Darling,

Women are like trees.
When we are given fertile soil, glorious sunshine, abundant water, and a perfect climate, not only will we thrive and grow, but we will provide so much beauty and joy and nourishment for others.
But what are the ingredients necessary to cultivate a superior environment for a woman?
What causes her to thrive and be spectacularly healthy and creative?
This is an important question to ask yourself.
Are you living in an environment that nourishes you?
Or leaves you malnourished?
I wanted to share the story of a Mastery grad, Sister Goddess Darline, so you can experience exactly what happens to a woman when she is cut off from her power source, and then celebrate with her and for her, as she gets plugged back in…

Before I entered Mastery in the spring of 2011, the best way that I can describe my life was flat, numb, dimensionless, and grey. There were few ups and many downs. My marriage was swirling the toilet bowl. I had many acquaintances but few if any friends. I had a fledgling women’s health business that, despite my best efforts at the time, I couldn’t get to turn a profit. My family and close friends were thousands of miles away on each of the country’s coasts, and basically the only thing that I seemed to do with even marginal aplomb was raise my kids.

Looking back, I was a walking shell. My family was picture perfect on the outside; engineer husband making a nice six-figure salary, nice house in the ‘burbs, two kids (a girl and boy), a Honda minivan… We smiled and totally looked the part. Yet I was dying inside. Having battled depression before, I sat on the fence as to whether or not to go on medication. I didn’t want to, but I knew that I couldn’t continue the way that I was going. Despite my exemplary education complete with a Master’s degree, I hadn’t “worked” in 12 years, save the bit I had done to start a small, unprofitable business. I had, for all intents and purposes, been a stay-at-home mom. This once independent physician assistant who had owned her own condo in Silicon Valley, who had been out of debt and had had some $100,000+ in savings prior to getting married was now a broke, dependent wife and mom, no longer clinically skilled enough to be hired as a women’s health PA, my prior profession, and really felt like I had done all I was to do.

I had heard about Mama Gena from Dr. Deb Kern, a Sister Goddess. I had interviewed Deb for an article I was writing for AustinWoman Magazine on women’s sexuality—an ironic situation given that my husband hadn’t touched me in nearly 5 years at that point! Deb suggested that I read the book, and I did, “for the article.” Later in November 2010, Maddy Vertenten (another Sister Goddess) challenged me to come to the Worldwide Sister Goddess Weekend in Miami. Around this time I celebrated by 45th birthday. I remember sitting on the bed, looking up and saying, “This can’t possibly be it. This cannot possibly be all that life has for me. If it is, I might as well just die now.” It was time to make a move. Knowing I had contemplated leaving him, my husband agreed to stay home with the kids while I traveled to Miami, and off I went….

I have to say that initially, Mama Gena did not impress me. Here was this wild, flamboyant woman talking about pleasure and pussies. I mean, WTF??? Still, I enjoyed my time in Miami, made a couple of friends and thought, “Well, this was a nice little getaway.” It was the Sunday session that completely did me in. Mama Gena asked us, “What do you desire?” And that one simple question reduced me to a sobbing, incoherent heap. I sat in that convention center room sobbing as the crew was picking up and stacking chairs around me. I cried like I hadn’t cried in ages and I cried the tears of a sorrow that I couldn’t even name. In that moment, I decided to sign up for Mastery. I was the last person to sign up that day, and the staff had to open up boxes to get the forms and to take my credit card payment. I didn’t ask my husband, I didn’t even really think about it. I just knew that I had to end the pain, the sorrow and sadness. I had desires—ones I couldn’t even name at that point—and I wanted them to be fulfilled. I was hoping and praying that there was more to life than what I was living and if there was any, ANY such chance, I had to know. I had to go for it.

Mastery cracked me wide open. The sessions were intense, and at times I felt like running out of the room, but I couldn’t leave. I knew that there was something inside screaming to get out, to be seen and heard. The lesson that completely transformed me was the story of “The Handless Maiden.” In that story, I saw the subtle and not-so-subtle imprinting and indoctrinating that had gone on in my own upbringing, which also bred scores of unhappy, bitchy women and I was right on track to become one of them. After that lesson, I knew I’d never be the same, nor could I remain the same. I walked from The Lighthouse up to Central Park. I walked for about 25 blocks, some 2 hours. I vowed to myself that I was going to get to the bottom of what had happened to me, to “grow back my hands” and to snatch back my life!

What happened to me after Mastery was nothing short of miraculous. I continued to practice Womanly Arts and Tools, while in the midst of ending my marriage. I was concerned that I did not have a steady job, being a freelance writer, and did not want to rely on my husband for support. As July 1st approached, I panicked because I had a loan payment due and didn’t have the money. I was literally crying to God(dess) a couple of days before the payment was due and begging that I have $150 in my account by 7/1 for the automatic draft. In my nearly 46 years I had NEVER not paid a bill or paid a bill late, and did not want to start. So after all my wailing, I finally fell asleep. I got up on the morning of June 30th to see what was in my account and to brainstorm about what I would do. Lo and behold, I pulled my account up online and there was $170 in it. Whaaaat???? I didn’t know what had happened. When I reviewed the transactions there was a deposit from Amazon.com. I had completely forgotten I had put a DVD up for sale, and the commission was enough to cover my loan payment!!!

But it gets even better. I was freelance writing for a magazine in Austin and learned that my article for July was bumped to August. No publication, no payment. So that feeling of panic began creeping back in. But I remembered my recent, amazing conjuring success. I spoke my desire to be financially independent. Shortly thereafter I was up late one night watching TV and logged onto my e-mail. To my surprise, I won first prize in a contest hosted by a major women’s health company to raise awareness about alternatives to hysterectomy. I am passionate about lobbying for safe, effective, and accessible prenatal care to ALL women (especially those with high-risk pregnancies). I entered this contest on a whim, and my video won! I won 1st place and the $2,500 grand prize! It inspired me to go full out for my desire to support and educate high-risk pregnant women, and I felt more alive that I had in years.

It gets better still. A representative from the company running the contest called to ask me if I’d be willing to do some promotional work for them. Can you say, Hell yes!!!!! On top of that, they flew me out to San Diego on an all expenses-paid trip for Blogher, the largest international blogging organization promoting female bloggers, to speak on their panel! To say that I was thrilled does not even begin to come close. I had waited so long for opportunities like that, and now they were dropping out of the sky!

Mastery showed me that all things are truly possible. I told myself that I couldn’t afford to take the course, I couldn’t go flying back and forth between Texas and New York, I wouldn’t have child care…and each time, I made it happen. My husband did not pay for one single course or even one single plane ticket. At each juncture, when it was time to “put up or shut up,” the voice inside of me kept screaming, “Let me out of here!!” I said, “Ok” and ways were made out of no way.

Some women reinvigorate their marriages, but I needed to divorce my husband, which I’ve done since Mastery. I am building my own women’s health business and raising my kids. My ten-year-old daughter has an incredible sense of confidence that I’m grateful to nurture. People have continued falling out of the sky to help me grow my business—I’ve received inspiration and guidance from the most amazing places. I have a long list of desires, and I am ticking them off one by one. I am doing public speaking, writing a chapter for an anthology on the childbirth experience for African-American women, and writing a book for high-risk pregnant women. I’ve become adept at the Womanly Art of Owning Your Beauty and now proudly see myself as the “Nubian Goddess.” I’ve also begun the exhilarating journey of exploring my sensuality, and it has expanded my capacity to love and accept myself and others. The world literally looks brighter now.

I’m sure that you’re reading this thinking, “Regena must be paying her. She picked a good one to kiss her ass!” I know, I thought the same thing as I listened to the CDs and downloads you get when you enroll at the school. My journey has been so extraordinary that if I hadn’t lived it, I wouldn’t believe it either! She’s not paying me, and I have to say that I would absolutely do it all again, because Mama Gena pretty much pulled me out of the fire and rescued me from a padded cell and a Prozac drip! No, everything hasn’t been rosy or easy, but I live a life in technicolor now. I feel now. I am doing things I love to do now. I travel now. I have lifelong, treasured friends from Mastery now. And I can wholeheartedly say that after nearly 25 years, I am whole now.

Whew. Unbelievable, right? Did you recognize yourself anywhere in this story? Perhaps you wanted some of what Darline’s now having? Tell me in the comments below… And if you’d like to inspire another woman to branch out and flourish to her fullest height, please share this post.

The School of Womanly Arts Mastery Program is not only the greatest educative system for a woman in the world, but it provides an environment that causes her to thrive. Plant yourself somewhere that matters, somewhere that sources YOU. You won’t be able to stop yourself from growing in ways you have only dreamed of…

With so much love and pleasure,
Mama Gena

P.S. Thinking of doing this year’s Mastery but want my last-minute help in addressing your concerns or hesitations? For all you fence sitters, I’m hosting a call on Monday night. Come, bring your doubts, and let’s see what fun we can have. Given that Mastery starts next Friday, this will truly be your last chance to get my help in deciding, one way or the other, about this year’s course. Details and registration here: http://tinyurl.com/mamagenas