At the recent Summer Solstice I have had the privilege to hold space for a wonderful group of women at our Under the Big Sky weekend Sweat Lodge Retreat. When I arranged the weekend I planned for sun and long, warm days as is often the case at Summer Solstice. Not this year!! Under the Big Sky at beautiful Ransom Wood we travelled on a journey together that took us through sun, rain, thunderstorms and rainbows. Hot and cold, sun-kissed dryness and sodden boggy damp.
The Goddess asked of us a huge commitment to ‘be with what is,’ which was the theme of the weekend. To stay with yourself and what arises for you physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically is not easy but the more we can do this, the more we move towards healing and wholeness; no longer needing to run from our own darkness and pain.
It is a great privilege to hold space for a group over the duration of a few days. We are all seen, both by ourselves and each other, as we really are. It is simply too long to hide for. The process of the Sweat Lodge also lends itself to this. In the darkness and heat of the lodge, we come face to face with ourselves, held by the Elements, by the Circle, by the lodge herself and by Mother Earth. With 2 lodges over the weekend there was definitely no hiding! We all needed to give all we had physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually to stay with what is and to honour our own process.
I watched the weekend unfold and my heart was full and warm to witness the community we had created for our gathering hold and sustain its members. I have long been humbled and awed by the capacity of Circles of women to support and nurture each other through laughter and tears. This time Under the Big Sky was no exception. I think we all left nourished, humbled and enriched (as well as very tired and much in need of a shower!)
