The Pelvic Priestess

Yes! Happy Holidays!

Oh ... this is good!

Yes!

An important read ...

I think it was Brene Brown who told a story about a village where all the women washed clothes together down by the river. When they all got washing machines, there was a sudden outbreak of depression and no one could figure out why.

It wasn't the washing machines in and of themselves. It was the absence of time spent doing things together. It was the absence of community.
Friends, we’ve gotten so independent.

We’re “fine” we tell ourselves even when in reality we’re depressed, we’re overwhelmed, we’re lonely, and we’re hurting. “We’re fine, we’re just too busy right now” we say when days, weeks, months, and years go by without connecting with friends. I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s so easy to say even when it’s not true.

We’ve become so isolated and it’s hard to know how to get back. It’s so hard to know how to even begin to build the kind of relationships our hearts need. And I think In our current culture, it’s just not as organic as it once was. It's more work now.

Because you know, we have our own washing machines. We don't depend on each other to do laundry, or cook dinner, or raise babies anymore. We don't really depend on each other for much of anything if we're being honest.
In Brene Brown’s book Braving the Wilderness, she says that being lonely effects the length of our life expectancy similar to smoking 15 ci******es a day. I don’t say that to freak anyone out, but to let you know that the longing for connection is LEGIT. I think we’ve treated friendship like a luxury for far too long; friendship isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

We don't want it. We kind of need it.

Be independent. Be proud of it. But be an independent woman who realizes the value and the importance of opening the door to other good women.
You can do it alone, but you don't have to. Islands are only fun for so long.
There is true magic when women come together and hold hands and share ideas and share stories and struggles and endless bowls of salsa. You use your gifts, and I'll use mine, and then we'll invite that girl over there who brings a completely different set of skills to the table we are building, and we'll watch together as something miraculous unfold.

Author: Amy Weatherly

Art: Darcy Lee

Instagram.com/wildwomansisterhoodOfficial

The tissue that lines our uterus and sheds each month during our period is called the endometrium. Endometriosis is a condition in which this tissue grows outside of the uterus and remains ‘trapped’ in the body when it breaks down and bleeds during menstruation. It can cause irritation, scar tissue, and adhesions, and women with this condition often experience pelvic and abdominal pain that can occur around the time of menstruation or continuously.

Endometrial tissue growing in the pelvic and abdominal cavity can also affect the functioning of the bladder, bowel, reproductive organs, and breathing diaphragm. Most women with endometriosis also have symptoms with one or more of these systems.

The gold standard for treatment for endometriosis is excision surgery, which involves identifying and cutting out the endometrial tissue. There is a large amount of misinformation about treatment options for this condition, so anyone with suspected endometriosis is highly encouraged to do your research and identify a true endometriosis specialist. Recommendations include www.nancysnookendo.com, the book “Beating Endo,” and the film “Endowhat?”

While pelvic therapy cannot solve the underlying problem of the endometrial tissue, it can be extremely helpful for many patients with endometriosis in managing pain and improving bladder, bowel, and other symptoms caused by endometriosis.
*x

YES YOU SHOULD!!!

Hooray - the Pelvic Priestess is FILLED UP from her summer break and is ready to resume our regularly scheduled content!

The end of summer is a tough time of year for many people even in the best of circumstances. As we know we are collectively NOT in the best of circumstances, with the worsening pandemic and other events currently taking place. On top of that, many of us are in a bit of shock as we attempt to transition back into the the more hectic academic year schedule.

So here’s a gentle reminder to make sure you’re carving out at least a bit of time and space to be extra gentle and caring with yourself. Maybe you’d like choose one area from this graphic to focus on increasing in your day-to-day.

I'm just gonna leave this right here ...

i was ten
when i first heard the term
thunder thighs
and i wondered how to become
the type of woman
strong enough
to hold thunder
in her very legs

the type of woman
loud enough
to make thunder
when she walks

a storm bringer
drowning out words that
call attention
to thighs and not souls
that call attention to guys
and enable trolls

i wondered how to get
legs of thunder
and if i could get a
tongue of lightning
to go alongside

if i could really
shake institutions
with each step i took
and make a reputation
from all the foundations
i shook

my body
rapidly
expanding
to take up the space
i was told i could never have
clapping thunder
into the atmosphere
and the faces of those
hellbent on my silence and
fear

hear me and my thighs
they are more powerful
than the men
who name them
they are more beautiful
than the world
that hides them

and i was ten
when i first heard how women
are hated
how their bodies berated
and their ideas negated
and i was eleven when
men first made me
wary
and thirteen when
they taught me
storms were too scary

but i’m now
thirty plus four
and my thighs keep growing
asking for more
they’re clapping
and shaking
and making a scene
a bringing a storm
and washing things
clean

So good

It’s not you, mama. It’s the absence of the village.

Oh, right .... so let's all be gentle with ourselves, yes??!?

Tuesday thoughts

YAAAASSSSS!!!!

For my Worriers:

“I Worried”
I worried a lot.
Will the gardens grow,
will the rivers flow
in the right direction,
will the earth turn as it was taught and if not,
how shall I correct it?
Was I right,
was I wrong,
will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing,
even the sparrows can do it
and I am, well,
hopeless.
Is my eyesight fading
or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism, lockjaw, dementia?
Finally I saw that worrying
had come to nothing.
And gave it up.
And took my old body
and went out into the morning
and sang.
~Mary Oliver

There may be no more important work than healing our past trauma - it gives us the opportunity to finally come home to ourselves. Deeply caring for your own needs is not weakness but strength, especially in a culture that implies it is selfish. Reconnect with yourself, unearth your unmet needs, & prioritize caring for them.

No more

The Pelvic Priestess is on spiritual retreat in Costa Rica for the month! We are pausing our ‘regular’ video content, but stay tuned for special CR adventure posts. 🙏🏼

Courage to continue searching for answers. Courage to listen to our inner knowing and learn to discern what is going to help us on our path. Courage to go against the grain of society and give ourselves the time, space, solitude, and nurturing necessary for recovering. Courage to keep going, even if it sometimes feels like two steps forward, one back. Oh yes, healing takes courage!⁣
⁣

So true

Many of us need little ways to increase our connection with Spirit. In our frantic daily lives we often feel ‘too busy’ to set aside time for spiritual connection, but doing so is so important for filling our Vessels!

We can keep small objects that we find sacred with or near us as a little reminder throughout the day - stones, talismans, sacred symbols, bits of nature (I’m partial to birds’ nests & feathers I find on my daily walks!). Or - hey - you could tattoo your reminder on yourself! (Permanently or just temporarily … )

📷 Image reposted from
⁣

Our inner knowing is an incredible resource! The problem is that it is usually a very quiet voice, and hard to hear when life is hectic. Just one more reason to work on slowing down and creating times of rest and joy in our days!⁣
⁣
⁣

A good reminder ...

We all go through tough times. Take the day in bed if you need it! Listen to your body. ⁣
⁣
⁣

What is endometriosis and how can it be treated? ⁣
⁣
Endometriosis is a condition in which the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. Just as the uterine lining sheds monthly when we have our period, this endometrial tissue sheds as well. When it is located in other areas in the abdominopelvic cavity, it does not have an exit out of the body and can cause adhesion and inflammation. ⁣
⁣
Endometriosis can be a very difficult condition to diagnose and properly treat, and I urge you to find a true specialist in this issue if you suspect you may have it. Pelvic therapists are not able to cure endometriosis but can help in many ways to alleviate and manage the pain and other symptoms that are experienced.⁣

To find out more, check out all of my video tutorials on YouTube
⁣

Y’all, WE CAN DO IT!!!! Remember that we are trying to create a REVOLUTION and go against the cultural norms of how we live our daily lives, what we believe about ourselves, and what we prioritize. ⁣
⁣
We are trying to find a better way, a more sustainable and joyful way, to live our lives. Change is hard, it is slow, it is not always linear, but it is possible, and we can inspire and support each other along the way!⁣
⁣

This is spot-on!

Yes. 💞🙏⁣⁣

“NO.” That is such a hard word for so many of us to say, particularly for women with our life-long socialization to care-take and people-please. ⁣
⁣
It’s a journey to learn to look inward for what truly feels right for us and to say no to everything else. Remember that every yes is also actually a no to something else! Give yourself a break. :)⁣
⁣
⁣