The 1st Zoroastrian Women Retreat in Santa Cruz, CA
On the weekend of June 29, 2018, I was one of the lucky ladies to attend the 1st Zoroastrian Women Retreat. This retreat was organized with the vision and hard work of Dolat Bolandi and Armita Dalal in collaboration with Persian Zoroastrian Organization (PZO).
We gathered at Villa Maria Del Mar nestled in the city of Santa Cruz, right by the ocean. Hearing the waves against the sandy beach, and feeling the cool air against my skin, I was ready to have a new experience. I was not disappointed. There were about 30 women participants from San Diego all the way to San Jose.
The retreat accommodated both, English and Persian speaking ladies hence closing the gap between generations and nationalities. Overnight, the wonderful ladies of the retread, with compassion, strength and unity raised $2700 towards the new Zoroastrian Center in the Bay Area. We gathered together in meditation, relaxing our minds; savoring the sweet voices of Nooshin Jahangiri and Farangis Jahanian Pishdadi singing the Gatha’s versus, Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu prayers in the Avestan language and pondering over their meanings by taking in the ancient and yet modern words. Stretching our bodies as well as our minds through the yoga movements instructed by Armita Pishdadi, our certified yoga instructor, brought us closer to one another.
There were many unifying moments, including the Chakra blue stone I picked as a symbol of Earth and my part in taking care of it; the band wrapped around my wrist while reciting the ancient prayer of Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu to seal and carry my connection to my roots and the wonderful women around me. The anticipation of melting the candles imbedded in “esfand” which we made in the sand-dunes at the beach, a project organized and led by Delbar Jahanian, the joy of lighting it and having the smell of our “Atash-kadeh” at my home.
The connection I felt was extended through many generations of Zoroastrian women, felt by everyone in an elegant poem recited by the poet herself, Yasmin Kouchesfahani paving the way for sharing intimate stories of old, and new which connected us to our shared history and beliefs.
The best gift the 1st Zoroastrian Women's Retreat gave me was hope. It provided an environment for women of different generations to come together in an atmosphere of understanding and kindness. I came home with the hope that my girls will join me and the other women of their community in strength and unity in similar retreats in the future.
About the Author
Artemis Javanshir
Artemis Javanshir holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and a second bachelor's degree in dental hygiene from the University of Southern California (USC). She is the co-chair of the FEZANA Religion Education Committee, where she has led projects such as age-appropriate lesson plans, informational sheets about the Zoroastrian religion, Zoom talks, and the Oral History Project, in collaboration with her co-chairs, other religion teachers and accredited teachers.
Artemis is an active member of the Core Education Committee at the California Zoroastrian Center in Los Angeles, where she teaches Persian history, religion, and language classes. In 2021, she joined the California Zoroastrian Center's Public Relations Committee, providing information about the Zoroastrian religion to interested individuals.
Her greatest joy is working with the youth. She has organized essay, short story, and drawing contests to help younger community members become more familiar with the teachings of Zarathushtra. Artemis has been the recipient of the California Zoroastrian Center, 2020 Zoroastrian of the year Soshiant Award.
She lives in Southern California with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.