There are stories inside of us: secrets and desires and memories and fantasies piled up and up and up and up. All of them mirrors — all sizes, shapes, designs.

I am in between — wandering a threshold — ghosting through fields of Asphodel — wondering how in the Hades I ended up here.

In this podcast episode, we discuss the Nymphs, the nature spirits that dwell in and protect the waters, plants, and mountains of Greece. And while it may seem that the nymphs take a backseat to the Olympian gods by playing minor roles in the famous stories, I believe they are in fact the most important beings of ancient Greek myth and plant lore, especially for those of us seeking a deeper connection with the Mediterranean landscape.

For the ancient Greeks, the Olive was a sacred symbol of divine blessing and wisdom associated particularly with the goddess Athena, as well as with Zeus and the patron of human culture, Aristaeus. In this podcast episode, we discuss the ancient uses of the Olive, as well as discuss the Olive as a teacher of perspective and a reminder of the ancestral gifts of awe, gratitude and humility.

Despite over 5,000 years under human cultivation, the Olea europaea remains wild-looking and ancient, with some trees surpassing 1,000 or 2,000 years of age.  Surviving fires, drought, and even a complete cutting back to the stump, the olive tree will just not give up. This is a formidable, primordial, and powerful tree, a teacher of perspective, and a reminder of the ancestral gifts of awe, gratitude and humility.  Associated with the goddess Athena as well as Zeus and the patron of human culture, Aristaeus, the Olive was a sacred symbol of divine blessing and wisdom.

Like many Greeks, I come from a family steeped in olive oil. My grandmother’s family tended olives in a small village near Kalamata, the city in the southern Peloponnese famous for its olive of the same name. And as next month's Materia Mythica entry will be the olive tree, I wanted to share with you a little about my own experience of the Greek landscape - a piece of my personal mythology.

The Pomegranate is a spiny, deciduous shrub or tree with red-orange tubular flowers that transform into large red fruits containing a multitude of seeds. A sacred symbol of fertility, mortality, and the Underworld, the fruit has been associated with many Greek goddesses, including Persephone and Hera.

The Asphodel is a hardy, herbaceous perennial with star-like white or yellow flowers growing on a single or branching tall spike. As an herb associated with Persephone and Hekate, it is easy to imagine Asphodels as torches, illuminating the way to and from the Underworld with their glow. Existing as they do on the borders and aligned with the dark and unseen realms, the Asphodel is a powerful ally for traversing unknown territories and navigating contradiction.

In this podcast episode, we turn our attention to the Melissae, the oracular Bee Nymphs of ancient Greece. The Melissae are considered divine messengers, conduits for prophecy, speakers of divine truths, and a source for inspired thought and song. Today, I share with you some of the ancient Greek folklore associated with the Bee, as well as some of my favorite ceremonies and techniques for connecting with Bee.

In this episode we discuss the myth of Daphne and Apollo. Daphne, whose name actually means Bay Laurel in Greek (Δάφνη), was a nymph of ancient Greece who, while running from Apollo’s advances, was transformed into a sacred tree of prophecy and ritual cleansing.

Bay Laurel is an evergreen shrub or tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae) with dark green and smooth leaves, white-with-yellow flowers, and purple-black drupes. As an important tree for prophecy and divination, the Bay Laurel has a special relationship with the Pythia (Oracle of Delphi) and the Greek god Apollo; its leaves are burned to encourage visions or used in the casting of lots. Drought tolerant and aromatic, the leaves can also be woven into wreaths or dried and wrapped in incense bundles for everyday rituals and purifying ceremonies.

In this podcast episode, we discuss the myth of Narcissus, that beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection, and the nymph Echo, whose obsession with Narcissus led to her own dissolution. I adore this myth, not because Narcissus suffers for his ego or pride, but because I believe there is a deeper message in this story - a message about numbness, obsession, and human desire - a message I think that most people miss...