A year ago, I almost completely gave up on my work. Emerging from the early years of motherhood and feeling my creative spark again, I felt motivated to get back into the deeper aspects of my sacred work. So, in a flash of creative impulse, I announced a new program to the world in the place we announce things these days: on Instagram. It was received mostly with a good deal of excitement and interest, and…it was also received with some intense criticism - primarily in the form of snarky comments and DMs from complete strangers who were making a lot of assumptions about me. Assumptions without curiosity. Assumptions wrapped in judgment. Over a period of 72 hours, I received wave after wave of comments that felt challenging to hold on my own. In this episode, I tell the story of grief, shame and how being in sacred council helped me heal and grow through this experience. Tune in to hear more from me on: The grief of feeling misunderstood and shamed in a parasocial format, which left me raw and confused.The divine timing of an in-person retreat with an intimate council of women space holders, and the cacao ceremony that held me at my most vulnerable.Emerging lighter and less bothered and leaving that retreat weekend with a renewed vision in the purpose and power of this work I do.Everything I learned from that rupture and the gratitude I feel now for what happened.The one thing that had me not throw in the towel and heal from this experience: being held in a sacred council.My own council BEHELD which is now open for enrollment again.Resources + Links Find out more about BEHELD, an intimate council of space holdersMy book, Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the SelfConnect with me on Instagram @beccapiastrelliTimestamps [0:00] Introduction [2:45] Sharing the story of almost giving up my sacred work after receiving criticism [9:23] The divine timing of an in-person retreat weekend [9:50] Unfurling during the cacao ceremony [12:06] The power of sacred councils [15:31] Continuing despite challenges and feeling tender [16:02] The offering it all started with and hosting it again [17:16] Join BEHELD - a sacred council for space holders