You can stop running - here's why

You’ve probably heard me say before that all my best ideas, my greatest creativity comes from being outside, walking the planet, communing with Mother Earth. This past weekend was no different as I hiked high up into the Swiss alps, into wild nature, crossing multiple valleys, from one canton to another.

It was on the never ending descent, through every kind of rock formation and rubble you can imagine, at the point where I’m pretty much broken but also know I have to keep going because otherwise I’ll be camping out instead of sleeping in a bed, that I asked myself, (as I have done so many times…), ‘Donna why do you put yourself through these insanely painful and hard physical challenges, why are you here doing this AGAIN?’

The answer was so immediate and so clear that I absolutely have to share it with you!

Because life is meant to be this way

Life is absolutely meant to be rolling hills, deep valleys and high mountains of pleasure and pain. Let me explain:

• Pain is hard and yet we often feel deep satisfaction and confidence from surviving it
• Pleasure is fantastic and yet it feels so much more meaningful when our own effort is what has created it
• We’re actually not looking to trade pain for pleasure, or darkness for light, the trick is to find a way to allow them to co-exist, knowing that they feed each other and that life is just one big freaking alpine hike with all the valley and peaks that come with it

And if I think about my recent goddess studies and my deep diving into the feminine archetypes this is exactly what they teach us. ?These powerful female representations aren’t sweet, sugar coated good times. ?We have the Huntress living deep in the forest, Persephone the Maiden as goddess of the underworld, the Mystic, often represented by fire goddesses. ?It is 1000% normal for us as women to hold pleasure and pain within us all at once. ?We are literally made for this - our anatomy is designed to birth - to bring a being from darkness to light, to endure indescribable pain to receive immense joy. ?This is the nature of who we are.

So we can stop running. ?No need to release or escape pain, darkness, or all the stuff that makes us feel uncomfortable, ashamed, unloved, unworthy and not enough. ?It’s your fuel goddess, and it’s a part of each and every one of us, it’s what enables us to experience the utmost pleasure, joy and bliss and feel in awe of our lives. ?Life is meant to be this way!

Some of my earliest readings on my own spiritual path were by Pema Ch?dr?n, an American Buddhist nun who has written fantastically accessible books on making friends with ourselves and with our pain. ?Here’s a beautiful recording of a piece she did on ‘Making a Relationship with Pain and Joy’ which also offers instructions in the ancient practice of tonglen (game changing sh%&t this btw), and I hope it will support you in believing me when I say life is meant to be this way.

Embrace the brutal babe, because it really is a pathway to bliss. ?And if you’re looking for a mountain to climb or a valley to traverse to remind you that this really is comment below and I’ll send you my best hiking recommendations so you can go out there and let Mother Earth remind you of your goddess nature.

Have a beautiful week :-)

Namaste, Donna x

PS Want to dive into this light and shadow and goddess work for real? ?There’s still time to sign up for my next retreat and come be a Sacred Goddess with me in Italy from 7 - 14 September - I'm waiting for you with open arms and an open heart.