Chthonic AF: Unearthing Myths of Power, Sacred Rage, and the Monstrous Feminine
An Online Course Led by Mariola Rosario
To be chthonic is to be of the earth, to come from the place of roots, buried things, and inevitable cycles of death and rebirth. The chthonic holds our bones. The chthonic is the part of us that rages in the face of injustice. The chthonic is as ancient as all life: primordial, mysterious and powerful. There is a stench to the chthonic, a particular funk in the air, teeth, hisses, howls, rotted juicy fruit, a musky darkness combined with an irresistable, alluring pulse of life, a calling.
In Chthonic AF, we will venture into this underland of mysteries —not as tourists of antiquity, but as participants in a process that has been unfolding for millennia. These myths don’t just belong to the past; they are part of the ongoing story of power, rage, and reclamation that we live today.
Chthonic figures— such as Persephone, Medusa, the Furies, Sirens and many others —dwell in this symbolic space, embodying all that is both feared and desired. What smells enticing and what reeks of danger. Their stories show us what happens when power is buried, when voices are silenced, and when those rendered monstrous emerge from the depths to reclaim what is theirs. They speak not only of ancient fears but of the continuous call for justice, particularly in a world where violence against women, trans, non-binary people and anyone that steps outside of the confines of patriarchal order, continues to be normalized and wielded as a weapon of control over our bodies and our spirits.
Chthonic AF is a Scorpio season course, a deep dive into the mysterious, powerful, and often feared femme fatales, death deities, monsters, and archetypes that dwell in the underworld of mythology and the psyche. This course is designed to demystify or remystify these chthonic figures, exploring their roles as both fearsome and seductive forces, and to understand how they can serve as potent inspiration for personal growth, healing, and transformation today. As we journey through Scorpio season—a time ruled by both Mars and Pluto, planets of intensity, transformation, and deep power—we will connect with these archetypes through a modern lens, weaving in visual culture, feminist thought, monster theory, astrology, tarot, and inviting in all forms of creative exploration.
Are you ready to sign up for this journey?
SIGN UP to Chthonic AF HERE!
The Chthonic: Creatures of Power, Fear, and Sacred Transformation
This course is an experimental lecture series that invites you into the underbelly. Through a series of live Zoom gatherings, lunar rituals, guided meditations, and invitations into contemplation, you will explore how chthonic female archetypes have been represented, misunderstood, and reimagined throughout history and today. Together, we will engage in dialogue about these ancient stories, entwining various tools such as astrology, tarot, and artistic exploration as we collectively create new understandings of these figures. There will be opportunities for creative play, as well as invitations to share your own interpretations of these powerful, transformative myths. This is a collaborative space where personal reflection, shared storytelling and co-creation is welcomed and encouraged.
Through these chthonic archetypes, we encounter the sacred rage of the feminine—a force as natural as the changing of the seasons, as unyielding as the movement of tectonic plates beneath our feet. Medusa is feared not for what she does, but for what she represents: the power to petrify, to stop an aggressor in their tracks, to embody the long-silenced cry of female rage. Persephone, forced into the underworld, transforms not only herself but the world above her, turning seasons and cycles as she moves between realms. The Sirens, luring with their irresistible and deadly song, embody both seduction and danger, representing the power of female sexuality—both feared and revered. These stories, rooted in violence, loss, and grief, also carry the seeds of profound transformation and reclaiming.
An Invitation to All: Exploring Power, Rage, and Transformation
Though our focus is on feminine archetypes, this course is not just "for women". These themes—of rage, power, and chthonic transformation—are relevant to all of us, regardless of gender. We invite people of all genders to engage with these stories of power, repression, and transformation, because these myths belong to everyone. Through a lens that is inclusive and binary-breaking, we will examine how these figures challenge traditional notions of power and femininity, and how they speak to the fluidity and complexity of gender in the contemporary world.
The chthonic creatures are hybrid beings—part human, part animal, part divine—and in their hybridity, they reflect the ways in which gender, identity, and power are not fixed, but fluid. In exploring these myths, we not only reclaim the stories of powerful feminine figures, but we also open the door to reimagining what power, rage, and justice can look like in a world where the binary no longer holds sway.
Course Outline
Chthonic AF: Unearthing Myths of Power, Sacred Rage,
and the Monstrous Feminine
Note: This course is open to everyone—all genders are welcome, and no prior knowledge of mythology or astrology is required. This is a space of inclusivity and collaboration, where the archetypes we explore transcend gender and speak to the human condition.
Course Duration:
Scorpio Season (October 22 - November 21, 2024)
Format & What is Included:
-3 Live Zoom Meetings throughout the month (see calendar)
-Recorded Contemplations and creative exercises to dive deeper into the material
-Tarot Spreads for guidance and play throughout the season
-Two Lunar Rituals: One for the New Moon in Scorpio (Nov. 1st) and one for the Full Moon in Taurus (Nov. 15th) Recordings + Instructions
-Bonus Material: Additional content will be announced later and may include special guests and collaborators, recorded meditations, and bonus creative exercises.
-Resources: A comprehensive bibliography a fantastic resource and reference list of works of art works and texts to explore. As well as a a list of trusted practitioners, readers, energy workers, breath workers etc. that can continue to gently accompany you through your many chthonic journey.
Community: You will gain a community of interesting, curious, playful and magical souls, like you!
+Special Offer for Early Sign-Ups: first 5 people to sign up will receive a 10 minute recorded musing of the underworld in your astrological birth chart. Experimental, poetic and unique to you. From my siren voice to your ears.
Exchange:
$80 usd or €76 eu : for the whole ride, roundtrip
Calendar:
*Subject to changes due to me being a human.
*More dates will be added soon but these are the most important for now
-ALL live meetups will take place over Zoom at 12:30pm ET/11:30AM CT/18:30 CET *I will get a pulse from the group to see if these times work for the majority. Feel free to reach out about this*
-All live sessions are recorded for those that cannot attend live or those that want to watch again.
- Tuesday, October 22nd first live meetup: 1st day Scorpio Season. On this day the Sun moves from Libra into Scorpio
- Wed, November 30th - The New Moon Ritual Recording will be sent. Actual New Moon is Nov. 1st.
- Wednesday, November 6th second live meetup
-Wed, November 13th Full Moon ritual recording will be sent on this day. Full moon on Friday the 15th
-Wed, November 20th final live meetup: Last day of Scorpio Season. The Sun moves from Scorpio to Sag
*I am trying to get in a bonus meet up, either on Wed the 13th of November or Sunday Nov 17th, for people that cannot come Wednesdays. I will finalize and confirm soon*
-You can sign up HERE Once you sign up, I will send you a link for payment. All other details such as zoom links will be forthcoming.
Loose Schedule & Content:
Week 1 (October 22): Scorpio Season Begins - First Live Zoom Session
Topic: Mapping the Chthonic Landscape
We begin our journey by laying down the landscape of the chthonic realm. What does “chthonic” mean, and why has it been historically associated with the feminine, the monstrous, and the feared? This session will introduce key concepts such as the underworld, descent, the shadow, and psychopomps, setting the stage for our exploration of powerful female archetypes.
Week 2 : New Moon Ritual (Pre-Recorded)
Topic: New Moon in Scorpio - Ritual of Descent and Renewal with Persephone and the Pomegranate
This recorded ritual invites you to work with the energies of the New Moon in Scorpio—a time of deep introspection and initiation into the underworld.
This recorded ritual invites you to work with the energies of the New Moon in Scorpio—a time of deep introspection and initiation into the underworld.
Week 3 : Second Live Zoom Session
Topic: Monstrous Femininity: Medusa, The Furies, and Sacred Rage
Our second live meeting will focus on figures who embody sacred feminine rage—from the petrifying power of Medusa to the Furies, goddesses of vengeance and justice. We will examine how these myths reflect themes of revenge, justice, and transformation, and how their imagery has been used throughout art history and visual culture, including more contemporary depictions, reclaimings and reimaginings in feminist art. We will also discuss how these archetypes resonate in today’s world, in light of ongoing issues such as gender violence, rape culture, and the suppression of feminine power.
Our second live meeting will focus on figures who embody sacred feminine rage—from the petrifying power of Medusa to the Furies, goddesses of vengeance and justice. We will examine how these myths reflect themes of revenge, justice, and transformation, and how their imagery has been used throughout art history and visual culture, including more contemporary depictions, reclaimings and reimaginings in feminist art. We will also discuss how these archetypes resonate in today’s world, in light of ongoing issues such as gender violence, rape culture, and the suppression of feminine power.
Week 4: Full Moon Ritual (Pre-Recorded )
Topic: Full Moon in Taurus - Embodying Power and Transformation at the Crossroads
During this recorded ritual, we will work with the Full Moon in Taurus—a moment of grounding and embodying the transformation initiated during the New Moon. This ritual will focus on reclaiming and grounding personal power, invoking figures like Hekate, the goddess of crossroads, and Sirens, chthonic figures who navigate the spaces between worlds.
Topic: Full Moon in Taurus - Embodying Power and Transformation at the Crossroads
During this recorded ritual, we will work with the Full Moon in Taurus—a moment of grounding and embodying the transformation initiated during the New Moon. This ritual will focus on reclaiming and grounding personal power, invoking figures like Hekate, the goddess of crossroads, and Sirens, chthonic figures who navigate the spaces between worlds.
Week 5 (November 20): Final Closing Zoom Session
Topic: Reflections on Transformation: Art, Archetypes, and Personal Power
In our final live meeting, we will come together to reflect on the course, share insights, and discuss how these chthonic archetypes have affected our personal journeys. This session will include a group discussion where participants are encouraged to share their creative work—whether it’s artwork, writing, or reflections on the rituals. We will close the session by talking about how the lessons of the chthonic realm can continue to guide us beyond the Scorpio season.
Topic: Reflections on Transformation: Art, Archetypes, and Personal Power
In our final live meeting, we will come together to reflect on the course, share insights, and discuss how these chthonic archetypes have affected our personal journeys. This session will include a group discussion where participants are encouraged to share their creative work—whether it’s artwork, writing, or reflections on the rituals. We will close the session by talking about how the lessons of the chthonic realm can continue to guide us beyond the Scorpio season.
Creative Sharing: Participants are encouraged to share their artwork, ritual objects, or insights from the course.
This course is an invitation to engage with chthonic mythology, visual culture, and creative practices in a way that is both personal and transformative. Whether you are drawn to the power of these ancient myths, the call of Scorpio season, or simply curious about the underworld archetypes that live within all of us, Chthonic AF is designed to offer a space for deep exploration, contemplation, play, reflection, and creative growth.
Note: This course is open to everyone—all genders are welcome, and no prior knowledge of mythology or astrology is required. This is a space of inclusivity and collaboration, where the archetypes we explore transcend gender and speak to the human condition.