We’re continuing the Priestess Pilgrimage re-release series with one of my favorite conversations I’ve ever had — recorded in a tiny pink hotel room in Athens with my best friend, the brilliant and beloved Layla Martin.

In Part 3, we travel through Crete, one of the last known matriarchal societies on Earth. Layla and I explore what happens when feminine spiritual authority isn’t erased but honored — and how cultures change when women and men hold power side-by-side. We dive into the serpent priestesses of ancient Crete, the origins of Kundalini, the hidden role caves played in feminine rites, and what it means to turn up the dial on your own divinity in a grounded, embodied way.

We also share the very human, very messy, hilariously sacred moments inside the cave ceremony — a reminder that sometimes the divine arrives with sweat, fear, laughter, and tourists stumbling through your initiation.

If you’ve ever felt the pull toward ancient feminine wisdom or sensed there’s more to your own divinity than you’ve been taught… this episode is a homecoming.

In this episode, we explore:
• Ancient Crete & what true feminine leadership looked like • Why high priestesses held political, spiritual, and cultural authority • The serpent priestesses & how Kundalini was encoded in art • How caves became temples for birth, fertility, sexuality & magic • Using psychedelics intentionally to awaken—not escape • Preparing your body and nervous system for spiritual expansion • The real, messy moments behind mystical experiences

Key Moments:
[00:01:13] Returning from Crete & why this leg of the pilgrimage mattered [00:03:59] The soul memory that called Emily & Layla to Crete [00:04:47] Gnosis: the ancient queendom run by priestesses [00:07:21] Minoan matriarchy & serpent priestess symbolism [00:22:39] Entering the cave — the womb of the earth [00:28:11] Sacred sexuality & psychedelics as pathways to the divine [00:30:27] The cave initiation: fear, clearing & cosmic humor [00:36:03] Preparing your body for spiritual expansion [00:52:21] Mystical states without substances [01:00:08] Meditation as the foundation for integration

About Layla Martin: Founder of the VITA Method, Tantra teacher, and internationally respected guide in sexual, emotional, and spiritual awakening. Instagram: @thelaylamartin • laylamartin.com

✨ Join the Upcoming Pilgrimage to Greece — Spring 2026 If this conversation stirs something ancient in you… listen to it. A refundable deposit secures your spot to apply for Emily’s next Greece Mastermind + Pilgrimage. 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

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Olly Peters

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