Women Change America - Woman Finds Peace Through Meditation

This is the second of four March columns, in recognition of Women's History Month, devoted to the diverse women of Wheaton, following the national theme of "Women Change America" celebrating the ways in which the spirit, courage and contributions of women have added to the vitality and diversity of American life.

On the inhalation she feels her stomach expand; exhaling, she feels her body relaxing - her heart, her lungs, her stomach. As she focuses on her breath, she is mindful of the conversation she had with her boss, the prescription she has to pick up at the pharmacy, and the heated argument she had with her son to clear the kitchen table, but they pass through her awareness, and she is peaceful and calm.

Her focus turns to her bottom and the connection she feels to the earth; to her root charka in the pelvis area and to her yoni, the sacred gateway to her feminine energy

In tantra, the yoni is seen from the perspective of love and respect. Mary Hollingsworth who received her Advanced Tantric Educator Certification from the Tantra Nova Institute in Chicago, is also a Reiki Master/teacher and holds a PhD in Metaphysics.

"Tantra is the weaving of consciousness," said Hollingsworth, who has been practicing energy work for 17 years, nine of which have included tantra. "This consciousness is an awareness of our connectivity to all things animate and inanimate. We weave heart energy with sacred sexual energy of the root and the sacral Chakras, with the intent of healing ourselves emotionally, physically and spiritually."

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel, or vortex, and it refers to seven energy fields lined up through the center of our bodies. The first charka, which is also called the root charka, often holds cellular memory from traumas and early childhood experiences.

Through tantra practice, Hollingsworth recently uncovered a deep issue with jealousy, greed and ambition by first asking herself where does it all come from? For Hollingsworth, it came from fear, which is held in the root charka and the solarplex.

"Once I can acknowledge what it is, then I can heal it," said Hollingsworth, who admits that at times it takes strength and courage to uncover deep emotional pain. "But each time I have a breakthrough my heart opens up and I enter into a state of bliss."

Hollingsworth then feels truth, freedom, spaciousness and an easy flow.

"I want to heal to keep this beautiful flow going," she said. "I no longer see obstacles, instead I see opportunities. It is a different way of being present and aware of the mind, body, spirit connection."

But it takes practice and discipline to break old habits of suffering that may have been developed as far back as childhood. The same way that you learn to play the piano - you cannot learn to play it overnight.

During her beginner seminar, Hollingsworth teaches meditation, breathing and body awareness exercises to integrate sexual and etheric energies to help create a more intimate relationship with self and/or partner.

"In our society, we have been raised to consider our personal areas as dirty, and that the only time we should have sex is to have children," Hollingsworth said. "But in other cultures, temples have been built to glorify sexuality, and because this is an ancient practice, tantra is a celebration of self and can become a blending and transformation of two spirits or energy."

Once you have an understanding of your own energies, you can then share them with another, Hollingsworth said.

For more information about tantra or the workshops, contact Mary