This is your origin. This is your lineage. The current of creation is right here. Coursing through subtle channels, Animating this very form.
The Radiance Sutras
The Venus Retrograde Immersion- December 2021-January 2022
Astrology
As you study the planets and their movements through space and time, your inner awareness of how these planetary energies move through you grows in rhythm with your outer experience, and you begin to understand in real time how these energies show up in your everyday life. In many ways, astrology invites you to become a holy witness to your own divine nature and a conscious participant in the path unfolding before you. The connection between Heaven and Earth, body and soul, and how it uniquely expresses through you becomes clear. You are the channel for enlightened living. For many this awareness only grows over time, providing a pathway for your authentic expression in the world and providing a map for your journey to unfold from a place of clarity, wisdom, and informed choice.
The Journey of Venus
Each planet in the sky holds a specific quality of archetypal energy. Each planet also moves at a particular pace and in a particular pattern as it orbits around the Sun. Venus’ pattern in the sky is one of the oldest recorded astronomical patterns, and when tracked it creates a pattern similar in appearance to a 5-pointed star, or a rose. As the brightest celestial body in the sky, second only to the Sun and the Moon, Venus has been revered for her journey of rebirth from an Evening Star to a Morning Star since ancient times. The Venus retrograde cycle lasts for approximately 40 days, which is a number that is also spiritually significant in many wisdom traditions around the world. We will take a deep dive into this powerful cycle of rebirth during the Immersion.
Venus in Capricorn
During this particular retrograde cycle, Venus is moving through the sign of Capricorn. Venus is a planet of attraction, desire, and pleasure, which moves you to gather experiences and things you enjoy, appreciate and value. And hopefully, also moving you towards others with whom you can share and enjoy the same things. Capricorn is one of the more patriarchal signs of the Zodiac, ruled by Saturn and overseeing the house of career and ambition in modern astrology. So, there may be a deeper layer to explore in which you may feel called to question how the messages of a patriarchal society, or perhaps your relationship with your own father, have impacted your ability to feel worthy, to seek out pleasure and to step into your power as a woman. Venus will retrograde at 26-Capricorn in conjunction with Pluto which will further invite this review of power dynamics and ways in which women have been held back by men in power for generations. Pluto is also a planet known for rebirth. This is a very powerful cycle, ripe with potential for real transformation...not just change. Transformation. Each woman can choose how deep she would like to go in her exploration of any limiting patterns and/or reclamation of her personal power.
What does retrograde mean?
Technically speaking, the retrograde motion is a period of time in which a planet appears to be moving backward as we see it from the viewpoint of Earth looking up at the stars. Venus begins to slow down in her orbit around the Sun and eventually stops and turns around appearing to move backwards. After about 40 days, Venus then begins to move direct again and eventually returns to her normal orbital speed.
Archetypally speaking, retrogrades are often a period of internalization, turning inward to take stock of where you've been, where you are currently, and where you would like to go in the future. We will walk with you through this process as our carefully curated program invites an experience of
- turning inward to do an internal review of where you are
- letting go and entering the stillness in the dark, a place of silent potential
- re-emerging into the world with a reclamation of your worth and power.
How does the Venus retrograde immersion help you?
During the Venus retrograde cycle, there is a very real opportunity to review and assess your current life circumstances to see how much your reality is in alignment with your values. The first part of the retrograde cycle is an invitation to look at what is working and what is not working in your life as far as relationships, finances, and your values or feelings of self worth. With the Capricorn influence in this particular retrograde, there may be an internal review of your duties and responsibilities as well as how you manage time and productivity. Do you make time for pleasure? Do the things you most enjoy have your attention? How does this reflect your own sense of inner value and self worth? Are your values aligned with your lifestyle or do they feel separate?
There is an excavation of sorts that takes place and an internalization process in which you are invited to go inward for a very honest appraisal of your reality and your desires. There could be a shedding of patterns that no longer serve your highest outcome, and in that process, you may encounter hard truths that require a certain maturity and wisdom to move through them. For example, you could come to realize that you have difficulty asking for what you reality want in a relationship, and there will be curated exercises to develop the ability to say what you want. It seems simple but it can be very deep. We are here to help in those moments when it feels hard to take the next step on your own. There could also be a unifying effect that brings your voice, your value and your body into deeper alignment in a way that is brand new for you. In all honesty, it will probably be a mixture of both. There will be a release and a reclamation. Sometimes the potential of this deeply internal process is unknown and emerges over time. And sometimes it is felt immediately...again probably a mixture of both.
My hope is that you walk away feeling empowered to continue the practice of planting seeds of intention for your life path in correlation with the Venus cycle again and again. Each time a planet transits the place in the zodiac where you plant these seeds, your intentions are further nurtured and over time, emergence occurs as seeds bloom and your intentions are made manifest. At least, this is my hope, and I like to hold it in my heart as an inevitability rather than a possibility. Let’s plant some really amazing seeds together.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light. I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
Sarah Williams
What is a Reiki Journey?
A reiki journey is an advanced reiki technique that involves entering a deep meditative state in order to connect with your authentic self and higher states of consciousness. The journey is oftentimes an extra sensory experience (meaning beyond the 5 senses) that happens inside of the imagination and/or intuition.
The journey state is defined as “when a person enters an altered state of consciousness to connect with other spiritual dimensions and spiritual guides. The common intention of a journey is to obtain spiritual guidance, information, healing and empowerment from a higher source of consciousness.” For more information, read my blog, What is a Reiki Journey?
Creating an Altar
This is a place for centering, reflection, contemplation and prayer to which you can return again and again. This can be very small, or this can be very ornate and elaborate. It can be a place in your home or a place in nature, for example, a favorite tree or a sitting rock. You may find that you add to it as your journey unfolds, perhaps a feather arrives on your path, or a new crystal, a book, a candle.
These sacred spaces allow you to feel a very personal connection to the divine in a profound, sustained way. This is a time of deep communion between Heaven and Earth that happens through you in a completely unique and precious way. You are the vessel of your spirit, and the altar is a pathway for sincere, grounded contact with the Divine within you and around you.
Altars are a place for one to experience communion with the sacred through both speaking and listening, both giving and receiving. The daily practice may be as simple as a heartfelt, genuine prayer followed by silence or deep listening. It could also expand into journaling, meditation, mantra practice, and/or oracle card readings. Altar work can also include therapeutic art in the form of collage, drawing, painting, and other forms of creativity.
Once you’ve established a sacred space, it is just a matter of showing up each day for prayer time and allowing devotion to fill the heart. This requires your presence. We ask that you commit to a minimum of 5 minutes every day at your altar throughout the duration of the course. Everyday…no matter what, show up to your altar time.
You can find out more by reading Ally's PDF Guide "The Practice of Building Altars" in the Member's Only Resource Library.
What do I need for Guided Meditation ?
Essentially all you need is a quiet, undisturbed place to rest. If you are doing a seated practice, it is best to have the back supported, however, you may also choose to lie down. Having a device in which you can listen to the meditations is also necessary.
When working with "energy" or aspects of life that are more intangible or invisible, remember to anchor in your physical body.
- Jumana Sophia
What do you mean by embodiment practices?
An embodiment practice is a “method of using the unique sensations of our body as a tool to develop awareness, stay present, self-regulate, feel whole, find balance, feel connected, know yourself, love yourself and be empowered”. (1)
Embodiment practices fall under the umbrella of somatic work, which assumes that:
- Events impact our physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual being as a whole.
- All events must be processed through our sensory systems.
- Thoughts are physiological and occur throughout the body, not just the mind. (2)
While embodiment practices are simple in nature, the Venus Rising Temple invites you to shift your awareness and fully witness your body through being to even the smallest cues, and also conscious movement. Embodiment practices utilize dance or physical movement as well as visualization, sensory awareness, and progressive muscle relaxation exercises to cultivate sensory feedback that is essential to healing and connecting authentically with your body. Embodiment creates the opportunity to utilize the senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin) to process emotion and experiences.
The Venus Rising Temple uses embodiment practices to support your reclamation of the sacred feminine through engaging the sensory system with activities like yoni steaming, meditation, movement, and mindfulness exercises.
What is Yoni Steaming?
What is my Yoni?
The word "yoni", which means “sacred space” in Sanskrit, is used to show reverence for the entire female reproductive system. At The Venus Rising Temple, we see the Yoni and the body as a sacred temple for you to cherish and honor. In a culture where we are often not encouraged to talk about our bodies and our sexuality, or we are inundated with ideal images of women and our comparing mind can easily fall into judgement, The Venus Rising Temple hopes to create unity and reconnect you with your sacred feminine through embodiment practices that honor and care for every part of you. We recognize that there is a lot of vulnerability here and a spectrum of experience held within the collective female body, and we want to make room for every woman to feel safe in her body and in her self expression. Each participant will receive Safe Sister Guidelines before beginning the immersion, and if you don't want to participate in this part of the offering, you do not have to.
In the beginning, the practices are very gentle involving breath and deep listening for what your body and your yoni is communicating. By reawakening your reverence for your Yoni in this way, you remember how to deeply listen to your inner wisdom, and this is the foundation from which we enter into the steaming ritual. Our hope is that you rediscover and redefine what it means to be the sacred feminine fully embodied and at home in your yoni.
How will we steam?
The Venus Rising Temple will offer two opportunities to participate in a yoni steam: the first will focus more on releasing and the second will focus more on renewal. A yoni steam (or vaginal steam) is an ancient practice where you sit over a mixture of herbs and water (steamed to the appropriate temperature) as a ritual for self care. Steaming provides gentle and effective support for women's wellness.
During the sessions, you will learn:
- How a yoni steam works and all the benefits;
- How often you should steam and which herbs to use;
- Safety and best practices; and
- How to create your very own Yoni Steam Ritual.
Then, we will prepare and engage in a yoni steam together, guided by Grace. A detailed instruction document will be provided to participants upon enrollment. However, if you have specific questions, please email us or schedule a 20-minute free consultation to learn more.
What are the benefits?
Some of the physical benefits include improving your menstrual cycle, supporting overall uterine health, and detoxifying and clearing different toxins and congestion from your womb. Engaging in this practice is also a way to reclaim and embody our sacred feminine essence. This is a sacred time for you to honor Yoni as a sacred space, to connect with your physical experience as a woman, to take time for relaxation and mindfulness through ritual and ceremony.
Do I need additional supplies?
Yes! We will share a guide with you ahead of time to prepare you properly for the steam that will provide more details. Essentially, you will need to have:
- A yoni-safe pot with a lid (to boil the water for steam)
- Herbs (if desired; you can steam with or without herbs)
- Hot plate or electric burner (something to boil the pot of water)
- Towel or gown (to use as a shield to hold in the steam)
- Chair/stool/yoga blocks (something to support you sitting over the steam)
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