Reflections from Our Recent Sanctuary Saturday Pop-Up

This past weekend, we gathered in sacred space for a Sanctuary Saturday Pop-Up—a time to pause, reflect, and reconnect. There’s something so powerful about circling together, even virtually, and creating space to simply be without judgment or expectation. One theme that emerged during our time together was the habit so many of us carry: apologizing for who we are.

• How often do we say “I’m sorry” for things that don’t truly require it?
• We apologize for having emotions, for needing rest, for setting boundaries.
• We say sorry for our tears, our silence, our sensitivity, our truth.
• We shrink to make others comfortable. We soften our edges not out of kindness, but from conditioning.

And yet, these automatic apologies—spoken or silent—carry a heavy weight. They chip away at our sense of self. They send a message to our nervous system: You are not safe to be seen.

• But here’s what I want you to know, with the loving voice of Grandmother Medicine wrapped around you like a shawl:
• You were never wrong for being who you are.
• Your presence is not something to apologize for.
• Your boundaries are sacred.
• Your feelings are valid.
• Your truth is beautiful.
• You are allowed to take up space.

During our gathering, we took time to reflect on this and write a promise to ourselves—a declaration of what we will no longer apologize for, and how we will begin to honor that part of us instead.

You might want to take a few moments now and explore this for yourself:

Reflection Prompt
What do you find yourself apologizing for, again and again—perhaps out loud, perhaps only within?

Which of these tender places are ready to be reclaimed with love?

Write a promise to yourself, like a prayer or a poem, naming what you will no longer apologize for and how you will honor that part of you from this day forward.

May this practice be a return to yourself—a soft and sacred remembering that you were never too much, never not enough, and never meant to shrink.

If this reflection resonates with you, I warmly invite you to join us for our next Lunar Women’s Circle on Sunday, April 27 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM EDT. We’ll continue exploring themes like this in a loving, supportive space where all of you is welcome.

👉 Learn more and register here

With gentleness and gratitude,
Lisa 🌿
Turquoise Sanctuary