. TRAVELING THE REALMS OF EMBODIMENT .
in San Francisco
with
KARLA
I will never forget our meeting. She sparkled and smoldered the way an ember burns in the fire pit - lit from within.
This was a special meeting. It was my first serious photoshoot with another person. But it was also something more than that… a mystical moment: a tiny coven of two creatresses, coming together to make magic.
We sat and discussed what she was looking for, where she was in her path right now. Amongst many other things, Karla is an embodiment coach. And oh my goddess, what a beautiful job she does!I learned so much from her over our two-day photoshoot. It was an honour to capture her in her elements, in every realm we created, and through her personal practices.
🌿🌑🌿
THE FIRST REALM
awakening into the body
::
in the green depths of the forest,
whence we began,
there comes a shush of breath,
a hand in the dirt, fingers through roots,
a splash that sparkles and is then hidden again,
a pulse of life rising from the undergrowth…
and she awakens from sleep
to find herself in a body made of soft skin and teeth,
hair and eyes,
able to reflect and feel the world
around her.
🌑🔮🌑
THE SECOND REALM
the underworld explorer
::
she is exquisitely
alive
emotions flying
like ribbons
dancing in the dark
For the second part of her photoshoot, Karla wanted to experiment with expressing her work in the shadow realms - those places in ourselves which we often neglect or avoid, those emotions that we hide, those habits that we dislike.
It was a bit strange and scary, I think, trying to bring all of this up in a very public park, but it also seemed fitting.
I encouraged her to feel all of her discomfort and self-consciousness,
playing hide and seek,
diving in, allowing,
following the threads ever deeper
to embrace a bit of that darkness.
…
the effect was truly breathtaking!
🌑🔮🌑
THE THIRD REALM
the queen crowned
::
I watch
as she emerges from her shell,
and walks from the ocean
the waves parting,
silk soaked in salt water,
a vision of Venus
crowned in pearls.
Since beginning this practice of offering portraits for women, I have noticed a pattern in the unfolding of the process, as each of these women have found great healing in being seen + revealing their fullness of being.
Each of the women I have worked with has had a moment during our photo session where they felt scared, or doubtful of their own goddess nature - afraid to truly let themselves shine in the brightest way possible.
For Karla, it showed up in our beach session, when I placed a crown on her head. Karla is one of the strongest, most expressive personalities I have ever met, but in that moment she was questioning her own ability to stand as a sovereign, one who is crowned, one who is radiant and bursting with visible magic!
It was such a wonderful experience to get to gently and slowly open this possibility up for her… and eventually for all the others! With words of encouragement, mindful meditation, muse-mirroring and an ability to simply surrender and let it all flow, I have seen the most beautiful moments of unfolding… a kind of blossoming that happens from within. To watch a woman emerge from her shell like this, it almost brings tears to my eyes. It seems so many of us have been taught to hold back a little, to hide that full, rich, sensual and potent magical being that lives within. Just like these goddesses, and like you, I am learning to let go and shine. Every photo session is a lesson for me. As student, I watch and listen to the gifts of each unique soul.
Karla, you ARE the goddess.
🔥🌑🔥
THE FOURTH REALM
the sensual body
::
she sparks and smolders
lit from within
by her own fire.
