This series explores what it is like to be a spiritual seeker and Priestess in the 21st century.

Is there more direct access to the Divine in the world now? 

I’m interviewing women involved in my Priestess Training Program to find out!

How I describe myself is a question I’ve danced with quite a bit in the year since I began my journey on #thepriestesspath with Sage Priestess Training.  Am I a priestess?  Am I a yogini or dakini?  Do I have the skills to call myself Shaman?
What speaks to me at the time of this writing is Temple Priestess.

I feel I am to hold space in ceremony,

Anoint with sacred scents,

Provide sound healing, Act as a conduit for the Divine

And assist in awakening Mother Earth and humankind. 

I must admit I feel nervous and excited to step out in this way.

 

The most significant, and still ongoing, transformation for me is coming into wholeness.  I received a healing from a Shaman a couple years ago that brought back a big part of myself that had separated out of trauma.  Since then, I have had experiences in spiritual practice in which I feel/see a little more of myself coming back and integrating in my being.

Two other powerful changes I have experienced are learning to take time for rest and receiving the teachings of Belly Love.  Last fall, I spent a day on a river bank with the Sun and Earth teaching me how to let go of my twitchy, reactive thoughts and come to deeper levels of relaxation in body and mind.  “I am just a plant in the Sun.” was my mantra that day.  The Sun also taught me that the Sun and other powerful energies reside within our own bellies.  All we have to do to access their power is love our bellies.

These transformational changes have taken me to new levels of connection with myself, the Divine, my loved ones and my communities.  It has also shown me the shadows that are still unconscious and need healing.  The journey continues.

 

I am a plant in the sun
The practice of Belly Love, sending Love from my heart to my belly, keeps bringing me closer to my authentic self.
Self-love coupled with self-care has allowed me to shed layers of self-doubt and conformity.
I have discovered that I can hold space for others’ healing.  I am often guided by intuition in seeing what someone needs in the moment to bring that healing.
Embodiment of the elements, nature and the Divine Feminine is a strength I am discovering more and more about myself.  This embodiment expresses itself through dance, yoga and martial arts.
Another strength that I am discovering is “seeing the veils.”  That can mean that I feel nature intimately while walking down the street or look at the sky and see sacred geometry covering the sky.  This one is hard to know how to work with since it is new and unprecedented for me.
Judgement is my big spiritual work.  This means self-judgement and comparing.  It also means judging others–sometimes consciously, often unconsciously–out of fear.  When I’m in that place, I can get controlling and even rude.
Staying present is also a huge challenge for me.  I am one to give into fantasizing about the future or obsessing about the past.  The practice of letting go and relaxing helps when I become consciously aware that I’m out of the present moment.

Nothing is more empowering to me than spending time in nature.

Taking a walk or run through the woods, swimming in natural waters, making offerings to the Earth or just watching birds fly brings me power and ease.
Dancing has been my life-long spiritual practice.  I did it in my bedroom as a kid.  I’ve done it with others in a dance company and in ecstatic dance events.  I also do it in my living room.  I put on music, light some incense and let the dance flow.  Sometimes a goddess, one of the elements or even a faery moves through me.  Sometimes I dance with my inner beloved.  Sometimes, I just let my emotions move my body.
This is a question I’ve been with for a year.  Here is what has come to me:
  • Service– I serve the Divine and my community
  • Worship– I worship the Divine through gratitude
  • Knowledge– I experience the Divine within and all around
  • Ritual– I offer ritual to the Divine and ceremony to community
  • Spiritual Development– I develop my spirit
  • Embodiment– I embody the Divine as my soul

 

Jen YoungJen Young expresses #thepriestess path as yogini, fitness educator, ecstatic-dance facilitator, performer and writer.  Jen believes that we can more fully embody the powerful spiritual beings we truly are through physical movement, creativity, imagination and connection to each other and the natural world.  When people have tools to heal and express who they authentically are, the Earth heals with us.
Join Priestess Training and connect to yourself, the Divine and your community!