Last night, I had the exact same dream twice. In both dreams, it was the day of my upcoming workshop—Foundations of Connection—and SO many people showed up. Like, WAY more than expected. Turns out, I wasn’t getting my online registration notifications and thought no one was coming. Instead, the room was packed—at least twice as many attendees as I’d planned for.
Some faces were new (how did they even find me??), while others were people I barely knew. Which surprised me, I didn't realize they were interested in my work.
I was running late and a little frazzled, rushing to set out name tags, find sharpies, arrange the seating, and locate the Flipchart pad. (Why is it always the sharpies?) Despite the slight chaos and obvious delay, everyone seemed relaxed, excited and cheerful (and thankfully very patient). A few offered to help while they waited and I accepted, handing over a tray of nameteags, gesturing to where I keep the extra chairs.
At one point, I noticed massive saltwater aquariums in my house. (Dream logic, right? Stay with me) Instead of being filled with brightly colored tropical fish, they were filled with the predatory flesh-eating variety, including piranhas (yes, I know they’re freshwater fish. Again, dream logic!). Someone admiring the tanks asked how hard they were to maintain, and I laughed and joked, “Since I’ve literally never done anything for them in the five years I’ve lived here—and didn’t even realize they were there until just now—they’re surprisingly low maintenance.”
Apparently, the tanks had sustained themselves over the years in a gruesomely harmonious ecosystem: the fish reproduced and kept their population balanced by munching on one another. So delightful. So easy-peasy lemon squeezy.
Both dreams ended just as I decided to begin the workshop, a little behind, a little unprepared but ready to dive in.
When I woke up this morning I figured it was just a classic anxiety dream—but... the interesting thing was how little anxiety I actually felt. Instead, the dream highlighted what I’ve gained from this work and the skills I'm looking forward to teaching:
- The ability to pivot when things don’t go as planned.
- The capacity to ask for and accept help.
- Letting go of perfectionism and just doing the thing.
This is the foundation of Foundations of Connection: learning to listen to yourself, cultivate embodied wisdom, honor your limits, and trust your intuition. These are the essential skills that lead to sustainable, dynamic relationships—with yourself and others.
Reconnecting to Your Inner Voice
The practices we’ll explore in Foundations of Connection are designed to help you listen to your embodied "yes" and "no." These are skills that, when practiced, result in less anxiety and a greater sense of trust in yourself. They allow you to pivot (sometimes even gracefully) when plans shift, to ask for and receive help (because you trust your inner voice to guide you), and to stay connected to yourself even in the presence of others.
What the Heck is Up With the Aquariums?
With a little help from Google, I realized those massive aquariums are a perfect metaphor for the subconscious mind and the internal emotional world. Often, we’re not fully aware of the ecosystems existing within us—the complex ones: self-sustaining, sometimes a bit wild and dangerous. In Foundations of Connection, you'll begin to practice a kind of embodied listening—noticing the subtle signals from within and allowing them to guide you. So you’re not just reacting to the outside world but moving through it with ease, clarity and confidence (and maybe even with the sharp eyes of a saltwater piranha??).
Why Foundations of Connection Might Be Perfect for You:
- If you lose yourself in others, this is for you.
- If you tend toward people-pleasing, this is for you.
- If you’re unsure what you want or like, this is for you.
- If decision-making feels like a deer-in-headlights moment, this is for you.
- If you struggle to listen to your inner voice, this is definitely for you.
Details:
Foundations of Connection will be held January 29th, 3:30-8 PM, at my home in Essex (address shared upon registration). Space is limited to just 12 people, and will fill quickly so don’t wait to let me know you’re interested!
To reserve your spot send me a message or click on that big black button one paragraph up 👆
I’m so excited to teach this in-person and hope you’ll join me—though disappointingly, there won’t be any 15-foot saltwater aquariums. Thought you should know.
(Also you're welcome for this rare and revealing peek into my subconscious 🧐)
xoxo
Amelia