Macedonia (Μακεδονία) is a sprawling region in northern Greece. Like most of the country, the area is a combination of mountain landscapes and fertile valleys, lush forests and flowing rivers, lakes and coastland marshes. I lived for many years in Eastern Macedonia and was able to travel quite extensively throughout the region, so this area holds a particularly special place in my heart.

Were there really nine muses in ancient Greece? Where were they worshipped? And what do their stories tell us about artistic inspiration and the Greek landscape? In this episode, meet the Muses of ancient Greece and learn more about their special relationship with music, winged messengers, springs, and the Greek gods of prophecy and sleep.

In this episode of A Temple Wild Podcast, we encounter Dionysos through the lens of his most sacred plants, the Vines — specifically the Ivy, Grape, and Rough Bindweed. We also talk about wine, entheogens, and consciousness-altering brews of the ancient Greek world; the Maenads who danced into ecstatic union; as well as some of the places, mountains, and other herbs sacred to the god of divine madness.

I will be the first to admit that I am prone to dramatics. I love to embellish a story, especially one that involves me doing anything even remotely “sporty.” And yet I am being totally honest when I say my hike on Mount Olympus was perhaps one of the most physically and emotionally demanding hikes I’ve done in the past ten years.