Since immersing myself in becoming a modern day Priestess, all of my research, teachings, learnings and remembrance have been done online. And the virtual gatherings I have been a part of have been amazing but have also left me craving more.

And so off I went in search of an in person gathering that preferably I was not going to have to travel overseas for and I found it in the Seven Sisters Festival which divinely turned out to be only an hour car ride from home in Mt Martha. When I found the festival I can’t tell you how excited I was at the thought of three whole days immersed in amazing learnings about women’s spirituality, yoga and embodied dance, not to mention it was a chance to spend three whole days in Mother Nature. The thought of going on my own did not phase me. It excited me.

And I had an amazing time. Very challenging at times in many ways but amazing too.

Highlights for me included…

Goddess Song Workshop: Facilitated by singer songwriter Wendy Rule and cellist Rachel Samuel this was a beautiful workshop that led us through the four phases of the Divine in our lives, Maiden, Mother, Queen and Crone. Wendy spoke about how no matter what our age we can access the spirited nature of the Maiden or the wise power of the Crone at any time we want, and her beautiful music bought each of these life stages into amazing focus for me. I was also very grateful to Wendy for leading a team of people to create a divine candlelit labyrinth to walk at night that had a focus on seeking balance at the time of the Autumn Equinox.

Seasons of the Goddess Workshop: Facilitated by Jenny Cameron and Tricia Szirom from Gaia’s Garden. This gentle paced workshop held at twilight felt like such a homecoming for me. So much of the learning I have been engaged in has been delivered from a northern hemisphere perspective where equinoxes, seasons and lunar cycles are spoken of in the opposite to what I am experiencing here in Australia. Imagine my bliss to find myself learning from these two powerful women about our seasons, related Goddesses and our own native animals and plants and how they are connected to us as women in this part of the world. I was enthralled and left with a greater sense of purpose about what my Goddess nature is living in this part of the world.

Embodying Feminine Soul Dance Class: Facilitated by Leyolah Antara of Kundalini Dance this was one of the most personally challenging things I did all festival. Leyolah led us through so many phases of primal, raw, and intensely tender personal dance that it was hard at times not to be self-conscious. So rarely do we really let ourselves completely ‘go’ in such a way where we are vulnerable and exposed to such a degree. And that is what this dancing felt like. However it also felt incredibly releasing, rich and grounding too as my feet (and hands and butt and back) hit the bare earth over and over again. I walked away literally feeling like I was Goddess Kali herself. Now that’s a well spent 90 minutes.

Deya Dova: Those of you who know me well know that I am not a night owl – at all. I am very much a morning person and do my best work and thinking at that time of the day. However I was determined to stay up until midnight and beyond to see Deya Dova perform and I was not disappointed. The thumping electronic beat of her empowering music – not to mention her brilliant and haunting chants and voice – had me dancing up a storm. Outdoors. Under the stars. With hundreds of other women. An amazing experience. I’m about to purchase a whole lotta new tracks for a playlist for the Bali Inspiration Day for the Beautiful You Coaching Academy next month. I can’t wait for that special day very soon.

There were many other things I did over the Seven Sisters Festival three days too including a lovely yoga class, making a crystal necklace and learning more about our cyclical nature as women at a Shamanic Ecology Workshop. I also ate up an organic storm including falling in love with hot kombucha and to further keep the wind and rain at bay, (the weather until the last day was awful!), some amazingly good chai. I also absolutely loved how in almost every corner of the festival there was always beautiful music being performed. I never ate a meal without being serenaded which I think is pretty divine.

If you are thinking about going to the Seven Sisters Festival I can recommend it if you are truly open to exploring your natural and spiritual self. It’s an amazing experience but not for the faint hearted on a number of levels. Your perception of yourself will be challenged. And it could be challenged to the point of you feeling really uncomfortable, stretched, and asking a lot of questions of yourself. The accommodation is basic and if you’re in a tent you could be battling the elements. You’re likely going to get wet, dusty, dirty or all three.

For me if I was to go to the Seven Sisters Festival again I think I may stay off site and just be there during the day.  A little place to escape to away from so many people I would have appreciated. And in making myself sound like I’m totally going back on what I just said…I also think next time I would round up some of my girlfriends and go as a group. Such is my extroverted nature tinged with highlights of the introvert! I met some beautiful women going on my own and had some gorgeous conversations as a result. Next time for me though will involve drinking chai with a loved friend so we can compassionately growl about how much there is still for us to know, or simply bask together in a divine experience.