I FOUND MY HEART IN SISTERHOOD

Some say “It takes a village.” It is an African proverb. I am here to tell you my thoughts on the subject of the deepest growth I have experienced in every area of my life have taken place in the womb of sisterhood.

It can best be put in this  Swahili proverb “Asiye funzwa na mamae hufunzwa na ulimwengu.” which translates to ”whomsoever is not taught by the mother will be taught with the world.”

My world and my inner village is comprised of the most incredible and diverse group of women from all over the world. What we have in common is the Love we hold for ourselves and for the space known as WOMAN. We have been on the most wild ride of our lives individually. In the collective space of  allowance, willingness, sharing and witnessing of our deepest truths we have grown together to create a beautiful embroidery in the tapestry of my life. In the noticing of all of the closures that are present now, I am in reflection on where I have been. I see clearly how much Love has always surrounded me and how I have grown in this fertile soil and into the woman I am today.

When my heart hit the floor that February day, I was in the Loving company of my dear friend and business partner Paula Tocker, Heiress of H&R Fabrics. When the time came for me to transition my emotional space from the lie of my life, doing it all and being right into living in the light of my truth, it was my best friend Nichet Smith, owner of #Lipniche that held the mirror and space of that transformative experience in order to truly see myself. I met my mentors and coaches Lynne Sheridan and Lisa Kalmin, both founders of Inspire Coaching on that journey. These women are a stand for humanity, they have personal integrity and fierce commitment… the kind of challenge that scares the entire fuck out of most… It’s easy to live small. These women challenged my greatness by asking who I was willing to be. They inspired me to transform my business the first time, get honest with my #wasband and meet my biological father in the #findingmydaddy journey. After I concluded meeting my father and his side of my family, I turned to recreating my business…again. Something wasn’t feeling right at In The PURSUIT OF WOW! Design Studio. Know that this was a business I choose by default and one of the sellouts of my marriage. I wanted to be a chef. I choose interior design because it’s in the same school and in cooking the same rules of design apply. Being a chef was considered at the time to be inconvenient to how my #wasband wanted his wife to be. Today, I am a self taught chef. I have taken cooking classes all over the world and still love it. Back to the journey....

I went to Las Vegas for a International Window Coverings Expo. One of my collaborative projects was being awarded for Workroom Of The Year. It is a huge honor to have the project picked for consideration by the workroom and another honor to have it win and be published by your peers. I was over the moon!

At the awards ceremony, I got to meet Michele Williams, founder of Scarlett Thread Consulting. I hired Michele as the next step in my journey to assist me in creating a  new path for my business that would allow for me to find my passion and joy for my creative gifts in all my authenticity. Only, we ran head first into a block called sexual trauma. I found that the same wounds that were plaguing my life in general were also plaguing my business. It was no coincidence! It was so painful to admit and be with.
She recommended as a result of her own coaching with her coach a book called PUSSY A Reclamation. So that I could connect with the part of me that I had been denying, hiding and feeling shame over. I immediately recognized the authors name as several years ago I read in the New York Times an article on The School of Womanly Arts. I had put going to the school on my wish list of cool things I would like to experience in my life! The irony is incredible to me.This suggestion would send me on a course study for two years with Regina Thomashauer at the School of Womanly Arts in New York City. There, I've learned and relearned how to appreciate my own divine female nature and be in witness to my other sisters as we grew into the highest versions of ourselves. Upleveling every step of the way, no matter what areas of life our attention was placed in while we studied.
Part of my journey while being at the school would be to fly in early and study feminine movement at S Factor. S Factor is a sensual fitness practice developed by Sheila Kelley. I got to meet Shelia while at The School of Womanly Arts. The practice is all about being connected to yourself and embodying the innate divine feminine within. I haven’t ever felt so free to just be in my woman and all her capability. I had forgotten how much I love to move my body like that, to be in the essence of my own joy. As I opened and relearned what I had forgotten in myself, I got more free. Prior to my work at The School of Womanly Arts, my dear friend Joe asked me to listen to a TED Talk on the work of Nicole Deadone. At the time I wasn’t feeling it. But, with all the work I had done I felt like now was the time. I dove into Nicole’s work. I got to take in several lectures, healing practices, retreats and be in connection to a woman who is acutely aware and sensitive to the moving of time and space in her woman. Nicole is clear that is in her feminine beingness that life occurs. It is in our allowance to bring it in and release it. It is always moving. She is fearless in her pursuit and pure magic to experience.
While all this was being studied I was in the question of going back to school. I applied and got accepted to Arizona State University. I was super proud to go through the motions of the application process and the getting of my fancy letter of acceptance delivers to me in the mail.. Ultimately, I would end up at the suggestion of my dear friend and fellow Sister Goddess Lindsey Patterson to check out the University of Santa Monica and their program in Spiritual Psychology where I just became officially certified in the area of Spiritual Psychology myself just two weeks ago. 

I came away from these experiences and teachings very different from where I went in. Part of it is showing up fully to do my work on myself so I can get out of my own way and receive what is intended for me and the other part is to stay on my journey as well as being open to share it with humanity for all the richness it is and all the gifts it holds.

That brings me to the present day. This whole time I have been holding a vision for who I get to be in the world. Recently, someone asked what my superpower was. Without hesitation I said “Vulnerability. That is my superpower.” I have been sharing myself in way that has a new depth to it along the way Deanna Reid has been in my camp capturing the journey that marks my growth. My behind the scenes team consists of Deanna @thesocialphotog, Gaybrielle Gant @iamblackgirldreaming and Jalia Pettis @jaliadp. Deanna is the techy brilliant creative mind and the reason you are reading this right now! Recently, she wrote this article highlighting the journey we have been on together in the countless hours spent and the process of creating a dream that may or may not live. Deanna captured it all. You can read it here: https://thesocialphotog.com/blog/2018/7/19/being-in-the-pursuit-of-wow-with-celia-schauble
 Gaybrielle works magic with supporting me in my word flow and structure. I am looking forward to everything we get to create together. I have never seen myself before the day of the photo shoot in the article. Jalia Rocks! I had amazing experience having my face done and feeling into my natural essence. I couldn’t stop saying how beautiful I felt in the experience and I believe it shows in the photos we took that day! I have already scheduled another appointment. 

See, it is in sisterhood. It is why I am able to take my next steps.  It’s in choosing to be connected. It is in choosing to leap, regardless of how it looks or how it feels. It is in recognizing that each of us has an impact. Sometimes that impact can only be felt after the soul call comes. The question is will you answer… pick up, engage, connect, reach out, support, build up, go out of your way, give or share. I dare you to call a woman in your circle and tell them how they have made difference in who you you are because they are your sister and in your corner holding you down! A huge thank you to my sisters Mardessa, Micayla and Kina. Thank you for all the encouraging words from all my lifelong girl friends, all my Sister Goddesses and Creationists.
Thank you for your support. I Love you all!