This past weekend I spent time with 7 women and 1 fella in the desert of Joshua Tree. We gathered to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of our dear friend, Lauren. Lauren is one of those humans who strictly collects soul mates as friends — so each individual had a deeply special connection to her from different scenes and chapters of her life.
And this space together with folks I didn’t know reminded me a lot of the retreats Katy & I facilitate. The vulnerability and discomfort that comes with being in a new space with new people doing things I don’t normally do. My insecurities surfaced. My desire to belong and be liked came forward. It was a weekend of exploring sides of myself that don’t come out on the regular and I appreciate the opportunity to be stretched a little.
We were all joined together by the thread of connection channeled through our shared love for the bride, Lauren.
It was fun to see the unique personalities of each individual and what they brought to the group. How one woman’s confidence and self expression inspired another to step forward in a bolder way. How another’s intentionality around her morning routine gave permission for me to retreat from the group in the afternoon. How the only guy there was both kind and commanding when it came to getting us to our pre-planned hike had me feeling appreciative of the balance of clear masculine energy to the flowy feminine energies. How one woman’s boundless energy and enthusiasm resourced the group when we were sleep deprived from late nights and a hot hike. It reminded me how much power we have in simply being ourselves.
I particularly enjoyed the little moments in between the scheduled events. Long conversations about love. Waking up before most of the crew to start breakfast. Stealing moments
away with the bride — who, in the midst of all the excitement was intentional about spending quality time with each one of us. Every bit of it was poetic (even the parts that weren't comfortable) and I can't wait until the wedding in May.
I write this for myself because… it was beautiful (in its challenges and outcomes). And I really wanted to take time to reflect on this experience and capture the essence of this trip. I hope you enjoyed. :)