We’re re-releasing this powerful conversation with one of my best friends, Layla Martin, as we prepare for our next pilgrimage to Greece in Spring 2026. This episode kicks off our Priestess Pilgrimage series — a journey into the mysteries, medicines, and feminine technologies that shaped entire civilizations. In Part 1, Layla and I explore what it meant to walk as a priestess, why words like witch and oracle were once titles of honor, and how ancient rituals using breath, trance, plants, and embodied worship were designed to help humans experience the divine directly. We also share why tens of thousands of people once traveled to Eleusis to transform their relationship with death — and why those same technologies are rising again now. If you've ever felt the pull toward deeper remembrance, this episode is a doorway. In this episode, we explore: •The true meaning of “High Priestess” — beyond trend, beyond aesthetic •Why the ancient “witch” was simply the wise woman and spiritual leader • How Eleusis became the epicenter of direct divine experience • The connection between plant medicine and early mystical Christianity • Why embodied spirituality threatens systems of control • The Persephone descent as a map for healing and power • How reclamation impacts love, sex, creativity, body image & sovereignty • The very real, very human moments of pilgrimage (including the porta potty initiation) Key Moments: [00:01] High priestesses & the origins of plant medicine as sacrament [00:56] Why Emily & Layla created their own priestess pilgrimage [02:40] Witch, wise woman, priestess — reclaiming the lineage [05:06] What it means to hold spiritual authority in your own body [07:02] How patriarchy severed women from the divine [08:05] The “religion with no name” — nature, cosmos, direct experience [09:41] The Eleusinian Mysteries & dying before you die [12:01] The ingredients, codes & hidden teachings of the Kaikion [15:11] Plant medicine, sovereignty & why it threatened empire [17:18] The psychological impact of remembering your divinity [20:03] Inside the descent myth of Persephone & Demeter [23:52] The moment the pilgrimage became hilariously human Layla Martin — Founder of the VITA Method, teacher of Tantra, sexuality, emotional mastery, and spiritual awakening. Instagram: @thelaylamartin Learn more: laylamartin.com Join the Upcoming Pilgrimage to Greece — Spring 2026 If you feel the call of Eleusis, the mysteries, or this lineage…Emily is opening the next pilgrimage to Greece in Spring 2026. Submit your refundable deposit to secure your spot to apply, this ensures you’re among the first considered when applications open. Learn More: zivameditation.com/pages/nextlevel More from Emily & Ziva: • Join Ziva Magic: zivameditation.com/pages/zivamagic • Learn Ziva Meditation: preview.zivameditation.com •Free masterclass: learn.zivameditation.com •Get 15% off with promo code WHYTHIS: whythis.zivameditation.com • Follow us on Instagram: @zivameditation •Visit upgradedformulas.com/emily and use code EMILY for 20% off everything at UpgradedFormulas.com These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider if pregnant/nursing, on medication, or have a medical condition.