Winter 2026
online OFFERINGs
SPECIAL EVENTS
FEBRUARY – MARCH 2026
SEEDS OF FEMININE EMPOWERMENT:
Embodying the Somatic Wisdom of Demeter, Persephone, & Hekate.
MAY 2026
POSTURAL AWARENESS AND EMBODIED ATTUNEMENT FOR HELPING PROFESSIONALS
Dances of the Living Spine
MARCH 13-15
ONLINE MYTHOLOGIUM CONFERENCE
Panel presentation: Somatic Roots of Mythic Imagination
JUNE 19 & 20
Living Your Legacy:
A Creative Voyage into the Second Half of Life (ONLINE RETREAT)
MONTHLY (4th Friday)
WOMEN’S GROUP: DEEP FEMININE CIRCLES
online woskhop series
SEEDS OF FEMININE EMPOWERMENT
Embodying the Somatic Wisdom of
Demeter, Persephone, & Hekate.
Embark on a journey of connecting with the cycles of transformation of your sacred womb in a meaningful, creative, and empowering way. Shed the old and embrace what’s next as the season changes in your life.
- Do you feel like something precious has been taken away from you and you are expected to keep going as if nothing happened?
- Do you feel like you have arrived at a crossroads in life and do not know which way to go?
- Have you been thrown into a new situation unexpectedly and without warning, training, or preparation and you feel disoriented, scared, in the dark?
Changes in our body and in our life cycle can feel like that.
Many women, including myself, have experienced this in life. It is in these moments where we wish there was a map so we could learn where we are, how we got here and where to go next.
Ancient stories are maps that have stood the test of time.
Demeter, Persephone and Hekate are not only three Greek goddesses, but living archetypal energies embodied in the female cycles and seasons of life. They can help you chart the way forward in a way that is uniquely yours.
Monthly periods, peri and post menopause, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, are some transitions that our womb holds and they offer opportunities to become more fully who we are. When we continue to go on as if nothing has changed or use the latest hack or technique to only get rid of the symptoms: mood swings, weight gain, brain fog, hotflashes, insomnia, low libido, etc., we are missing some of the biggest opportunities we have in life to get to know who we are at our core and become who we truly are.
Those opportunities are called initiations, because while something ends or goes away, something else is beginning, emerging, being born. These initiations can be brutal and messy, they do not come in a shiny and glossy package, they do not wait until you are ready. They do not happen over the course of a 5 day retreat in an exotic beach or mystical place. They take place in the workplace where you can’t focus the way you used to, at night where you toss and turn in bed, or when you confess to your friend that you wonder whether you should get a divorce. But more than anything: they take place in the exotic, mystic, and alive space of your physical, emotional, and imaginal body.
If you find yourself wishing to go back in time, or you feel stuck and unsure on what course of action to take, you are in a transition, an initiation. There is no hack for it. You can push it to the side, ignore it, but it will not leave you and will return. Instead of thinking of your body breaking down, you can consider that your body is breaking through and delivering you into the next phase of your life.
Ancient cultures lived in relationship to nature and the cycles of the seasons and the moon. Women’s bodily transitions used to be surrounded by ritual and ceremony and clearly connected to the rhythms of nature. But this capitalist culture that worships youth, productivity, and competition goes against what our bodies know.
In ancient Greece these experiences have been immortalized in the mythic figures of Persephone, Demeter, and Hekate. Three goddesses that guide the transition of a mother who’s lost her daughter and needs to find who she is, a daughter that passes from being overprotected to harness the courage to face her fears and take her life in her own hands, and a crone woman, a respected and powerful leader who helps keep the cycle of life in motion.
By re-imagining these ancient goddesses, we mobilize internal energies that have become stagnant, and allow them to inform ways in which we can restore, assert, and transform our life’s narrative: past, current, and future. As a result, we reclaim that which is precious and meaningful in us and embody the courage to offer it to others as our legacy.
This workshop aims to mobilize four critical assets in self-empowerment:
- Awareness: Stop doing what everyone expects you to do and take the time to be with yourself and listen to your body for what you most need and want from your life.
- Attunement: Develop somatic intimacy by sensing and feeling your body’s wisdom.
- Discernment: Sorting out and arriving at your deepest truth so you make informed life choices that are empowering.
- Courage: Embody and commit fully to be the one you have been waiting for and fulfill your true life’s purpose, even when it means there is no way back.
As you take back your life, you are taking the next step in embodying your legacy.
Dates:
Seven Thursdays
February 12*, 19, 26
March 5, 12**, 19, 26*
*First and last sessions are 2.5hours long
Time:
9am – 11pm PT
10am – 12pm MT
11pm – 1pm CT
12pm – 2pm ET
**In the continental USA, please note that Daylight Saving Time is on March 8, affecting the last three sessions for the international participants. Please check your local time here: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
Registration:
Holiday Special $375 by December 31st and for re-takers of Eating the Pomegranate Seeds
Early Bird $425 by January 18
Payment can be done:
- Venmo: @Maria-DiazdeLeon-2
- Stripe
- Mail a check (request address).
*Space limited to 12 participants*
Payment Plans Available upon request. No refunds, credit can be used for future offerings within a year.
Modern life and consumerism has taken us away from what is truly at the core of the feminine wisdom and ways of life. This workshop is part of my legacy, my way to tell you: Hey! Listen to your body, from your feet to your heart and all the way to your womb. As you do, you open the possibility of knowing yourself and loving your body in ways that you’ve never imagined were possible. As you journey into yourself you are also connecting to your ancestors, to those around, you and the ones that will come.
My legacy is supporting women in finding their own untapped potential and unsung voice in their body and birth themselves into their truest selves. I advocate for women’s own silenced and suppressed voices; and hold a container so a deep listening can occur. My hope is that as you feel my devotion to supporting you, you carry that on in supporting yourself and others in your life.
Over the course of 15 years I have developed an original mythosomatic theoretical framework to reimagine ancient stories. This framework has its roots in the Tamalpa Life/Art Process and integrates practices from my studies of other somatic approaches such as The School of BodyMindMovement, BodyMindCentering, Feldenkrais, and Hanna Somatics. The process of embodied reimagination is both dynamic and contemplative, its a somatic and multimodal expressive arts engagement and carefully curated process that includes somatic movement, metaphor, dance, storytelling, drawing, poetry, creative writing, ritual, creative inquiry, lectures, and aesthetic compassionate witnessing.
But do not take my word from it, let the myth find resonances in your imaginal body and let yourself receive the gifts and wisdom that these goddesses have for you.
It’s time to be you, right now, at this moment in life.
What is included?
- Seven weekly live sessions.
- Access to the recording of the guided portion of each session. Available until May 31, 2026. This allows the opportunity to revisit or ‘make-up’ for a session you miss.
- Weekly follow up email with resources and creative activities to support you in your process.
- Group size is capped at 12 in order to offer a more personalized experience and support between live sessions.
- Optional: Up to two individual sessions at a discounted price during February, March, and April to support integration. (Discounted price: $125USD, regular price $175)
“Marialuisa holds you tenderly and empathically as you explore the physical, emotional and spiritual depths of your heart. She leaves you with a lasting legacy.”
Kate Craik
“Her gentle focused presence, attentive listening and heartfelt aesthetic responses created a safe and trusting space despite the limitations of an online connection. I would highly recommend Marialuisa’s work for anyone looking to deepen and enliven their connection to themselves, their bodies and life itself.”
Katy Menell
Facilitator: Marialuisa Diaz de Leon, MA, REAT, MSME/T.
Therapist, movement specialist, mythologist, educator, researcher, and performer born in Guadalajara, Mexico. Marialuisa’s professional experience in somatic movement, dance, and psychology spans over twenty-five years and includes work in education, private practice, and community intervention. Marialuisa is the creator of Mythic Life: Embodying Wisdom, Beauty and Courage (mythiclife.net) where she brings her expertise on facilitating meaningful and transformational experiences to women from all over the globe. She has developed a mythosomatic theoretical framework; a forward thinking integration of myth, arts, somatic movement and archetypal psychology which informs her philosophy of practice.
Marialuisa is an adjunct faculty at Southwestern College and Associate Teacher at Tamalpa Institute. She served as Program Director and core faculty at Tamalpa Institute in California and continues to supervise advanced students’ fieldwork projects. Marialuisa is a registered Master Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator from ISMETA. She gained organizational embodied leadership experience while serving nine years on the ISMETA Board of Directors, the last three as Board President. She is also a registered Expressive Arts Therapist through the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA).
reclaiming stillness, restoring flow
A sanctuary for embodiment and creativity
“What we cannot imagine cannot come into being” bell hooks
Step into a sanctuary space where stillness becomes a wellspring for embodying loving presence, courage, and creative agency.
This class series welcomes anyone seeking artful and somatic ways to navigate uncertainty and those longing for deeper connection to self and others beyond words. Whether feeling overwhelmed, creatively blocked, or simply called to listen deeply; arrive as you are to this welcoming space and:
- Reconnect with practices that enliven your body’s wisdom and resilience.
- Express and give shape to what most matters to you using dance, drawing, and creative writing.
- Replenish your capacity to be present, and reignite your ability to respond creatively.
Rooted in the Tamalpa Life/Art® methodology, Reclaiming Stillness weaves together somatic contemplative and movement practices, expressive dance, creative writing, drawing, and vocalization. These practices awaken the body’s innate wisdom, imaginal ways of knowing, and creativity. With a trauma-informed approach, aspects of Polyvagal Theory will be used to support nervous system regulation and provide a ground for creative inquiries.
Reclaiming stillness is a sanctuary of embodied presence and it is open to all.
No dance or art experience needed. Only a willingness to explore.
To get the most out of this online series, please prepare a comfortable space to move in with access to your online device and a reliable internet connection. Also, have art supplies ready at hand for drawing activities, and paper and pen for journaling and creative writing exercises.
Marialuisa Diaz de Leon, MA, REAT, MSME/T.
Dates
TO BE ANNOUNCED
Time:
10am – 12pm PT
1pm – 3pm ET
Cost: (includes Eventbrite fees)
$135- Early registration and grads anytime (grads use discount code on General Admission tickets)
$150 – after Nov. 20th
$60 drop-ins
What prior participants have said about Reclaiming Stillness:
“Maria Luisa’s poetic guidance to slow down and tune into the body is a crucial gift in a time when the world seems to be spinning out of control. By turning inward, I gained deeper clarity to ground myself as I move out into the world.” ~ Debra Stuckgold
“I treasure the safe container and creative space Marialuisa holds. Her groundedness and authenticity have helped me connect deeply with my sacred bodymind. I have found her work invaluable.” ~ Dvora Liberman
ALTARES
A Ritual of Remembrance through Embodied Creativity
Step into a sacred space of remembrance and celebration with this embodied ritual, ALTARES. This unique gathering invites you to honor the life and memory of a loved one—be it a cherished person, a beloved pet, or even someone you never met but wish to appreciate. Through the gentle power of embodied creativity, we will come together to create meaningful Life/Art offerings that pay tribute to those who have touched our hearts.
Inspired by the rich Mexican tradition of Dia de Muertos, ALTARES weaves together somatic movement, gesture, dance, drawing, and the writing of calaveritas (short, poetic tributes). Each activity is designed to help you connect with the imprint your loved one has left on your life, express gratitude, and to celebrate the qualities and memories that will always keep them close.
Marialuisa was born in Mexico and, as a young girl, she used to accompany her abuelita to the cemetery to take part in creating altars for Dia de Muertos each year. This tradition is rooted in prehispanic indigenous traditions that survived the conquista. According to this ancient tradition, the veil that separates the world of the living from the world of the dead thins out at this time each year allowing the spirits to leave Mictlán (the otherworld) and join their living family and friends. The ofrendas placed in personalized altars such as the ‘day of the dead bread’ and the smell of the marigold flowers used to decorate them help orient spirits so they can find their families and loved ones who are waiting for them to celebrate and remember the loving memories that connect them.
We hope you consider joining as no art experience is necessary.
Date: October 30
Time: 10am – 12pm PDT
Price: $50
Please note:
This workshop is a gentle, heartfelt, and uplifting ritual inspired by the imagery and spirit of Mexican altares. While it may offer creative support for those navigating grief, our focus is on honoring, remembering, and celebrating the lives of those who have crossed over. If you have any questions about this, please contact Marialuisa at mythiclifecenter@gmail.com before signing up.
A safe space to share the ways you embody the archetypal energies of the feminine in your mythic journeys and life cycles.
The circle will have an opening and a short guided somatic movement practice with a central theme or question for the day. Following that, the space will be open for speaking and listening from the heart. Aesthetic interventions and responses are offered from witnesses. As we close the circle we harvest the learnings, insights, questions that each participant has identified.
Space limited to 12 participants per session. Application required.
Fourth Friday of the month.
Time: 12pm ET – 2pm ET – Other time zones please look here.
Stillness is where creativity and solutions are found.
– Meister Eckhart
Rondas lunares de mujeres creativas
Cultivando y fortaleciendo la sabiduría femenina a través del movimiento somático, la mitología, arquetipos y las artes expresivas.
En estas rondas mensuales cultivamos un círculo íntimo, seguro y poderoso de co-creación para situarnos en el momento en que estamos viviendo a nivel personal e identificar retos, oportunidades y recursos para seguir avanzando en nuestro caminar.
Cada Ronda se abre con una práctica guiada de movimiento somático alineada con la fase lunar de ese día y que nos introduce al tema central de la sesión. El espacio se abre para hablar y escuchar profundamente con y desde el corazón. Atestiguamiento compasivo, acuerpado y libre de crítica nos permite ofrecer un reflejo y sostener la sabiduría que nace en cada una.
Dirigido a toda mujer hispanohablante que tenga experiencia en escucha profunda y respetuosa.
Cupo limitado a 12 participantes para lograr una mayor conexión y atención a los procesos personales.
Hora:
7pm – 9pm CDMX – Colombia
5pm – 7pm California
Busca tu hora local aquí: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html
Let difficulty transform you. And it will. In my experience we just need help in learning how not to run away.
– Pema Chödron
CARRYING TRUST
AFTER MISCARRIAGE
AN 8-WEEK SOMATIC AND EXPRESSIVE ARTS HEALING PATH FOR WOMEN
Two days after having had a miscarriage I barely felt my pelvic area. I was teaching my weekly Somatic Dance class and when I tried to do some movements like rolling the hips, I could not do them. It was as if my uterus, bladder, cervix were all hardened making a fist. I was scared, disappointed, angry, and sad. I decided to let my body lead the way of my next steps, I needed to come to terms that I was pregnant and then I wasn’t. It sounds simple, but it was complex: something in me was alive and then something in me was dead.
For many women, miscarriage is a wounding experience of loss for which they need adequate support to heal. Healing from miscarriage entails a grieving process often accompanied with symptoms of PTSD, including numbness, hypersensitivity, or pain often localized in the pelvic area. Health care professionals and family members usually downplay the effects that miscarriage has on women and overlook the emotional pain. Women are left to their own to deal with a sense of mistrust, guilt, and shame over their body. How does somatic movement and expressive arts support women in healing after having a miscarriage and regain trust and vitality in their body?
Pelvis is associated with the cycles of birth/death/rebirth. With miscarriage, the pelvis goes from being a fertile womb to a cold tomb. A frozen pelvis is experienced as lack of sensitivity, mobility, hypersensitivity, or pain. I desinged this 8-week program to support women in completing and integrating the grieving experience of miscarriage and reclaim trust and joy in their body.
Throughout the program I will hold space for you, support you, guide you and offer you effective tools so you can:
- Encounter and express your grief, and the variety of feelings that you are experiencing.
- Identify parts of your body that have gone numb or are hypersensitive, and recover sensation and mobility.
- Guide you safely into creative ways to express your story.
- Create your own healing ritual(s).
Pre-requisite:
Please schedule a 20min conversation to determine if this program is right for you.
Contact me for more information, availability and fees: mythiclifecenter@gmail.com
SOMA’S MYTHIC PATHWAYS SERIES
Pelvic Wisdom Series: Embodying the Cycles of Life and Death
How are ancient myths rooted in particular body experiences? How does somatic movement help us become aware of our shared humanity? And how can myth be used in somatic movement practices as a tool to better develop this awareness?
Ancient myths sprang from the body experience. Myth and somatic movement are two ends of a spectrum and metaphors are the vehicle to travel between the two. Both, somatic movement and myth are modalities of the imagination –for image is not just visual but it is also a felt sensation. From an archetypal psychology perspective, somatic movement is a myth making and soul tending practice. Somatic and expressive movement takes us across into the phenomenology of myth and leads us to an embodied understanding of our life as a unique and living expression of a larger myth.
