I am back with another symposium, this time on Whit Monday (May 25th, 12.00-20.00 Brussels time / CEST / UTC+2) to discuss and create eco-myths, this time blending botany and Catholic female saints’ stories. I have been rewilding local female saints for some years…
… and I decided that May is the perfect time to share some theory, practice, examples and create space for more rewilding and learning with saints and your place (your garden, farm, balcony, house, street, neighborhood, a whole landscape…): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecomythology-20-rewilding-female-saints-tickets-1988225633391
What if the Stories you inherited were only half the truth?
Across Europe, numerous female saints possess ancient roots, echoing pre-Christian rituals, land-based myths, and forgotten feminine wisdom. Their narratives have been altered and reshaped to align with new agendas. However, it is essential not to treat these old stories as if they were made of plastic; instead, we should continually rewrite and edit them, adapting to the evolving needs of our contemporary realities.
What happens if we rewrite and edit them again?
In Eco + Mythology 2.0, we delve into how local saint stories can be rewilded, drawing on theories from folklore, archaeology, geography, and landscape architecture. Our aim is not to preserve them as mere relics but to reintegrate them into the context of the world we inhabit today.
As you will see, local saints are mirrors and lenses for creative and spiritual work (re)rooting you deeper in the place where you eat, pray and love.
This exploration is for those who feel a connection to their European ancestry (Dutch, Flemish, and beyond) and wish to reconnect in a manner that is both creative and critically engaged.
The agenda
Pricing, including an early bird price until Friday May 8th
The group size is limited. The ticket sales will stop when all tickets are sold out.
You can buy the tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecomythology-20-rewilding-female-saints-tickets-1988225633391
Rewilding local female saints
You do not need to study the saints before you can participate. You will get to know these female saints better during the symposium. If you want to explore a bit, I have been writing some blogposts exploring theories, practices and the stories of a few saints. I have not published any short fiction story yet, but the idea is to make a compilation of rewilded fiction retellings about local female saints, but not in the next 2-3 years.
Cold Sophie, the Ice Saint, and the Cailleagh: Tracing the Divine Feminine Through Ice and Myth
One of my ongoing projects is exploring stories of the divine feminine in Europe, often hidden within the veils of local folklore, mythology, and the lives of saints. My journey takes me to the edges of Europe—Scandinavia, Ireland, the Baltics, and the Balkans—and to local female saints whose legends may have roots in pre-Christian goddesses. It’s a process guided as much by intuition as research. Two figures that have recently captivated my attention are Kalte Sophie (or “Cold Sophie”) and the Cailleagh, both connected to the season’s final frosts and the cycle of winter into spring. Their stories hint at…
From Celtic source cult and tree devotion to worship of local female saints in Flanders
From Celtic Source Cult and Tree Devotion to Worship of Local Female Saints in Flanders Introduction:The woven tapestry of Flanders’ history is a rich blend of myths, legends, and tales that often go unnoticed. My personal journey to uncover these threads led me to the age-old Celtic traditions and practices which placed significant emphasis on female landscapes and women. These stories, deeply rooted in the heart of Belgium, carry lessons that address our modern-day ecological, social, and psychological crises. The Celtic Worldview:Dive deep into the history of Flanders, and you’d find a land dominated by the Celtic worldview. The Celts…
Amelberga, the river and the sturgeon’s lifecycle
In May 2021, my father found a good book from the 1980s: Roeck and Marquet (1980). “Belgian sagas and legends”. Illustrations by Henri Lievens. In the chapter “the virgins,” Dymphna came back, who has inspired me writing some short stories (e.g. A Linden Tree in Tongerlo). This book introduced how the romantic movement exaggerated about the Christianization in the 7th-8th centuries. No, they did not tear down temples or kill sacred trees. The process took many centuries. The mental models of “ordinary people” were not so easily changed. They were Celts. The Church’s stories of holiness did not square with…
Dimpna, a story about an uprooted Irish princess rerooting in Flanders, and a 6 centuries old method of care for the mental ill
On a July day, in 2021, I was in Geel, with a fellow offspring of a witch that did not get burned in the 17th century, to “dig up some bones”. That’s what we call our project to look for the sites of local ancient stories. Geel is a town in the Campine (Kempen) which is known for the pioneering de-institutionalized method of care for the mentally ill. This practice is based on the positive effects that placement in a host family gives the patient, most importantly access to family life that would otherwise have been denied. The legendary 7th-century…
Calls to actions
If you are interested to join, please buy a ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecomythology-20-rewilding-female-saints-tickets-1988225633391
If you cannot join this symposium, but want to be informed about the next eco+mythology symposia, please subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking here.
Looking forward to rewilding existing stories with you.
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