LEAD ME WHERE YOU NEED ME

Confession: I am a bit of a technophobe, but I am trying something new today: sharing a video file!

Jodi Garrod

, who is the host of the brand new “In the Presence of Spirit” Podcast, invited me to be her guest for Episode #1, opening the series. Does a greater honour exist?

What you see above is just a short clip but here is the video link for THE FULL EPISODE.

Jodi is a brilliant interviewer. She does not interrupt or distort, and she sees the value of long-form interviews. (I do not subscribe to breeding the short attention spans that many social media platforms now encourage and cater to). Being younger (and more clued-up, frankly) she also gave me a spontaneous “tech lesson” when the interview was over. She encouraged me to sometimes make video posts and to, ideally, create audio files for my posts here, so people can listen to them in the car, or on-the-go. NO PROMISES but today I thought I’d try to create a video post (riding on all Jodi’s hard work, she made the clip!)

I will put some snippets of the interview content below, but let me take this opportunity to ask my audience: would people appreciate an occasional video post? Does offering an audio-version make posts more accessible? Let me know your preferences in the comment section please. I know that even “Dutch Dinosaurs” need to move with the times!

Oh and, as a midwife, Jodi was very happy to explore “darkness work”. By this I mean spiritual work related to process of gestation, seeds planted in rich fertile soil, the cosmic womb of the Dark Goddesses, intrepid quests into the realms of shadow work and ancestral healing work.

Thank you Jodi, for both the interview and the “Tech Tutorial”!

Please note that Snippets of the Content and exact Timings appear below the picture!

In Conversation with Imelda Almqvist: “LEAD ME WHERE YOU NEED ME”

Imelda Almqvist, Forest Witch, Sweden

SOME SNIPPETS OF CONTENT courtesy of Jodi:

In this very special Substack series, I bring to you some of the incredible voices of Deep Feminine Elders, who have inspired me and my path. The women who have brought such rich teachings and blessings to my ever-expanding journey, into the realm of Spirit…

“Along with all of that shadow material, we lock away a lot of our Power: We lose Power because we're locking entire parts of ourselves away…

And when we do Shadow Work, we retrieve that Power: we unlock it and bring it back. So we have more life force and more effective energy to play with.”

- Imelda Almqvist, “In the Presence of Spirit”

Imelda is an expert in the Norse traditions of Seiðr (often called ‘Norse Shamanism’) and she specialises in teaching this all over the world - as well as at her own Forest School in Sweden. She’s also held a thriving shamanic practice in London for many years.

What I absolutely love about Imelda is the way that she brings such an enormous depth of wisdom and experience, with such a lightness of humour and humility. Her way of explaining seemingly complex, other-worldly experiences, with such simplicity.

This, to me, is the voice of the true Elder: one who has embodied their teachings so deeply, that they are able to transmit them with such ease and accessibility.

I’ve been absolutely itching to ask Imelda more about her life as a Forest Witch in Sweden and to quiz her on her role as a ‘Dark-Worker:’ Reimagining the creative forces of the Shadow and the Dark Goddess. And how we might reclaim this Dark Power of the Feminine for Collective Transformation and Healing….

I couldn’t have wished for a more rich, and in depth conversation with Imelda and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to ask her so many questions about her wonderful work! Thank You so much Imelda!

Thank you Jodi, for both the interview and the “Tech Tutorial”!

In Conversation with Imelda Almqvist: “LEAD ME WHERE YOU NEED ME”

Below is a Breakdown Summary of just some of the themes we dived into in this Conversation:

Chapters from the Video Interview with Imelda:

{1-2mins}

Introduction to Imelda and her work

{2mins-11mins}

Who is the Hag?

- Reclaiming the Crone

{12-20mins}

Imelda’s journey into shamanic teaching and practice

- Psychopomp work as a child- Being an Art student in Amsterdam- The moment of Initiation: meeting the Norse Gods- Being called by Spirit into shamanic practice- Starting a shamanic training & practice whilst also being a Mother of three Young children- The limits of her ‘regular shamanic training:’- The ‘bits that were missing:’ educating herself in shadow work & ancestral healing work- The Calling: Making a promise to Sprit to focus on Norse traditions & teachings

{20-25mins}

Homecoming: Origins of shamanism & cultural context

- Origins of the word Shamanism- Problems with using the word - How shamanic work is rooted in the land- Importance of context: the Spirits of place and the mythology of the land- The homecoming: Returning to our own Ancestral lands and traditions, that we are rooted in.

“The land is talking to me and I am reconnecting to the ways of my Ancestors…I can hear the Ancestors sing in my blood”

{26-36mins}

Sacred Art: Why writers block doesn’t really exist

- How Spirit moves us: through song, dance, art- Sacred Art as service: putting ourselves in service to spirit- In dialogue with Spirit: Being in service to forces greater than ourselves- Earth honouring Art- Art as a way of being in the world- Creative work emerging from this - Creative block and becoming stuck- Why there is really no such thing as artist block; when Ego steps aside- Prayers to be ‘In Service:’- “Lead me where you need me”- Let Spirit Guide my hand: “What is seeking to come through me?”