how I melt away toxic shame thru movement, dance, music and ... play 🌀
2/12 Movement Cafe Full Moon in Leo: 30-minute class to open ours hearts and dance as Soft Power pop stars 🌟
Upcoming gatherings: Full Moon Journey with Siobhan tonight (2/11 @ 5:30pm PT) and Movement Cafe with Flo Wednesday morning (2/12 @ 9am PT) on Soft Power TV. Check out February events calendar here .
Here’s the song preview that we’ll be dancing and starring to as Soft Power Stars for Movement Cafe on Feb 12. Join us live or watch the replay on your own time.
Hey Soft Power 💖
It’s Flo of Soul Blume here. The Leo Full Moon activates my rising and Chiron placement in the 1st House. Leo teaches us to lead our lives in courage and bravery, to embrace our unique authentic selves, and honor the mystical, creative inspiration and gifts in each of us. Do you recall your inner child’s spark? Where do you have Leo in your chart?
When I was little girl, my childhood dreams were to be a RnB pop star, specifically a background dancer to Usher. 😆 I used to watch music videos on California Music Channel (CMC) after school and practice dancing with Christina Milian, Chingy, and B2K in my room. The first CD that I owned was 3LW. Of course, all of these musical dreams were kept a secret because there was no way my immigrant-refugee helicopter mother would let me express myself in such ways.
The only photo album that I have with me today, is one filled with pictures from my performance days of when I did Chinese folk dancing in Oakland, Chinatown. I keep this album at my Inner Child Altar along with Aaliyah’s One in a Million CD, a rose gold mic and crystal heart, a Pink Power Ranger, a golden star squishy, and a framed picture of my 5-year old self with an affirmation that says:
“I unshackle my voice.
I speak my truth without fear.
I rejoice in the sound.”
As I approached puberty and middle school, I was already extremely anxious, depressed and struggled with self-esteem and low confidence. I was highly sensitive with prominent Pisces and Cancer placements (#schmoody). Anytime I expressed my thoughts, feelings, or opinions in my home, I was met with criticism, judgement and shame. In general within the Asian community, there is a culture of shame and judgement, and pressure to be a well-behaved, obedient child also known as “filial piety.”
I grew more and more quiet, reserved, shy and introverted over the years. I lost my sense of identity at a young age, and didn’t know who I was for a very long time. I went through life in obligation to fulfill the “American Dream,” pursuing a Bachelors and Master’s degree without any idea I was autistic, overwhelmed and burnt out. While I was on that path, I had no conception of creative expression, or could even imagine myself as an artist. 😥
I share this story because it’s part of my artist path and star activation.
Throughout my 20s, I lived with chronic illness and pain in my body, but there was always a part of me that was passionate about self-healing and development. Long story short, the more I opened myself up and aligned to my authentic self, the Universe led me to people who became co-stars and collaborators in my journey. Fast forward to 2020, my storytelling mentor, Jumake of Your Story Medicine, encouraged me to share my story to friends and strangers on the internet. I led some virtual 420 cannabis ritual spaces and met friends who became chosen family, and years later, we are now building the Church of Soft Power together. Turns out my dreams of being an RnB pop star, was to really be in a girl band with my best friends. 🤩
My Leo 1st House placement teaches me to nurture my creativity and inner child’s dreams, and that I’m the main character and star of my life, just like you are the main character and star of your own life. There is no one else like you or me. We were all divinely created and meant to be embrace our unique individuality and expression on earth. Tapping in with my own soul’s unique expression and innate gifts is what Soft Power means to me.
Tangent but related: Leo rules the 5th house of creativity, pleasure and children (ie the ability to create life and creation). In traditional Chinese medicine/eastern perspective, your creative energy is your sexual energy and that is the flow of Qi, life force energy.
“The opposite of depression is play and expression.”
It was through my somatic ritual practices of gentle movement, Qi Gong and yoga, vocal activation and making sounds, dancing and crying at my altar that helped me release, alchemize and melt away deep toxic shame, depression, and generational burdens that I was carrying in my body. These practices helped me revitalize parts of me that were dead and dormant. Giving myself permission to explore, express and play was the medicine my adult self and inner child needed all along.
Most importantly, doing this inner work alongside a community that provided me a safe space to heal and be witnessed in my emotions, dimensions and humanness was the missing piece.
The more I released energetically, the more I became alive, remembered my creative joy, and made space for my heart’s truest desires. 💓
Some full moon reflection questions this week are:
What are your inner child’s dreams?
What gifts are you here to share with the world?
How can you embrace your creativity and self-expression more fully?
Are you ready to release limiting beliefs and habits of playing small? Are you ready to take up more space and be seen for your creative self? (the answer is Yes!!)
I invite you to join us for Movement Cafe tomorrow, Feb 12 at 9am PT, livestream on Soft Power’s Twitch and Youtube channels. 🌈
In honor of the Full Moon in Leo and the Wood Snake of the Lunar Year, class will be focused on:
Chest and heart openers
Play and imagination. Hint: We are starring in a music video 😜 listen to the song preview.
Unmasking and being your most authentic self.
Movement Cafe is a 30-min guided practice to move energy-emotions in our bodies through breath, sound, and gentle movement. 🪩
ALRIGHTY, CYA L8R, XOXO FLO 🌸
February Upcoming Gatherings 🌸
Tap into the Soft Power Frequency
📺 Moonday Grounding with the Soft Power Stewards
📅 Every Monday morning @ 10a PT / 12p CT / 1p ET
📍Where: Soft Power TV
Rise and shine Soft Power universe! Join the Soft Power team as we share personal updates, energetically ground, and set intentions for the week ahead. Streamed live from YouTube weekly on Soft Power TV.
🦁 Leo Full Moon Journey with Siobhan Diores
📅 Tues, 2/11 @ 5:30pm PT / 7:30pm CT / 8:30pm ET
📍Where: The Village Sanctuary
Meet us the night before the full moon for a ritual designed to nurture creativity, connection, and activation of your Altar Ego. We'll invite the Leo moon to shine on the parts of us longing to be liberated and witnessed and create space for attendees to rest, release, and shine.
🪷 Movement Cafe with Flo @thefairygodsis 🧚🏽♀️
📅 Weds, 2/12 and 2/26 @ 9a PT / 11p CT / 12p ET
📍Where: Soft Power TV
Movement Cafe is a 30-minute guided practice to move stagnant energy and awaken the body and life force through breath, sound and gentle movement. This class is streamed on Soft Power’s Youtube channel every other Wednesday.
🌹 The Love Salon with Siobhan Diores &MIDORI
📅 Fri, 2/14 (Valentine’s Day ❤️) @ 11:11a PT / 1:11p CT / 2:11p ET
📍Where: Soft Power TV
A special Venus & Valentine’s Day livestream celebrating love in all forms. Join Siobhan Diores and MIDORI in the Love Salon for live oracle reading and a ritual to water connection, passion, and self-love. Special guests, giveaways, and surprises to be announced.
🌟 Soft Power Choir with Dr. Kiernan M. Steiner & n4than
📅 Mon, 2/17 @ 5:30pm PT / 7:30pm CT / 8:30pm ET
📍Where: The Village Sanctuary
Soft Power Choir facilitated by Dr. Kiernan M. Steiner and n4than is a virtual community for folks who want to intentionally connect with their voice and the power of singing in community through somatic-spiritual rituals and co-regulation, while also redefining and expanding the definition of what we recognize as a “choir."
🫧 Soul Spa with Siobhan Diores & Dr. Kiernan M. Steiner
📅 Thurs, 2/20 and Sun, 2/23 @ 10am PT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET
📍Where: The Village Sanctuary
Head to the astral spa for a soothing, restorative experience designed to cleanse and refresh your energetic body. This gathering includes an intuitively guided meditative experience offering spiritual nourishment and renewal.
🌟 Find Your Flow - Livestream Dance Party with & DJ BossDragon
📅 Fri, 2/28 at 7-9:30pm PT
📍Where: Soft Power TV
Flo is celebrating her 32nd birthday with a virtual dance party live streamed on Soft Power’s Twitch and Youtube channel. Come get your groove on, connect with your breath, body and Spirit, and Find Your Flow. Live DJ set and sounds curated by Kevin Lee aka DJ Boss Dragon with a soulful palette featuring deep house, hip hop, disco, pop and more. This event is donation-based, venmo/cashapp $thefairygodsis proceeds will be split amongst curators.
If you connect with our work and have the means, please consider a one-time or monthly pledge (or Venmo @withsoftpower) to help us continue providing a sanctuary for spiritual sovereignty and creative autonomy.