On Knowing Thyself
A personal goal of mine for the coming year is to combine the goddess teachings of Lara Vesta and Sylvia Brinton Perera into a unified, transformative practice.
After more than 20 years of exploring various occult and spiritual teachings, I’ve realized that goddess teachings resonate most deeply with my own path of individuation.
Coined by Carl Jung, individuation is the process of becoming one’s true self. It’s a journey of self-exploration where one integrates different aspects of their personality, including both conscious and unconscious elements, into a cohesive whole. This involves recognizing and accepting hidden parts of oneself, often referred to as the “shadow,” and moving beyond the ego’s limited viewpoint and its need for external validation.
Not all spiritual or occult teachings actively support individuation, as each tradition has its own focus, values, and methods, which may or may not prioritize individual growth or self-actualization.
Certain paths, especially those rooted in structured religious or esoteric systems, emphasize adherence to specific beliefs, moral codes, or communal goals. They may focus on transcendence, discipline, or alignment with external ideals rather than fostering an inner journey of self-discovery and personal transformation essential to individuation.
Additionally, those based on patriarchal interpretations of sacred teachings often present female archetypes as one-dimensional and idealized—more reflective of male fantasy than of authentic female experience. These portrayals make it difficult for women to connect with these archetypes, as they lack complexity and fail to serve as meaningful guides for personal growth, spiritual exploration, or empowerment.
In contrast, goddess-centered animist practices encourage us to connect deeply with our intuition, engage in self-exploration, acknowledge and integrate shadow aspects, and embrace the natural rhythms of change. These practices align more naturally with Jung’s process of individuation. Unlike teachings that impose rigid ideals or prioritize external conformity, goddess-centered practices support a journey that respects each person’s unique path, values personal truth, and fosters an organic, self-directed process of inner transformation.
In The Descent to the Goddess, Jungian analyst Sylvia Brinton Perera uses the myth of Inanna’s descent into the underworld as a metaphor for the journey into the unconscious. She frames this descent as a necessary process of confronting and integrating repressed parts of the self, particularly for women seeking to reclaim their power and wholeness. Perera invites us to view the myth as a guide, offering symbols and lessons to navigate our own paths of self-exploration and transformation.
Lara Vesta’s teachings offer a more holistic, nature-based approach to goddess practice, integrating shadow work into daily life through alignment with natural cycles, rituals, and creative expression.
Both Perera and Vesta approach goddess practice from distinct but complementary perspectives. Perera’s approach is rooted in Jungian depth psychology, seeing the goddess journey primarily as an inner psychological process of confronting the shadow and integrating repressed aspects of the feminine psyche. Her focus is on psychological transformation and the journey to reclaim lost aspects of the self.
Lara Vesta’s goddess practice, on the other hand, is grounded in cyclical, earth-based spirituality, focusing on aligning with seasonal rhythms, creative expression, and personal rituals to integrate goddess energies into daily life. Her approach is more practical, emphasizing ongoing, tangible connections with the goddess through everyday practices.
I have spent a long time reflecting on Perera’s work, and my intuition suggests that combining the insights of both Perera and Vesta into a single goddess practice could create a powerful, integrated path to self-discovery and transformation.
Perera’s Jungian insights deepen our understanding of the goddess archetype and the role of shadow work in individuation, framing descent as a vital step toward healing and wholeness. Vesta’s seasonal rituals and nature-based practices, in turn, provide a grounded, practical framework for integrating this inner work into daily life through creativity, ritual, and journaling. Together, they balance psychological depth with tangible practices, supporting both emotional integration and spiritual growth while keeping the process grounded.
*Photo taken in one of my favorite gardens in South Limburg.
