REAL, RAW AND AUTHENTIC

I love the word real. I have bathed in it and asked it to be my guide and teacher for so long now.I have used it in my work with women and artists over and over.

I added two more companions at one point, they had to join the party: raw and authentic.

These three belong together in my world. They are almost inseparable, like very best friends, friends that look out for you and love you unconditionally.

It took a long journey to ‘get’ them in their core, to understand them in their deepest essence and to embody them. And some of it is still work in progress. Haha

So what does real mean to ME?

It means that I know who I am, although sometimes I feel that it is a life-long un-learning and shedding of ideas, concepts, pre notions, parenting and educational flaws, behaviors, patterns and beliefs.

When I am real, there is no hiding, playing games, pretending, wearing masks, taking on characters, playing roles.

I become THE best and knowledgeable surgeon of my life. Hmm surgeon? That is new. Maybe it is a reference for how surgeons operate in such a precise and perfect way that I, like a heart surgeon, save my own life this way. Have to sit with it a bit more.

I feel that real and authentic go hand and hand. I share my pure and unique essence, soul mojo and physical temple with people, mother nature and the world.

Everybody that comes into contact knows they can trust me, my word is my word, my feelings and emotions are mine and I take responsibility for them, so what they witness is the real deal.

I feel fully, all of it. That is where ‘raw’ comes into the picture. I know from the bottom of my heart how important it is to feel my feelings. I use this mantra in my work too. To feel is to heal. I am connected with my center, my core.

I have the courage to feel deeply, even unite and unify with these feelings and if need be also express them for myself, in front of a person and a group.

There is nothing more delicious for me to practice this, I really see it as a spiritual practice, when I show up in life, work and teaching real raw and authentic

Or even in unexpected moments that trigger an emotion, like a piece of music, a word, a face, a smile, a piece of clothing, a memory and whoosh – out comes the joy, ecstasy, sadness, anger or grief.

I love facilitators who really allow themselves to be in the present moment. I love it when somebody gets emotional and starts to fight tears, or allow tears or pauses on the stage needing to find their center and ground again. It ripples into the audience. It opens hearts. It allows the spectator to become a witness and an active participant. The line or division between them up there on stage and me down there, melts, dissipates and disappears. Yes, it means I am authentically connected to my inner world.