A wild, white out snow squall swirled 8 women together tonight from far and wide. Barnet, St Johnsbury, Plainfield, Marshfield, Craftsbury, Woodbury and West Glover each dispatched some courageous spirits into circle tonight to grant themselves permission.

It sounds novel, right? Maybe even a little silly, perhaps? It was profound to witness, a privilege to help hold with some inspiring sisters, and a potent reminder of how purposeful an arrangement it is to mix healing with joy, kinship, food, comfort and sacred space. That alchemy is the magic that I am dedicated to fostering back into daily life here at Rootstock and tonight I got to drink it from a bowl. I’m feeling so full and nourished and hopeful.

What called each women into circle tonight was different. Effective marketing, a compelling call to action, a friendly reminder, a designated driver… What they each left with was the same: the permission to be, have, do, say, stop, start or accept whatever was most limiting their self-expression, deepest joy or heartfelt need. The completeness with which everybody dropped into trust, truth and vulnerability felt immediate and we co-created a sound and beautiful container for the evening’s ritual.

After some laps of heart-shares and breathing, we each spelled out the three things that we wanted to leave with the Dragon. We asked for support holding and composting these self-defeating and no-longer-relevant thought forms and, one by one, spoke them aloud. Each woman wrapped her words around a bough of cedar - each woman holding the words of all the women who came before - before sending it up in smoke with some lichen, mugwort, prayers and a song. Together we breathed and blew and the bundle ignited, wrapped in the sweet smell of cedar, turned to lace and rose. Singing together as we watched our prayer bundle burn…’we are opening up in sweet surrender to the luminous love light of The One.’

We were The Ones.

With space to fill, each woman nabbed a Permission Slip and began to call in whatever permission she needed to move herself closer to her heart, closer to her knowing, closer to her creative destiny, closer to her Source. Slips were written from ourselves, our childhood selves, The Universe, alter egos, Parents-in-Law, the Dragon and they opened up a million doorways. PERMISSION GRANTED!

Reading these slips to one another was a powerful and joyful act. Full of resonance, compassion, inspiration, play and agency. Just the simple act of clearing some space to receive, and then being articulate about what we want to receive felt like it moved the whole world tonight.