It was True Nature’s Education privilege to welcome back WAH! into the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina for a 3-day women’s retreat followed by a healing concert. This retreats was designed to give women a chance to share, sing, talk, breathe, and immerse themselves in higher energies. 
Going into it I had no idea what to expect. I have no previous experience of women retreats or using sound as a healing device. I dived in head first to WAH! music a month before the retreat, and asked myself why was I not listening to her before now?!
A little back story of WAH! First, the music. If you’ve been in a yoga class in the last five years, you have no doubt heard her music. The first female to bring kirtan music [call-and-response chanting performed in India’s devotional traditions] to the West in the 1990’s, Wah! has been playing bass guitar with her wildly joyful rock band at yoga festivals and centers around the U.S. since 1997. She has also consistently offered music and albums to the therapeutic market; her Savasana CDs have sold over 70,000 copies worldwide.
Her talent is inspiring and breath taking. Meeting her in person, only amplified this. She has such a soft, relaxing, but steadfast demeanor. WAH! has a genuine aura that lacks ego completely. You feel at ease and if you are in the presence of an old dear friend. Kind eyes, an open heart, and playful smile. I was completely ready and excited to see how the retreat would unfold.
The women on the retreat ranged in walks of life, location, and age. Many of them strangers, but instantly a community was formed among us. No questions, no judgements, just community. I thought to myself, how rare this is. In a culture, where communities are tending to be more and more online based, and less human to human connection. I even find myself in less situations with direct human contact and in person intimacy. Over the next 3 days I saw this energy of the community expand. It reminded me how critical it is to unplug from our devices and plug into each other.
WAH! seamlessly guided us through specific practices where we shared, touched, and healed with sound. We explored ourselves through others and formed a sense of complete sisterhood. Wah! guided us in grace, not over powering, but letting it organically happen.
Be sure to watch the video of a glance into the WAH! retreat here to get a first hand experience!
I suddenly realized how important this female community is. As a later 20 something year old, it dawned on me how I have not explored the woman community bond; how imperative it is to share, relate, tell stories, and heal together. We have a natural collective to embrace and honor. Through this development we feel more connected to the overall to the entire world. 
Centered, grounded, and buzzing with life I left the retreat with a mission on my mind. To continue to form daily bonds with people, even if they are strangers, through small human to human interactions. To stay plugged into my own self with compassion, and honor those around me doing so. And lastly, to continue to pay homage to this collective female divinity around us. So much gratitude to WAH! for creating a space to allow this. For True Nature Education for hosting such wonderful life changing events. And for all the women out there who constantly make the world go around. 
If you are interested in learning more about WAH! be sure to check out her website here!
If you are interested in attending a True Nature Education retreat check out our calendar here!
I want to close this with a poem Wah! shared with us…..
“I am beautiful, an enchantress for the world I come throwing love-glances Giving companionship to my Atma Self I am the seat of compassion. I bring auspiciousness and blessings, I bring comfort, I dissolve the mistakes of this lifetime. I show myself the path. Soft spoken and Mother of the World, I am the goddess who makes all life blessed. I will take you in my lap, I am the Mother who is pure. I am cool like the moonlight. I am a boat for crossing an ocean of difficulties I release worldly congestion. I bring new joys. Come, am I not the Mother of the world? I am the Goddess of learning, a fountain of knowledge, I grant the gift of loving pervasively, I am Devi, the highest resplendent light. I glide like a swan on the water (I’m skating through this!) Presiding over all creation, I join my hands and bow Full of love for what I have created. Throwing love-glances all around, I am Resplendent light.” (Saraswati Folk Song) 
Written and Photographed By Christine Stahr the Director of Marketing and Outreach at True Nature Education
