A few days ago I went, for the second year, to the RiSE festival with some family and family friends. This event takes place just outside of Las Vegas- seriously in the desert. It is a lantern festival and each participant gets a few large paper lanterns and a special pen to write on it dreams, goals, gratitudes (always on one whole lantern of mine), notes to loved ones who have passed. There are 20,000 lanterns and 10,000 people. The initial launch where everyone launches at the same time is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. This is definitely an event I plan on going to for as many years as I'm able. I just love it so much and it deeply touches me. I cry like no other time, in a touched, awestruck way.
I'm including some of my pictures from this year's RiSE festival.
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I am consistently left with this feeling of deep interconnectedness when at the RiSE festival and for some considerable time after the event has ended. Going yearly kind of fills up my tank of the perfect anecdote to the loneliness that endometriosis has brought into my life. While reading Brené Brown's Rising Strong I stumbled up on this quote and it is perfect for the feeling I am saturated in while at or even thinking about the RiSE festival:
“We don't have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”
--Brené Brown, Rising Strong
This year they had a special treat at the RiSE festival, My Intent (found at by clicking here. They make custom jewelry that has inspirational words hand-stamped on them. I chose Brave Healing of course! I love my necklace so much, please see the picture above. I think it is the perfect addition to the RiSE festival and it just added so much to my personal experience. I was completely overjoyed to be wearing it.
There was also some really incredible live music. My favorite band of the night was Magic Giant. I've found a live session they did at a radio station, (the first song is one of my favorites) and you can watch it by clicking here. I'm just addicted to them and listen to them every opportunity I get.
I am greatly looking forward to next year! I will be making this a tradition in my life for as many years as I am able. It is such an amazing event and definitely worthy of being put on any bucket list!
Wanted to end with Brené Brown's manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted:
There is no greater threat to the critics and cynics
and fear mongers
Than those of us who are willing to fall
Because we have learned to rise
With skinned knees and bruised hearts;
We choose owning our stories of struggle,
Over hiding, over hustling, over pretending.
When we deny our stories, they define us.
When we run from struggle, we are never free.
So we turn toward the truth and look it in the eye.
We will not be characters in our stories.
Not villains, not victims, to even heroes.
We are the authors of our lives.
We write our own daring endings.
We craft love from heartbreak,
Copassion from shame,
Grace from disappointment,
Courage from failure.
Showing up is our power.
Story is our way home.
Truth is our song.
We are the brave and brokenhearted.
We are rising strong
Wanted to end with Brené Brown's manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted:
There is no greater threat to the critics and cynics
and fear mongers
Than those of us who are willing to fall
Because we have learned to rise
With skinned knees and bruised hearts;
We choose owning our stories of struggle,
Over hiding, over hustling, over pretending.
When we deny our stories, they define us.
When we run from struggle, we are never free.
So we turn toward the truth and look it in the eye.
We will not be characters in our stories.
Not villains, not victims, to even heroes.
We are the authors of our lives.
We write our own daring endings.
We craft love from heartbreak,
Copassion from shame,
Grace from disappointment,
Courage from failure.
Showing up is our power.
Story is our way home.
Truth is our song.
We are the brave and brokenhearted.
We are rising strong
Hope you enjoyed reading about it.
Signing off with peace and love,
Stephanie
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