Creating SOLACE
It all starts with a DREAM
SOLACE, A Gathering Place had a home in my heart for a very long time before it became a reality here on earth. For most of my life I have found joy, comfort and a sense of family in community. I have been fortunate to experience retreats with many gifted teachers and healers over the years. Decades ago, I began to fantasize about having a retreat center and would look for properties and dream of bringing people together. Around 2012 or so, a dear friend and colleague Lara Veon and I started dreaming more seriously about having a retreat center— together. We drove far and wide actually looking at possible properties and coming up with the name SOLACE. We talked in detail about our vision… and eventually, we came to the realization that the timing wasn’t quite right. Both of us are strong believers in perfect/divine timing so we let that idea rest and focused on other things.
Then in 2016, Lara who is also a psychotherapist, was looking to relocate her practice. She sought out guidance from America Martinez a trusted intuitive who almost everyone we know has a relationship with. After her session, Lara called me and said “You aren’t going to believe this, but America said that I should talk to you about office space”. I was pretty perplexed. My office was in Skokie, I loved it, I wasn’t interested in moving, I didn’t have any office space to offer, and Lara’s practice was in Ravenswood— in the city. What I said to Lara was “That’s curious”….
A short while later I saw the ladies in the suite next door carrying some boxes down the parking lot. Being curious, I asked them what they were doing and they let me know that they were moving to a new suite within our complex. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. Every morning when I arrive at my office, I bless my space and ask for guides and helpers and healers to come and assist me as I work with those brave courageous people who show up. A few weeks after I saw the ladies carrying the boxes, I was doing my morning ritual and I heard as clear as a bell this voice asking me.. ”What would happen if you knocked down this wall between you and the suite next door?”
I had the sensation of both excitement and terror in my body as the day went on. Knocking down a wall was a BIG idea! I wasn’t a novice at hearing guidance. Many times in my life I have been influenced by higher guidance. One such time was my pursuit of a masters degree in Social Work. Over the course of 20 plus years, America had been a conduit and eventually my teacher who assisted me in connecting to my intuitive wisdom. So I did what any reasonable person in my position would do— I called America and asked her if she would check in with my celestial team and see what they said to her about this wall message! I wasn’t really surprised as much as excited and anxious when she said…. “I’m hearing a yes! They think knocking down the wall and expanding your suite would be a wonderful idea”.
Over the course of the next few months, miracles happened….I mean Real, Everyday Miracles happened to support and facilitate the expansion of my suite and the birth of SOLACE, A Gathering Place. It was, without a doubt, a collaboration with the divine energies. I was nervous with a capital N! One day I was meeting with John, the construction manager, about the layout of the space and I expressed my anxiety about taking on such an endeavor. He looked me square in the eye… and said “Jump….and the net will appear!”
I jumped! And now that SOLACE is open and ready to be A Gathering Place my heart is so bursting with gratitude and joy! I look forward to sharing time and space with you at SOLACE soon!
