Seeking Numina: The Sacred Places Podcast

What if your body knows something your mind has forgotten?

In this episode of Seeking Numina, Elyse Welles talks with Macedonian priestess, world dancer, choreographer, and somatic educator Sophia Blanton about the spiritual power of movement—and what can happen when we stop trying to control the body and allow ourselves to be moved.

Together, they explore sacred dance, collective movement, trauma, trance, land spirits, pilgrimage, and the mysterious relationship between the body and the sacred landscape.

From traditional Macedonian dance to ritual movement at sacred sites, Sophia shares a perspective on embodiment that invites us to ask: What happens when we let the body become the oracle?

🌿 Learn more about Sophia Blanton
  🎬This episode was edited by Bree Saga:
Substack | Instagram 

Order my books to support me and support your connection with the land! https://www.elysewelles.com/books
Subscribe to Seeking Numina with Elyse Welles on YouTube for video versions of ALL episodes sharing footage of the places and topics discussed.

To learn more about my upcoming retreats to sacred places in Greece and beyond, or learn with me in workshops, classes, or mentorship, visit elysewelles.com. 
Support Seeking Numina on Patreon for a library of 300+ rituals, meditaitons, exclusive videos, and more, + opportunities for free tarot readings and discounts on ALL classes and retreats. Visit patreon.com/elysewelles
Seeking Numina can also be supported via my Dashery merch shop.

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ

What happens when the ancient gods begin calling again?

In this episode of Seeking Numina, Elyse Welles sits down with Gwendolyn Reece, author of The Waters of Mnemosyne, to explore sacred Greece, pilgrimage, ancient mysteries, and what it means to build a living relationship with the Greek gods today.

From Artemis and Apollo to Athena, Delphi, Brauron, and the forgotten mysteries, Elyse and Gwendolyn explore what happens when we stop treating ancient sacred places as ruins—and begin listening to what they might still have to say.

They also discuss gnosis, spiritual archaeology, the revival of the mysteries, sacred community, and the surprising ways the gods may be calling modern practitioners into service.

Could the ancient mysteries be ready to return?

Tune in to the full conversation to find out!

🌿 Learn More About Gwendolyn Reece

🏛️ Sacred Space Conference

  🎬This episode was edited by Bree Saga:
Substack | Instagram 

Order my books to support me and support your connection with the land! https://www.elysewelles.com/books
Subscribe to Seeking Numina with Elyse Welles on YouTube for video versions of ALL episodes sharing footage of the places and topics discussed.

To learn more about my upcoming retreats to sacred places in Greece and beyond, or learn with me in workshops, classes, or mentorship, visit elysewelles.com. 
Support Seeking Numina on Patreon for a library of 300+ rituals, meditaitons, exclusive videos, and more, + opportunities for free tarot readings and discounts on ALL classes and retreats. Visit patreon.com/elysewelles
Seeking Numina can also be supported via my Dashery merch shop.

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ

In this episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles is joined by author, spiritual teacher, and fellow podcast host George Lizos to explore the ancient Greek sacred sites of modern-day Turkey, the spiritual legacy of Lycia, and what it means to practice Living Hellenism today. 
Fresh from an unforgettable journey through ancient Lycia, Elyse and George recount their pilgrimage to remarkable temples, mountaintop tombs, and forgotten sacred landscapes that reveal the enduring relationship between land, ancestors, and the Greek gods. 
Together, they discuss: 
 Exploring the ancient Greek sites of Lycia (modern-day Turkey) 
 Temple hopping through Anatolia and sacred landscapes 
 The breathtaking Lycian rock tombs and ancestor veneration 
 The Temple of Leto and the origins of the Mother Goddess 
 Artemis, Apollo, and Leto beyond the classical myths 
 Spiritual archaeology and intuitive research at ancient sites 
 Connecting with land spirits through meditation and ritual 
 Why sacred places call us when we're ready 
 Living Hellenism as a modern spiritual path 
 Reciprocity with the land and honoring sacred places 
 Entrainment: an energetic practice for connecting with the landscape 
 Why ancient temples continue to transform those who visit them 

Throughout the conversation, Elyse and George reflect on how sacred places become living teachers—inviting us into deeper relationships with history, mythology, the natural world, and ourselves. From meditating inside the Temple of Leto to standing among Lycian tombs during a mountain storm, they explore how pilgrimage can become a profound spiritual initiation.
 
Whether you're interested in Greek mythology, Hellenism, sacred geography, land spirits, pilgrimage, archaeology, or ancient spirituality, this episode offers a fascinating look at one of the Mediterranean's most overlooked sacred landscapes.
 
🌿 Learn more about George Lizos:
 
Website | Instagram
 
  🎬This episode was edited by Bree Saga:
Substack | Instagram 
Order my books to support me and support your connection with the land! https://www.elysewelles.com/books
Subscribe to Seeking Numina with Elyse Welles on YouTube for video versions of ALL episodes sharing footage of the places and topics discussed.

To learn more about my upcoming retreats to sacred places in Greece and beyond, or learn with me in workshops, classes, or mentorship, visit elysewelles.com. 
Support Seeking Numina on Patreon for a library of 300+ rituals, meditaitons, exclusive videos, and more, + opportunities for free tarot readings and discounts on ALL classes and retreats. Visit patreon.com/elysewelles
Seeking Numina can also be supported via my Dashery merch shop.

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ

In this episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles welcomes bestselling author, tarot reader, and magical practitioner Judika Illes for an inspiring conversation about spellcraft, elemental magic, sacred places, and her newest deck, The Magic Spells Oracle.

Known for beloved classics including The Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, Encyclopedia of Spirits, Pure Magic, and many more, Judika shares how decades of magical study have shaped her understanding of the elements, sacred landscapes, and the enduring relationship between people and place.

Together, Elyse and Judika explore:

The inspiration behind The Magic Spells Oracle
Elemental magic and balancing the four elements
Why no witch works with only one element
Sacred places and the power of landscape
The spiritual significance of oceans, rivers, volcanoes, and mountains
Morocco, Hawaii, Malta, the Caribbean, and other spiritually powerful destinations
Ancestral memory and how the land recognizes us
Ancient monuments, archaeology, and magical history
The relationship between travel, pilgrimage, and spiritual growth
Spellcasting as a path toward harmony and balance
Astrology, the elements, and magical practice

Judika also reflects on her lifelong love of travel, discussing how sacred places reveal themselves through history, geography, mythology, and the elemental forces that shape both the Earth and ourselves.

Whether you're interested in witchcraft, spellcasting, sacred geography, animism, folklore, tarot, or the deeper mysteries of the natural world, this conversation offers a rich exploration of how magic is woven into both landscape and daily life.

📚 Featured books by Judika Illes:

The Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells
Encyclopedia of Spirits
Pure Magic
The Magic Spells Oracle
Daily Magic
Encyclopedia of Witchcraft
Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints & Sages

🌿 Learn more about Judika Illes:

Instagram
Facebook

  🎬This episode was edited by Bree Saga:
Substack | Instagram 
Order my books to support me and support your connection with the land! https://www.elysewelles.com/books
Subscribe to Seeking Numina with Elyse Welles on YouTube for video versions of ALL episodes sharing footage of the places and topics discussed.

To learn more about my upcoming retreats to sacred places in Greece and beyond, or learn with me in workshops, classes, or mentorship, visit elysewelles.com. 
Support Seeking Numina on Patreon for a library of 300+ rituals, meditaitons, exclusive videos, and more, + opportunities for free tarot readings and discounts on ALL classes and retreats. Visit patreon.com/elysewelles
Seeking Numina can also be supported via my Dashery merch shop.

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ

In this episode of Seeking Numina: Sacred Places Podcast, Elyse Welles welcomes Welsh folk witch, author, and first-language Welsh speaker Mhara Starling to discuss Welsh mythology, fairy lore, spirits of place, and the living magical traditions of Wales.

Born and raised in North Wales, Mhara shares deeply personal stories of growing up among ancient standing stones, sacred coastal landscapes, and places that seemed to call to her long before she understood their archaeological or spiritual significance.

Together, Elyse and Mhara explore how the land itself teaches us to listen, remember, and build relationships with the unseen world.

Mhara also discusses her experiences leading spiritual tours across Wales, sharing how ancient monuments, coastal cliffs, forests, and mountains continue to hold memory, magic, and relationship for those willing to listen.

Whether you're drawn to Celtic spirituality, Welsh mythology, fairy lore, or sacred geography, this conversation offers a beautiful invitation to deepen your connection with place and the living landscape.

📚 Learn more about Mhara Starling's books found wherever books are sold:

Welsh Fairies
Welsh Witchcraft
Pantheon: The Welsh
 🎬This episode was edited by Bree Saga:
Substack | Instagram 
Order my books to support me and support your connection with the land! https://www.elysewelles.com/books
Subscribe to Seeking Numina with Elyse Welles on YouTube for video versions of ALL episodes sharing footage of the places and topics discussed.

To learn more about my upcoming retreats to sacred places in Greece and beyond, or learn with me in workshops, classes, or mentorship, visit elysewelles.com. 
Support Seeking Numina on Patreon for a library of 300+ rituals, meditaitons, exclusive videos, and more, + opportunities for free tarot readings and discounts on ALL classes and retreats. Visit patreon.com/elysewelles
Seeking Numina can also be supported via my Dashery merch shop.

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ