Over the past decade, I’ve again and again struggled to find my way as a woman. In fact, until well into my twenties, I felt more like a girl than a woman. After all, even everyday language refers to grownup women as girls in many cases. You get greeted with "hey girl" and have a "girl’s night" with your friends. If you run a company, chances are you call yourself a „girl boss“.

 

I can say that I certainly identified with the maiden archetype for a long time. Young, focused on looks, available, free, experimenting…

 

Especially transitioning into motherhood made me ask the question: Why don’t I want to be a real woman? A grownup? Grounded? Owning my power and my wisdom in a more mature way?

 

But in a society that fetishizes female youthfulness, it’s hard to own your womanhood.

 

In a society where a female chancellor gets judged by her clothing rather than her achievements, it’s hard not to fall into the trap of constant worry about one’s appearance.

 

In a society that’s so judgmental, how can we confidently and authentically express ourselves?

 

I believe what our society really needs at this point is that women step up and own their womanhood. That grown up women no longer pretend to be girls. That we say enough is enough when our boundaries are crossed and values neglected.

 

This retreat will be a safe space for us to jointly explore the following themes:

 

Navigating women’s issues: How do we relate more confidently to to our own bodies, our periods, pregnancy, birth, abortion, sexuality, contraception, menopause? How to release the shame that these issues carry for many of us?

 

Power: In which areas of life are we pretending to be smaller than we actually are? Not owning our knowledge and capabilities?

 

Career: How to be a female leader in organizations and companies that were built mostly by men for men? How to meet requirements of the existing system without compromising our values and needs?

 

Voice: Where do we not speak our truth and why?

 

Motherhood: How to be an amazing, intuitive mother in a modern world with many clashing demands.

 

We will explore these themes through a variety of ways. We will use words in sharing circles and discussions, we will use our imagination in guided meditations. Breathwork, active meditation and dance will allow us to tap into the intelligence of the body. Psilocybin mushrooms will guide us to other realms and bring forgotten wisdom to the surface.