Erin
“Healing happens in the presence of an empathetic witness” - Bessel van der Kolk. These words have planted themselves into my subconscious throughout my life, but this retreat was what finally watered them.
I’ve over-analyzed, succumbed to the life cycle of every emotion that emerged from this, meditated- & I’m still at a loss for the alchemy these women co-created. I’ve spent a significant amount of time in women’s circles, all of which have had a profound impact on my narrative of life. However, this one enveloped me whole and spit me back out to the world with more love, compassion, childlike wonder, passion, and drive to be exquisitely particular with how i create my life. Over the years my desire for depth has increased dramatically, perhaps this is simply aging or perhaps it’s the significant amount of healing I’ve sought intellectually, somatically, physically, emotionally. Not often do i find those who can not only dive into the mariana trench with me, but encourage me to explore deeper. These women, divinely brilliant their own unique way, have stories that have cracked them so deeply open that it’s encouraged them to move with deep reverence & compassion for this world. we opened our hearts collectively, engaged in true presence, held parts of the other that had been shunned in our typical lives, & created space for everything we needed to work through. I love each and every one of these women for their bravery to overcome the battles life gave them, their rich stories of exploration, & unique characteristics that were the finishing touches on an already perfect, parasympathetic experience.
These women have a permanent residency in my heart.