Last weekend recap - Workshop
As I'm still hyped up on the fruits of my brother's new expresso machine, I might as well play catch up. That being said it's 2:30 in the morning so hopefully this will be coherent as I may have already used up my good-writey-stuff typing in other places today.
A friend and I rented a car and drove up to Chicago for Thorn's Sex, Will and Magic(k) workshop last Saturday and Sunday, held at a lovely venue the Life Force Arts Center. The other attendees were warm and fun, a mixture of Reclaiming, Thorn's students and friends of with various bits of exposure to Thorn like myself. It promised to be a good weekend, especially since we were able to be housed by a local with an amazing double flat - which equals everyone having their own bedroom.
The only snag was we ended up getting a flat of some sort, probably a nail and slow leak because after lunch the first day we realized a tire was quite thoroughly flat. Getting AAA out to change the tire in the rainy cold Chicago evening at the same time the ritual was going on was not my ideal, but, as breathing in a weekend of life force with an energetic group, everything worked out and I was back in before we got to the heavy singing and such. (I now know where the popularity of the brightly colored rain boots came from...every female had them on this weekend. Note to self - bring some next time I get the idea to head to Chicago in the Spring.)
So. I've finally met Thorn, who in my newly formed opinion is a wonderfully balanced beautiful creature of skill, poise, grace and the amazing ability to allow herself to shine in a way that never once left me intimidated. By the end of the weekend I had the languid glow of a radiant breathing, another way to do kala work, different paths of running energy that invigorate and challenge me, and plenty of songs and throbbing drum beats stuck in my head. I can't seem to stop singing!
I can see why so many people enjoy working with her and it is a testament to her training and to the hard work her students put in to have so many wonderful representatives there reflecting the self-awareness that comes from her guiding them as they tap into themselves. I think I'll be able to recognize those who have studied with her in the future, her way of doing things seems to leave a little signature that separates them even from those involved in the Reclaiming Collective.
Overall a good weekend, I cracked through some of the gunk that I'd let pile up on me over the winter and found joy waiting underneath and into my practice. I give myself more time to sit and feel the emotions flowing in me, breathing in more space when they threaten to overwhelm me. The things she discussed has widened some concepts for me, allowed me to see them from different angles and of course meet some new folks. Who would think that I'd run into some other folks from St Louis there!
This weekend, I've visited family, have my coven stuff and next weekend is a pagan women's only retreat. The quiet of winter is officially over! On to the frenzy of Spring!
PS - I especially like the body work that she incorporates into her teaching. It helps me have a better relatioship with being embodied which is definately helpful for me. I appreciate her own struggle with being to intellectual/head based which helps me realize there is time and space for both without being completely exclusive to the other.