Celebrating radiant women

OMG, these women - Jennifer Karlich and Nicola Belcher - are radiant.  

Their energy is magnetic. 

Their confidence is alluring.

Their zest for life is infectious. 

Their willingness to express their full emotional range is refreshing.  

They KNOW the power in pleasure, desire and self love. 

They enthusiastically invite women to connect with their body through movement, notice their good girl conditioning and cultural constraints, and open their mind and hearts to new possibilities.  

They inspire women to experience abundance, depth and richness in all that life offers.

They fan the fire that's smouldering inside.  

They encourage women to explore their badass, witchy, wicked, warrior side; nurture their tender, delicate, soft parts; and buff their blockages to allow their brilliance to shine brightly.

I want to acknowledge and celebrate them. Not so secretly!

Almost two years ago, when I woke up to the fact I'd been taught and conditioned to feel shame, embarrassment and hide my powerful feminine body and nature, they supported me to discover my wild beauty and pleasure.

I met Nicola briefly, attended one of her Qoya classes and then heard about their Bookclub with A Difference program. I joined and would sit, reflect, move, share and explore new ideas in the book Pussy: A Reclamation by Regina Thomashauer with a small group of curious, open-minded women. 

It was original, invigorating, and provocative. 

I loved it. 

Last January, I interviewed Nicola and Jen for my first podcast  - Shine Love & Light on Our Womanly Bits, we then hosted a special Bushfire fundraiser and continued to enthusiastically support each others events throughout 2020.

Recently, our mutual adoration, and aligned vision as female activists, has evolved into a collaboration we've called the Wild Beauty and Pleasure Alliance. 

So far we've relished the opportunity to talk on Clubhouse, connect on retreat, and share our combined offering and resources on our new website.

Now we want to ‘launch’ our alliance and acknowledge, celebrate and honour radiant women. 

We're creating a truly magical night to acknowledge the power of Radiant women in our lives. 

On Thursday 10th June, under the new Moon, and when we emerge from lockdown (yes, we'll postpone if necessary!), we're hosting A Night to Celebrate Radiant Women at Fairfield Park Boathouse, in Melbourne, at 7pm.  

In fact, we are asking you to co-create it with us.

We're providing YOU with the opportunity to nominate a woman in your life who has influenced and inspired your own wild beauty and pleasure. 

It doesn't matter whether or not you, or your nominee is in Melbourne, or can attend on the night, this is a beautiful way to let a woman know you have noticed and been touched by her radiance. And surprise her with acknowledgement. 

For the past week we've been receiving these notes of gratitude from women who've been anonymously nominated: 

‘Awwwww wow! Thank you sooo much!’

‘Thanks so much for your generous nomination. What a wonderful honour’

'That is amazing! Thank you! This brightened up my day like you would not believe!' 

‘Wow I’m speechless and touched by what my nominator wrote. Thank you so very much' 

‘Thank you, I’m very touched - I feel like I've been nominated for an Oscar with such beautiful words. What a lovely idea to cherish women in this way'

Here's your chance to pause, recognise and help celebrate the radiant women in your life. Nominate a woman now! 

It's your chance to be a secret admirer! 

ps. Penny, I think you're radiant! The fact you're here, reading this and open to self-discovery and expansion, is wild and to be celebrated. Thank you. And if you don't identify as female, thank you for having an open mind, being curious, and holding space for the women in your life to be radiant. 

pps. You might be wondering, what is a Radiant Woman? Well, this is what we believe, and this is no way an exhaustive list, she's a woman who leans into: 

• releasing any conditioned notions of competition, scarcity and lack amongst women.

• understanding that her purpose goes beyond the cultural narrative.

• engaging with others through seeing the possibility and radiance in them. She trusts that connecting with other women through negativity or worrying that they might find us to be too much or not enough, is an outdated way of thinking.

• putting her needs first so that she can be of service in a sustainable way.

• creating healthy boundaries so that she no longer says yes through obligation or responsibility for someone else.

• expressing the full breadth of her rich emotional life.

ppps. If you're in Melbourne, I hope you're ok and able to see this as a circuit breaker.  

I understand the feeling of disappointment and frustration that comes with cancelled plans. I had to cancel my Stripped Back event tonight, and Book Swap Talk event next Wednesday.  

But at the same time, I'm drawing on the resources and benefits I found though all our other lockdown experiences. 

If you're feeling stuck, flat or in a funk, you're welcome to visit the tool kit Emma Abbott and I created last year, Always In Your Corner.  There are loads of wellbeing tips, tools and resources you can watch, read, make, listen and move to. It's free and there for you to access anytime. xx