The Shakti Shine - April 20th, 2020
Shakti Love Notes
We are always growing. I love that! And the more I grow, the more I recognize how important it is for us all to share what we're going through-- even (and especially) me.
So these Love Notes are a space for me to share with you each week-- about the studio, my life, how our community is growing.
True transformation can only occur if we're open to it.
This past weekend we completed our first in-house teacher training, led by me and supported by Maggie and Emily. We virtually graduated the 13 people you see in the photo above.
The experience of leading in this way was eye-opening and work-affirming for me. It wasn't until the end, though, that I was able to realize what I most learned from this group.
In the closing session, as we graduate the trainees, we give them the duty to graduate and acknowledge each other, one by one, individual to individual-- for who they have been for the group, how they have shown up, and the ways they've grown. It's a delightfully warm ceremony, complete with plenty of tears and a lot of head nodding.
Because any work the trainees are required to do, we also do as leaders, we (Maggie, Emily, and Me) acknowledged each other. I acknowledged Emily, Emily acknowledged Maggie, and then it was time for me to be acknowledged.
As Emily looked me square in the eyes and spoke to my contribution during this training, there was a moment of pause, not from her, but from me internally.
I noticed how from the time Maggie began until now, midway through Emily's words, there was a slight contraction in my chest. By this particular line I heard my mind stop my listening.
I heard 'I don't believe you,' spoken lightly inside my head, and in that moment I felt a door over my heart close.
All within a few seconds, I witnessed it, paused, took a deep breath, and made a choice.
My rebuttal to myself, 'Shhh. Listen. Believe her. This could be true. Don't miss this. Open up.'
And I felt the door crack back open.
It was right then, in a spark of accountability, that I awakened to the greatest lesson I've learned over the last thirteen weeks with this group.
It's the lesson of openness.
From the very first session, when I perhaps punctured some of their expectations when I said outright, 'If you're here to get answers from me, I don't have any,' to the sheer act of showing up to every session not always feeling ready but always choosing to be ready now, to taking our training virtual midway, to holding space for tough discussions, to the way they were committed to being coachable, to their willingness to practice full expression through a screen, to holding each other accountable to the task at hand,
THIS GROUP BLEW ME AWAY WITH THEIR OPENNESS.
And they unknowingly helped me soften the part of myself that's so hard on myself, so that now I can hear when my mind shuts my heart, and I can choose instead to crack it right back open and say to myself, 'Shhh. Listen. Believe her. This could be true. Don't miss this. Open up.'
It's in that way that I continue to be truly transformed.
xx
Ruby
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What have you been listening to?
Emily shares about a full scope of podcasts you might wanna tune into. From helpful to informative to simply enjoyable. โค๏ธ
How You Can Help
People have been asking us: How can I help?
Thank you for that. Thank you for asking. Thank you for being here.
Here's how you can help:
Keep showing up
Keep supporting us with your presence (and your membership)
Keep reaching out when you have ideas, questions, or gratitude
We are paving a path forward for Shakti that feels uncertain and exciting. Even though we can't be with you physically, we feel your presence and support.
We can do hard things together.
And while we may be separate, you are never alone.
We are here for you.
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Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything Shakti (or I) can do for you.
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Thank you for giving your presence, love, and financial support that makes Shakti possible and so magical.