Week 8 - Yoni
At this point we have addressed all the cracks in the mirror that we had written at the begin of the program. Regardless of your relationship with the “statements” your task was to write them any way and explore what unconscious patterns may reveal themselves. In some cases there possibly may have been a better statement that may have better resonated.
The typical response (verbal or physical) to writing these statements may have been uncomfortable and if you have done much personal development or inner work may have felt counter intuitive to what you’ve been taught.
You may be saying to yourself: Why would I write (aka intention) a state of being that I do not resonate with or desire? And the purpose of the broken mirror exercise is/was to speak to the unconscious aspects that still speak/manifest in your life or body. Exploring the feelings/thoughts that come up around it allow you to see the root of the belief or the discomfort around the statement, which can uproot or confirm your own alignment or misalignment with where you think you are at vs where you really are at. And that spectrum can change daily depending on what triggers/situations show up in our life. I think you know what I’m talking about!
So, you may should be into your “mirror” without all the cracks after completing week 7. If you are not (as I had mentioned in the past to not erase it if it doesn’t feel genuine) then I invite you to now erase that or those lines and while doing so state:
“ Thank you (put line statement here) for showing me where I have resistance, blockages or need more time, to explore parts of my self, history, experiences, and relationships. I invite opportunities to arise that will show me a gentle way to heal/shift this aspect of my foundation and invite ease and grace in the process. And so it is, and so it is, and so it is…
Then go ahead and erase the line, knowing that you are not bound to it, but rather free to explore at your own pace.
If you need any support in this please reach out. <3
So this weeks topic is a very sacred one.
As women we have a gateway portal to the great mystery. I love the Sanskrit word used to describe our vagina’s and the word is Yoni. It literally means sacred temple. A temple to honour the gift of birthing life, whether that be human life or birthing love, connection and ideas into this world.
Yoni is a place from where all life originated, and is a source of ecstasy. It’s our most intimate and sacred space full of potent emotion and is an infinite source of wisdom.
It’s also believed to be where Kundalini, the untapped energy full of creativity and the foundation for our consciousness, resides in women.
In tantra, the yoni becomes the symbol of the feminine in her essence. It is the space where Shakti dwells. All of tantra revolves exactly around this, the attraction between Shiva—the archetype of masculine energy, who represents consciousness: immobile, eternal and immutable—and Shakti, the archetype of feminine energy, representing everything in the manifest universe in which we live and of which we are a part, which is by its nature changing, always in motion.
The sacred form of the yoni therefore is a cosmic vagina from which the entire Universe was born!
Imagine being able to transfigure your body, seeing between your legs not only a vagina made of flesh but a portal to an infinite source of universal energy.
Transfigure means to transform into something more beautiful or elevated. If we can shift the perspective of our vaginas from a sex organ to a portal gateway, just imagine what this perspective can birth!
How we connect to our own sacredness, our union with creation, our portal of creativity and a place to birth our ideas. It also could be a potent experience to make love from this perspective, don’t you think?
This week I would like to meet you where you are and invite you to engage with your yoni’s in a new way. Start with what you feel comfortable with. No pressure or have too’s, but I promise this will be a profoundly transformational experience if you let it.
And to be honest, to truly tap into our sexy, and I mean the real and raw sexy, we need to connect to our yoni’s. When I say raw and real, I mean the acceptance of what it truly means to be a feminine goddess, warrior-ess, witch, maiden, mother and crone. And within those aspects is a whole world to explore. Some juicy content for another workshop or program indeed. But for now, acknowledge this power and potency that is innately yours. Yours for tapping into…and to tap into it you r invitation is to explore your Yoni as a sacred alter.
I have a few exercises listed below, starting off slow and easy. Explore as much or as little as comfortable and revisit each day to see if you are willing to go any further.
Each of us have our own relationship with our yoni’s and some have experienced much trauma here, so honor where you are at. Do not force yourself, as this too can further embed the “masculine” control that we have been exposed to from our culture and society.
Be gentle in the process and make room for the mystery to be birthed.
I honor you and the feminine force that you are. <3
We as women have felt or experienced the pain and suppression of the our feminine potency…. And it’s roots run deep into our ancestry. Our yoni is a not only a gateway to the mystery it is also a portal to our healing and of our own lineage.
Rediscovering this sacredness is already a great healing in itself.
When we heal our connection with our yoni’s we heal the world.
When we align with the power of the yoni we empower the world.
When we celebrate our yoni’s we celebrate pleasure, ecstasy and create opportunity for connection as we birth our love into this world. The world needs more feminine wisdom and flow.
Here is the powerful documentary I was talking about in the video: https://www.lauradodsworth.com/100-vaginas
Practice One: Yoni Steaming
Yoni steaming is an ancient practice that’s been used to heal and pamper the pussy for centuries.
Not only is it incredibly relaxing, but practitioners claim that it helps women have lighter, less painful, and more regular menstrual cycles (plus many other benefits such as Fibroids, uterine prolapse, infections) See the site provided for benefits and precautions before attempting.
Connecting with your yoni during a steam will help unlock the wisdom and power held within you. I used Yoni Steaming when I was on my fertility journey. Here is a link to all you need to know about Yoni Steaming and when NOT to do it. You do not need to purchase Yoni Steam herbs from the site, you can use simple herbs such as camomile, lavender, rose and Sage. (there is a list of herbs and what attributes they have in the link)
https://theempoweredwoman.ca/blog/yoni-steaming
Also, I was doing a search and came across this beautiful practice….
If you have a partner this is a POTENT and POWERFUL ritual to engage if it speaks to you. At the very least you may be moved as I was and can feel the gift, just in the witnessing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZUDaNIOaxg
And below a way to do this with yourself. You do not need to be naked, or if you want to start slow and easy you can do this ritual with a representation of the yoni. For example create an alter of flowers or crystals the shape of a yoni on the floor.
How to cultivate sacredness with your yoni
~ https://aumtantrayoga.com
In the tantric tradition, there is whole ritual of “transfiguration” with the vagina, viewing this part of the body as something cosmic. The very act of transfiguring, which starts by setting the intention, opens a portal to universal dimensions and raises energy to the throat chakra (vishuddha).
Tantric practice is imbued with transfiguration. The ritual dedicated to the yoni is called yoni puja. It is an act of offering, flowers, honey, milk, clarified butter, incense, mantras and chants to the yoni.
This can be performed in a ritualistic way towards a symbolic object representing the yoni, be it a statue, a drawing or a yoni-shaped mandala made from flower petals, etc. Even more powerful, however, if the adoration is done directly on a woman’s body, which at that moment, naked or clothed, becomes the altar to which offerings are given. But what I want to suggest as a first step, alone or with your partner, is the simplest practice you can do by taking just a few minutes to connect with your yoni (or your partner’s yoni).
The ritual of the yoni
If you are alone, you can sit with your legs open in front of a mirror, possibly naked, and remain in contemplation of what you see in the mirror. If you are in a couple, sit with your legs open in front of your partner who will be engrossed in the wonderful vision in front of their eyes. Gather a moment inside yourself. Rest in your heart, center yourself. The ritual begins:
1. Observe the yoni as if your eyes were a projection of your heart. Let yourself be absorbed by that vision. Bow down in front of her for the first time to show her your respect—after all you too were born from there. You are honoring the woman in front of you (yourself in the mirror or the vision of your partner) and also this part of her body that is so powerful and, in some ways, mystical.
2. In the second part of the ritual, expand your vision beyond the woman in front of you. You are honoring all the women in the world, and even further on, all the femininity that exists. Try to see the incarnation of the cosmic feminine, the expression of the Divine Mother. See the yoni as a symbol of something larger, a universal yoni that gives birth to the universe. Cultivates the attitude of transfiguration as long as you feel like it, letting yourself be permeated by a sense of depth and sacredness.
3. As a last part of the ritual, you can imagine offering the yoni a gift (or actually offer a flower, incense or a candle). You can also simply offer your heart to her, with a wave of your hand from your chest to the yoni, or with the thought of her. Remember that the intention is everything in tantric rituals. Charge every moment with a special energy.
4. Conclude the ritual by joining your hands in prayer in front of your heart, bowing gently in gratitude to the Universe.
At the end of the ritual, you may feel a very strong echo in your being, energetically and in your mind: a sense of depth, savoring the mysteries of the universe. You can decide to meditate if this is your practice, or you can feel the desire to make love, alone or with your partner… and I assure you that, after the ritual, it can be very, very special.