Cara Carlson, Ph.D, LICSW
A love of nature, a quest for wisdom, and a deep yearning for the authentic led Cara some many years ago to her Celtic and Germanic ancestral roots. On pilgrimages through Europe, she visited the holy places of her ancestors searching for answers and guidance. She found herself returning again and again to Ireland, France, Wales, Germany, England, Italy, Switzerland, and Malta. Intrigued by the symbols, stories, and whisperings of the sacred traces left behind to remember the people who came before, she found that a rich spiritual heritage had been discarded in the quest for the modern. A profound respect for the feminine at these sites sang sweetly to her soul, lighting up a path to the Sacred Feminine, and she was drawn as an initiate to the Sacred Feminine Tradition.
Traveling a holy circuit, within and without, Cara was inspired to uncover ways of caring, healing and a sense of home with the self within community while considering a cultural context. The signs of these practices may still be found in the study of archaeology, literature, and traditions. As she learned more, she was drawn to the shamanic teachings of these traditions and intuitively knew there were healing methods waiting to be remembered. It was difficult to find teachers who mirrored her own Celtic and Germanic heritage within a spiritual lineage of the Sacred Feminine Tradition that had been desecrated and abandoned generations earlier.
Although Cara had taken advantage of opportunities to learn from teachers and cultures outside of her heritage, for which she is immensely grateful, she continues to feel strongly the need to study, learn and practice within her own European heritage, staying grounded in the Sacred Feminine. Initiated as a "Wise Women" by her elders, she understands the Sacred Feminine Tradition to honor the Feminine as a balancing principal in one's life, community, and in creation. She realized the path of the initiate in the Germanic and Celtic Western Mysteries, as summarized by Caitlin and John Matthews, to be both unglamorous in nature and rigorous in its methods. The techniques of the practitioner are founded upon continuous practice and repeated effort, informed by spiritual dedication, and focused by ethical intention, repetitive meditation, training of the mind, honing perception, and intensive soul-searching (C. Matthews, & J. Matthews, 1985-6).
Blessed to work with amazing teachers, elders, friends and co-teachers both within the Powderhorn Phillips Cultural Wellness Center and within local community, her deepest joy is co-creating healing practices based in cultural knowledge, tradition and the arts. The unique path of Cauldron Studies, co-created by Kara Vangen and herself, is a manifestation of their joint passion for deep healing and transformation. This path integrates their own personal studies, understanding and integration of history, culture, and mindfulness while at the same time weaves in their unique spiritual experiences and soulful natures. This path is a living tradition, and as such is continuously expanding and evolving as the teachers and students mature, practice and embody the teachings. As they walk the path, it continues to walk them as well.
Cara Carlson, a clinical licensured therapist, is a seasoned social worker of 18 years. During this time she has created, implemented and managed several healing and health programs for women and families within a community setting. Including an adolescent pre-natal program, a teen mentorship program, a rent subsidy program for homeless families, and a women's support group program. She is a cultural guide and faculty member at the Powderhorn Phillips Cultural Wellness Center where she teaches Celtic and Germanic studies.
A lover of ritual and creating sacred space, she has facilitated over 120 personal healing circles for people going through illness, life transitions and rites of passages for children and adults. She has facilitated and created over 140 community ceremonies and festivals throughout Minnesota and has traveled extensively through Europe where she has been trained in cultural and traditional arts. She has completed a nine-year training and has been initiated by the elders in her tradition as a wise woman. She is currently working on her doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology.
As a speaker, trainer and consultant, Cara has given presentations on cultural health practices and teaching on Germanic, Celtic and Sacred Feminine Traditions, Ritual and Sacred Drama, ancient European teaching and cosmology, community organizing and building, and multi-generational family preservation and "healing the healers." Most recently she has spoken on spiritual and transpersonal healing and transformation. In addition, she has spoken and trained others on issues relating to adolescence and young adult life development, pregnancy and parenting, co-parenting, female survivors of sexual trauma, family violence, STD/HIV/AIDS information and education, human sexuality, issues related to poverty and the public welfare system, group facilitation.
Additional Artist Achievements:
Writer, Director and Performer, Freyia, The Four-Fold Goddess, Short play with song, movement and poetry. Directed cast of 20. Patrick's Cabaret, 2004.
Performer, Winter Solstice Midnight Dreams, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. Minneapolis, MN., 2003.
Performer, Barebones, Minneapolis, MN., 2002, 2003, 2004.
Director and Co-Creator, Community Celebrations and Sacred Drama. Including Honoring the Dead, First Fruit Harvest and Midsummer. Various locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. 1998- Present.
Co creator, Feile Brid - Sacred Drama and Feast, Powderhorn Park, Mpls., MN, 1998-2007.
Director and Performer- Honoring our Ancestors, Mankato Women's Spirituality Conference, 1999.
Creator and Director, Honoring Our European Ancestors, Illuminations, 1998.
Creator, Rites of Passage Ceremony for adolescent girls, women and men, and elders in various locations in Metro area. 1998- Present.
Second photograph by Jayme Halbritter