Alchemy of the Heart
Individuation: Embodying Your Feminine Soul
An Invite-Only Online Program Pilot in the Lineage of Marion Woodman
January-February 2025
“The feminine soul is what grounds us; it loves and accepts us in our totality. Our challenge is to embody this.”
Marion Woodman
“Sil’s presence opens the way for women to go where they wouldn’t have otherwise imagined they could go.”
Hi, I’m Sil.
I’m a mother, a grandmother, a crone, a best-selling author, a teacher, and a coach for women.
I guide women in transforming their lives from the inside out.
“Sil has been a master container and mirror for me in my internal work with the Divine Feminine, my negative mother complex, the patriarchal oppression of my inner identity, and dream work. My transformation at mid-life to a place of acceptance and healing is due to her wisdom and care. She is a compassionate and loving companion on the journey.”
— Carol, coaching client
A LETTER FOR YOU:
Dear one seeking to BECOME A TRUE ALCHEMIST OF THE HEART,
I’m so excited for the soul timing to finally be ripe to offer my first live online group program in years. So many of you have been asking for an online soulful place to gather in sisterhood, to be guided and supported by elders, and to dive deep into the lineage of Marion Woodman – and, at long last, our container is here. This invite-only pilot will be our beautiful beginning together.
And I can think of no better place to begin than with Marion’s teachings on the individuation process and the alchemy of the heart. Marion often taught about love, and she was absolutely brilliant. What really drew me to study with her, though, was the way in which she embodied love as she taught. She taught with her brilliant mind and her tender heart.
In my own life, I hadn’t experienced this from a parent, grandparent, or mentor. Marion met the depth of my soul inquiries with great patience and kindness. She welcomed my pain, my sensitivity, and my “too muchness” that my parents - and the culture at large- had no place for.
Alchemy of the Heart is about how to work meaningfully and effectively with the heartache that comes with life. It is about learning how to emerge out of that heartache into the fullness of your own true life– not the life that was projected onto you or expected of you.
Before embarking on this work of becoming whole, my intense and messy big-heartedness felt like a stigma and I learned to shun my own heart.
Jung once described alchemy in this way: “The difference between a good life and a bad life is how we walk through the fire.” Life gives us many opportunities to ‘walk through the fire.’ For me, these initiations included the difficult birth of my daughter, the dissolution of my unhappy marriage, and the initiation of stepping up to my true calling (and career) ... they were all moments that called me into the fire. They were moments when I learned to no longer shun my own heart and my life changed forever.
In these fateful moments I was brave enough to consciously and creatively step into my soul’s destiny because Marion had given me an alchemical container for transmuting my pain and fear. As an elder, she lent me the support and encouragement that I needed by showing me that these were rites of passage that were universal and could be transformative. Marion knew the territory: initiations had tenderized her heart.
Marion once said, “The Self pushes the neglected forward for recognition. Do not disregard it. It holds energy of highest value. It is the gold in the dung. Do not disregard the dung.” I learned that an alchemist makes gold out of their own ‘shit’- their pain, projections, conflicts, and heartaches. It was only by sitting in ‘the throne of my own heart’ (as Marion would say) that I could begin reclaiming the rejected parts of myself and embody my feminine soul.
For so many of us, we have past initiations that we have not fully felt our way through – and we know it. Dear one, it is not too late. Your unconscious, your dreams, and your unmet heart wait for you like precious not-yet-unwrapped packages. Will you go to the door and receive them?
Becoming a true alchemist is about being creative with how life happens for us and through us. We learn that bypassing the pain or hardening ourselves with false thoughts of positivity actually robs us of the opportunity to individuate- to become whole.
If you feel called to embrace your heart – and to hone the alchemical practice of holding the tension of the opposites – I invite you to keep reading and learn more about Alchemy of the Heart here on this page. If you feel an aligned fit, I’d be honored to have you join me and Sandra, and our growing community, in this foundational program – the first step in creating this new container (this ‘school’) which is inspired by the soul-making lineage of Marion Woodman.
Love,
Sil ❤️🔥
“Sil embodies a deep and rare wisdom. She has gently met and seen the parts of me that went without attuned care for so long. I went from longing to know myself more deeply to feeling at home in myself.”
— Lynn, coaching client & retreat participant
Are you yearning for a space to more deeply study and embody the work of Marion Woodman in your life?
Are you wanting to be held by a wise crone in these years of your life?
Do you identify as a sensitive being… and yet you know you’ve struggled to fully embrace your tenderness and your kindness as strengths?
Do you crave a deeper sense of embodied confidence as you separate out from the internalized toxic voices of society and your family– and get curious about finding your true inner voice?
“Alchemists take in the ‘hazardous waste’ of human experience and return it to the world as nourishment, refreshment, and beauty.”
Imagine with Me…
You get to gather live every few weeks (from anywhere in the world and in the comfort of your own home) with a deep sisterhood community committed to Marion Woodman’s work and lineage.
In sisterhood, you remember more and more in your bones that you’re not alone, and here you’re no longer the ‘too sensitive’ one!
You get masterfully held by a wise crone and her team.
You step into the throne of your heart – once and for all.
You finally feel like you have the tools to walk kindly and consciously through the fire… as an alchemist in your inner and outer worlds.
You’re deepening into your Jungian lineage – with such giddy enthusiasm!
You’re more and more living your own life, not your parents' unlived life.
And through this… your life shifts around you – from gentle ripples to big waves of change – your calling, your family, your lineage… starts to feel like the creative process that it is and can be.
“Sil's fluency with the language of dreams (both sleeping and waking), in chorus with the solemnity, warmth, and humor she brings to each meeting, provides a rich container for what feels as much like a creative process as it does a home-coming—as emergent as it is familiar; as catalyzing as it is relieving; as sweet as it is deep.”
— Heather, coaching client
What’s Included in the Program:
2x Live Dreamwork Calls with Sil and Sandra
2x Live Jungian Teaching Calls with Sil and Sandra
Access to recordings
Community connection hosted on Circle forum with Sil, Sandra and Jessi
Early access to the Soul Making School that begins in March 2025
Special pilot rate for the Alchemy of the Heart
Bonus art classes with Hojin Kimmel (see at bottom of this sales page)
“Sil is magic embodied. She does not arrive with a checklist. Rather, she comes to be in the mystery, trusting the wisdom of what arises with whoever she sits with, be it a woman and her dream or a gathering of the women in a circle blooming into sovereignty. She weaves threads from the inner, the outer, and the unseen, to reflect what’s needed to reclaim the lost pieces of our innate wholeness. Sil is the Wise Woman so many need in their circle.”
— Cassie, coaching client & retreat participant
What We Cover Together:
This program is an experience in Feminine weaving and teaching style.
Sil and Sandra will teach through story, myth, dreamwork and a Q & A format.
Sil will also teach through working 1:1 with a few women each session as she guides them in processing what is arising for them. There are two core themes that will be covered in this program:
The Individuation Process
Jung once said that “the privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” He called this ‘becoming’ the individuation process, and he considered it a lifelong process of becoming -not perfect- but whole.
The individuation process involves the hard work of differentiating the voices of our unconscious. By identifying, hearing, and following our true inner voice, we dare to achieve authentic and embodied personhood. One can imagine it as the heroine within us working creatively with her inner and outer dreams, her projections, and all the challenges that arise in her life, and by doing so, she is answering the call of her soul.
Holding the Tension of the Opposites
The art and practice of being with paradox (or ‘holding the tension of the opposites’ as Marion Woodman called it) is one of the most essential tools in an alchemist’s toolkit. It defies the logic of black/or white or either/or thinking, and invites us deeply into the art of being with so that a previously unimaginable third way can emerge.
“I still reflect upon my experience of this sisterhood, and maintain a more expansive awareness about my dreams and dreaming potential. Being guided by the most compassionate, supportive women created safety from the start, and the multi-generational collective fostered a whole-hearted, truthful, reflective, and inspired sharing of life experience and wisdom. It was perfect.”
— Holly, retreat participant
Our Program Call Schedule:
We always meet Fridays at 12:30pm EST for 90 minutes.
January 17th: Jungian Teaching with Q&A
January 31st: Dreamwork with Q&A
February 14th: Jungian Teaching with Q&A
February 21st: Dreamwork with Q&A
“Women are, by nature, disposed to relationship and connectedness; yet true relationship cannot be embraced until a woman has a deep sense of her at-one-ment. Without this essential independence from all roles and bonds, she is a potential victim for servitude.”
– Marion Woodman
Wondering how to know if this program is the right fit for you?
I trust you to explore and land in your own knowing — and, reading this below may be helpful.
This program is likely for you if you resonate with some or all of these:
you’re drawn to Jungian psychology and have heard about the teachings and lineage of Jungian scholar Marion Woodman, and you may have read one of her books, listened to her audios, or watched her documentary, and want to dive deep!
you’re excited to access an online program from the comfort of your home and have the capacity to drop into deep presence while on calls (without significant distractions)
the themes of the heart, alchemy, and individuation… land for you on a body and/or soul level — and this journey feels deeply personal and needed
you’re nourished by the idea of being held by a wise crone and her team
you’re excited to show up to each session ready to learn!!
being in community with other soul seekers in this lineage sounds like heaven
you’re able to make the program investment at this time
This program is likely NOT for you if you resonate with some or all of these:
you’re not really sure who Marion Woodman and what Jungian psychology is about, and/or you haven’t explored her work/Jungian work before
you’re feeling in a state of personal emergency/crisis/rawness at this time and you’d be better fit for 1:1 support or some immediate care to help you center or heal (being in a shared group space might not be the best fit!)
you only like in-person programs and don’t like online spaces
you’ve never really been in shared group experience before or don’t feel confident this dynamic would be supportive for you
the program investment is not financially doable for you at this time
“I have done quite a bit of inner work as an individual- but the way the group came together as one organism, supported/contained/mirrored by Sil, Sandra, Hojin and Anne was beyond words. It was as if the one heart of the world came into focus and I saw and felt how we are all connected, and tasted what I have been so hungry for. There is so much hot air in the world, but Sil and her team are the real fucking deal!”
— Paige, coaching client & retreat participant
Meet Our School Team:
Sil Read
(she/her)
Facilitator
For two decades, Sil had the incredible good-fortune of learning from the master teacher, and elder, Jungian author and analyst Marion Woodman. She completed Woodman’s BodySoulRhythms certification program (co-taught with Mary Hamilton and Ann Skinner) in 2008. In this program she was trained in dreamwork, archetypal psychology, and the art and science of listening to the wisdom of the body.
Marion Woodman’s unique Jungian lineage focuses on bringing the archetypal Divine Feminine into our embodied, earthly lives. Sil considers Marion’s lineage her lineage- her spiritual motherline- and it has been her lifeline and alchemical container during difficult times. The genius of Woodman’s scholarship and her personal loving containment were crucial for Sil’s developing a capacity to meet difficulties with patience, courage, and compassion. By showing Sil how to honor her difficult passages as deeply meaningful and universal- essentially rites of passages- Woodman helped her to find infinitely resilient places in herself and to create her own alchemical container.
Sandra Hilton (she/her)
Assistant Facilitator
Sandra is a mother, integrative therapist, coach, and witness to those on the inner journey. She has studied with Sil for several years in the lineage of Marion Woodman and brings a Jungian and relational approach to her practice.
Sandra’s professional journey began in the corporate world with almost 25 years of experience as a lawyer and business leader. She answered the inner call to retrain as a therapist over a decade ago and is also trained as a modern Medicine Woman with shaman Christa MacKinnon. She now combines the groundedness of the therapeutic, the worldliness of coaching and the magic of the shamanic.
Discovering Marion's work and then being able to work closely with Sil to deepen her practice and embodiment of the conscious feminine through dreams, symbols and archetypes, has transformed Sandra's life and work. She continues to be on her own journey to wholeness, as she supports others in theirs. She is devoted to learning to trust and honour the feminine and loves holding space with and for other women who are curious and hungry and longing to come home to what Marion Woodman called the "throne of our own heart".
Jessi Larssen (she/her)
Community Support
Jessi is an entrepreneur and creative spirit who loves bringing ideas to life. A lover of all animals—especially dogs—she has been guided to a deep desire to work with our natural instincts and energy bodies. Owning her own business for the past 14 years has been an education in learning to wear many hats.
While holding big questions and facing a crossroads, Jessi discovered Sil’s work and the lineage of Marion Woodman. It was everything she had been searching for after exploring various modalities and healing systems. Viewing both our inner and outer lives through the lens of Marion’s work—using a Jungian approach, dreams, metaphors, and myths—felt like a homecoming and a profound remembering for her.
Justina Pengel (she/her)
Enrollment & Tech Support
Justina is a mom of 3, wife, committed servant leader, and the driving force behind her business Digital Hive. She is also the driving force behind the smooth running of Sil’s business and the production of her retreats. Justina specializes in assisting female entrepreneurs in streamlining their technological systems for seamless business operations. She passionately advocates for leveraging technology to humanize, unite, and address citizen-centric challenges. Sil is in awe of her technological prowess and grateful for her warm-heartedness.
“Sil is a North Star for those seeking their soul’s true Feminine path. She has such a deep embodied knowledge, and her guidance is life changing and life affirming.”
— Kelsey, coaching client & retreat participant
“There is no sense talking about ‘being true to yourself’ until you are sure what voice you are being true to. It takes hard work to differentiate the voices of the unconscious.”
— Marion Woodman
“Sil redefines the feminine archetypes of mother and crone by the way in which she wholeheartedly embodies and lives them. She is the wise elder who guides women in the essential work of restoring their motherlines- in their bodies and souls. In doing this, she shows us how to make space for all of who we are: what Sil lovingly refers to as ‘the good, the bad, and the beautiful’.”
Kimberly Ann Johnson, author of The Fourth Trimester and Call of the Wild
Pilot Program Investment:
Pay in full: $114 [$57/month]
Frequently Asked Program Questions:
When are the calls? Will there be recordings?
The calls are on Fridays at 12:30pm EST: on January 17th & 31st and February 14th & 21st. The calls will be recorded and available by the end of the day of each session.
How large is the group? Will I be able to ask Sil and Sandra questions directly?
The pilot group will be between 25-35 women, and there will be some space to ask questions. We will be exploring a variety of formats for teaching.
Can I invite a friend?
At this time, this is an invite-only pilot program. You are welcome to invite your community to join the inaugural cohort of our new School when it opens for enrollment in February 2025.
Is there a community connection part of this program? How do I stay connected?
Yes, we will have an online forum for everyone to stay in touch throughout the program. You will be able to access recordings there. Jessi will be in the forum and Sil and Sandra will circle in as they can.
What’s this a pilot for? What happens after?
A pilot program is a way of saying an informal beginning together – where my team and I get to test out the tech and the format of this offering with you and some of my clients- most of whom have been on retreat in-person together. What we try out here together online will likely evolve through the process – hooray!
My current plan is to begin the Soul Making School in March 2025 – a new offering that will become the heart of my work: a personal program for 9 months with me and a soulful group of beloveds working with the core of Marion’s body of work and Jungian dreamwork. More details coming soon! Alchemy of the Heart will likely become a short program available to all in the future – and a pre req for the Soul Making School.
Bonus: Art Classes with Hojin Kimmel
Nourish your creative soul in this process with any art medium. Our beloved retreat facilitator and Zen Buddhist monastic, Hojin, has graciously invited our community to her Friday morning classes at 10:30 EST. The link for registration is below in Hojin’s bio.
Additionally, she will be joining our January 31st Dreamwork Session to lead us in meditation and Buddhist teachings on the alchemy of the heart.
Hojin Kimmel (she/her)
Jody Hojin Kimmel is a Zen Buddhist monastic and teacher in the Mountains and Rivers Order, and the Abbot of the Zen Center of NYC-Fire Lotus Temple in Brooklyn. She is devoted to the path of easing stress and suffering, freeing the body-heart-mind, and rediscovering our natural state through the practices of meditation, compassionate inquiry, and creative processes.
Hojin is a rare example of a contemporary Zen teacher who uses artistic practices as her primary means of teaching. And through years of study and collaborative teaching with her co-crone Sil, Hojin feels a deep affinity with the work of Marion Woodman in her use of intimate language– metaphor, arts, myth, humor, and dreamwork (to name a few) to explore being human.
For online class in Jan/Feb 2025 register here: https://zmm.org/our-programs-2/3991/suchness-that-which-comes-like-this-winter-art-practice-series-online/
Ready to join us?