an fen

An Fen telling Bluebeard at the Camp Fire

I just returned from the Tribe Camp-out.  It was wonderful, and I wanted to thank Shelli Mullins for hosting the Event on her farm. Even though Shelli lives about twenty minutes away, I was a bit nervous about going as Shelli and I were doing some work together a couple years back and had a disagreement.  We ‘patched’ it up; but it was in the ‘let’s just give each other some space’ vein, so I was not sure how welcomed I would be.

Any concerns I had were gone as Shelli at the registration desk gave me a smile, a hug and a welcome.  You see, I knew I had to go, because Shelli and I share the same passion.  And I knew there would be many other women there that I wanted to meet and see again.

Like Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost, seven months pregnant and absolutely gorgeous in this red gauze dress that highlighted her beautiful growing belly.  Her mother Teresa Moorehouse and she had set up a beautiful red tent and were there welcoming in women.  

As I sat in there and spoke with them, Teresa told me how she realized thirty years ago that in order to empower her daughter, she had to first empower herself.

And that is why I was there.  Third time I’ve set up a tent and camped this summer.  Almost forty seven years old, and I have never camped before.  I woke up 2am in the morning having a panic attack and had to spend about 45 minutes talking myself through it.  

Can you relate?  Whatever you’re afraid of, if it’s worth doing, do it anyhow.

I met a lovely lady and her wonderful 16 year old daughter who had set up next to me and let me use their shade tent.  They drove five hours to come from Ohio and had never done anything like this before.  

They will be back next year.

And I listened to a wonderful telling of Bluebeard  by An Fen at the campfire.  Surely you’ve heard of Clarissa Pinkola Estes by now, right?  Change your stories, change your life.  Bluebeard is about learning to listen to your intuition, about setting up boundaries in your life, about learning from your mistakes, about following that ‘need to know’ … about learning to be ‘fierce’ in your life.  

You see, strong women, there’s a good chance that we are going to clash at some point and have different opinions and viewpoints.  But in the end, we all go farther when we lift each other up.

Shelli Mullins opened the Tribe Campout talking about in all her experience with Women’s Circles that women are all looking for the same thing:  community and a place of acceptance.  And that is what she offered.  And at the price of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant, she gave so many women an opportunity to experience something that many have never ever experienced before.  

I see you, Shelli Mullins.  You’re incredible.  Thank you.

Shelli sang this at the Campfire.  

Women (people) of the world are gathering

Together we’re creating

a world unafraid of feeling

We’re initiating healing

So Rise Up

 

Rise up, Women.  Rise up.  It’s Time.