In today’s current culture so many of us are close to feeling burnt out, stretched thin, and scattered on a daily basis. We lack some of the basic support systems that most of our ancestors relied upon -- intimate communities, rituals, and relationships with self, each other, and the land.
Yet, here we are with the most convenient, on-demand, privileged lifestyles in modern-day history.
We have the entire world (digitally) at our fingertips but so many of us are feeling isolated, stuck, bitter, and frustrated.
We are living in the Anthropocene epoch and what some scholars and researchers consider a time of collapse.
You may be leaking out energy and consistently bombarded with distractions.
You may feel pulled in many directions by a myriad of worthy causes.
You may feel weighed down by mounting daily stress, duties, and collective grief all competing for your attention.
All of this can pull you further from your own center, knowing, connection, and calling... if you allow it.
But there is a different way.
There is a universal journey we can tap into following the path of the Great Mother Mysteries that has been with us throughout the ages and is one we can contribute to still.
... with no clear ending and beginning.
It is as wild as the sea and as magical as a moonlit forest.
It will ground and center you.
It is a journey of continuous descent and ascent, of death and rebirth, of healing and integration, of body and soul.
Our journey is uniquely our own and yet there are unifying threads weaving us together in connection.
Our holy temples can be found within the wide chasms of our hearts cracking open with grief and hope. The sacred spaces exist in the dreams we haven't fully glimpsed -- yet we sense deep within our blood and bones.
Our initiations come from our embodied experiences and through our own inner quest of remembrance.
There need not be a teacher on a pedastal nor a priest at the pulpit.
We carry the wisdom, knowing, and connection to the divine within ourselves.
However, there is an unveiling path available to those who are ready, willing and able to follow the calls, signposts and symbols to embrace the unknown, the mysteries and liminal spaces between where we are and where we are going.
There is a pathway for you to follow the descent and the rise of the Great Mysteries in your own life and to use the power of archetypes and historic, feminine guides to awaken your own clarity, confidence, connection, creativity and activism.
It is your right to lead your life with purpose and intention. May it be your rite to gift yourself the time it takes to create this space and deep level of support within.
Luckily for us, there are maps that have been given to us, veiled to us through much of history but available as a tool to guide us on our journeys... our journey of descent, rebirth, and inspired action.
The journey to Know Thyself is a co-creative collaboration to become a vessel for sacred service in a world that is in the throes of transition.
Let us descend into the Underworld together and be held in the arms of the Great Mother so that we can fully release limiting beliefs, patterns and ancestral stories that have been holding us down or back.
Let us rest together collectively to dream a new way of doing things.
Let us commune with Gaia and the mystical Moon.
Let us awaken our inner sacred archetypes and dialogue with our own mystic, seer, oracle and priestess self.
Let us open ourselves up to trust.
Let us create a pathway of peace between opposing forces.
Let us embody our Gnosis and Sacred Selves so that we may then rise and emerge in strength, solidarity and integrity to lead our lives in a new way.
Allow your soul to guide you, moonbeam.
You know the way.
You are the leader of your soul and the creatrix of your beloved movement.
It is time to cultivate the courage necessary to descend into the Cave of Transformation, release what is no longer serving you, dream your creations awake and rise as the sovereign soul leader that you are.
Let us become the bridgebuilders we came here to be...to honor the past, to dream a new future and to plant the seeds of reconciliation, rematriation and regeneration together, now, in the Present.
I know there is a calling you sense within. It may not even be clear yet or make logical sense but you feel the winds of change and possibility stirring.
You hear the whispers of the Universe, the songs of Gaia and the lullabies of La Luna singing you awake.
This is an activating call to Know Thyself and to:
To Know Thyself is the first step on the journey that we are all on.
This is why I created the Daughters Rising Mystery Circle.
This is a birthing container and cocoon for you to descend into the depths of your heart and soul within the comfort of loving, supportive arms to truly know thyself.
It is a path for you to follow the descent and the rise of the divine feminine in your own life, guided by the first written account of the Goddess Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth, who guides us through seven gates of transformation and into the Underworld. The Descent of Inanna, known originally through oral tradition, was written down between 1900-1600 BCE and serves as a powerful guide for healing. Throughout 9 months together, we will also use the power of archetypes to awaken your own clarity, confidence, connection, and leadership.
To step into the sanctity of transformation within the Daughters Rising Mystery Circle is to embody your wisdom, to unlock your potential, to deepen into your intuitive abilities and creativity, and to unearth the work you are here to do in this world.... not just the work you get paid for, but who you are as a leader in your heart and at your hearth.
There is an idea whose time has come to be born.
Your vision requires focus, dedication, support and inspired, aligned action in order to bring it forward to its fullest.
I’m deeply honored to welcome you into the…
To unlock the keys to your own knowing - your gnosis - and to become the greatest version of yourself it is important and necessary to be in circle and to be in community.
The power of circling is the empowerment and co-creative healing we need for these times.
To circle in counsel with each other as the wise women that we are allows us to dismantle the oppressive systems within as we simultaneously create new connected ways of being... with each other, the earth, and that which is dying and ready to be birthed.
Together we work and learn directly with guides, guardians, protectors, wisdom keepers, and ourselves to release, to receive, and to rise together anchored in love with a shared vision for a just future for all.
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This is our entry into the Cave of Transformation and our communal descent into the Underworld. We will be lovingly held during this time of unraveling from outdated systems, webs of confusion, distraction and releasing wounds and stories that do not serve our highest good.
Our Beloved Guide for this journey is Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth. She will guide us on a healing journey into the Underworld and through our own 7 sacred gates of transformation. We will work with the Archetypes of Seeker, Mother and Queen of Death during our mythic Time of Releasing.
Here after our descent, we rest and we dream. We give ample time and space for the dreaming of our visions awake, for nourishing ourselves and planting seeds of dreams. This is an integration phase where you will be completely supported.
During this time our Beloved Guide, Mary Magdalene, will bring forth the supportive archetypes of Blood Sister, Priestess and Sacred Activist. We will connect with Mary’s teachings and essences of healing, strength and wisdom. You will be fiercely tended to and held during this time of dreaming and activation.
This is our time of inspired action when we emerge from the sacred cave and embody our gnosis and knowing. This is a time of moving towards your dreams and fully stepping into the essence of your soul leadership.
Our Beloved Guide for this part of the journey is Joan of Arc, or as she called herself, Jehanne la Pucelle, Joan the Maid. She will guide us along with the archetypes of the Maiden, the Warrioress and the Empowered Daughter. You will receive support for the work you are birthing within yourself and our world during this time of unveiling.
This experience was transformational and educational. I learned about the 3 guides that were with us throughout our journey which helped me see them in a different light than what society portrayed them to be. They became my biggest allies and I felt their presence throughout the journey (and I continue to feel them now). I learned how to speak my truth and be ok with who I am and I learned what it means to hold space for my fellow sisters.
Gretchen holds a very sacred container that is nourishing, full of sacred wisdom, and offers a journey of reclamation and empowerment. She is a teacher that holds gnosis and I encourage anyone who desires support in diving deeper into the mysteries to journey with Gretchen and the Daughters Rising Mystery Circle.
I most definitely met my intentions but also received so much more than what I expected. I learned so much from Gretchen, from the sisters on the call and even myself as I allowed myself to be seen more authentically which in turn also helped me see beyond the veils that I tend to wear regarding myself.
This is a non-linear transformational journey. Through reading, writing, listening, speaking on my own and within our bi-monthly space, my goals and intentions were met once I let go of intellectualizing the content.
I experienced profound spiritual activation. I saw myself, my immediate surroundings, and the world with new eyes.
This has been the most transformational experience of my life to date.
Gretchen radiates the unconditional love energy that only comes from those that do the really tough interpersonal work we all eventually have to face if we want to keep growing and challenging ourselves to show up fully for our spiritual mission. I had the privilege of knowing her prior to discovering Daughters Rising and my intuition told me that she was the Spiritual Teacher/Priestess/Healer I could trust to dive deep into my soul and into the shadows of myself I had long been avoiding. I trusted her to guide me to finding and releasing the blocks that were clearly holding me back from realizing my dreams and future success.
Read More“This has been the most transformational experience of my life to date.”
Gretchen radiates the unconditional love energy that only comes from those that do the really tough interpersonal work we all eventually have to face if we want to keep growing and challenging ourselves to show up fully for our spiritual mission. I had the privilege of knowing her prior to discovering Daughters Rising and my intuition told me that she was the Spiritual Teacher/Priestess/Healer I could trust to dive deep into my soul and into the shadows of myself I had long been avoiding. I trusted her to guide me to finding and releasing the blocks that were clearly holding me back from realizing my dreams and future success.
Gretchen embodies the feminine wisdom I had never been taught and so desperately needed. I also knew she could help unravel the negative patterns and the patriarchal and capitalistic programming I had subscribed to (involuntarily and voluntarily) for 40 years. She is an absolute force and anyone even mildly ‘in tune’ with their intuition will know immediately that she is an Oracle, that she embodies the energy of unconditional love and she would do this for free. I see Gretchen as “every” woman so I knew she could help me learn all the aspects and perspectives of my womanhood I had never known.
I needed to discover my authentic self without filters, judgement or fear of “measuring up” and Gretchen created a space where this was possible. This 9-month journey was truly magical and I was able to finally start my business under her supportive and divine leadership.
This is a heartfelt journey of a collective sisterhood creating a grounding consciousness of love and support. I am so loving our container and Gretchen’s leadership.
I was introduced to Gretchen at a time when her midwifery and guidance were most needed. From our first interaction, her warmth and gentleness eased my heart and reminded me of the love that flows through sisterhood.
Gretchen assisted in helping me regulate my nervous system in order to detangle and release trauma and also assisted me in the emotional and spiritual preparation of birthing a human and motherhood. I am forever grateful for her beautiful soul.
There is a sense of trust, kindness, and security that she embodies which I deeply admire. I would recommend her circles to anyone, especially those seeking to dismantle oppressive systems that have been passed down to us from generation to generations. I look forward to joining her in more circles of sisterhood as I continue to rise with feminine divine!
The Daughters Rising Mystery Circle spoke directly to me. Everything in the description was what I longed for. I have felt a strong desire to know who I am and figure out what I'm meant to do and what direction I should take in life.
Read MoreThe Daughters Rising Mystery Circle spoke directly to me. Everything in the description was what I longed for. I have felt a strong desire to know who I am and figure out what I’m meant to do and what direction I should take in life.
I remember reading through the questionnaire and not being able to answer the questions. I was having so much anxiety but I pushed through and after days of internal back and forth I managed to calm my nerves and answer the questions as best as I could. I was proud of myself for not giving up or self-sabotaging.
It was the best thing I’ve done for myself in a really long time. I’m so thankful I joined the program.
Gretchen is so inviting and saw something in me that I hadn’t seen. Her vision and warmth immediately calmed me and reconfirmed I was in the right place. Gretchen encourages us to participate without judgment and from the heart, which puts me at ease in every circle and encourages me to fully participate.
Our 1:1 private soul midwifery sessions have further cultivated my inner Priestess and supported me as I birth the gifts I have inside of me.
The Daughters Rising Mystery Circle was an absolutely glorious container of sacred space, upheld to the highest standards I have experienced with compassion and grace.
It was energetically and emotionally a place to be exactly as you are, without fear of judgement or any consequence, and to be held in your truth.
Investment for the journey:
We are pleased to offer a pay-what-you-can option for this journey.
Click the box below to be taken straight to our early enrollment application for more details.
Once you feel the stirrings of the call, your journey begins within.
You will be fully supported along the way.
When you apply, you will receive a short form to complete and a link to schedule your enrollment call.
Think of this as having a virtual cup of tea together.
**PLEASE NOTE**
In the name of community and leadership, we are giving you full autonomy to customize your payment options.
There is no need for debt in our devotional path to self, spirituality, and service.
More details are on our application page here.
When you commit to your own journey to know thyself, to travel to the depths of your soul and to activate the wisdom within
great change, transformation, and personal remembrance will occur in the sanctity of our group container and within the mysteries.
You will be fully supported in preparation for this powerful journey.
Your journey begins now when you apply.
Gretchen is dedicated to the unveiling of mysteries, the gifts of grief, and honoring the inner journey and descent necessary to transform ourselves in this shifting world.
As a Scholar and Intuitive Transformational Guide, she facilitates deep shifts and understanding to support the activation and healing necessary to lead a soul-led life and embody the sacred in everyday life. She believes it is possible to create cultures of change, care, and compassion… together.
Gretchen has worked for over 18 years in the fields of coaching and entrepreneurship. She is a trained Transformational Coach, Priestess, Certified Online Business Manager, Sacred Space Holder, Intuitive Healer, and founder of Daughters Rising. She recently received her M.A. in Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).
Carrying the archetypal essences of Priestess, Oracle, Scribe, and Mother she works through ritual, sacred space, channeling, guided meditation, group coaching, and 1:1 mentoring to empower women to reclaim their gnosis (wisdom), return to the power of circling, and become the inspired and empowered leaders of their own hearts, hearths, and lives.
Gretchen believes in actively cycling with the energies of the season and understanding your blood ancestral and your spiritual lineage in order to walk the pathway to Know Thyself.
to the teachers, mentors, clients, and guides who have inspired and informed me along this line of work.
Thank you especially to the Women's Spirituality Department at CIIS, MaryBeth Bonfiglio and the work of Blood + Belonging, Angela Bixby and the Conscious Psychic Program, Karine Belle and the Rooted Global Village, Resmaa Menakem who inspired the somatic abolitionism work and antiracism circles, the Priestesses of the Rose who supported my own journey and embodiment of this path, the Lenni-Lenape Tribe whose land I mother, work, dream, and live on, and my Quaker ancestors who whispered for me to return to these woodland lands from the west coast.
A very special thank you especially to the countless and constant companions, sisters, clients, and soul travelers on this path who inspire and stretch me, and to my daughters who continue to remind me of the future we are moving towards.
Thank you to the elementals, the directions, the guides, and Mother Earth for your continued mentorship and support as well as the heart of the Great Mother who holds these cycles of life, death, and regeneration for us, our dreams, and our destiny.
May we unravel together to remember and become the healing that is needed.