Finding Joy Amidst the Underworld

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - SaraRecorded at 1:26 AM from the car after a delayed flight home, this raw and unfiltered episode offers a glimpse into the messy, beautiful reality of expectations versus experiences. Fresh from two weeks away—first sailing with my lover for a complete nervous system reset, then attending a yoga retreat in Greece—I share how my quest for relaxation led me somewhere completely unexpected. The retreat, focused on embodied flow and Greek mythology, literally took us into Pluto's Cave where Persephone descended to the underworld. While the facilitators were phenomenal, I found myself struggling with an unexpected challenge: holding back my own abundant joy to make space for the pain and suffering others were processing.As someone accustomed to creating and holding space for others professionally, I unconsciously slipped into facilitator mode instead of fully participating. When another attendee commented on how quiet I was, it struck me deeply—this wasn't my natural state at all. Had I dimmed my light too much? Where's the balance between holding space and taking space?Perhaps most surprising was discovering how much I missed home. Having spent most of my life comfortable with leaving and traveling independently, I've recently created a true home with my partner that pulls me back with unexpected force. This new foundation has transformed my relationship with travel in ways I never anticipated.Though the retreat didn't deliver the nurturing experience I'd sought, it offered different medicine—revealing shadows and aspects of myself that might otherwise have remained hidden. Sometimes we need to visit those underworld places, stir the pot, and sit with discomfort before we can fully celebrate being alive. What are you discovering about yourself in unexpected places? How do you balance making space for both joy and pain?