A pilgrimage is one of the most ancient and abiding rituals in all cultures. Pilgrims travel to a sacred space to receive inspiration and guidance in the journey of life, to give thanks, and to pray for the healing of physical and spiritual illness.
Crete is one of the few places where a highly developed prepatriarchal culture celebrating the grace of life is clearly documented. We see museums with incredible treasures, visit spiritual centers (previously called palaces), descend into sacred caves, climb to the tops of holy mountains, swim in the life-giving sea, visit a convent with a sacred tree, gain a renewed sense of the beauty and strength of our female bodies, our female souls.
It is small and intimate, limited to twenty women. We share our stories and our experiences of Crete, sharing a sisterhood that will last long after the tour. We keep in touch through our newsletter, Ariadne's Thread. Carolyn Holt's "Travel Journal: Crete, 2007" shares the experience of a recent participant in this journey.
Carol lives in Greece and is fluent in the Greek language. She introduces us to people we would never meet on another tour, village Cretans whose lives are attuned to timeless rhythms, whose passion spans cultural difference. A dedicated scholar, Carol's words are solidly based in years of research. The rituals she leads are inspired by ancient vision and firmly grounded in the land she loves.
Young women, old women, women in the middle of life. Our ages are twenty to seventy-six. We have come alone, with our mothers or our daughters, with friends, with partners. We are single women, married women, lesbians, mothers, grandmothers, women without children.
Carol's 73 year old aunt Dottie didn't know what a Goddess was before she came to Crete. By the third day of the tour, she was praying "to my Goddess" for the courage to go into the cave — which she did! Others have been on the Goddess path for years.
Our tours are planned to avoid the heat and to avoid crowds of tourists. We visit out of the way places you'd never see on another tour. The weather is warm enough to swim — cool in the evenings. We walk in the mountains and descend into several caves. None of this is really strenuous and there is always the option to sit and meditate.
You can expect to spend $30 a day on delicious meals in tavernas (small home style restaurants).
We have come home with Goddess statues, gold and silver Goddess jewelry, hand loomed fabric, lace.
Some single rooms are available at a small additional cost.
Academic credit is available. Ask for details.
A limited number of partial scholarships and loans may be available. Ask for details.
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