You may have heard some version of these statements before: “Fully own and claim your truth,” “The world wants your truth,” or “Your truth will set you free.” You want to believe it, but owning, claiming, and speaking your truth may feel easier said than done. Perhaps you have experienced more pain than freedom from your truth. Perhaps it doesn’t feel safe to express it. You want to fully own and express your true feelings, “Yes’s” and “No’s” but you don’t know how to do that in a way that feels safe and supportive.

In this feminine practice, led by Ali Kegley Kole, Nicholette Routhier, and Erin Kinney for the 2020 Embodied Women's Relationship Immersion, you will embody an emotion you would like to feel more fully, feel your own Sacred Masculine holding that emotion, and then embody & express your "Yes" and your "No" using different textures of energy such as Savage Queen, Kali, Sexy Brat, Angel, and Awakened Devotional Queen, to allow you to move that energy with more freedom of expression.

If you want to create a safe container to fully own and express your truth, try this 31-minute practice.

Prior to your practice, prepare a comfortable and private practice space, such as a mat, rug or sheepskin, that will allow you to relax and move your body freely with your eyes closed. Also prior to your practice, prepare a 30-minute playlist and set aside an uninterrupted period of time in which you can stay in practice the entire time. You will be guided to begin your music at the beginning of the recording, and then you will start in a comfortable position, either seated or lying on the floor, with your eyes closed.

Below are the songs used during the live practice if you would like to follow along with the playlist:

"Ai Du" by Ali Farka Toure feat. Ry Cooder
"NANA" by ROSALIA
"Don't Forget About Me" by CLOVES
"Intention" by Earth Rise SoundSystem feat. Morley
"Angel by the Wings" by Sia
"Savage Remix" by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce
"Infinite Universe" by Beautiful Chorus

Begin by sensually connecting to your breath and let this lead you into sensual, fluid and pleasurable movement.

After several minutes of this, call to mind an emotion that you would like to feel more fully. Perhaps this is a feeling that is painful or hard to feel, or unfamiliar. It could be anything from grief to ecstasy. Then begin to allow your body to take the shape of that feeling. For example, you may curl into a ball on the floor, or stand with your arms spread wide. Fill the shape with breath, movement and sound.

Once you have begun to fully embody the emotion, feel the part of you that is aware that you are feeling and embodying the emotion. Feel both the feeling itself and the part of you that is witness to the feeling. Wrap the feeling with your own awareness. Through this awareness, allow yourself to go even deeper into the emotion.

Now feel your own Sacred Divine Masculine holding you, witnessing you, loving you, and honoring you in your feeling. Imagine this part of yourself saying, "I've got you. Yes. Give me all of it."

You will complete this part of the practice by integrating all three: the part of you that is feeling the emotion fully, the part of you that is aware that you are feeling the emotion, and your Sacred Divine Masculine holding all of it. Through this integration, dive into the feeling as deeply as possible.

Take a moment to gently open your eyes and bring them to something beautiful in your space - a plant, a pet, a photograph, the sunshine through the window... Take in the beauty while allowing all that you just expressed to settle in your body. Reconnect to your breath and feel the earth beneath you.

Then begin to find your "Yes." Where does it exist in your body? Slowly take the shape of your "Yes." Maybe even say, "Yes." For a few minutes, fill your body completely with YOUR "Yes."

Then begin to find your "No." Where does it live in your body? Slowly take the shape of your "No." If it helps, call to mind a moment in your life in which you said "No." Amplify your "No" and allow it to express and move through your body. Express a fully embodied "No." An open-hearted "No." Perhaps even express a "No" for someone else in your life - a daughter, sister, or friend.

Begin to find some different textures of "No." How might your Savage Queen say "No"? Your Kali? Your Sexy Brat? Your Angel? Do you hiss, growl, stomp, or stick out your tongue?

In the last few minutes, feel your "No" held and heard by the Sacred Masculine.

Then feel your Awakened Devotional Queen holding your "No." Feel out into how deeply your "No" serves the world. Your "No" is love.

"No" as love, for love.

Disclaimer: Although anyone may find this practice to be useful, it is made available with the understanding that we are not engaged in presenting specific medical, psychological, emotional, sexual or spiritual advice. Nor is anything in this practice intended to be a diagnosis, prescription, recommendation or cure for any specific kind of medical, psychological, emotional, sexual or spiritual problem. Each individual has unique needs and this practice cannot take these individual differences into account. Each person should engage in a program of treatment, prevention, cure, or general health only in consultation with a licensed, qualified physician, therapist or other competent professional. Any person suffering from a sexually transmitted disease or any local illness of his or her sexual organs should consult a medical doctor and a qualified instructor of sexual yoga before practicing the sexual methods described in this practice.