Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Prephan.
Hi Rebecca, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Thank you for having me. I appreciate this opportunity to share. My story began with my parents; they married in Syria and moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 1963, where I was born several years later. I attended church and Sunday school each week in the Orthodox Church, which led my parents to enroll me in Catholic schools from elementary to high school, supporting the idea that Catholic Schooling would be a bridge to the Orthodox principles. I then took it further and graduated with a master’s degree in Psychology from a Jesuit College.
I share this because, since a young age, I loved the repetition of a daily practice that provided comfort. It gave me a feeling of safety and peace. However, I deeply struggled with the confinement of rules and judgments, so I searched for what resonated and provided a sense of balance and freedom.
I’ve always been drawn to an inner calling. A pull that something else existed within me. In my mid-twenties, I left Toledo and headed west to Las Vegas, where I lived for nearly 18 years. I quickly became a single mom raising two children, which had challenges. Still, they had dreamt of pursuing careers in entertainment. So, we packed up and moved to Los Angeles. During the next few years, between mostly auditions and being on set with the kids, I would wake up early and start writing, creating outlines, workshops, and exercises around Women. Having a challenging childhood, I was deeply in need of my own inner mending. I found a richness in the repetition of ancient customs that brought about deep healing. I was also drawn to the warrior energy in women. I remember telling myself, “I have no idea why I’m doing this,” but I couldn’t stop. It was just pouring out of me, so I kept going.
“What you seek is seeking you”-Rumi. My upbringing in the Syrian Orthodox Church instilled a form of ancient practice I utilize today. When we do things in repetition, it integrates a form of prayer. During my life’s most challenging times, rituals have comforted my soul. In my continued practice, something began to occur, my mind quieted down, my inner voice became clearer, and a stronger sense of knowing emerged. I didn’t know how to identify the unfolding, yet this was the path of my self-discovery.
Anything you do daily can become a sacred practice or ritual. Finding something that brings you joy and peace can influence your path if implemented frequently. This is why it is important to be mindful of your habits, patterns, and repetitive behavior. Spiritual prayer, in whatever capacity, is powerful. I found mine in the form of Sacred Ritual.
I like to lean into a superpower that everyone has; Intuition.
Since I was young, I found myself drawn to an unseen energy, something visceral, something that tugged at me and stirred from deep within. I needed help articulating it. Nothing made sense when I tried to rationalize what was happening. These feelings would begin to dissipate and lose meaning when I tried to explain or articulate them. This became incredibly unsettling, leaving me with deep frustration. I almost felt irrational and crazy. As a society, we’ve been taught to question and doubt what we feel, which ultimately becomes laced with fear when we don’t listen or trust our feelings. Over the years, I had to unlearn what I had learned and started to act on what was inside of me. Not impulsively, intuitively.
For example, one day in 2018, I was in the car with my daughter, who was driving. We were headed home and going down a road we had driven countless times. I suddenly felt this tug to pull over and go into a tiny shop on the side of the road. I had never been there, but something inside me said, “pull over now.” My daughter reluctantly weaved through two lanes and pulled over. We walked inside this metaphysical shop that you could literally lap 10 times in under thirty seconds.
Messengers are everywhere. Quickly, a conversation was struck between the gentleman behind the counter and me. He asked what I did for work; I shared that I facilitated events and circles and wanted to create something for men and women. He expressed they would love to have something like this in their shop. He strongly suggested my focus should be on women, ultimately, “Goddess Circles.” This struck a chord with me because several years earlier when living in Las Vegas, another gentleman I went to for talk therapy planted a similar seed. During one of our sessions, he encouraged me to teach “Goddess” work. This was a foreign topic to me. As a matter of fact, the term “Goddess” intimidated me. What did I know about Goddesses, and how would I teach something that sounded so out of reach. However, something about it echoed deep within me.
Aligning with the Universal Law of Divine Oneness, everything is connected. Following my nudge to pull over led to someone who served as a messenger and brought the energy back to an idea given to me years earlier. The tiny store I went into moved into a larger location where Goddess Moon Circles was created, and I worked out of with frequent sold-out circles for the next 2 two years. Covid-19 shifted how we all connect, which transitioned everything online. This organically expanded our reach into several states and different countries.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most difficult process was finally surrendering to what lit me up. What inspired me and gave me energy. Growing up in a societal structure that tells you if you work hard, graduate high school, go to college, and get a job, success and happiness will follow. My challenge was to figure out what fueled me rather than drained me. I learned to listen to my inner voice. It is something that never fails me. I found out that struggle occurs when I don’t listen. With my clients, I unfailingly hear them say, “I had a feeling,” or “I should have followed my gut” I mean, that has happened more times than I can count. Thus, I’ve committed to teaching women in my Circles how to trust themselves.
Listening is more synergistic than relying on someone’s words to tell you what you should do. The inner dialogue of our mind runs 24/7 without any direction. This can stifle the psyche because we believe these damaging thoughts. You know, the self-doubt and sabotage running in your mind’s background. When you align with yourself, you become more aware of the words you say to yourself. You can also easily navigate when others step in with opinions, judgments, or insight. Listening isn’t just hearing something. Words have a ripple effect on the body. Paying attention to how something you hear feels in your body is very telling. You follow a more intuitive pathway when you start linking these aspects of the mind and body, and the spirit is woven within both. This is where I learned to trust the wisdom of my body.
A similar struggle has been from the opinion of others. Often when people don’t quite understand what you do, when it leans into the intuitive factor, it’s too “woo woo” or “witchy.” Whatever you want to call it, we all have it. Therefore, it’s innate. The residual effects can be penetrating. This is why fine-tuning your superpower is essential in navigating your life journey.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology, Spirituality, and Consciousness. I teach Ritual and Healing by bridging the gap between Psychology and Spirituality in an ancient practice that is non-traditional in western culture. I do what I call “Goddess Work,” which penetrates our healing capacity on a subconscious level. Women’s circles are important as they support inclusivity and empowerment. The simple practice of women coming together to sit and share has been taking place for thousands of years. At their simplest, women’s circles are where women sit together in a circle around a central altar (which can be anything from a candle, flowers, or something symbolic.) With the intention to simply be present, the rest will unfold naturally. There are opportunities to talk and listen, and usually, you hold something like a stick when it’s your turn to share. There is also a deep calling for men’s circles, which I am currently developing. My work is grounded in a practical application incorporating various modalities that set us apart from other circles. I have a unique toolbox that allows me to open and utilize a tool needed for that particular circle. It’s an intuitive process that supports a flow of healing energy for everyone who attends and is willing to do the “work.” Goddess Moon Circles holds monthly female-empowered events, festivals, workshops, and circles.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
It might surprise many who know me that I have a Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate. I also happen to love old-school R & B and know all of the words to Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang.
Pricing:
- Online Circles $30
- In-Person Circles $40
- Monthly online subscriptions and offerings range between $33-$111
- Distant Healing Sessions $200
- Private Sessions $225+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Rebecca.prephan or goddessmooncircles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaprephan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccaprephanbiz/ OR / https://www.facebook.com/groups/goddessmooncircles
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaPrephan
- Youtube: @rebeccaprephan4165
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/2RBBMEhnsNorw0GlAfSb5U?si=069366bda04d41f3
Image Credits
Grettel Cortes
