I wanted to write about the retreat, but it’s so hard to put into words all of the magic that happened this close to the journey. To say that it was a success is an understatement.
The first day was pure bliss. I remember writing the copy for the landing page for the retreat and envisioning women having intimate, heartfelt conversations, and bonding while sitting around the pool. Then, that is exactly what happened. Within less than 24 hours we were a sisterhood, a community, and by the time we started the Tantric work on our first full day together, there was already a deep bond forming. Working with the elements through Tantric practice in Bali is like creating magic on an amplifier. The healing was deep - I went into the first day with what I thought was a very badly sprained hand, and it was completely healed by that evening. The release was HUGE and the underlying feeling of bliss and fun stayed with us through everything.
By the afternoon, we moved into breath work with Pablo from Alchemy of the Breath, and the deep healing and bliss that we started to feel in the morning with our Tantric practice was compounded exponentially. It’s hard to explain exactly what happens during the breath work (you can read more about it here), but I spent a good deal of it sobbing because I could so clearly feel the love and support that every part of our world has for us. I felt like each leaf and bug, blade of grass, and animal had turned toward us and were holding us in unconditional love. Again, I really don’t have the words to explain how profound much of this experience was for me, especially as the facilitator. At the end of that first day, though, I said goodnight to women whose hearts were open and who were glowing both inside and out.
Our 8 days together was an adventure into the depths of our ourselves, into the wilds of Bali, and into the deep bonds of sisterhood and community. Every day was new and had a completely different flavour. There were challenging parts, lots of funny parts, and overall, a feeling of intense gratitude to be part of such a deeply bonded group that was able to do these remarkable things together in such a safe and beautiful space.
I’m still taking it all in and processing everything that happened. The women who came are extraordinary. I feel so honoured that they trusted me enough to follow me on this adventure - they were truly warrior Goddesses. They came with such open hearts and deep vulnerabilities that the magic moved through them so very easily. I have countless beautiful moments in my head of things that happened during our time together: Of coming into a common space in the morning and having women chatting and laughing together while having coffee, all of us swimming naked in the pool in the sun and under the moon, some of the women dancing together on the beach on our final night as a roving band serenaded us, the hugs and the tears and the laughter, and our walking sticks and rain ponchos from our epic adventure down 500 steps (and then back up!!) to see waterfalls during a monsoon rain! There’s just no way to explain these types of life occurrences.
I talked to my son about halfway through the retreat and he asked what I was excited for. I told him "nothing", because I was feeling so deeply present that it felt like the past and the future did not exist. All I could do was surrender to that sensation completely, not only in that moment, but also then in the next moment and the next....
I am writing this from New Zealand, heading onto the next part of my adventure, but I am very much holding each one of those women and every one of those experiences very close to my heart.
Every time I have a group together I tell them that magic happens.. and it does. I am not sure how or why, but it always does.
This time, the magic of this land, the women’s deeply open hearts, the joy of burlesque, and the potent energy of tantra, created something extraordinary: A magic I had not before experienced in this way. I’m excited to see what this magic opens up for each of us who went on this epic journey. I will report back :)
I am wishing you magic and trusting that even as you read this, it will happen.
My heart is full.