Transformational. Amazing. Incredible. Intimate. A girlfriend, soul sisters party.
This is what the four remarkable participants of the Radiant Woman Retreat had to say about their Retreat Experience.
They arrived a little weary, not knowing what to expect and by the time the event was over, they felt as if they had made new life-long friendships, had released deep rooted shame and fear, had owned their power, owned their sexy and felt truly radiant from the inside out.
From deeply transformational exercises, to a fun belly dancing class, to their awesome boudoir photography shoots and champagne toasts at the end, these women underwent a powerful shift from fearful and trepidatious to fiercely and confidently owning how amazing they are – inside and out.
There were common themes that came up during the transformational weekend and also amazing photos (below).
1. Shame: At the core of our fear around being seen is this insidious emotion of shame. It is so insidious because embedded within the emotion is a fear to talk about it. The shame can feel so crippling and horrifying that we work overtime to avoid exposing it to the world. And yet, shedding the light into the darkness of our shame is THE ONLY WAY to fully heal it. So we looked at shame head on from money troubles, family drama, disdain for parent, a fear of judgment,criticism and even what would happen if we outshined a parent or loved one. As these women spoke about their shame in public – in some instances – for the first time, its tight grip let go and the ladies were able to feel all of the emotions underneath the shame. Guilt, disappointment, fear, anxiety etc… As the ladies faced their shame head on their body language loosened, their facial expressions lightened and they were able to focus their energy on healing instead of hiding.
Take away: If you are experiencing a fear around being seen, look at where you are experiencing shame. How can you safely start to look at it and share that with someone in your life? Shame disintegrates and crumbles when we bring it into the light and learn the lessons it has to teach us.
2. Perfection: As women we are still grappling with idealized notions of perfection. The ladies too. By creating a new paradigm of perfection that suited them and their dreams and goals, they were able to create a new relationship to themselves, the people they love and also to their bodies. Perfection is the lowest standard there is because it is unattainable and leaves us feeling always less than.
Takeaway: Is there an area in your life where a very high standard of perfection is keeping in procrastination mode or in overwhelm? If so, what new relationship can you create to perfection so you embrace the wholeness within yourself?
3. Feeling the feelings: You´ve heard me say this before and it bears mentioning again: you cannot heal what you do not feel. As women, we often have a hard time giving ourselves permission to feel – especially emotions that we deem ´ugly´ such as anger, rage, disappointment, shame and guilt. As the ladies were encouraged to see the power in all of their emotions and they felt them fully, they came alive, they reclaimed their power and stood taller in their truths. It was amazing to watch.
Takeaway: Where can you give yourself permission to feel emotions that might seem ´messy´, ´ugly´, and ´un-ladylike´? What is possible when you feel the full spectrum of the human emotions within you without judgment or fear?
As the ladies released what they had been hiding and brought it into their light, their radiance began to shine through. All of the deep work on Saturday was followed by a day of fun and celebration on Sunday complete with a champagne toast and chocolate covered strawberries.
SCROLL BELOW to check out the collage of images. As you can see in the group photo we had a lot of fun posing and doing a mock ´Charlies Angels´ pose.
