Dharma Series: Holding Sacred Shakti Space for Self-love and Acceptance.
By: Vera Kamalatmika
{Part 1 of vera’s Dharma Project}
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. - Thich Nhat Hanh”
Dear Family around the globe,
In this blog post I would love to share my feelings, actions and reflections on my “Power Lies Within Project for Women” in Germany. The second phase of the project started at the beginning of January, as soon as I came back from my 300 hr YTT in Guatemala.
At the beginning of January, we started some new activities within the project. The Lakshmi Circle of project devotees had existed already and meets according to New Moon and Full Moon cycles. One of the Lakshmi-circle members, Shivanjali, has been creating and holding a lot of space with me. I bow to the wisdom and power of this sister, her humble attitude and her service on Earth.
Furthermore, in January we started a new women circle called Durga circle in a very magical town called Pfronten, in Bavaria. In this circle we shared a lot of dancing, meditations, yoga, silence and empowerment with each other. Saraswati circle in the Yoga Vidya Ashram Allgäu is also running weekly and invites mostly guests and karma yogis of the ashram to share. In this circle, Shivanjali has assisted me a lot and shared her gifts with the women. One of highlights of this circle has been a Kundalini yoga practice together. Along side these activities there has been Mother Nature walks to sacred sites in Maria Rain, Bavaria.
With one of the project activities there has been a change. The original idea was to share women circles in an older people’s home. At some point, this activity didn’t feel aligned anymore and I decided to realign the project plan. The following realignment came through:
I’ll write stories of women who inspire me. I have always loved reading people’s books and hearing their life stories and where their feet have taken them in this life journey. It has been my dream to write about people like this and now it is possible. Soon you will be able to read the first part of “The Power Lies within You – Inspiring Stories of Women.”
The second phase has been a deeply touching one, a deeply teaching one... with so much love.
After some gatherings, I just sat still there and felt the whole Universe pulsating within me. A deep fulfillment of Shiva-Shakti unity within, a deep sense of oneness. Through this project and the space we share, I started understanding what it means to be in the right place at the right time and beyond all that, being able to share timeless time and spaceless space.
I feel deeply fulfilled in my dharma through this project. I have been also facing beautiful lessons throughout the project. Sometimes there have been two participants in a circle and that had made me reflect on what it truly means to be devoted to a project. I have reflected some self-worth issues within me and also openly shared them in those circles. I have been holding space for a fear … what if nobody comes to an event or a circle that I offer?
Sometimes I have been asking myself … what do I do wrong? From a higher perspective, everything is perfect just exactly the way it is. My very first intention for the project was actually to gather in intimate groups with women. This work with myself that I have witnessed, has been a very important part of my life path. I am sure that I share these feelings with many of you who are holding space for circles, yoga classes, and retreats... and it is so important to go through this process with deep love – also for oneself. With these words and feelings, I wish you all a blessed spring time filled with self-care, self-acceptance and self-love.
"Your self love is a medicine for the Earth." - Yung Pueblo
About Vera:
Vera embodies the grace of a lotus flower opening up into its purest divine essence, weaving the aspects of softness, stillness and inner strength together. Her authentic presence empowers others around to find the stillness in the core of being, and to stay in that union throughout the waves of our lives. Her life’s work brings together holistic teachings of yoga, nature and concepts of sensitivity; encouraging people to shine their light. She recently received a Kula Dharma Grant towards her 300 HR Yoga Teacher Training at the Yoga Forest in December of 2018.