A belated season-end thank you from the 34 Circe Salon to all of our listeners!  We concluded the 2023-2024 season with our Medusa episode and we'll be back again in October for the 2024-2025 season.  We're already recording, so get ready for discussions of all of your favorite topics from warrior women and goddesses to stuntwomen and Bad Marthas.  Thank you to all of you around the world who have supported us! 

You'll hear from us in a few weeks as we all Make Matriarchy Great Again!

In this episode, we delve into the matriarchal reinterpretation of the Medusa myth, contrasting it with the traditional patriarchal narrative of Ancient Greece. Starr Goode, Miriam Robbins Dexter and Joan Marler each bring their unique insights and years of scholarship to our understanding of this famous legend.

Starr Goode is a noted writer and teacher as well as a scholar of matriarchal history with a particular emphasis on the Sheela na gig symbols.

Miriam Robbins Dexter, Ph.D., holds a B.A. in Classics and a Ph.D. in Indo-European Studies (comparative linguistics, archaeology and mythology), from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Joan Marler is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Archaeomythology.  She worked closely with Marija Gimbutas as her personal editor from 1987-1994 and lectures internationally on Prof. Gimbutas’ life and work.  

We will explore how Medusa's image as a monstrous figure has been transformed into a symbol of female empowerment and resistance. Drawing from feminist theory and historical analysis, we discuss the evolution of her story from a cautionary tale of male dominance to a rallying cry for women's autonomy and strength. Join us as we unravel the layers of Medusa's legacy and its significance in modern feminist discourse.

Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe co-host.

Join us for the first episode in our Founding Mother Series! Viola Spolin developed a complete system of education which she called Theater Games and her methods are the roots of contemporary improv. 

While the power of Viola's system is widely recognized in the theater education community, her fundamental contribution to improvisation is just beginning to get full recognition. Spolin's non-authoritarian methods are about direct personal expression and are used in diverse fields to foster creativity, empathy, and self-knowledge.

Our Hosts Lauren Torres and Dawn "Sam" Alden talk with Aretha Sills (Viola's grandaughter) about Spolin's fascinating history. We also discuss a powerful second Founding Mother: Neva Boyd.  Aretha was featured on the PBS Documentary about Viola Spolin Inventing Improv, to view visit: https://www.pbs.org/video/inventing-improv-fjrunv/ To learn more about Viola Spolin, find her books, or take workshops in her empowering methods visit: https://www.violaspolin.org/

Photo courtesy of the Estate of Viola Spolin, www.violaspolin.org. All rights reserved.

In this episode we talk with Jen, a creator and podcaster who looks to bring diversity to the work that she shares with the world. A native of the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area, her parents immigrated to the US from Hong Kong before she was born. She was raised with a strong sense of the power of women in both a spiritual and temporal realm. She shares with us how her cultural heritage has influenced her perspective on women in society. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Let's talk about the taboo: Dawn "Sam" Alden talks with Erin, Samantha and Ceridwen about the joys and horrors of the menopausal journey, and try to get some valuable info out into the void. Let's all go public with our hot flashes and embarrass the men around us!

In this fascinating episode, we talk with Rabbi Batshir Torchio, a woman who leads a Jewish congregation in Northern California. Rabbi Torchio tells us about both the historical and modern roles of women in Judaism and about her own journey of discovery of the feminine face of spirituality. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

The Norse pantheon is known for its fearsome goddesses, but not all of its divine women are familiar to us. Introducing Ran, the Norse goddess of the sea. She is powerful, harsh, rapacious-- but what more do we know about her? Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they chat with the "Norse Pagan Witch," L. Stephanie Tait, about this marvelous and mysterious deity.

In a very warm and insightful episode, we talk with Kaitlin Shetler, a poet who is taking the journey through the Feminine Divine as a Christian. Christianity has a long and wonderful heritage of connection with faith from a feminine standpoint, but that heritage is often forgotten or directly denied. The cost for those who make the journey today can often be difficult-- but the rewards can also be transcendent. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they discuss this poignant and timely aspect of the Divine Feminine.

A quick note from the 34 Circe Salon creators wishing you a happy holiday season and giving you an update on the upcoming shows! Here's wishing you all the best in the coming year!

Perhaps no goddess embodies the Ancient Greek attitude towards women than Hera, Queen of the Gods. Portrayed as the perpetually spiteful wife, her power was shown as limited and lesser. But who was the true Hera and where did she come from? Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they discuss the history of this goddess with noted archaeologist and Homeric scholar, Dr. Gary Stickel.

Simply a wonderful and amazing discussion-- the power of the feminine in the paganism of the North. In our third episode on the Feminine Divine, we interview Stephanie, a practicing witch and devotee of the Feminine Divine. We discuss her heritage of witchcraft and her love of the goddesses of Norse paganism. Stephanie is a knowledgeable, open and warm as she shares her experiences with us. In popular culture, the religion of the Norse is skewed towards the masculine, but the truth is that North mythology contains some of the most dominant and dynamic women in all of world mythology. The Norse Goddesses are the true mothers of its mythical power and Stephanie regales us with her thoughts on the subject. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

“O, learn to love, the lesson is but plain, And once made perfect, never lost again.” ― William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis Aphrodite, Venus-- The Goddess of Love. She is perhaps the most well known of any in the Greco-Roman Pantheon. But what do we really know of her story and her origin? Join us as Dr. Gary Stickel tells her tale as we praise the Goddess! Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

In a wonderful, spirited discussion, Max Dashu discusses her recent research into the warrior women called "Amazons." How did the Ancient Greek conception of femaleness shape the stories of Amazons that we know today? What is the relationship of Amazon concept to the warrior tribes that existed in the Black Sea region? Was there really a standalone tribe of warrior women? Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden discuss these concepts with Max.

We welcome back Professor Walter Penrose, specialist in gender and sexuality in the Ancient World, to discuss everyone's favorite Amazon: Wonder Woman!

Fans had demanded a Wonder Woman movie for decades, so when the movie reached theaters in 2017, the reactions were huge. With Professor Penrose, Dawn and Sean look back on that moment, as well as the comic book genesis and the life of the family who created her. (With a nod, of course, to the legends of the Amazons that we so love.)

The first of a new series: In Praise of the Goddess! In this series we take a scholarly approach to examining the Divine Feminine. Join us as our guest, archaeologist and Homeric scholar Dr. Gary Stickel, tells us the story of one of the most famous goddesses in any pantheon, Athena! Goddess of wisdom and defensive war, and matron of the great city of Athens, Greece. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

We know that the topic that we cover can be a bit of a deep dive, so we have some suggestions that we think will help guide you in your journey to disrupting history, understanding matriarchy and celebrating women warriors. Take a listen! :-) info@34Circe.com

Some big new content is coming your way on the 34 Circe Salon! Take a listen and get ready for as we plan to bring fun, new shows your way! info@34Circe.com

Thank you so much for listening to our new podcast channel! We really appreciate your support for disrupting history and making matriarchy great again! We'd love to hear from you. Please take a listen and let us know your thoughts. ;-) info@34circe.com

In the last part of our fascinating discussion of Amazon history with Dr. Walter Penrose, we shift our attention to the Indian concept of "Stri Rajya" or "The Kingdom of Women." The Ancient Indians located this kingdom to the west of them-- somewhere towards the Eurasian Steppe and Caspian Sea-- right in the neighborhood where Amazons were noted by the Greeks and others. We also explore the stories of Hellenistic warrior queens and their connection to the warlike women in their region. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

In part 2 of our discussion of the history of the Amazons with Dr. Walter Penrose, we talk about the tribes of warrior women who inhabited the Black Sea region and Eurasian Steppe-- the "Fertile Crescent" of female warriors. Thracians, Scythians, Sauromatians were all renowned for their warlike women. Join us as we explore the truth of those legends. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

In this episode we sit down with Walter Penrose, PhD, associate professor of history at San Diego State University. Dr. Penrose specializes in the History of Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and South Asian contexts. We talk with him about the historical views of the Amazons, particularly in the non-Western world. Part 1 focuses on the use of female bodyguards by the Indians and Persians and how many of these women came from the Black Sea region-- the same region where the Greeks identified the presence of Amazons! Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

Upon the ashes of a lost fallen female-centric civilization arose a new figure in human culture: The Amazon. In part five, we start to fill in the details of what this Amazon culture was like and how men viewed it-- particularly in the case of the civilization on Lemnos. Vicki Noble leads the discussion. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

The concept of an "Amazon" begins to develop as the millennia pass and the descendants of the Old Europe matriarchies are forced to take up arms to protect their people and culture. Vicki Noble shares her knowledge. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

Long before the Troy of The Iliad and The Odyssey, there was a civilization in Anatolia at Troy that derived its foundation from the Old European matriarchies and the "Amazons." Once the women of Old Europe began to flee, the established strongholds in the Aegean and the Black Sea. Lesbos, Lemnos, Troy, Ephesus, were all establish by the women and men who fled the destruction of the Indo-European invaders and who looked to create a defensive stronghold that would preserve their matriarchies. Vicki Noble tells the story. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

It's no secret that Artemis is beloved at the 34 Circe Salon Make Matriarchy Great Again podcast, so this episode is a match made in heaven for us.... because it's all about Artemis!

Our guest is Dr. Carla Ionescu who is one of the leading experts in the worship and ritual of Artemis. In the summers she scavenges new locations and cities world wide, digging through the remains of grave sites, ruins, and abandoned buildings, trying to uncover the long lost mystery that is Artemis, The Great Mother.

We discuss Artemis in her many incarnations and in her many locations.

Arise, Amazons, and praise Artemis!

Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

On the run, the women of the Old Europe matriarchies flee both east and west to preserve their matriarchal culture and female-centric religions. Vicki Noble discusses the evidence for the destruction and frantic preservation of the Old Europe matriarchies and how that led in turn to Amazonian responses. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

Here we go... The first installment in our series on the birth of the historical women called "Amazons." Who were there ancestors? Where did they come from? In part one, we talk about the destruction of the Old Europe matriarchy by the warrior men from the Eurasian steppes and how it was the spark that produced the matriarchal resistance movement of the Amazons. Vicki Noble leads the way and shares her extensive knowledge of the era. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

Pamela Jaye Smith talks about her "Alpha Babes" course and how it can help filmmakers and other creatives tell the stories of female heroes. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

In part two, we have an intense discussion about the state of women in film today. How are women being portrayed? What opportunities are there for women creators? Is it different than in the past or is it just window dressing? Insights are sharp and passions are high. Guest: Pamela Jaye Smith Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe Dawn "Sam" Alden

How can writers, filmmakers and other artists use mythology to create new tales and images for the modern world? How can we specifically offer new or alternative images of female heroes? Meet Pamela Jaye Smith, filmmaker and mythologist. Pamela talks with Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden about her "Alpha Babes" course and how it helps shift the narrative for female protagonists.

In part three, we discuss with Max that current state of, and prospects for, matriarchy in the modern world. Is there a chance for a matriarchal movement today? Are some of the egalitarian concepts of matriarchy already in use by today's progressive movements? We Make Matriarchy Great Again in part three. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

In part two, we talk to Max Dashu about the concepts of matriarchy and patriarchy in the context of the Ancient World. How did patriarchy arise and what about the matriarchy that predated it? How does our Western viewpoint affect how we view matriarchy in the Ancient World. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden host.

Max Dashu has championed the various lost histories of women and championed female-centric civilizations for decades. In part one, Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden interview Max about her own life story and how and why her mission to tell the forgotten history of women and of matriarchy came about.

Episode 2 of our intimate exploration of divine femininity. In this series, we discard the academic approach for an exploration that is more personal and, we hope, more intimate. What is the nature of our own spirituality and its relationship to how the nature of women are perceived? What are the conflicts experienced for those who practice one of the major world "traditional" religions as they explore the spirit of the goddess? Please join us on this journey.

In part four, we look at the possible tantalizing connections between the sacred script of Old Europe and the Linear A of Crete-- as well as the linguistic connection to Lemnos and maybe-- yes, even mabye-- the Amazons!. Special guest: Vicki Noble Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe Dawn "Sam" Alden

People speak of virginity as if it’s a thing. It’s not. It’s not a thing. Kimberly and Dawn talk about the science and the myth of virginity, and why it can be useful, but mostly isn’t.

In part three, we examine the symbols themselves. What was the nature of of this script and what was its chief function? Vicki Noble details the nature of this mother written language. Special guest: Vicki Noble Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe Dawn "Sam" Alden

In part two, we talk about the culture of the women and men who created a form of writing long before the patriarchal civilizations that arose later. Special guest: Vicki Noble Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe Dawn "Sam" Alden

What if I told you that a form of writing had been invented long before hieroglyphics and that it conveyed the divine feminine language of matriarchy? Scholars have long known of the script used by female-centric civilizations millennia before the rise of Egypt, Phoenicia and Sumer, but they've dismissed it along with the concept of "matriarchy." In part 1 of our series, we discuss the basic premise of this "sacred" script of Old Europe and how Marija Gimbutas uncovered it. Special guest: Vicki Noble Hosts: Sean Marlon Newcombe Dawn "Sam" Alden

Scholars often throw roses at the feet of the Indo-European conquerors known as "Yamnaya." Even questioning their brutality is considered deceitful and offensive by some. Still these men destroyed the beautiful matriarchies of Old Europe and did so unsparingly: crushing the men and abducting the women. Was this invasion the beginning of war or are the Yamnaya unfairly blamed for behavior that was already common and normal? Join us as we explore the end of matriarchy and the conquest of the patriarchs.

What was the culture like of the Old Europe matriarchies? Exquisite artwork and beautiful textiles, these were advanced civilizations-- belying the old tropes of "primitive" matriarchies. Yes, it is possible to have peace and advancement. We've had it before, but forgotten it. These civilizations provide a model of hope for what our culture can become again.

What is the true relationship between the development of agriculture and the development of matriarchy? Often, the development of agriculture is seen as the "end of eden" for human existence-- but is this the case? Join us as we discuss how matriarchy and agriculture went hand-in-hand and how these same cultures also developed touching ancestor rituals around the preservation of skulls.

In what is sure to be a classic set of recordings, Vicki Noble joins Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden to discuss the matriarchal roots of Western Civilization. "Old Europe" is the term given to a set of advanced cultures that lasted for thousands of years west of the Black Sea. The topic so controversial, mainstream scholarship often refuses to address it. Vicki's knowledge and detail of this history (or "herstory") is not to be missed.

This is a departure from our usual programs. This is something more intimate and more personal. We discuss the nature of our own spirituality and its relationship to how the nature of women are perceived. We'd love for you to join us.

https://www.change.org/p/wiseburn-school-district-rename-school-for-toypurina-the-native-american-revolutionary She was a revolutionary who tried to free her people, but her story was lost to time... until now. Toypurina was a shaman and high-status woman in her Native American tribe (the Kizh nation) when she led a rebellion against the brutal Spanish rule-- yet she was barely out of her teens. Guided by mystical forces she fought bravely. Though her rebellion did not last, she planted seeds of defiance that would stay with her people forever.

Six-feet tall and ready to do damage-- Gallus Mag was a bouncer in 19th Century New York City who would take no guff from anyone. Sadie Farrell, aka "Sadie the Goat," was a Hudson River pirate who backed down to no one. When they crossed paths, a legend was born. Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they discuss the incredible story of two of the toughest women in the Empire State and what happened when they crossed paths.

It is our pleasure, once again, to present a fascinating conversation with Max Dashu!

Max Dashu has championed the various lost histories of women and championed female-centric civilizations for decades. Max Dashu founded the Suppressed Histories Archives in January of 1970 to research and document women's history on a global scale.

In today's episode, we discuss chapter one of Max's new book Women In Greek Mythography.  Focused on the Titanides, the pre-Olympian goddesses, chapter one explores their original stories and the later patriarchal revisions.  Female-centric, the mythology of the Titanides explained how the universe came into being, with goddesses central to that understanding.

Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

What if we told you that the most successful pirate of all time was a woman? Meet the inimitable Ching I Sao, Queen of the High Seas. Cheng terrorized the China Seas with her pirate been of men AND women. Learn more of her amazing story and the story of Chinese women pirates with Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe.

Aargh! Shiver me timbers! It's the classic age of the pirate. We've seen their images everywhere for all of our lives-- the skull and crossbones, the pistol and sword, the eye patch. Yet, rarely have the women pirates of the era been depicted. Oh and there were plenty of them! Join Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden as they explore the women pirates of the high seas!

Sailing Seven Seas, dueling armadas, claiming treasures-- this is the life of... Women Pirates! Come along with Dawn "Sam" Alden and Sean Marlon Newcombe as they explore the TRUE stories of excitement and adventure of women who ruled the ocean millennia ago!