SHERO FEST pre-gaming
Inspiring your game plan
In my last post, I had recommendations of the considerations we should entertain before going into SHERO FEST. However, these are ideas that could apply to any new steady spiritual practice. In a way, Shero Fest can be considered a 10 day retreat. As with trips, we often have to get ready. So how am I getting ready?
Let me base this update on the outline of the previous post and let’s keep in mind that all of this has to do with “getting clear”. So I’m going to add upon the list from yesterday and we are going to start with that something new.
INTENTIONS
Getting clear. This is a “what do we want?” And I mean that in two ways. How would you like to participate in this experience? As I am the host, my option is more of a matter of realistic scheduling. Making sure everything I have planned is feasible but knowing I will be participating in 100% of whatever that is. You, have an option. The only real “requirement” is that you participate in the Sadhana for the duration of SHERO FEST (which can be completely on your own or at any of the events). I’m not policing. So SHERO FEST is a challenge of spiritual discipline. In looking at the events page, see which ones you can or want to attend but be realistic. As with the actual sadhana, it’s better to do less but do what you committed to than to overly commit (even mentally) and let yourself down. The goal here is success in whatever practice we dedicate ourselves to. This is why you will notice I have two open days right now. I could try to fill them but still currently feel I need them open so I can recharge before the four Aves series of workshops.
The second meaning of intention here is the “what do you want?”. What are you doing this practice for? It could be one-pointed. All your energy dedicated to world peace or it could be maybe a list of, say, three goals you have: an immediate, a mid, and a long term goal. Durga will help us so start doodling or brainstorming what it is you want to work towards. Just as an FYI, I am not personally into asking for personal material things typically with the dedication of my energy. This can be a discussion we have in person or on a Zoom call but please know I will not judge you SHERO FEST’ers if that’s the direction you wish to work in.
SCHEDULING (COMMUNICATING)
In the last post I mentioned scheduling. Please review that post as I will only tell you in this post what I am doing specifically under each topic. I added “communicating” in parentheses because that is what I am realizing I needed to do. My husband very sweetly asked me how he could be of support and asked for my schedule. I need to obviously share the event page with him but, since I’m the host, I actually need to go a bit further since I would need to be places earlier, stay later, etc. However if you are in partnership or even if you have roommates, it might be a good idea to communicate your schedule with them especially about the sadhana as you will need time and space for that. We will be practicing the sadhana at each event. If you don’t plan to go to all the events (and I’m not designing this experience in a way where you should feel like that’s an obligation), then you will be doing it on your own and you will need to schedule that for yourself.
MAKING /BEAUTIFYING SPACE
I’ve already cleaned my main altar area. Phew! However, I want to do more. I have two shelves above the space that need some dusting and rearranging. This is part of my pre-gaming tomorrow or Friday. I also have a Yoni and a Goddess garden. Both of these spaces need some manicuring or freshening up. The altar shelves are a priority. Although I plan to enjoy the gardens during SHERO FEST, I don’t need to ready them beforehand. This was a decision I had to make. Instead of feeling like I should scramble to prepare them before we start, I decided trimming these areas with reverence would be a beautiful spiritual practice during SHERO FEST.
ABSTINENCE (FASTING)
This can take many forms but I am committed to sexual abstinence during SHERO FEST, as well as consciousness altering substances. I realized today I felt like I wanted to make some rules to “fast” from media. As I am married, conversations have happened with hubby about the sexual abstinence and conversations will continue to happen around food. Today I told him I want to mostly eat soups at night. I have not yet decided how strict I will go on this fast. It will not be too strict, to be honest. Already we do something similar to Bulletproof in the mornings. On days I am working out I may want to eat some kind of lunch. Soup will be at night. I’m thinking I will do kind of a weaning style fast where I eat moderate lunches the first week and then the last 3 days, especially, skip the lunch. For me, this will involve limon water throughout the day and as well as kanji (rice water) maybe a couple hours before the soup.
I do know that I want to take a tea of Jack Ass Bitters (local medicinal herb I grow) every day as a cleanse. The kanji water is important especially at the end to break the fast.
As with all the considerations, it’s best to make a plan you can stick to and challenge yourself greater the following SHERO FEST ;)
