46 Women Enraged in the WoodsCan you imagine what that sounds like? I’m not even sure I was prepared for the volume of that many voices breaking through the stillness of the trees. More than 350 women gathered for the Temple of Belonging retreat in Colton, Oregon, and from what I understand, every attendee heard us. Forty-six voices carried across the 15 acres of land we were inhabiting as home. I had the absolute honor of facilitating Sacred Rage there alongside my bestie and longtime coven-mate, Andrea Thompson. Typically, Sacred Rage is held indoors for just 10 participants. This was a whole different beast. There were so many bodies, so many voices, so much moving together. It was raucous, PRIMAL, tender, seductive, and powerful all at once. I wasn’t sure how we would hold this many people in a ritual we intentionally keep incredibly contained and intimate. I especially wasn’t sure how we would manage the time constraints with so many more humans to attend to. And yet, somehow, time seemed to open into spaciousness around us. At moments, it even seemed to slow down, making room for the hands-on and energetic support needed by those deeply engulfed in their process. Not long after we closed the ritual, a light rain began to fall. By evening, heavy rain and wind swept through the woods, washing everything down and cooling the land after all that heat and release. It felt like Mother Earth was cleansing the container right alongside us. It was pure magic. And I could NEVER imagine doing this work alongside anyone besides Andrea. She and I have been processing, digging deep, experimenting, and supporting one another through this kind of work for decades. There is no friction, no questioning, no doubt between us. What I forget, she remembers. When I need to be soft, she is strong. When one of us is invited into the chaos, the other holds steady in the eye of the storm, ready to extend a hand if it ever becomes too much. I trust this woman with my heart, my soul, and my life. This is why we work the way we do together. It brought me so much joy and pride to hear such kind feedback about the way Andrea and I facilitate together. And the most common question I’m asked after Sacred Rage is: “How did you learn to facilitate rage?” The answer isn’t a simple one. It’s decades of letting go. Trusting one another. Trusting the medicine of Mother Earth. Deep listening to our ancestors. Playfulness. Trial and error. And the kind of peer support that comes from truly witnessing and being witnessed. No one taught us this. We taught each other. Sacred Rage was not born overnight. Its roots stretch back through years of deep devotion, exploring the unknown, and surrendering to the shadows together. And while Sacred Rage is a unique experience, the same practice has carried us through nearly every kind of spiritual deep dive we’ve done together: radical and sacred self-care, grief, pleasure, shadow work, death and rebirth, reclamation, rites of passage, and, of course, the loudest irreverent witch cackles and belly-aching laughter. Long before 46 voices were echoing through those woods, there was a small circle of coven-mates willing to show up, experiment, dig deep, get messy, and witness one another again and again. This is where the roots of Sacred Rage took hold. Nearly two years ago, Andrea felt called to bring this work into a public container at Goddess Fusion in Portland, and she asked me to stand beside her and help hold it. Something powerful happened that day. We knew this work wanted to continue, and we’ve been tending Sacred Rage together through the turning of the seasons ever since. Andrea and I may be the ones facilitating Sacred Rage today, but this work was shaped through years of practicing in community with those women. We learned by doing, by listening, by getting it wrong sometimes, by trying again, and by creating space for one another to explore the messy, beautiful edges of being human. Sacred Rage carries a little piece of those coven-mates with it every time we gather. Peer support. Peer learning. Sisterhood. This is what birthed Sacred Rage. And this experience reminded me just how powerful it can be to have other humans beside us while we do the work of being human. If you’ve been curious about experiencing Sacred Rage for yourself, or want to come back for another round, our next container will be held Saturday, October 17, and is open to all genders, ages 18+. You’ll find all the details under Featured Events. We’ll be returning to the intimate format this work was built around, with space for just 10 participants. If Sacred Rage isn’t what you’re needing right now, but you’re craving a little peer support and a chance to move, breathe, rest, and be held in community, I’d love to welcome you into either of my weekly classes at Caveside Wellness. Tuesdays • 6:30 PM • Caveside Somatics
A space to reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom through somatic movement, breath, and intuitive movement. Together, we explore a spectrum of sensation and expression, with room for emotional and cathartic release when it naturally arises. Thursdays • 6:30 PM • Rest in the Cave
A gentle space to slow down, soften, and settle into your body through restorative yoga, soothing somatic movement, and calming breathwork. An invitation to do less, receive more, and let yourself be supported by rest and community. Fall blessings to you ALL! Thank you for reading. With Love from the Cave,
Ida www.cavesidewellness.com
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