THERE was a whole lot of singing, crafting, drumming, sound baths and plenty of nourishing food when women gathered in Molong for a recent Women’s Wellness Weekend.
The retreat brought together a range of presenters, including waste-conscious artist and designer Emily Rastas and advanced practitioner of vocal sound and training, Perla Aura, giving participants the chance to learn a new skill, while taking time out for
themselves.
For Rastas, that meant teaching people to get creative with things that might otherwise end up in the bin.
Her workshop explored waste consciousness, with participants given denim scraps, beads, buttons and sequins to create their own pieces.
Rastas said she believes there is plenty of potential in things people have already decided they no longer need.
The workshop attracted creativity across the generations, including a 96-year-old participant who made a headdress after being inspired by an exhibition.
“It was just so beautiful,” Rastas said.
Then came Aura’s singing circle, which, she said, for some, was a considerably confronting challenge.
Aura works with singing, breath and rhythm to help people become more comfortable with their voices.
Rastas said she had not voluntarily sung in front of anyone since she was 18, after years of being made to take singing lessons as a teenager.
So, when participants were asked to sing their names around the circle, before having the group sing them back, she said she was feeling rather nervous.
“I was terrified,” she said.
But after working through some breathing exercises and gathering the courage to give it a go, Rastas said she closed her eyes and sang.
“I just kind of leapt into the courage and did it,” she said.
When the exercise came around again, she said she noticed her voice felt more powerful.
Aura said she understands that fear. Although she had always sung privately, she said she once felt she needed permission to sing in front of others.
Now, she teaches others to become comfortable with their voices.
“You don’t find your voice, because it’s not lost,” Aura said. “You just simply need to love it.”
For Rastas, the weekend was also an opportunity to discover Molong, having spent much of the past two years travelling between Australia and Southeast Asia.
“I’ll definitely come back to Molong,” she said. “This place is really beautiful, really special.”
