Did I just pay $5K for a pink boa convention on the East Coast?

Good Goddess, I love this woman.

The other day, I am rolling through my e-mail, deciding what to delete first, and I open up a Google Alert (thank you to all of you who write about the SWA–I so appreciate you!) and read these words–and I am flat-out overjoyed, ecstatic and laughing my head off.

Meet Dara. It was a post on her blog volvernow.com that had me crackin’ up. It so turned me on to hear her share how Mastery impacted her that I asked her if I could share it with you all, and being the Pleasure Revolutionary she is, she said yes. Join me in my enthusiasm for this delicious Sister Goddess.

Hold onto your hats–she’s a straight shooter, and does not hold back on her experience or her desire for you…

*

Recently, someone asked me to remember a time in my life when I felt ecstatic. Thanks to an adventurous and fun-filled time in my twenties, I have many moments to choose from. In my thirties, there is one time that completely wins the crown. So I decided to tell you all about it (sort of). And just to warn you, I am going to make a sales pitch here in which I don’t earn a dime.

When I was 35 I had a thriving Buddhist-based psychotherapy practice, Nia business, and my first child. I had the most difficult time transitioning into motherhood. Between the sleep deprivation, the solitude, the hormones and all that I had to say goodbye to, I was pretty miserable.

One year into my funk, I received an email from Nia Creator Debbie Rosas telling all the Nia teachers that she was about to do a program in NYC, and inviting all of us to join her. I clicked on the link and was brought to a very pink and fluffy website for Mama Gena’s School of Womanly Arts.”

“What is this bullshit?” was my first thought. “Why is Debbie using the Nia teachers list to advertise a non-Nia program?” was my second. “So inappropriate,” I snarled and pressed delete. Four months later, I received another email from Debbie describing her profound experience at the school and inviting everyone to her graduation. This second email caught my positive attention and I began my research.

Being that I was a miserable woman who said, “If these are the cards dealt for women, then this is so fucked up…like once a day, when I listened to Mama Gena’s orientation online, I couldn’t help but envy the many diverse voices of very happen women. No, they were extremely happy women. No, these women were ECSTATICALLY happy. One after the next, standing up and crediting the school for their massive transformation into confident women who got what they wanted in life…times ten. How could I resist?

When I signed up, the woman who registered me remarked, “This course is so intense.” Really, I thought? Isn’t this program about pleasure? Having worked in a facility for chronically mentally ill adults and having sat many hours meditating, I couldn’t understand how learning about pleasure was going to be “so intense.”

After slapping down the $5K it costs to attend and booking four plane trips to NYC, I suddenly had TONS of doubt. The course seemed cheesy. Mama Gena seemed brash. Did I just pay $5K for a pink boa convention on the East Coast? I ended up in my intuitive’s office crying about my decision. She assured me I was being called to the East Coast and it was going to be great.

The course started on a Saturday at 10am. I was the very first one there. Soon I was surrounded by 200 women–most were newbies like me, though many were graduates. As I was waiting for the course to begin, I suddenly did sense something very intense. I realized that I didn’t know anything about pleasure. Tears began to drop from my eyes. When I looked up, one in about ten women were quietly sitting in their seats wiping their eyes. I wasn’t alone.

I need to preface this next part with three things: 1) I am a very soulful gal. I lived in Boulder, CO for eight years and I have done a TON of personal growth: meditation, books, yoga, a three-year degree in Buddhism and psychotherapy, a good stint as a therapy client myself, and workshops galore. 2) As a native New Yorker and the daughter of a cynic, I am NOT easily impressed. If someone can’t deliver the goods, I am more than annoyed. 3) I don’t tell anyone what happened at Mama Gena’s, it is ultimately indescribable, and I truly wish for every woman on the planet to experience it first hand.

The course began, and about one hour later I looked up at the stage and knew without a doubt that Mama Gena was one of the most brilliant people on the planet. By the end of the weekend, I boarded my plane back to Seattle completely fearless. Had my plane gone barreling into the earth, I would have gone down smiling. Every cell in my body felt free. I smiled at everyone, full of compassion, peace and allure. It was hands-down the most ecstatic and spiritual experience of my life. And that was just the first weekend.

I know it is kind of annoying that I won’t say more, but I can give you this metaphor: Regena sees this chain that is wrapped around almost EVERY woman in the world. She raises up a sword (metaphorically) and with one precise swing, strikes down with all of her might and breaks the (fucking) chain. Wham. Two hundred women are set free before they even know what is happening.

And did I conjure my desires? Yep. Including leading retreats in divine tropical locales, conceiving my baby boy and having the birth of my desires (which lasted only 5 hours!), healing my relationship with my sister after thirty years of strife, and a family gathering on Orcas Island in a beautiful beach house…to name just a few.
Though, being the soulful girl that I am, for me the greatest conjure was learning about and adopting the worldview of the feminine. She never lets me down. Through the sorrowful tears and ecstatic highs, I know how to work with myself in a way that allows for extreme amounts of clarity, creativity and pleasure. For this, I am eternally grateful.

So there you have it, dahlings. I have referred a ton of people to the course with rave reviews (and even won “The Pleasure Revolutionary Award”). Almost all of them told me that had they not known me and heard my story, they never would have attended. Like myself when I first heard about it, they didn’t get it.

For those of you who are thinking, but it’s 5K!?!?!? Going to see the Eiffel tower is also 5K, and this course gives back way, WAY (WWWWAAAAAYYYY) more than a trip to Paris (yes, it’s that incredible).
Another way to look at it: if you don’t have what you want in your life, when you are on your death bed, is 5K really going to matter?
Bottom line: If you feel called: DO. IT.
And yes, I am going back this year. I honestly think I could do Mastery every year for the rest of my life (swear).
Hope to see you there, and that this post was exactly what you needed to read.

*

Yeah, that’s my bad-ass Dara. It’s only a gratified, filled up, happy–I mean extremely happy–excuse me–ECSTATICALLY happy woman who can stand for other women so profoundly, so fiercely, so ASSUREDLY. She and I, and the thousand+ other Sister Goddesses who have graduated this program–we all stand for you, our sister. If you’re not getting yours–if you’re feeling unfulfilled, underwhelmed, and unrecognizable to yourself–get yourself to Mastery.

The only Mastery Program this year kicks off on Saturday March 5th in NYC.

Enrollment ends on Wednesday, March 2nd.

If you enroll by 5pm EST today (Monday, February 21st) you can participate in my Welcome to Spring Mastery call with me and your classmates from all over the globe. Call 212-787-2411 x1 to enroll or ENROLL ONLINE.

Knock knock… Nope…it’s not the Eiffel Tower calling…

With so much love and pleasure,
Mama Gena

Free Pleasure Intensive

7 Most Common Ways Women Sabotage Their Own Desires (and the Cure)

  • 16 Comments · Leave One

{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Jaq February 21, 2011 at 9:40 am

This is brilliant ! If I had even the slightest ability with words
I would express exactly what Dara has done so eloquently. I stand for, behind, under, on top, and beside
Dara’s experience at the SWA and Regena, thanks for this email xxxxx

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Mama Gena February 22, 2011 at 11:32 pm

thanks to everyone who loved this post- dara you are forever my bad ass pleasure revolutionary!
and to all of you who are on your way to me this mastery- @SG Kerrie, @SG Angela, @SG Sarah and @SG Hot Stuff- I can’t wait to party with you and your desires!
and to those of you i’ll meet in the future- @SG Jeanna- i know it won’t be long…
and of course to my outrageous hugely supportive grads- @SG Laurie, @SG Jaq, @SG Bombshell Barbara, @SG Sha RA and @SG Hot Stuff thanks for the fierce way you stand for your own and other’s pleasure- it rocks my world.

with so much love and pleasure,
mama gena

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Rose February 21, 2011 at 10:08 am

Dara,
Simply awesome!

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HotStuff February 21, 2011 at 10:11 am

I can’t tell you how much I agree with EVERYTHING Dara has said!!! My first Mastery changed my life in sooooo many ways – I can’t wait to see what my second Mastery brings. If you are considering Mastery, I have one thing to say: DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!!!

And by the way, I had NO MONEY when I signed up. I mean none, I moved out of my apartment to a cheaper place so I could afford the Mastery monthly payments, I would bring a loaf of bread and cheese with me to eat on the NYC weekends (I was that broke), I magically got plane tickets, stayed with a girlfriend of mine that lived in NYC. And it was far and away THE MOST INCREDIBLE, TRANSFORMATIVE experience of my life!

It’s a testament to Mastery that this time around, I’m making all the payments sooo easily and effortlessly, have most of my plane tickets already, have a wonderful job with a super abundant salary…it just blisses me out to think of how far I have come!!!

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Sarah February 21, 2011 at 10:19 am

This was EXACTLY what I needed to read.
Thank you!!!

See you on the 5th!!

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Luxurious Laurie February 21, 2011 at 10:29 am

To those who have not yet taken this course…the above is all true, I have created miracles myself…do not hesitate, you will be forever grateful that you did this for yourself!!!…SG Luxurious Laurie M :)

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Bombshell Barbara February 21, 2011 at 10:39 am

Brilliant – I laughed out loud reading Dara’s description. She’s so right – this course is the best thing a woman can do for herself and all those closest to her. If you’re waffling, SIGN UP. Do it. You won’t be sorry.

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Jeanna Gabellini February 21, 2011 at 12:28 pm

Dara- I LOVE the way you write! I need to know you! And you sealed the deal, after I stop breast feeding this newborn, I’ll be seeing Mama Gena in person!

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Sharon/Sha RA February 21, 2011 at 12:34 pm

This is such a beautiful expression of one woman’s journey to freedom and a very clear example of why I believe pleasure is a spiritual discipline! And Mamaji is the best person to teach it!!!

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Angela February 21, 2011 at 3:54 pm

WOW! I started to weep just reading Sister Goddess Dara’s letter. Geessshhhhh, I can only imagine what Mastery will bring out and into me!

Miracles & Blessings
Angela

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dara February 21, 2011 at 6:28 pm

WOW, WOW, WOW Sisters! I am over the moon happy that you all dug the post and for some, it was just the little nudge they needed to read! YES. I can not wait to meet you!

Regena, thank you for all the love. It is so my pleasure to make you laugh and smile:)

xoxoxooxoxoxo

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Kerrie February 22, 2011 at 1:42 am

Dara — completely LOVE your blog post! So affirming to know I’m headed in the right direction. Look forward to meeting you at Mastery…

xoxo

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Mercedes March 25, 2011 at 10:40 am

I’ve never been to a course but my experience with just a book was amazing!

I have this super cool relationship with the man of my dreams. We have so much fun together…always laughing and making each other smile. Sometimes though, things get a little boring…we get in a rut. I hate a rut. He doesn’t mind so much.

So last weekend I’m busy reading the School of Womanly Arts and he interrupted…wanting to go do the same old same old. I love spending time with him so I said yes and comitted to having a great time no matter what…fake it til you make it. And I actually did have a great time. And I told him I had made a decision to stop complaining about the rut we’re in and instead make the most of it…and I didn’t tell him why.

The next day, I’m again reading the book and he again interrupts. This time he asked if I wanted to go for a drive…would I enjoy a new adventure. Of COURSE I said YES!!! We ended up driving by this beautiful home on the lake that was for sale. He got out of the car and grabbed one of the fliers. He has since called on the house, we’re going to look at it this weekend and…he’s perfectly prepared to buy this million dollar home for us.

I couldn’t be happier! (buy I’ll try anyway)

I love my guy so much and have struggled since I moved in with him to make his house our home. He wants so much for us to have OUR home as well. I didn’t even know he felt the same way!

Thank you Mama Gena!!! Thank you!!

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Mercedes March 25, 2011 at 10:44 am

PS: I’m going to read it again and do the exercises this time! :-)

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Jacqueline Wales May 2, 2011 at 4:22 pm

Hey All;

I am looking for some truly inspiring women for my annual Fearless Woman of the Year awards. I think your blog would be a good place to find them! Do you know any NYC women who deserve to be recognized as truly fearless leaders? Here is the nominee form:

http://www.thefearlessfactor.com/fearless-factor-woman-of-the-year-call-for-nominees/

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