As I floated on my back, I felt the last of the day’s golden rays shining on my heart and the warm, salty waves lifting and washing over me with ease.  A laugh emerged from deep in my belly as I lingered in the liminal space of infinite possibilities. My heart was wide open in awe at the gift of being alive and connected in this way… I knew in that moment that I was exactly where I was supposed to be and the deliciousness of this joy infused every cell of my being.  

Our November Be DAREful retreat was filled with moments like this, for me and for the 8 other ladies who joined me in our circle. Although the magic of this entire experience feels way too precious to distill into the format of this page, I do feel called to share a brief reflection here. It is a love letter to the part inside of me that can sometimes get overwhelmed by the ways Spirit is nudging me forward. The part that wants to just stay on the beach and hide out in the relative comfort and safety of what I’ve known. Although deep inside it feels like even this part of me is aware that something amazing will happen when I say YES to the adventure, it puts up all kinds of sneaky resistance trying to get me to turn away from my Soul’s calling. 

To the part of me who doubted this retreat would really come to be:

It can feel uncomfortable (read: really F’ing HARD!!!) to stand on the edge of the chasm of the unknown…to hear the call, and actively choose to participate in the emerging vision. It feels lonely up there and the howling winds of self-judgment and fear echo at a deafening level, blowing even well seeded plans right out of the ground.  As scary as that was though, YOU DID IT.  By DAREfully dropping in, by saying YES, by asking for what you wanted and REALLY committing to walking the path with loving devotion, we co-created something amazing. As we celebrate the gifts of this adventure, top of the list is the power that comes along with the experiential remembering that WE can do hard things.  

Can you relate to this? There were so many moments throughout the retreat where I witnessed women going through this exact process. From receiving the invitation, to being with all the emotions that tend to surface in the face of a challenge, and then ultimately, despite all the reasons not to, making the conscious choice to DAREfully take the risk and see what unfolds.  It is a heroine’s journey to be sure! It can feel really uncomfortable to hold space for people as they do this dance, giving them the space to fail and loving them through their challenges as they continue to RISE… but wow…  over and over I am deeply humbled by the magic that happens through this process. It is such a privilege to be with people as they open to the adventure of life in this way and I know more and more this is my Soul’s calling. 

I’ve put together a quick video to share a sneak peak into our Be DAREful retreat. If you feel the nudge of the invitation calling to you, please fill out the form on our website and set up a time for us to connect and explore the possibilities together. We will be returning to the Bodhi Lodge for our next Be DAREful retreat, May 4^th-11^th, 2019 and I would be honored to share this adventure with you.