Cultivating

feminism

The Journey - 12 Things

This is an open journal about my journey exploring feminism.

9.13.23

I couldn’t help myself, but I wanted to recap with 12 things I learned at my Sacred Women’s Collective Retreat. The whole experience was completely life-changing and has resulted in some pretty big changes in my life. It is amazing to see what can happen when you get you know yourself, awaken your soul, and connect with loving souls.

Twelve things I learned at a Sacred Women's Retreat

1. Be an Agent of Kindness. Being kind to each other, especially other women, is the only way the world will change. Kindness encompasses respect, love, and abundance for all.
   
2. Ask for what you need. Sacred Women are strong and independent. We are full of kindness and love. And we unapologetically ask for what we need.
   
3. A genuine connection can be built in four days. I used to think that the love of friendship takes lots of time and effort, particularly between women. But, women can create love and friendship within days if both souls are open and willing. It also helps when candles and crystals are involved, and there are no life distractions.
   
4. I am beautiful and deserve love. Despite days that I feel both are incorrect, those are the days I am most deserving. Imperfections and flaws are part of being vulnerable. Vulnerability makes me beautiful and lovable.
   
5. Women can support each other. Often, we are conditioned in society to compete with other women. We are told that women can sometimes be awful to each other, and a group of all women can not achieve harmony. Because we are all conditioned to believe that, we often approach each other with reservations or a lack of authenticity and honesty. When you remove all that, women can build fiercely solid bonds and create spaces where all can flourish.
   
6. Surround yourself with others who love like you do. Find your own Sacred Circle of women. When you return home, connect with women who love each other like you do. Grow and learn together. Sit in community and circle with one another. Hold each other dearly and build strength with each other because the only thing more powerful than a Sacred Woman is a circle of Sacred Women.
   
7. Don’t be afraid to work through the pain. Move through the pain that has hurt you. Release it to the universe. Replenish your soul with love and light. And you will heal completely.
   
8. Nature is a source of energy. Women can give birth to life, just as nature can create new life. Our energy is one, and we can reconnect and renew when we ground ourselves in nature.
   
9. Kind and nice are not the same thing. Society expects women to be nice, which often means putting all others first. It also means saying something other than how we feel or speaking our needs. The kindest thing you can do for those who love you is to take care of yourself, say how you feel, and say what you need. Those who love and care about you will love you more for doing so.
   
10. Take the space you need. It’s okay for you to take up room and space. Nothing is required of you to deserve time and space. You don’t have to offer anything to anyone to be reciprocated love and kindness. You are enough.
    
11. Stop saying sorry. Sacred Women say, “I’m sexy,” not “I’m sorry.” You don’t have to apologize for being an imperfect human. Unless you harm another person, you don’t have to apologize for existing or not meeting expectations others pose on you.
    
12. Vegan food is good food. The secret ingredient is love. Open your mind to the possibilities of eating better for you and Mother Earth. Flavor and heartiness will not be missing. I am living proof you can love beef and also love vegan food. But whatever we eat, we should be more conscientious of where it comes from and why.