voices

When I began my journey into the healing arts, I realized the need for a historical perspective on what at the time was a possible new career path for me. The first class I took found me in a room with 10 other female participants and two women facilitators; I’m looking at a photograph of extraordinary ladies ages 18 to 70 something who, as we sat around the table learning, talking, creating, sharing and emoting, changed my voice over seven years ago. Though I have attended many classes, symposiums and workshops with both females and males since then, whenever there is a breakout into smaller groups, there in the circle are women only in all shapes, sizes, colors, and cultures with varied religious beliefs and sexual preferences. This is by no accident I am sure -- feminine energy continues to play a major role in what guides, nurtures, supports, and shapes my work and me.

I have found myself in three different groups of women as I took classes over the past year. I bonded, became totally connected to the members of two of them; the third contained energy that pushed me to the parameters of the room, stifling my willingness to connect. I was disappointed however, it happens and though it wasn’t the experience I had hoped for, I was still impacted by the voices around me. No matter how things develop, when you spend concentrated time interacting with people, unpeeling layers of who you are, you take a piece of those with whom you sit with you when classes are over. Their stories become part of your story and visa versa, forever woven together.

In my last group one of our sessions revolved around the 5th chakra ; I was profoundly moved by the toning experiential presented about our voice so much so that I only need to close my eyes to journey right back to those moments spent reclined on a yoga mat as singing bowls and voice embraced and held me. A few days after that class, I picked up a magazine that I had already perused and thankfully paid full attention to a book review that I previously skimmed with tepid interest. When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice by Terry Tempest Williams is a gorgeous read with so many memorable passages. Not just for women, it is a small book packed with rich words and deep emotion that leave me feeling peaceful, strong, and empowered written by a woman I’ve never met except through the glow of her voice radiating from the page. Her stories are now becoming part of mine, perhaps they’ll be part of yours if you decide to read and as always...

keep your peepers open!®