Goddess Qi Gong as a New Compass

What if we can turn midlife into a positive initiation that we share together? Would it be possible to learn to read our body and psyche differently? Might practising conscious movement literally help us move through this phase? And what would happen if we re-orient ourselves towards the many faces of the Goddess?

Midlife as Initiation

The way society perceives, judges and dismisses older women easily erodes our sense of self-confidence and shakes our identity to the core. Yes, our physical appearance changes, with skin that loses elasticity and starts sagging in places, with joints that become creaky or painful, with a number of chronic conditions that slowly appear on the horizon. Also our social roles change. We might not have the energy to socialise in the same way. Relationships are redefined or even lost. If you have children, they might longer need you in the same way.

It is easy (and seems almost expected of us!) to lament the changes of ageing, to focus on the aches and pains, the losses, all that is falling away. But what if we can celebrate this time as an inner reorganisation or a recalibration, a threshold that leads us closer to who we are at the core? What if we use this time as an invitation to turn inward with curiosity, with deep appreciation for the fullness of our lived story? What if we give ourselves permission to stop performing, conforming or pleasing? To dare to be more authentic -or even eccentric- if we choose to?

Yes, our bodies hit the peak a long time ago, but our spirits are becoming more clearly defined. There is a process of rewiring on so many levels, that can leave us raw yet strangely awake. This life matters. Your experience counts!

Body and Psyche Give Threshold Signals

Your body has been speaking to you your whole life. Midlife is a time to finally start listening if you hadn’t already… and perhaps even consider having a conversation! Your body speaks through shifts in energy, emotional sharpness and new sensitivities that seem to appear from nowhere.

The tiredness and brain fog that drift in at unexpected moments are often the first signs that your life pace no longer matches the state of your physical capacities. The body begins to ask for different choices, for nourishment, for slowness, for a rhythm that honours your cumulative years. These sensations are thresholds in their own right, invitations to listen more closely to what has long been asking to be heard.

The psyche, too, begins to send its signals with increasing clarity. Feelings that once stayed in the margins drift to the forefront. Emotions erupt out of nowhere as they no longer can be contained in the dark hole we might have liked to stuff them in. We might feel an insatiable desire for solitude or different companionship, or at least for spaces where the truth of our experience is welcome. Spaces where grief can move through old layers of goodbyes and loss. Spaces where budding into an inner Spring is still a possibility instead of being ridiculed. Spaces where joyful sexuality can surface to celebrate the life force for the sake of itself, rather than for pleasing anyone or procreating…

Which of your friends would you like to discuss this with? ⭕️

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Why Movement Matters at the Threshold

At the edges of any kind of change, our mind often becomes crowded with questions, or the ego resists… At the same time, our body holds a steadier, more intuitive kind of knowing. Movement creates a bridge between these two. It offers a way to navigate the landscape of transition rather than analyse it. Being in motion helps to consciously inhabit the present moment through breath, gesture and sensation, and accept the perspective of change, moment by moment.

When we begin to move with awareness, we discovers that our body has been yearning to be heard, and waiting for the chance to share its wisdom. In the alchemy of movement, we wake up to that one known constant in life, that life is change. Every exhalation is a chance to let go and connect. Every inhalation is a chance to top up and receive.

Movement invites us into a dialogue with our bodies and with all of life around us. A conscious gesture or repetitive movement becomes a way of exploring what feels true from the inside. Each weight shift is a small re-orientation toward balance. Each image or metaphor a chance to reconnect with something grounding, calming, uplifting or fulfilling.

A regular practice of intentional movement allows us to sense into the emerging shape of our next chapter. It helps us to stay connected to our inner life while we reorganise the outer structures to suit where we are now and who we are becoming…

A Compass Turn Toward the Goddess

This is the ground from which Goddess Qi Gong grows. It’s a practice rooted in breath, presence and the deep intelligence of the body, guided by the archetypal faces of womanhood.

When I use the word Goddess, I am speaking of a deep, feminine intelligence that lives fiercely throughout all aspects of life. This intelligence is present regardless our biological age. It is not a doctrine or a belief system but an atmosphere, a way of perceiving life through the lens of cycles. Goddess offers a language that helps us recognise these archetypal movements within our own lives.

Where do we turn to for continued, meaningful inspiration? How do we navigate transitions with humour and depth? How do we deal with the inevitable falling and dissolving, yet stay open to the seasons of gestation and renewal, rising and creation?

For many women, the Goddess can be a steadying companion when our inner landscape begins to change, not by forcing a specific direction, but by listening to the unfolding of our own deep-seated wisdom. She reminds us we belong to a current older than our individual circumstances, and that women across time and cultures have walked this terrain with courage and compassion.

This is the compass I hold for Goddess Qi Gong, an archetypal movement practice that invites you back into your own centre, into your own knowing, in companion-ship with other women in transition. Would you like to be part of the first crew to set sail on this adventure starting in January 2026?

You can read more about the journey and the 9 archetypes below. Intuit whether this practice is calling you too… I would love to see you in circle!

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Bio

Her book Dancing in the Muddy Temple blends theory and practice in service of land, body, and spirit. Now leading Wild Soul Centre for Embodied Consciousness, she offers coaching and courses to support deep transformation and inner strength through movement and the body. Try out her Qi Gong Membership for free! You can also find her on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Substack.