I recently had one of the most intense and eye-opening experiences of my life. I entered as part of a circle of women at the Amrit Yoga Institute in Salt Springs, Florida. The event was called Dancing As The Divine Feminine, and although yoga was part of our daily practice for several days, it was so much more than that. If I tried explaining it using mere words, I still couldn’t do it justice. I learned more about my SELF and my needs at this special event with 21 amazing other women than any other experience in my life. Yes, more than being a mom. Yes, more than being a wife. Because, as much as I love my child and my husband (with all of my heart and all of my soul) I know I am more than a wife and mother. I am more than a photographer. I am more than Liz Scavilla. I am taking a risk posting this on my professional blog but if nothing else I hope this message reaches at least one other divine soul out there to let you know that I learned, if nothing else, you are amazing and it will all be okay. I have spent many a nights awake worrying about what people thing of me, how they judge my work, my experience, my hair, my clothes, my parenting. And you know what? None of it matters. What matters is finding beauty in the most unlikely places. What matters is giving love and then you get it back, sometimes tenfold. Giving trust and you get it back. Giving yourself ONLY where your SELF will be valued. I have spent years hemorrhaging energy in places where it simply doesn’t matter. People will act how they will act. You can’t change someone. You can’t look for love externally if you don’t have love within your heart.
If I learned nothing else at this retreat, it was that it’s okay to say no. If people want to judge, that’s okay. What matters is changing your perspective on it. Perception is not reality. Reality is so much than what we see with our eyes, and even what we feel with our hearts. Perception is a tricky thing, and can easily be compromised if we are out of balance in the world. I’ve spent so much time in unhealthy situations, jobs, friendships and relationships, again – hemorrhaging valuable energy – when really all I needed to do was realize that I was worth more than that. My life, my time, my spirit – they’re all invaluable. And saying no to the negativity in the world also means saying yes to the beauty and love in it.
From now on, I encourage all of you to see the beauty in things. To find the divinity and love within your SELF. And to not lose sleep over things that simply don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
Here are some photos from my experience at the beautiful grounds at AYI. If you’ve never been, and are looking to go deeper within yourself, I highly encourage you to check them out.
Here’s a link to the rest of the gallery, if you enjoyed these.
That’s all for now. Much love to you.
