Bone Woman: Conscious Eldering
Acknowledgements
It may be that the word 'wisdom' refers not so much to what one knows, but to a quality of listening, both internal and interpersonal.... putting a lifetime pattern of experience and reflection to work.
The Age of Active Wisdom, Mary Catherine Bateson
The body of work presented on this website is the culmination and synthesis of many years of learning, research, and sitting in circle with women. My own lived experience, as well as holding space for the stories and experiences of women through my roles as counsellor, community member and elder-in-becoming are the harvest that guided me in the creation of this work.
As a first generation Greek Australian, I acknowledge the spirit of the big hearted, strong women of my ancestors. I hope to honour the legacy of my mother YiaYia E'Katerini, who endured many challenges for the next generations to thrive. Her mantra of 'be happy - be free', endures as a guiding principle.
Here is a list of some of the information and teachers who have informed the processes on this website or very kindly lent their words or images:
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The Living Way Holistic Biography work by Karl-Heinz Finke (www.holisticbiographywork.com).
Personal Journeys work by Doctor Rafael Locke of the Ikon Institute (www.ikon.edu.au).
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Deep Gratitude for the teachings of Minmia Wiradjuri senior law/lore woman and author of Under the Quandong Tree.
Herbal wisdom on the 'Bone Woman Wellbeing' page by Kerri Alexander (www.kerri-alexander.com.au). Kerri has also contributed herbal and nutritional wisdom at the Bone Woman retreats held at Hearthground.
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Yia offers her respectful gratitude to Boorroo Spirit Medicine Woman, for her friendship and collaboration in ceremony to bring forth a New Way Walking pathway.
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Sophie Speirs - Artist and Film Maker, and Yia's apprentice in the co-creation of altar spaces.
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Thank you to the Wise Women's Gathering and the community of women that attend the yearly conference - for the opportunity to present and refine this work over the past eight years.
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Lydia Bowen Claire for her co facilitation support in the Bone Woman intensives.
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Leah Freer for the gift of dance to the Bone Woman intensives.
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Chantal Clearwater for her co facilitation at The Empty Nest workshop at Hearthground.
Dr Lara Owen, Alexandra Pope and numerous other menstrual educators of the past thirty years.
(www.laraowen.com; www.redschool.net).
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Website designer, editor, researcher and occasional co-writer: Kirrilee Price.
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And to Nick, my husband, who makes everything possible.
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IMAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Main image for Bone Woman by Kathie Sarginson (link to etsy shop here).
Images accompanying 'She Rises' designed by Yia Alias, graphic design by Elmarie Ford.
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Images on 'Septennial One' and 'The Call' pages by Helen Zee, fertility, intimacy and menstrual health practitioner (www.helenzee.com).
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Images on 'Ceremony' page of septennial mandalas by Diana Belot.
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Images on 'Bone Woman Wellbeing' by Lars Heartman.
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Images of Harvest Queens on the 'Ceremony' page: Kerstin Buccoliero, Shahereen Shums, Lydia Bowen Clare, and Jo Dormer.
Yia's experience
Yia holds Diplomas in Transpersonal Counselling and Shamanic Practice: Mask and Traditional Healing. She has many years' experience practising as a counsellor, facilitator and Ceremonialist. Yia is also an installation artist and writer.
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Yia founded The Women's Shed, a converted fruit-picking shed in Dural, NSW. For more than 13 years Yia facilitated the following events at The Women's Shed:
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~ The Hestia Heart Flowers Women's Circle - a weekly circle which ran for 13 years;
~ Ceremonies for Blessingways, Menarche, Queen of the Harvest and other seasonal circles;
~ Annual midwinter Spiral Walk;
~ Journey with the Seven Greek Goddesses - an exploratory journey into feminine psychology, spirituality and Women's Mysteries;
~ Girlstory - guidance and support workshops for the passage of puberty;
~ Crafting circles including Crafting a SacRed Yoni.
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HearthGround, the land which Yia now caretakes with her husband Nick, hosts a permanent Red Tent and Ceremony Ground. Since moving to HearthGround in 2017 Yia has facilitated:
~ Seasonal Women's Circles;
~ Seasonal Red Tent Festivals - weekend events;
~ Drum-making with Jennifer Wust;
~ Queen of the Harvest ceremonies;
~ Menarche ceremonies;
~ Birthing ceremonies;
~ Water ceremonies;
~ Weddings;
~ 'Modern Matriarchs': The Spiritual Practice of Menopause;
~ Bone Woman intensive weekends;
~ Bone Woman: the online course.
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Yia individualises each ceremony she is called to create, weaving in the elements, seasons, awareness of world events and influences, the women attending and the intention of each event. The Ceremony Ground is a sacred place, holding the stories and tears of many women, men, and children. Yia takes her role as a community-weaver seriously, investing time and thought into both her physically local community as well as the Women's communities she is a part of. Yia has been an advisor to Red Tent Australia and currently sits on the Roundtable for the Wise Women's Gathering.
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If you feel called to contribute a gratuity for the information and wisdom featured on this website, here is a link to donate:
Each action each thought, each step we take is creating the future.
Yias passion is to ignite an Awakened Consciousness of our presence and imprint in the continuum of life and our responsibility to honour it.
May Reverence for Life guide our steps for the future generations.
Yia's vision is of a New Global Community, where all Life is held Sacred and Reverence is Recognised and Restored.
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