Messages from Erica
Collage by Erica Ross
September 2011 Message
Dear Radiant Sister,
I am going to be bold in my voice and message here today because I know I have something of importance to express, for both myself personally and for us collectively. Let me be a beacon of light and hope. I have waited long enough!
My first reveal is to tell you that I have not always been bold, vibrant or colourful. You should have seen me in public school. I would only wear navy blue and/or grey. True. Why? Because I didn't want to stand out, even though I could dance in front of thousands, literally, but in my 'real' world I preferred to be drab and mostly invisible. Oh ya, ME, drab! (I am smiling with a tenderness for my girl-child inside.)
But now having had the priviledge of living and practicing this being-woman thing for over half a century, I am ready to fully step up as a young crone! (Can you hear the elders cackling with delight?)
I truly believe that it's no accident that you are reading this message and drawn to myself and this practice and community. I am here to tell you something. Are you sitting down for the biggest bold statement? Okay, here it is...
You are amazing. And you have too much to offer to let your gifts go to waste or to hide your light!!!!!!
The most brilliant part of you is ready to be called forward. Because you care about the world, what a blessing you will be!
There, I said it! Now, can you hear it? Can you take that in??? Perhaps you need a minute to just breathe. Perhaps you can turn this statement into an affirmation for yourself. How about....
"I am amazing. The most brilliant part of me is ready to be called forward NOW!"
Oh, I like that. Think I'll use it myself. (Can you see me beaming with joy, having just created a perfect tool for myself without even trying! Thank you, Goddess!)
So on that note, I want to share with you some more juicy info about my beloved practice, Dance Our Way Home, and how it is an exquisite transformational tool for supporting your brilliance to shine through. And it exists right at your front door (if you live in the GTA or surrounding areas). How lucky are YOU to live close enough to have it in your life?
Did you know.... that DOWH was created over 10 years ago as a body-image group for healing and celebration of the female soul?
Did you know that many women develop long-term friendships because of dancing together at DOWH? (I love that!!)
Did you know that dancing is one of the best ways to release stress and your brilliance in one joyful swoop? Oh ya!!!
And here's another truth, and one of the biggest keys why this practice is so powerfully transformative ....
When you step into the studio of a DOWH session you are held and seen as you truly are (even when you don't realize it yourself yet) - precious, beautiful and powerful beyond measure.
It's true! I want to boldly acknowledge that, for many, it's also true that walking into an unfamiliar space, to meet unfamiliar women, to try an unfamiliar practice can be exciting AND scary. It takes courage to cross a new threshold. (I deeply honour that about every new woman who shows up. I kiss your feet in adoration, my Queens.)
Let me tell you, taking that leap of faith, even in fear or doubt, when your soul is longing for an experience where you can feel safe to relax and let down your defences and masks, or to melt your heart open in joy, or stir you to shed an old skin, or soften you to a sweeter relationship to yourself, your sisters, and the world, is WORTH it.
YOU ARE WORTH IT, my Goddess!!!
Here's a tip for inspiring your brilliance to come forth.... Ask yourself this....
What brings me joy? What will release me from fear? What connects me to my truth? How can I be more compassionate to myself and others? What am I ready to let go of, that no longer serves me?
Then DO IT!!! and SHARE IT!!! Pass it forward, sideways and beyond.
Please read the juicy DOWH fall events below; offerings by Della, Susan and Twyla, who are all certified DOWH Facilitators, and myself. If anything feels like a YES to you, or if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to write.
Come join the celebration of being female! Sweet Goddess blessings to you.
Know you are loved and cherished.
June 2011 Message
Happy Solstice Beautiful Ones,
Wow! Has it ever been a long, cold and wet Spring here in Toronto, Canada, and I'm ever so grateful to have had such warm, beautiful and comforting connections and experiences, including BLOOM, the Weekend-Long Urban Retreat, Spa & Temple for Self Employed Toronto Goddesses, Bellylicious; She Who Flows & Feels, Dancing in Radiance, and the Spring Immersion for DOWH Facilitators.
And now that we have crossed into another season, I am excited to play under the sun and stars. I say turn up the HEAT and rejoice in the brightness of this time.
Like the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, may you dance yourself out of your cave and Shine, sisters, shine!Find the gifts and callings that are uniquely yours and offer them. Our world NEEDS YOU to show up, fully and radiantly. You are a brilliant and beautiful Goddess.
As always, I send you the deepest and highest love EVER,
Erica
March 2011 Message
Happy Equinox Beautiful Ones,
I have just returned from my winter sojourn in India. As always, Mama India offered me many teachings and chaotic meanderings, leading me to places I hadn't anticipated nor planned. Patience and being open to flow were a couple of the teachings SHE had to offer.
Fortunately, my dance and life practice of being open-hearted and in-the-moment paid off because NOTHING ever happens the way you assume it to be. It often felt like the magic of the land casts a spell on travellers, sometimes like a trickster (and I'm sure if you have been there you know exactly what I am talking about), causing many detours, teachers and reflections to arise, appear and then vanish, to remind one to stay open to spirit and truth and Goddess knows what else.
I had planned to create a beautiful line of accessories called Amaterasu, named after one of my favourite Goddesses, the Japanese Shinto Sun Goddess. Well, that one is in slow process with an initial sample complete and more to come, hopefully.
I did offer DOWH sessions in Goa at The Temple of Dance, realizing a dream of mine to facilitate in India! 5 glorious sessions with women from all over the world, in a beautiful open-air studio amongst the trees, breeze and butterflies. Woo-hoo.
I hadn't planned to go north to Rajasthan but the calling came loud and clear, and what a beautiful experience it was. I now know why so many people go there again and again. (I think I found another HOME!) The highlight was treking on a camel into the desert with a dear Toronto friend, Cheryl Chapin, and sleeping on a sand dune (no tent) directly under the big super full moon of March!
And now, I am back in Toronto, filled with deep gratitude and new insights, and ready to dive into all the delicious projects, workshops, retreats and events planned for this spring and summer here in Toronto. I have so much to share with you. Hope to see you at one or more of these offerings below:
Coming up soon, on Saturday, April 9, 7-11pm is a our first-ever DOWH Community Outreach Programme Fundraiser. Come out and dance with us (Twyla will facilitate a DOWH session, followed by Nan Keyser and I DJing an Ecstatic Dance) and bid on some silent auction items. Your attendance will support the empowerment of women through dance.
Next, I will begin the Spring Immersion; Diving Deeper for DOWH Facilitators; a second level training, continuing the exploration of ethical, authentic and loving facilitation of women's embodied expression and community.
Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1, I will be offering a very special event held at The Inner Garden, called: BLOOM, A Weekend-Long Urban Retreat, Spa & Temple for Self Employed Toronto Goddesses. Read below for a little more info, or CLICK HERE for full details.
Later, on May 28 evening, join me for a DOWH workshop called Bellylicious; She Who Flows & Feels and Saturday, June 18 is a full-day PWYW DOWH workshop called Dancing in Radiance.
I'm offering the DOWH Immersion training again from Sept - Dec 2011! I'm looking for 12 10 NEW women who wish to join the growing DOWH Tribe; who feel called to begin a sacred, joyous and divine feminine adventure. To read the details for next fall's Immersion, plus pics and testimonials from the inaugural Immersion, go to the 'DOWH Immersion' page.
So my friends and dancing Goddesses, as I have written before... may my words and life inspire you to see that all things are possible under the sun and moon. May you give yourself the time you need to know yourself and dream BIG! Find the gifts and callings that are uniquely yours and offer them. Our world NEEDS you to show up, fully and radiantly.
May this new season offer you a sense of wonder, joy, renewal and hope. I send you the deepest and highest love EVER,
Erica
December 2010 Message
Happy Solstice Beautiful Ones,
I don't know about you but this fall has been an incredibly full season of deep learning, sharing and growing. In particular, my inaugural DOWH Immersion has been rich and delicious. I am proud to say that there are 10, and 1 soon-to-be, newly certified DOWH Facilitators!! I am thrilled and excited to see what the future will be for them and for DOWH. Check back soon to see their shiny faces on the 'About Us' Page.
And.... guess what?
I'm offering the training again, next fall 2011! I'm looking for 12 NEW women who wish to join the growing DOWH Tribe; who feel called to begin a sacred, joyous and divine feminine adventure. To read the details for next fall's Immersion, plus pics and testimonials from the inaugural Immersion, go to the 'DOWH Immersion' page.
And now, as the season shifts to the cold dark beauty of winter, what a precious time it is to reflect, give thanks, come home to yourself and begin preparing the earth of your body/mind with new and rich dreams for yourself and your life. And what a delicious time to share with loved ones, and come home to community in gift-giving and rejoicing in the holiday season and coming New Year.
For me, I will be heading back to India soon to create a beautiful line of accessories called Amaterasu, named after one of my favourite Goddesses, the Japanese Shinto Sun Goddess. I will also be offering DOWH sessions in Goa, at The Temple of Dance, realizing a dream of mine to facilitate in India. And I'm already planning some delicious experiences for my return to Toronto...
On Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1, I will be offering a very special event held at The Inner Garden, called:
BLOOM, A Weekend-Long Urban Retreat, Spa & Temple for Self Employed Toronto Goddesses. And.... You may want to mark in your calendars these events held at the Dovercourt House:
Saturday, April 9: I'll be DJing an Ecstatic Dance Fundraiser for our Community Outreach.
Saturday, May 28: I'll be facilitating an evening DOWH Workshop
Saturday, June 18: I'll be offering a full-day, PWYW DOWH Workshop
My friends, may my words and life inspire you to see that all things are possible under the sun and moon. May you give yourself the time you need to know yourself and dream BIG! Find the gifts and callings that are uniquely yours and offer them. Our world NEEDS you to show up, fully and radiantly. May this potent and wondrous time offer you solace, inspiration, connection, and peace.
I send you the deepest and highest love EVER,
Erica
September 2010 Message
Joyous Autumn Beautiful Ones,
As we slowly slip out of summer and into the coolness and golden colours of fall, I hope you will take time for self-care. In fact, I invite you to create a Self-Care Plan which includes activities, attitudes and choices which will support your life journey right now. Look at the emotional, spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual aspects of your life and structure your plan into these 3 categories:
-
Continue doing- What are you already doing that rejuvenates you and positively contributes to your health and quality of life?
-
Start doing- What new activities or attitudes will enable you to recharge and achieve better balance in your life?
-
Stop doing- What are you willing to let go of in order to support a more joyous and healthy life?
A beautiful way to create this plan is to meditate on it, and conjure up the juiciest path for yourself. And perhaps DOWH will be included in the 'continue doing' 'or 'start doing' categories! It would be my pleasure to meet you on the dance floor.
I send you the deepest and highest love EVER, Erica
May 2010 Message from Erica
HAPPY SPRING Beautiful Ones,
Life is blooming all around us these days. I hope you are stopping to breathe in the smell of the blossoming flowers and take in the beauty of the stunning colours. What a joy to behold!
Today, I sit in calm repose after the completion of the 'Unfolding' Series, the 'Ecstatic Dance for ALL', and 'Sundays with the Muse' Spring Series.... and continue to dream in the next few months with such gratitude and love in my heart and soul for this practice, community, and LIFE!
I am thrilled to say that due to popularity we've added 2 more spots to next fall's inaugural DOWH Immersion: Facilitator Certification & Wisdom Path Training! Mari Rossi and I, along with Twyla Kowalenko, are preparing a juicy, bright and deep journey. Please contact me ASAP if you are interested.
In the meantime, I invite you to join Twyla and I, Saturday, June 19, for a deliciously luxuriant PWYW FULL DAY Solstice Celebration called 'SHINE!'.
Come join me the week after in Buffalo NY, Saturday, June 26, for 'AfterGLOW', a Post-Solstice Dance Celebration, and for another delicious PWYW FULL day workshop called 'Phenomenal Woman', on Sunday, July 18, back in Toronto.
March Message from Erica
Hello Beautiful Ones,
I hope you are well. I have just returned from 2 glorious months (January & February) in South India. While I was away I found deep relaxation, joy, flow and compassion, by allowing myself to slow down and drop into pure beingness. I am now back in Toronto with a greater sense of peace and ease, and I look forward to sharing my new shiny-ness with you. Please come dance with me as we weave love, healing & community, together, for personal and collective wellbeing and bliss.
This spring & summer you will find me DJing 3 Ecstatic Dances for ALL (2 are extra long, to give you an extended experience of ecstacy!), and facilitating a new 6-week Series, 'Unfolding'.
I'm also offering 3 beautiful Pay-What-U-Want events: Sundays with the Muse Spring Series, & 2 (NEW) FULL DAY PWYW Workshops- 'SHINE!', A Solstice Celebration, & 'Phenomenal Woman'.
I so look forward to seeing you there. Please tell all your sisters. All are welcome!
December Message from Erica
Hello Beautiful Ones,
As we are now approaching the busy-ness of the holiday season, we are also entering the deep richness of winter - a perfect time for contemplation, reflection and fire-building for the soul. With this turning of the wheel comes Winter Solstice (in the northern hemisphere) on December 21, marking the time when the sun is reborn, heralding hope and renewal of a new year around the bend.
I hope that you will find balance and nourishment in this interesting time of connections, reflections, and dreaming in of new possibilities.
As I look back over the year, I have so much to be grateful for; a wonderful partner, child & family, friends and community. Thank you to all who have crossed my dancing path, both in and out of the studio. Special thanks to the 8 Muses and the women who participated in making 'Sundays with the Muse' a great success, and to each woman who graced a DOWH session, workshop or series. Look out for a NEW Sundays with the Muse Series starting Spring Equinox, Sunday, March 21, 2010!
I will be taking a 2 month sabbatical from my life in Toronto in a solo journey to South India (Kerala and Goa), January 2 - March 2, 2010. It has long been my dream to return to India, a place which touched my life profoundly when I was just 19 years old. And now, 36 years later, after raising a vibrant 18 year old daughter and delicious dance practice, I am ready for a new adventure to nourish and rediscover myself. I will also be offering a workshop in Goa, allowing me to seed my dream to begin facilitating dance events internationally!
While I am away, my dear friends and allies Nan Keyser (the co-creatrix of DOWH) and Caro Cloutier will be keepers of the Dance Our Way Home fire! Nan will be facilitating at Sheena's Place, and Caro will be offering “Dreaming In the Dark”, a beautiful 6-week DOWH series, plus a FREE intro, at the Dovercourt House. I am grateful for their friendship, devotion and support for this practice and it's beautiful communities.
I look forward to coming back from India with fresh ideas and possibilities (including the outline of my new book), to be MORE of who I am and what I have to offer and share.
I am delighted to also tell you that I have just given birth to my first CD called Unwind. This relaxation CD will take you on 3 soothing journeys of surrender, renewal and empowered visioning, created and led by myself, and accompanied by flutist Laura Nashman and the soundscapes of Michael Moon. Offering both spiritual nourishment, inspiration, this powerful stress-relieving CD would make a wonderful stocking stuffer or holiday gift. Look for it on the Music Page!
And lastly....
Inspired by the women who have expressed their wish to facilitate DOWH, as well as to deepen their inward practice, I am happy to say that my apprentices and I have been busy creating the inaugural DOWH Teacher Training Programme, September 15-December 15.
This unique programme will be rich in both practice and theory, guided by and drawing on a breadth of female experience in the expressive, spiritual, visual and healing arts. Engaging both right and left brain, body, heart and soul, you will develop the necessary skills and experience to facilitate this healing and sacred practice as well as deepen your own embodied exploration, regardless if you choose to facilitate DOWH or not.Stay tuned for the details and upcoming info sessions. In the meantime, if you are interested in participating please contact me at erica@danceourwayhome.com, and dance as much as you can, even if it's in your livingroom!
September Message from Erica:
Beautiful women,
Thank you to all who have been so generous of heart, to share their feedback and hopes and dreams for DOWH. Because of YOU, DOWH is growing and offering our magnificent dance community mutually shared, ever-widening and deepening experiences. To support our mission, please read about:
1) Our Practice
2) Opportunities
Our Practice
This fall, in addition to our Set Your Life in Motion Workshop we will be offering two BRAND NEW Core Series called Nest and Nourishment. In these series we are focusing on the embodiment and exploration of the DOWH principles, and applying them in our day to day living. In Nest we will build a nest of trust, relaxation, peace and compassion, while in Nourishment we will open our bodies, minds, hearts and souls to the flow of nourishment within, around, and between us.
We are also producing a 9-week Series for Oct/Nov called Sundays with the Muse. These Sundays will support the DOWH journey and showcase 8 exceptional women. All 9 Sundays are "Pay-What-U-Want". You can come to any or all.
Also, starting in 2010, we are launching the Expansion Series, offering fresh and innovative explorations for women with prior experience in the DOWH Practice.
Realizing the value of dialoguing after being in a 'no-talking' transformative space, we are implementing a “talking and sharing” segment to connect us, and support each other in our growth and development as women. After each Series we will have time allocated just for that! We look forward to exploring this new dimension with you.
Opportunities
1. DOWH Facilitators
For those women who expressed a desire to become DOWH facilitators and to contribute their own unique talents to the DOWH practice and community, a Leadership Programme will begin in fall 2010, available to women with experience in the Core and Expansion Series. Stay tuned.
2. Internship Opportunity
DOWH is expanding outside of the studio walls by offering you an opportunity to participate in its growth, and contribute your skills and talents. Right now we are looking for:
To apply send an email with resume to: erica@danceourwayhome.com
If you have other skills you’d like to offer, please let us know. It’s time for DOWH to grow! Thank you for all your support.
All the best,
Erica (DOWH Co-founder, Director and Dancing Goddess)