I went to Africa for Shadow & Light work!

The Shadow & Light Retreat in South Africa with Marc Steinberg was AMAZING. It was more valuable than I could have ever imagined, intense, deep, and incredibly personal, but above all, life changing. This journey allowed me to truly see myself in ways I never had before.

We often think we know ourselves (including myself). We believe we understand why we act, react, and make decisions the way we do. But the truth is, so many of our behaviors and beliefs are deeply rooted in unconscious patterns. They’ve become normal, habits, protection mechanisms of the brain, to keep us safe. They serve a purpose, but they also keep us trapped.

Why would I do Shadowwork?

South Africa gave me the space to uncover these hidden layers, to see how much of my life was shaped by fear, insecurity or deep-seated conditioning. And now I may hear you thinking, “Oh, but I don't do or have that.” But how often do you say to something; “Yes but I can't do that anymore” or “Yes but you can't want everything.” Why is it no longer possible? And why can't you want everything? Perhaps it is possible, but out of unconscious fear, insecurity or deep-rooted conditioning you no longer see those possibilities. And I get that, because if it is possible, it is scary and you may have to deal with it. And let me tell you, that realization is both frightening and liberating. It's scary because it shakes the foundation of who you think you are. And not knowing who you are, that's just SCARY! It's painful because it affects the ego, the part of us that clings desperately to identities and stories. But the moment you allow yourself to go there, to really look at those patterns without running away from them, after that it is pure freedom. And that's really great, believe me!

It took me a while to integrate all the information of the retreat. The schedule was beautifully intense, from early morning until late in the evening, for eight days straight. We shared powerful practices together: meditation, chanting, and dancing. We went through intense sessions that led to breakthrough moments. Throughout the retreat, there were hidden 'Easter eggs,' subtle yet profound openings in my consciousness that took me even deeper. We had assignments, a workbook, and theory sessions with Marc, the master himself. Coaches were available to us at all times, and Marc was always there to answer my questions and be a huge support!

And when I say we, I mean the other participants, people I felt so safe with and deeply connected to throughout the retreat. We cried together, screamed together, danced together, ate together, laughed together, hugged together, and ultimately celebrated freedom and life together.

At the end of it all, I didn’t change myself, I just became more of ME. It’s not about becoming someone new, it’s about letting go of the parts that are NOT you. It’s about embracing every part of who I already am, just as I am. And trusting that when I do so, when I keep taking steps aligned with my heart, when I live life out of trust instead of anxiety, life will always unfold exactly as it’s meant to.

In the here and now, that is enough.