weaving, Object making, Performance and Installations. She also uses the more than human world of intuition, deep listening and responding to elements and knowledge that is part of our internal and external landscapes to reach a deeper understanding of self.   Musings from Anne “Through watching and being, I realised it’s part of the journey to step into uncomfortable spaces.” “It was so beautiful and so empowering to stand there on that mountain and reclaiming parts that have been a shame, hidden and unacknowledged.” “Using the natural world around you to move and shift.” “How am I going to serve my highest self, my family, community, and my soul so I can have the right relationship with people.” “Wilderness solo was a gentle and beautiful experience, being held by the land.” “I’m so much more productive when I honour the cycles.” Flow with Anne Website: https://anneh.com.au Instagram: @anne_harris_artist

Susan – Four Seasons Journey. Travelling Mermaids! 2010.     Musings from Susan “Feeling this deep sense of landing and being with exactly the right people I needed to be with.” “There is a fierce independence I feel when I connect with my power animal, Lioness.” “The polarities and paradox of menopause.” “The vision was seeded on wilderness solo, I had the pieces and held and nurtured and followed them.” “The tears flowed when I realised the power of my experience.” “It’s about willingness to step into the mystery and see what unfolds and go with it.” “If I really want to show up with the women I care for and the work I do, my self-care is a priority.” “If it’s a yes, trust it.” Flow with Susan Website: https://www.susanstark.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanstark.com.au     

Kirrilee – Four Seasons Journey – Blue Mountains 2019       Musings from Kirrilee “I felt the Four Seasons Journey would be such a strong container to not get away from facing myself” “I felt intuitively the Four Seasons was going to give me all I needed.” “There was a real gentleness about my Wilderness Solo experience.” “What come for me was there is a possibility there can be strength in imperfection.” “I felt so supported.” “Even when there is a darkness and descent there has to be an opposite of that.”

Akhalita Makoto Vision Mother I am passionate about reclaiming the sacred depths of what it is to be human. I believe a profound shift in consciousness, and therefore healing, is possible in these times of great crisis. The Amazonian Arts offers us a New Story of renewal from the Ancient Ways. I bring my background of aikido, writing and shiatsu, and I walk side-by-side with the Leo Warrior Queen, ever asking: who is leading the leader? The answer keeps me questing for ever deeper levels of authenticity that require absolute vulnerability. This is the Way of the Warrior/ess.   Musings from Akhalita “To do things with Lunar consciousness is actually quite healing for the feminine.” “I am re-membering.” “We are as the feminine, listening and receiving.” “I’m waking up every day a little bit more to something that I already knew but long ago forgotten.” “Its probably been the biggest gift in my life.” “Courage to step towards.” “The advent of a new story.” “Harnessing the bones of the ancient ways that serve us in these times.” “The school opens a doorway into your deeper self and deeper knowing.” Flow with Akhalita Website: https://www.amazonianarts13.com Instagram: @amazonianarts13  

Eleanor is a passionate midwife, eco-textile artist, budding researcher & feminist permaculture educator. She has had the privilege to work with women, families and birth for over a decade as a doula and more recently, a registered midwife. She describes herself as a life-long apprentice of the nature and her rhythms through permaculture study, sustainable off-grid living and of course, the Eight Seasons Journey which she completed in Mullumbimby 2018. Eleanor’s work in the world lies in being with-women on their paths to (re)connection with self, body, birth and and our precious earth. She is committed to the rising up of women in this world and honours the many phases of the lived experience of women- maiden, mother, maga & crone.   Musings from Eleanor “I just knew I had to grow.” “I chose the eight seasons journey to have the spaced out approach.” “The school allowed me to come and be with my processes.” “You learn to midwife your self through the school.” “I look back on this journey as a massive birth of my self.” “Just being ‘with’ really strong energy and physical sensation.” “I had to let go of everything.” “Most of us are doing the very best we can.” “It’s a gift to listen to someone’s life story.” “You will find a creative way of making it happen.” Flow with Eleanor Website: https://www.hecatesgarden.com.au Instagram: @hecatesgarden @spiritbotanicalecotextiles