Today’s guest post is from the lovely Leora Edut, creatrix of Goddess on the Go. She’s talking sisterhood, support and empowerment.
I’m the first to admit I didn’t grow up believing in sisterhood. I was actually a loner, competitive with other people, and had a secret story playing in my mind that people didn’t really like me. It all stemmed from growing up with 2 twin sisters who dotted on me until about the age of 7 when it no longer was cool for them to drag their little sister around while they were exploring new found teenage hood. At that moment I decided, I was a burden, people didn’t like me, and I would try to be the best at anything I did, so that people would admire me and want to be my friend. Ohhhh what goes through the mind of a 7 year old!
As I embarked into life I started to become quite a showoff, thinking that I would make friends from being the loudest kid. When that didn’t work I turned bitchy and began to isolate myself. I focused much more of developing relationships with men in high school. I really didn’t care what the others girls thought of me. I felt accepted, admired, and appreciated for my thoughts. I secretly had become a “women-hater.”
By the time I was 15 I was in an abusive relationship that carried on and off until I was almost 19 years old. I didn’t trust other women and so I never told anyone what was really going on. I was ashamed and thought that I was way too SMART for anything like this to happen to me. I drank a lot numbed myself out from pain and was often date raped by men until the age of 24 when I realized I was really going to hurt myself if I continued this way.
I moved out to NYC right before my 25th birthday and was introduced to a spiritual journey. Here is where I began to make peace with the abuse and shame that I was carrying around. I felt freedom open up in my body and I finally let go of that 7 year old who was carrying around a conversation that people did not like who she was.
During this time I began to slowly develop friendships with women, however that was always an imbalance to them. I would give more and receive less or sometimes nothing at all. I would listen intently to what was happening in their life whether it was celebration or something painful they were dealing with yet never shared my own story or asked for support. The disconnection from women was still present and I focused instead on getting what I needed from men.
By the time I hit 33 I felt so awkward in a room full of women. What do I say? How do I act? I should be perfect or have something brilliant to say before I open up my mouth. Judgements of myself flooded by head, I was completely disconnected from my body.
I believe we all have earth angels and the lessons we receive are at the perfect time. My lesson at age 33 was SISTERHOOD. From continuing my path of awareness since I began I had met heaps of people. 7 women walked into my life around this time. They weren’t women I would have normally chosen to be friends with. There were two things I noticed about them right away. One was that they had a healthy relationship with themselves. Secondly, they made me feel good to be around. I noticed instantly that there was a give/receive flow that I hadn’t experienced in past friendships.
Inspired by these 7 women I invited them all to be a part of a Goddess Circle, which surprisingly they all said yes to. For 2 years we met weekly, we celebrated each others’ dreams becoming a reality, we held space and listened without judgement through breakups, disappointments, and life transitions. It was the first time in my life I was able to break through the walls I had up, to experience my own vulnerability, to fall deeply in love with myself, my body, and accept all my flaws.
Through this work it became clear to me that I wanted to bring this to as many women in the world. I certainly knew I wasn’t the only women in this country who isolates themselves or carries disempowering thoughts about what its like to have relationships with other women. Hence ‘Goddess On The Go’ was born!
In the past 5 years I’ve had the pleasure of watching other women connect deeply with each other. Collaborate on businesses, help each other move into new homes, be that muscle for another when the other women wasn’t strong enough, celebrate births, and experience that magical understanding that only women can hand off to each other. Sisterhood is like medicine for our soul.
Bio
At a young age Leora Edut had a passion for bringing women together. Whether it was gathering for a Girl Scout meeting or the disco Leora noticed that women thrived in community. Growing up in the city of Detroit Leora went through her own transformational journey rejecting a lot of the the joy she had learned as a child. From being in abusive relationships to almost spending time in prison. Leora took these lessons later in life and transformed them into a way of giving back. For a few years Leora worked as a celebrity make-up artist working with celebrities like Rihanna, Molly Sims, and others.
After spending 10 years on her own spiritual path she went back to her roots and created what she knew was her purpose to bring women together to heal, celebrate life, and support one another. From Leora’s own personal journey she knows her life is dedicated to be of service, she works on a continual basis with GEMS, women who have recently been released from prison, and women who have come out of abusive relationships. In 2014 she is excited to extend a Community Service Goddess On The Go where women will gather to bring beauty back to our homes and businesses!
Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram
Dr. Dowling has spent years helping people live richer, more joyful lives. She has seen firsthand the magical pairing of psychology and life coaching, which allows people to access their happiest selves.
View Dr. Dowling's articles on Mindbodygreen
- The Thrilling Terror Of Getting Out Of Your Professional Comfort Zone + 6 Ways You Can Do It, Too. - Dec 15, 2023
- Truly Doable Self-Care That Takes 5 Minutes Or Less - Dec 14, 2023
- Maybe I’d be Happier with Someone Else? - Apr 25, 2023
“Sisterhood is like medicine for our soul.” YES! What an empowering post. Keep up the beautiful work! As an older sister of two younger sisters and a psychotherapist who works with women, THANK YOU for the work you are doing!