Learning to Stand Alone
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By
Elli Z. Georgiadou
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Learning to Stand Alone
Where the Journey Begins
Greek Geomythology: Ancient Stories Written in Stone
🌊 Atlantis: The Lost City Beneath the Waves
Myth: The philosopher Plato wrote about Atlantis, a powerful island kingdom that sank into the sea “in a single day and night.”
Geomyth link: Many believe Atlantis might be a memory of the massive eruption of the volcano at Thera (Santorini) around 1600 BCE. This event caused tsunamis and ash clouds, devastating parts of the Minoan civilization—and inspiring legends of a sunken, once-great world.
🌋 Typhon and the Wrath of Volcanoes
Myth: Typhon, a terrifying monster, fought Zeus and was buried under Mount Etna. His rage still bursts out in fiery eruptions.
Geomyth link: Ancient Greeks may have used this myth to explain real volcanic activity, like rumbling mountains and lava flows. Santorini, Etna, and even Vesuvius could have inspired tales of imprisoned giants beneath the earth.
🪨 Niobe’s Stone Tears
Myth: Queen Niobe was turned into a rock after her tragic loss, forever weeping for her slain children.
Geomyth link: Near Mount Sipylus, a natural rock formation looks like a woman’s face crying. Locals and travelers interpreted this natural shape as Niobe’s petrified form—a poetic explanation of a haunting landscape.
🧙♀️ Delphi and the Python’s Breath
Myth: The Oracle of Delphi sat over the slain body of Python, a giant serpent. From the ground rose vapors that gave her divine visions.
Geomyth link: Delphi lies near a fault line that emits light gases like ethylene. These may have caused altered states, interpreted as prophecy. A real geological feature, hidden in myth and mysticism!
🗻 Gigantomachy and the Shaking Earth
Myth: When the gods fought the Giants at Phlegra, the earth quaked, mountains rose, and flames burst from the ground.
Geomyth link: This tale may preserve ancient memories of earthquakes, volcanic activity, and geological upheaval. The idea of titanic battles shaking the world is a powerful way to explain natural catastrophes.
🧜♀️ Bonus Fun: Greek Mermaids and Earthquakes?
Did you know? Some local legends in Greece say that if the sea roars and becomes violent, a gorgona (mermaid) might be angry or searching for her brother Alexander the Great. In a geomythological sense, rough seas or sudden coastal shifts could have inspired tales of sea spirits or ancient protectors.
Why It Matters
Greek geomyths show how ancient people observed their world closely—sometimes more accurately than we realize. These stories aren’t just fiction. They may contain coded memories of real events like volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and even climate change. Myth, in this way, becomes a cultural memory vault—a poetic archive of ancient science!
With Elli
Soft Words That Stayed
The Room Inside: Meeting My Younger Self with Compassion
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash 🕊 The Room, the Wall, and the Dance of Co-Regulation Inside my mind, there's a room. It started as an image in therapy, a space where my younger self existed — isolated, frightened. A place with no doors, no windows. Just grey walls and silence. But over time, that room began to change. A door appeared. Then windows. Light entered. And for the first time, I could speak to the child inside — the younger version of me. I could sit with her. I could listen. I began imagining knocking down the wall that separates her world from the open, warm feeling of a living room — a safe, shared space. I wished I could free her. I still do. This process — of visualizing the inner child and slowly transforming their environment — is a therapeutic technique used in inner child work , guided imagery , and Internal Family Systems (IFS) . But it's also deeply tied to a concept called co-regulation . 💞 What Is Co-Regulation? Co-regulation is when two people help...
✨ The Magic of Winter: Solstice, Christmas & Greek Traditions ✨
Photo by Theo Crazzolara on Unsplash As December deepens, the world feels wrapped in a quiet glow. Candles flicker in windows, lights shimmer across darkened streets, and the cold breath of winter invites us to pause and look inward. Christmas, with its rich layering of traditions, is not only a celebration of birth and renewal but also a weaving of ancient rituals into our present lives. 🌌 The Solstice Connection Just days before Christmas, the Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year. Ancient cultures saw this as a threshold: the moment when darkness reaches its depth, and light is reborn. Fires, candles, and evergreen boughs were more than decorations—they were symbols of resilience, carrying the promise of return, of life beyond the cold. Today, when we light our Advent candles or gather around a Christmas tree, we echo these same gestures of hope. What was once ritual beneath starlit skies continues as a quiet thread in our own celebrations. 👉 This beautiful vi...
Masking in Autism: The Hidden Exhaustion of Everyday Communication
For many autistic people, social interaction feels like a performance — not because they’re dishonest, but because they’ve had to learn to "mask" their natural ways of being in order to be accepted, understood, or safe. This is called masking , and it can happen all day, every day. What Is Masking? Masking involves things like: Photo by Jens Riesenberg on Unsplash Imitating facial expressions and tone of voice Forcing eye contact Hiding stimming (like fidgeting or self-soothing movements) Suppressing emotions or overwhelm Studying and rehearsing what to say before saying it Pretending to be “okay” — even when they’re not Many autistic people start masking from a young age, often unconsciously. Over time, it becomes second nature — but it’s not natural. It’s learned. And it’s exhausting . It’s Not Just Strangers — It’s Everyone Masking doesn’t only happen in formal situations or with strangers. It often shows up in daily conversations with: Pho...
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