When Women Gather In Truth

At first, it was a longing on my behalf – to join with gorgeous women in person. To feel the pressure of their bodies beneath my hug and look into their eyes.

I was longing to work with women in a new way, getting our hands messy with glitter and sand.

To join with my partner in cultivating a nest rich for growth and change.

Second, the invitation.

I opened my heart to the seven women who would travel to my little spit of land and gather together, circling up in the power of their longing. Longing to be seen. Longing to move forward with beautiful intention. Longing to restore their own tender spirits.

I have been trying to write about September’s Restore Retreat for a week and a half, and each time, I find myself running over the edges of my memory in my mind and lapsing back into silent gratitude. Running that retreat changed my life, utterly and completely and beautifully.

What I want to say is that this retreat broken my heart open.  It was more powerful than I ever could have imagined and still shiver when I remember how second nature it felt to run it.

This is my favorite way to do this work – hand joined, prayers spoken aloud, and belly laughter.

{photo credit Christa Gallopoulos}

I deeply loved:

• The intuitive art project with Tamar (who is an absolute genius – I cannot wait to bring her back again).
• The brilliant food cooked by my sweetheart Cookie – the chicken salad, the nicoise salad, the tacos, OMG.
• Joining in intention and prayer the final morning on the beach, running into the ocean with blessings of roses and promises of release.
• Creating love letters and offerings of peace to our least desirable parts.
• Talking, crying, giggling until 2:30 am about all the things.
• The ecstatic dance party run by surprise guest Meghan Moya Finn.

I deeply learned how to show up as myself, fully and unapologetically, in the room full of women. I learned that when we show up as ourselves, fully, we give others the permission to do the same. Damn that is powerful.

It feels impossible to describe the amount of gorgeous work that was accomplished over the course of the weekend, but the feedback is rolling in and lives were inexplicably altered.

It is possible to return to your source, to return home to yourself in a weekend, and it is possible to take all of that gorgeous energy home with you, integrating it into the rest of your life.

It is not only possible, it is necessary. 

My life was inexplicably altered. I went to bed on Thursday evening as a woman who was on the verge of her biggest prayer, her biggest wish, and on Monday morning I woke up as a woman who runs retreats. The shift in me felt as though all of the missing pieces were clicking into place over the course of the weekend.

Rest assured, there will be more retreating. I am currently planning a very secret and exciting retreat for the spring in collaboration with another coach that I crazy adore. But, in 2014, we will also return to the Hexagon House in North Truro for another Restore Weekend or two!

This is good work. It is soul work. Next time, I hope that you will join us.