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Six Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Mondays, January 26 - March 3, 2026
7:00 - 8:30pm ET (NYC Time)
$150 Paid Patreon Members / $180 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Ancestral Shadows explores the profound question of where we come from—when bloodlines are known, when they are severed, and when they remain shrouded in mystery. Drawing from comparative mythology, archetypal psychology, ritual studies, and embodied practice, this course examines the many layers of ancestry: biological, mythic, adoptive, communal, and place-based.
As someone who was adopted at birth, I have lived my life with a lineage that is both present and unknowable—a story carried in the body without the continuity of family memory. This experience informs the heart of this course: what does it mean to reach for the ancestors when the trail is obscured? How do we cultivate belonging when our history is fragmented or hidden? What does it mean to inherit stories, wounds, and gifts we cannot name?
Through case studies, mythic narratives, guided somatic explorations, and ritual practices, participants will develop a richer understanding of their own ancestral pathways—whether known, mysterious, or emerging.
Selena Madden, PhD is a dedicated mythologist, archetypal educator, and somatic muse. Her profound passion lies in the exploration and integration of diverse archetypes and mythic narratives, unraveling the mysteries of the human psyche. Her PhD in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology, earned from Pacifica Graduate Institute, provides her with a rich and nuanced understanding of the archetypal landscape, empowering her to bring forth profound insights and guide others on their own mythic odysseys.
Six Week Class Taught Online Via Zoom
Mondays, January 26 - March 3, 2026
7:00 - 8:30pm ET (NYC Time)
$150 Paid Patreon Members / $180 General Admission
PLEASE NOTE: Classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Ancestral Shadows explores the profound question of where we come from—when bloodlines are known, when they are severed, and when they remain shrouded in mystery. Drawing from comparative mythology, archetypal psychology, ritual studies, and embodied practice, this course examines the many layers of ancestry: biological, mythic, adoptive, communal, and place-based.
As someone who was adopted at birth, I have lived my life with a lineage that is both present and unknowable—a story carried in the body without the continuity of family memory. This experience informs the heart of this course: what does it mean to reach for the ancestors when the trail is obscured? How do we cultivate belonging when our history is fragmented or hidden? What does it mean to inherit stories, wounds, and gifts we cannot name?
Through case studies, mythic narratives, guided somatic explorations, and ritual practices, participants will develop a richer understanding of their own ancestral pathways—whether known, mysterious, or emerging.
Selena Madden, PhD is a dedicated mythologist, archetypal educator, and somatic muse. Her profound passion lies in the exploration and integration of diverse archetypes and mythic narratives, unraveling the mysteries of the human psyche. Her PhD in Mythological Studies with an emphasis in Depth Psychology, earned from Pacifica Graduate Institute, provides her with a rich and nuanced understanding of the archetypal landscape, empowering her to bring forth profound insights and guide others on their own mythic odysseys.