Lessons from Circe on fear + rebuilding.
I recently read the book, Circe. There’s a part in the book where Circe must go to the depths of the ocean to retrieve Trygon’s tail, which is dipped in poison and can kill any mortal or God who touches it. Trygon in this story is a great God of the sea, old as the entire world. Circe is filled with fear, despair, terror and yet she goes.
In her encounter with Trygon, she thinks to herself: I cannot bear this world another moment longer. Trygon hears her thoughts and offers back, Then, child, make another.
Make another.
***
This piece of the book has lodged its way in my heart. Because, we’re there. The way we live our lives, caregive, work, build and grow businesses, receive educations, raise children alone…it’s not working. And, yet there’s a fear of changing. There’s a fear of leaning into what we desire, there’s a fear of acknowledging the deeper yearnings of our hearts. And, why? Because we think we cannot have them. See? The mind got in the way.
***
I work with narratives - words and bodies. And, I see that women have been taught to fear their bodies for a long, long time. Do you think this fear spills into other areas of our lives? For sure. Warning: What I’m about to write may make you squirm and if it does, perhaps that’s not a bad thing.
We learn early on that moon cycles are dirty, to pass tampons quietly, and that this time is something to despise rather than a gift from nature. Same with menopause. (That is, unless you are me and your mother and aunt lit candles to womanhood - thank you, both).
Anxiety and depression symptoms need to be masked right away, rather than a signal of where we need to go deeper.
Intuition, maternal instinct, and feminine wisdom are beaten down to make way for hustle culture, productivity, achievement, and material gain.
Conversations about sex and intimacy and pleasure in all forms are hush hush, even though this is a vital component of health.
Our bodies must conform to a societal norm and when they don't they're "bad" or "wrong." We fear our curves, pounding it out in the gym or mat to harden, tone, be fit.
When our reproductive organs don't work properly, often the first options are to cut them out or medicate the issue away.
Pregnancy is deemed a "medical process" (it's not), and as something to be feared (I was there).
Bouncing back postpartum must happen quickly, because bleeding, having a softer body, leaky breasts, and being sleep deprived will set us back in our careers and in our lives.
Those with more "credentials" know more about our bodies + minds than we do.
We are taught to be separate from nature and are nearly forced to operate as machines/technology.
We are told we should just be grateful for all the blessings we have, and that will make us feel better.
False. All of this conditioning is profoundly harmful.
Despite the technological advances of the modern world, women are experiencing overwhelm, chronic pain, anxiety/depression symptoms, stress, overwhelm, reproductive issues, severe depletion postpartum, and heart and breast dis-ease at continually high rates.
We need to return to our roots. We need to learn how to listen and trust our bodies and the pull of our deeper knowing, rather than fear them.
When women radically love on, listen, and nourish their bodies, minds, and hearts, they reclaim their power. And, that power is a force. You become the expert on your own well-being. You know how to listen with your body, the heart, the soul and not the egoic mind.
Imagine what would happen if more women recognized that power, owned their sensuality, trusted their intuition, led from the feminine, truly loved their bodies, gave themselves permission to be and nourish and connect with the Earth. How would that shift our health? Our homes? Our businesses? Our organizations? Our work? Our relationships? Our children?
Like Circe heard from Trygon, it’s time to make another.
***
Over-working ourselves, burnout, productivity, over-taxing our bodies and minds, parenting on empty, over-giving, and distracting ourselves from our pain and longings with wine/netflix/work/social media/exercise are not working.
This is where the Living Lush 6-Week Mentorship comes in. Great change doesn’t have to be grand. It starts with you. You deciding to do life differently. You deciding to take care of yourself differently. You deciding to learn more about your health and well-being that’s different from the mainstream. Here’s what you’ll learn to embody (meaning feel it and living from the body) in our six weeks together:
How to assess the health of our many layers, including our physical, mental, and energetic bodies - known as the Koshas
How nature’s elements show up in your body and how they work for us - the 5 elements of Ayurveda (earth, water, fire, air, ether), known as the Pancha Maha Bhutas
How to balance the masculine and feminine energies that run through each of us (regardless of gender) - our society runs on the masculine and honestly how’s that working for you?
An understanding of our bodies beyond the physical with an appreciation for the Chakra system
How to integrate art, writing, and self-expression within our daily routines and rituals (we will be writing in this mentorship!)
We start this summer (before Baby Matullo #2 comes later this fall). If you’re ready to commit yourself to self-study, connection, regular meditation, and community, let’s go. Living Lush will shift you to a place of ease, fulfillment, clarity, and deep fulfillment. But, only if you show up fully in these six weeks. And, the tools you’ll take with you will be with you forever.
The pre-sale ends in one week and I don’t want you to miss the $300 off if you are at all interested. Sign up for your Clarity Call here to learn more about the program. There is only three days of calls during the Pre-Sale. Also, you’ll receive two months to Narrative as a part of the Living Lush mentorship, so you can feel fully supported in body, mind, and soul.
With love,
Leanne
P.S. There’s a reason I’m not sharing detailed modules, exact timelines, and pricing. Because if you’re only making decisions based on time and money, then you’re operating in the masculine and the mind, which is precisely the area we’re working to balance. I want you to feel this is right in your heart, your body, your belly, your bones. This is how you know it’s the “right time” to invest in yourself with Living Lush or any other experience. On the Clarity Call, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. These are pressure free, and a time for us to get to know each other. I’ll be receiving you with a cup of tea, raspberry leaf most likely. Book your call now and apply. It’ll take five minutes.
Photo by Elia Pellegrini on Unsplash