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Last weekend I went on a women’s Full Moon retreat led by yoga teacher and healer Summer Quashie at the magical Seven Arrows Farm. And I have to say, even though I’m a retreat aficionado and have traveled to quite a bit around the world, this smaller, local retreat was one of the best I’ve experienced.
There’s a subtle but very powerful energetic transformation that happens when a group of women comes together to do yoga, share, sing, heal and cook.
Women have been coming together throughout the ages, but city living has made us distant from these very important traditions that help us nourish ourselves and our communities. It’s an our opportunity to explore, learn from each other and give and receive support to heal and expand.
I’ve been realizing the importance of coming together as women thanks to the community of incredible women that I have here in New York and in California, first through my experience at Awakened Feminine.
We stripped away our day-to-day modern lives and chose to go back to the roots. Our guide Summer led us through beautiful rituals that involved essential oil healing, crystals and shamanic journeying. As we sang, we made rose-petal infused water charged with love; at night, we burned fire, released our old stories, and set new intentions.
Our bellies and souls were nourished with vegetarian fare prepared thoughtfully by Hira Panna using produce from the farm in the backyard.
There’s something special about connecting to Earth by eating its gifts–home grown vegetables and foraged mushrooms have a special kind of vibration. Wild mushrooms remind me of summers in our countryhouse near Moscow, where I would always go mushroom picking with my beloved grandpa that accompanied every adventure with a song.
Coming back home from a retreat can naturally be hard–but this time, things feel different. I came back with more energy and excitement about my projects than ever before.
The elixir of joy that the divine retreat rituals helped me uncork was not a weekend shot–but rather a bottomless ever expanding container that I own the keys to.
I’m feeling called to facilitate women’s events like this retreat in New York and beyond, and already have a few things in the works, such as the Goddess retreat in Brazil that I’m co-leading with Jaycee Gossett. If you’re interested, comment below or shoot me an email!
For now, if you want to learn more about rituals, check out Summer’s blog post, Create Your Own Ritual.
“Rituals are like momentary pieces of art that remind us of the beauty and magic in the world.”
– Summer Quashie
Here’s your glimpse into the weekend and a DIY moon water recipe!
MOON WATER RECIPE
Moon Water has many purposes and uses–it can be used as a blessing potion, a healing cocktail, added to your bath for relaxation, or places on pressure points or chakras (for example, third-eye in the center of your forehead, which is associated with psychic sight and clarity) during a meditation.
- Take a clear container (I like to use glass jars) and fill it with spring or filtered water. If you’d like, add food-grade rose petals to make Rose Moon Water. Cover with lid, and bring it outside (or in urban environment, on your window), under the moon.
- Close your eyes for a moment, and energetically imagine adding your intention to the jar. What do you desire?
- Make it pretty: surround the jar with flowers, crystals and any other intentional decorations. If you have a puja, you can use decorations from it.
- Leave the jar in an undisturbed place and let it be charged with lunar energy.
- The next day, your Moon Water is ready! Seal the water and put in the fridge. Rose Moon Water should be used within 2-3 days, while regular Moon Water can last as long as you wish!
Compare regular water to moon water and feel the difference… our moon water turned out sweet and do delicious!