Kira's Blog

Inspirations from Natural Born Women retreat July 2014

25th July 2014

Enjoy some inspirations & suggestions that arose from our five days of immersion together as 'Natural Born Women' at Schlüßhof Retreat Center July 2014.

I love what can happen when we choose to explore & support one another, to discover more of our potential & capacity!

Sunday July 13th
Arriving here in Schlüßhof, Lychen, with the calmness of the nature feeling as a warm embrace naturally inviting a quieter mood. The stillness of the lake giving the impulse for reflection, the interchanges of sun/rain clouds a reminder of our inner changeability

Gathering together, naming our intent as women exploring together these next five days:

Who are we as women? What does it mean to be a woman? What are women themes? How can we embrace our natural self and live this graceful strength? How can I open and receive as a woman? – A few of the questions that arise.

Suggestion: Take some time to write for yourself in your own journal these next few days along with us. Contemplate “what do I not like about women”; allow yourself to express/write whatever arises, unedited for several minutes. Then take a breath and relax, and contemplate the opposite, “what do I like about women” and again allow whatever arises unedited. Be easy with yourself, giving space for being unedited allows a depth of insight to arise that may surprise you.

Monday July 14th
A day of reflecting and enquiry into ‘who’ we are. Time and space to explore under the normal levels we acknowledge and speak about. Contemplating the polarities within us, what we want what we don’t want, bringing duality into conscious awareness. Becoming aware of our shadows and giving them space to simple ‘be’, thus giving the whole of ourselves more space to ‘be’.

Suggestion: Take some time to consider your shadow, not as something to be fixed or cut out/off, instead contemplate that maybe it has some use or even perhaps a gift. Rather than feel shame about our shadows maybe we can embrace them and find wholeness?

Tuesday 15th July
Exploring families, those women and men who have been our first role models – can we meet them again as people, as human beings with their own complexity? To see a deeper truth of what they have given to us, perhaps to detach from our old ways of thinking and gain a wider perspective. This naturally opened into the theme of power – what is power, what does it mean to be, or not be, ‘in your power’? Contemplating this theme beyond words, giving our bodies immersion in movement, meditation and touch, opening our senses and awareness in diversity of experience.

Suggestion 1: choose a photo of your mother, or father, and introduce them to a friend as if they are a person in their own right, not just your mother or father. Express what you have gained from them, the gifts, the seemingly not so pleasant things too, from the point of view of this individual person that they are.

Suggestion 2: Amongst some good friends, or by yourself in your journal, discuss and question for yourselves what is power, what does it mean to be in your own power. How might it look or feel like? How does that affect others and life around you?

Wednesday 16th July
Our morning began with conversations with our Yoni’s, discovering ‘her’ voice, wisdom and essence. Leading us naturally to our connection with mother earth, our interdependence and the gift of this support that is always with us, always within us. Cleansing swimming in the fresh lake, followed by exploring gratefulness – what we can appreciate and value in ourselves and in our lives. This opened an alive expression of giving into the world, creative and naturally alive women giving of themselves – wow! Closing our rich day with cuddling & chatting (kuscheln und schnatter ) as we turn over inspiration cards

Suggestion 1: take some time to sit quietly, (perhaps with a good friend as witness who can also write down what you share) take a deep breath and exhale into feeling into your Yoni, place your hand on her, connect. Then speak out in her voice: “I am the yoni of xxxx and ….” Allow her to express whatever arises; however it comes – it may surprise you. If you can, speak for ten minutes, to truly allow her expression.

Suggestion 2: Take some time to consider what you are grateful for - with yourself; in your life; with the people around you. Write down or express these points to *name* them and clarify their presence in your life.

Thursday 17th July
Beginning our day exploring and expressing fire energy with the help of “Kali” meditation to awaken us to our fire within. Integrating and understanding our power through sharing of experiences with each other, plus allowing new insights to illuminate truth. Deepening our experience by practicing access to our inner wisdom, which lies within us, our direct access to universal truth. Realizing that each and every person has such wise knowledge in any moment, simply to remember to allow this connection within. Completing an amazingly rich day with a taster of erotic dance exercises and a magnificent dress-up wardrobe for us to explore who we are ‘now’, how do we feel to express our beautiful bodies

Suggestion 1: Take some time contemplate your own fire energy, the aspects of it, not only the destructive side of fire but also the creation side too, and maybe in there is love? Explore for yourself.

Suggestion 2: Take some time, perhaps with a friend or two and letting yourself relax, taking some deeper breaths and inviting your deep, wise woman to express her natural wisdom. Your friends can ask questions of your wise woman Then swap over and allow the next person to access their wise woman (or man!).

Friday 18th July
Our last morning was an abundant mix of wise, vulnerable, juicy, human women expressions as each woman shared of her experiences and what she has realized for herself. A general theme emerges, ‘being yourself’ is a healthy base for strength, vulnerability, sensuality, sexuality, aliveness and much, much more … As we part ways back into our lives, the connections, support and communications continue. Friendships initiated this week already evolving into next steps as we plan to stay in contact. Our journey now continues with new insights, support and understanding to help guide our path ahead. Ongoing mantras of *gentleness*; *space*; *being with what is*; going home with us

Suggestion: Take a moment to breath deeply and feel into yourself, relax with who you are in this moment. Allow your deeper inner wisdom to arise naturally, perhaps showing a next step, or a reminder of gentleness, maybe something that needs to be expressed? Allow what arises and write in your journal, without editing it, then take a walk and after you return read your words once again