1. What are your best qualities?
One of best qualities is my sheer determination - if not my best. If I set my mind to something, journal daily, and focus on shifting my daily tasks and actions, this puts me in proper alignment for manifestation work to occur. This space-holding practice also allows what I’m calling in to have room to manifest in the physical form (aka my life).
2. What do you love the most about your body?
I most love my body's ability to carry me and I love that it is my home in this life. As for physical feature, I have grown to cherish lately my legs. Thank you, I love you to my thick thighs, cellulite and strong calves as we have had walked some beautiful and some dark paths together.
3.What about yourself do you wish you loved more?
I think radical self -love is a daily task. We all need to be doing the work of healing. If that is your inner child healing, sexual trauma and womb healing or ancestral lineage healing or all of the above. This isn’t easy work, but it’s so important and so sacred to me on this self-love journey that I have been on. I am working daily on taking time out of each day to move my body freely and to thank it for all it does for me.
4. Tell us the story about how you earned your stretch marks…
I remember the first time I saw stretch marks on my body… Staring in fear and disgust at my body in the mirror after stepping out of the shower. Looking back now, it's crazy to think how programmed I was so early on to feel shame as my body grew in a natural way. I was appalled and felt like it needed to be fixed immediately so I hopped online to google and even further drove home the sensation of feeling ugly and trying to fix this terrible thing immediately ugh how sad. Then I ordered a bunch of stretch mark creams and products and this spiked roller that I used daily to roll over my skin. It hurt and didn’t even work. All these products were advertised to reduce the appearance of skin dis-normalcies. As if they aren’t the most normal and natural process. I now am at peace with the marks, scars and stretch mark’s that adorn this physical vessel as they each tell stories about my evolution.
5. How did those around you make you feel about them?
I was lucky to have a support system of strong and spiritual women. So I never felt shame from those around me. But I absolutely felt shame from girls at school. Changing for PE class and worrying if anyone would see the lioness marks that had appeared on my hips as I took the shape of the divine feminine is etched into my brain.
6. Describe your journey with body acceptance.
My journey with self-acceptance is and has been a tale of dark and twisted love. I quite literally had to rise from the flames and be re-born. For me a lot changed as I deepened my spiritual connection and had my Kundalini awakening. When we live in the heart space of the confinements of humanity it’s so easy to fall for the mind control and social conditioning that is deep rooted in side of us like self-doubt or fear. But as we no longer feed into those systems we watch them collapse in front of our eyes. This isn’t easy; don’t get me wrong I still have days when I speak to my body with disrespect, days when I eat like shit and lay around all day, days when I feel worthless but it's only days or sometimes even hours. Then I meditate or practice gratitude and my whole perspective shifts. We have these tools available to us. So my journey has been about stripping down, physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Think back to how you felt in your skin as a young child, could we work together to return to that place of pure love and pure acceptance? My spirituality has also led me to know that this human form we take in this life really means nothing. It’s merely a vessel as to FEEL; to feel touch, pain, love and all the emotions and physical sensations in between. When we can realize how this form isn’t us but merely a soul to our home then appearance finally loosens its iron grip and we can feel and be as we are meant to.
7. What is one of your qualities you wish shined brighter than exterior appearance?
I wish all humans could see past this physical mask we wear in this life, and I feel we are moving that way. But I would hope my passion and lust for life would shine past any physical traits I possess.
8. What about self-love are you continuing to work on?
Self-love has given me the tools to live this life in the most freeing and fulfilling way. I’m working each day to fall more in love with this body and with the eb and flow of life. I now feel safe enough in my body to have a healthy relationship with her and to listen deeply and I’m so grateful. FINALLY feeling at home in your skin -fucking beautiful.
9. How do women need to improve interacting with one another?
By realizing firstly we are all reflections of each other. The goddess inside of each of us yearns for the cultivation of that feminine divinity. It's time we step into our powers ladies. We are the mothers, creators of life and we to be held as sacred.
10. What lesson do you hope to instill to your children about self-love & body acceptance?
This is a question I have deeply pondered. This may sound extreme but American culture I believe has played a huge negative role on body acceptance. As well as the value systems of this country do not match up to mine. So I plan to someday raise children in Australia. As well as just showing my babies how to love them sleeves fully and properly. If we had been given the space and tools as children to test out the ways in which we feel most loved and most filled up then we have the power to be that person for our selves. This realization changes everything!
12. What is something you wish you could have told yourself at your most fragile state?
Yes absolutely. I would tell that broken girl how when you are acting from lower vibrations, like fear or pain or guilt, you are keeping your soul locked away from your body and creating a rift between all of "you" that exists, above or below. This is the place I lived for years. So, to that scared and alone feeling little girl, I want you to know you are never alone. Everything that happens along the way is to prepare you for the task meant for you. Each step along this journey is of value. I wish to wrap her in a golden blanket of liquid light and love. When you doubt yourself, you close off that energetic exchange, quite literally separating you from all that you are. Reach out to strong and healed women. We live in a day and age where we can connect from opposite ends of the earth - so share knowledge.
11. What is the best compliment you've ever received?
I’ve been receiving less appearance-based complements lately and more soul level compliments, which makes me feel happy and truly seen. I have always been complimented on my appearance as long as I can remember. Constantly being told and receiving negative attention due to the way I look has been a part of healing and is something I am still working through.
13. How do you feel you have evolved as a human over the last few years?
I feel I have grown so vastly and deeply I don’t even recognize myself. But that’s the point to me, to each day evolve and awaken and go deeper. This universe has so much to offer if we open up and trust the process. Everything is happening best-case scenario, always. We are on a path and together can lead each other home back to love.
14. What is the one thing you'd do if you knew you couldn't fail?
I would follow my heart to the ends of the earth. Exploring, learning and seeing all that this planet has to offer. Cultural stories and ingenious spirits restless poke me towards this journey, even now.
