Forgiveness and Feminine Power with Dara McKinley

Welcome to the Emerging Women podcast, where we hear from brilliant women leaders creating big change in the world. I’m your host, Chantal Pierrat. Today’s guest is my longtime friend Dara McKinley. Dara is a thought leader in the divine feminine, an entrepreneur, and a modern spiritual guide in the art of forgiveness. She holds a graduate degree from Naropa University in Boulder and formerly ran a successful private counseling practice. Twelve years ago, Dara suffered a painful betrayal by a business partner that left her questioning herself. She asked the Divine Mother for answers and received an answer that simply said: Forgive. At first, she was reluctant. But she began to research the art of forgiveness, ultimately developing a finely-tuned practice of forgiveness that allowed her to reclaim her personal power. And, she says ... you can learn how to forgive, too. “I define forgiveness as a spiritual experience that heals betrayal,” Dara says in today's podcast. (7:00) What’s more, she says, mastering the art of forgiveness is key to unlocking your divine feminine power. “Some not-so-obvious indicators that you may be in need of forgiveness are being very judgmental of others, being very judgmental of yourself, insomnia that has you worried in the middle of the night, and chronic anxiety.” (7:21) Dara advises doing the “wince test.” “Think of something in your life that when people bring it up or you think about it – just makes you wince inside,” she says. This is the area where you need to explore forgiveness. Here are some fantastic quotes from my podcast interview with Dara: “Forgiveness is not a tool; it’s foundational. Because the path to the feminine rise is going to involve loss and failure.” (10:08) “The transformational process of forgiveness leaves you in such a stronger place than you ever could have imagined.” (10:45) “The definition of betrayal is when someone or something you trusted fails you.” (16:08) “Now, I use the word betrayal in my course to talk about anything that would benefit from forgiveness even if what failed you was yourself.” (16:41) “Forgiveness is a function of universal love, and universal love operates even when there is no understanding and no empathy, universal love can still be accessed and applied.” (22:26) “One of my big goals with this work is to evolve and create a working definition for forgiveness from pardoning offenses and ceasing anger to forgiveness is a spiritual experience that heals betrayal, that heals when what you trusted ... fails.” (24:24) “If forgiveness has your back then you’re invincible because no matter where you trip and fall and stumble, you’re going to be able to move forward in a really quick way.” (33:15)   In today’s podcast, Dara and I talk about one of the most challenging opportunities: self-forgiveness. “Sometimes you need to forgive the aspect of yourself that gives you a hard time.” (8:37) It never occurred to me when we started talking about this that the thing that I would pick to test this course would be myself. When I realized I was going to forgive myself, I feel like I struck gold. Self-forgiveness goes way beyond having compassion for oneself. It is: A clearing out of what is holding us back. And an act of surrender and a letting go of that which does not serve us. Self-forgiveness is an all-powerful gateway to personal power. It takes openness, empathy, vulnerability, and receptivity – all inherently feminine strengths. The truth is: We all have someone or something to forgive – perhaps even ourselves. It’s not just about forgiveness. It’s about healing ourselves, others and the planet. And creating a future where empathy, vulnerability, and true feminine strength reign supreme. It’s all a part of the Emerging Women ethos, so let’s jump right into this unique and fascinating conversation. Welcome to “Forgiveness and Feminine Power” with my friend Da...