This is where we stood, each claiming our own space, flowers in hand.
Our altar back at the yoga shala was laid with flowers. Big, bold red. Delicate, pure white. Herbs of green and purple. We had just invoked the Goddesses, danced through our emotions, and shared our intentions and offerings for the week.
"My intention is to shine, to take up space, to show up fully as myself, to not dim myself down, to speak up, to use my voice.
My offering is to see each one of you as the whole, complete, and sovereign beings that you are."
Gaia was our guiding Goddess for the day. The mother of all life, our Earth Mother. We were reminded that we are not separate from nature and the Earth. We are born from it. We are created from the same source as the animals, the plants, the water, the land.
Even though we may each have our own individual bodies, we are all connected through our humanness, our earthliness, our emotions. Together, we, along with everything else, form the entire Earth.
Camille asked us to pick a flower.
I was drawn to one of the big, bright red flowers. A cluster of many small flowers that formed a sphere. A whole world in itself. But still hesitant about appearing bold, I let a few other women choose their flowers before me. I thought, if a red one is still there, I'm going to take it.
And so I did.
In silence, flowers in hand, we walked. Individually and together. Staying with our intention. Our feet meeting the rocky terrain for the first time. Avoiding the spiky plants that were just trying to protect themselves. Eyes close to the ground as each step offered a new challenge. We walked to the far cliffs and stood as close to the edge as we dared.
Here I stood. Reflecting on my intention, my offering, and Gaia. Feeling reverence for every rock, every plant, every ant. Feeling reverence for the vast sky and powerful ocean. I poured my love into this single yet multiple flower, and let her fall onto the rocks way way below, awaiting her chance to be swept into the ocean. Back to Mother Ocean. Back to Mother Earth. Gaia.
You are connected. You are complete. You are whole.