I recently held a weekend retreat and the amount of courage and transformation I witnessed was incredible. I am in complete awe of these wonderful people that I am fortunate enough to share my journey with.
We gathered as strangers on the Friday evening, created a sacred, safe space, and by Sunday we had bonded and connected on a very deep level.

How did this happen so quickly? Because we removed the masks and had the courage to be real.
When we feel safe to share our stories, have the courage to be vulnerable, to be real, and know people care and are listening - healing happens.
Just by showing up and being who we are is when the magic happens.
It may sound simple enough, even easy, but as adults we have stories, blocks, old beliefs that limit our ability to connect with our true selves.

Our body is a history book of our entire life. Every single thing we have experienced is in this book. There are different chapters, different characters. It’s all there.
We may or may not totally remember but our body (the subconscious) never forgets.
During this retreat we went inward to uncover the old beliefs or stories in ‘our book’; the fragmented parts. We approached these parts of ourselves with love, compassion and understanding.
Was it always comfortable for people? No. It can be very uncomfortable as old feelings and realizations come to the surface.
And yet, the willingness and courage to be present and not push things down anymore creates freedom.
When we take time to shine light on the fragmented pieces, things start to make sense.

Our perception starts to shift. We heal. We feel more grounded and whole. Connected to who we really are, not who we ‘should’ be.
It is not about trying to fix who we are. It is about loving who we are – all parts.

Especially the parts of ourselves that we have pushed down, judged or have been afraid of.
Can we have compassion for the journey we have been on? Recognizing the highs and lows, the good times and the more painful moments in our life.
Can we create space to acknowledge these parts that we usually push down? They are there waiting to be acknowledged and loved.
The ego mind tries to push these parts of ourselves away (emotions, feelings, insecurities, anxiety, fear) but they don’t go anywhere.
Quite often we feel shame for these parts of ourselves and want to make sure no one knows we feel or think this way.

So over the years things continue to build and take up more space. And then we might wonder…Why do I feel heavy? Why can’t I feel happy or fulfilled?
It’s simple. There isn’t space for the love, peace and fulfillment to shine forth.
Freedom is when we take the time to go inward, explore, feel and heal.

From that - true peace and fulfillment is felt and experienced. It has always been there. It is who we are.
I invite you to…
Take time to be.
Take a few deep breaths.
Feel what you’re feeling.
Listen to your body. It is your history book. It is the subconscious mind. It is speaking to us all of the time.

Ask the questions…
How can I love myself today?
What does my soul need?
What do I need right now?

We all deserve to experience peace. Each and every one of us – including you.

Yours in loving kindness,

Diane