Goddess Energy by Karen Lane

Article by Karen Lane, Yoga Teacher and Rising Woman Retreat Host

Is the Goddess calling you home?

The complexity of Goddess as a symbol is an invitation to be ALL THAT WE ARE.

It allows us as women, to not be defined by one narrow archetype. The Goddess holds many energies. She is complex, at times contradictory and most importantly wild! Unashamedly loud, brash, sexual and unapologetic. As we struggle to emerge from hundreds of years of powerful and pervasive devaluation of female power, denigration of the female body and distrust of female intuition, women need more than ever, to now come together and witness each other’s experiences and journeys. This is what we do during our Rising Woman Retreat and we allow the Goddess mythologies to shape and guide our daily themes, practises and dialogues. The Goddesses from different world cultures and religions, provide us with many and varied images of female beauty, strength and power.

Western Christian religions have tended to pit female archetypes against each other as polar opposites e.g. The Virgin -vs- The Whore. Depictions of the Goddess from other parts of the world are not so one dimensional. For example, Durga the Hindu Goddess, she is simultaneously fierce yet benevolent, brave, weapon wielding and boundaried. The Goddess and the feminine have been relegated to the periphery of our awareness.

Only the desirable parts have been invited into society and other more complex parts, such as desire, anger and rage, we quickly learn to suppress, as young girls and women. It is time to reclaim our voices and these parts of ourselves. The shadow parts that we try to hide or give us valuable information about our needs and yet we are not tuned in. We need time and space for stillness, reflection and tuning into the innate wisdom of our bodies.

We subconsciously waste our life force energy, on maintaining masks and perceptions for fear of judgement and persecution. Our attempts to avoid the discomfort of exposure, smothers our authenticity and keeps us disconnected.

On Rising Women Retreat we explore reconnection with your voice through simple exercises such as humming and toning. We explore poetry and sound, mudra and mantra. As a voice specialist and musician I help women awaken this precious instrument and express their thoughts, emotions and dreams. What truths have you been too afraid to speak? In our safe and supported space on retreat you will reclaim your voice and communicate with increased confidence.

Rise with us and embark on life changing moments, conversations and connections with like minded women. Let the Goddess within you, guide you towards receiving and creating your own pleasure and reignite your Joy for Life!

Sri - in sanskrit means RADIANCE - what better place to reawaken your Luminosity and Shine and Reveal your true Radiance, than in SRI LANKA @ Kalukanda House.

Inspiration taken from Descent & Rising - a must read by Carly Mountain.