Beggining with her own birth blessing two years ago, Karla Gormley felt inspired to give back some of the nourishing female support she's received over the years. (Read more here with this personal account offered at Sono-Ma.com.) This mom-preneur took her vision and created a business service to celebrate womanhood: "In Harmony Goddess Traditions." Building on her massage therapist skills and partnering with friend, Jo-alle, who is an herbalist, Karla created a party provider service to help plan, organize, and facilitate events designed to bring nature, sisterhood, and ritual back into local women's lives.
In Harmony offered its first party last Saturday, engaging a group of women in a fun, affirming, "women's night out" in the hills of Napa. Ladies walked into a candle lit yurt and smiled at the fellow party goers who were mostly strangers to each other. The small crowd quickly relaxed. The room was covered in flowers, silks, and candles and soft chimes played in the background. Jo-alle and Karla met each guest with warmth and smiles, and set an easy tone for the evening. 
The ritual then began with what Karla and Jo-alle called "adornment." Ladies took colorful sarongs and flower head wreaths and helped each other drape on the lovely accessories. They giggled while Jo-alle reminded everyone that women have been helping to make each other feel beautiful for thousands of years. The ladies stood up a little straighter and felt a little sassier as they recalled that age old power of women to be beguiling. Then they laughed some more as Karla doused each woman in glitter. 
Feeling lovely and positive, the ladies then took a quiet moment to draw a paper scroll with an affirmation from a shiny bowl. Each woman read her selected affirmation aloud, pausing to reflect on its meaning and to share a bit about their current lives.
Later, the ladies sang songs, including an old Celtic tune "Deep Peace". While the women joined voices, Karla and Jo-alle moved around the circle and gave hand massages. The massage oil had rose and vanilla essences, and smelled wonderful. Some women closed their eyes and tried to savor the small massage on their hands - these mama hands are usually busy providing nurturing for others! 
The ladies chatted easily, sharing stories that came to mind about woman's issues. One woman talked about how she read an entire novel earlier that day: The Blood of Flowers
The evening ended with "light feasting" on decadent cheeses and desserts. Jo-alle brought strawberries dipped in Belgian dark chocolate (sold in bulk at Trader Joes!) infused with ground lavender and rose petals, which everyone heartily devoured. The women felt indulgent and sated as they ended the evening by chatting.
As the women began to know each other more deeply, they discovered they all came from very different backgrounds. One woman is a home schooling mom who runs Napa Valley Apothecary. Another was Karla's midwife from Pacha Mamma Midwifery. Another woman, a student at Napa's Culinary Institute heard the word "goddess" and eagerly came to in search of a group of woman celebrating womanhood. (She was formerly a founding member of the Goddess Temple of Orange County.)
While they were all very different, the ladies were united by womanhood and the need to get back some of the nourishing they often give out to loved ones... Many of the ladies exclaimed they wanted more such experiences!
If you have a future birthday, women's night, or other opportunity when you'd like to connect with a circle of women, call upon Karla, Jo-alle and In Harmony. Find your own divine feminine and feel nourished!
(photos by Bee Lauher of Pacha Mamma Midwifery)
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