When I was growing up there were no relatable conversations at home or in school about my body, rites of passage, sex, and relationships. I didn’t share with my mother when I got my first menstrual cycle as I felt ashamed and embarrassed of my body changes and becoming a woman!! There was so much “covering up” in my home and culture, I felt I had to too.
However, I carried an innate curiosity about life and my body that would not be suppressed. I consulted with peers about the intimate topics of womanhood I so craved to understand. Unfortunately, this interest and desire to understand my body and myself away from the cultural norm led to joining the “wrong crowd.” I rebelled to feel my independence and power of choice to do things my way.
Thankfully, at the ripe age of 16 my rebellion found purpose and direction. A fellow curious friend and I joined a Center for Spiritual Living where we were invited by elder women in the community to participate in a 5 day women’s retreat. Here we received a ceremonial rite of passage into womanhood and were first exposed to feminine empowerment, crone wisdom, the wild woman archetype, women’s health, and sacred embodiment practices. These gatherings initiated my inspiration and commitment to fully understand and live these vital and refreshing insights of empowered womanhood!!