Healing Karma
PORSCHA NEWTON ON LIVING AND LOVING WITH PURPOSE
by Dawn wilson | Photos courtesy of Porscha Newton
Through her own journey of self-discovery, Porscha Newton found a life of purpose, helping women recognize their self-worth.
She established Fire Tribe in 2017, a community of women who meet regularly to uplift each other. As their community expanded, she wanted to create a more personal connection with her 'tribe' by meeting in person. This led to her hosting a retreat that would offer a supportive and genuine sisterhood, in a safe space for healing from sexual abuse and sexual trauma. With the success of the retreat, organized through her company, Public Karma, she later established the Sacred Retreats brand for women outside of her circle searching for self-discovery.
Sacred Retreats offer women an unfiltered, unbiased, no-judgment space that encourages them to let their guards down and embrace the freedom of vulnerability. Newton, has taken her responsibility as a practitioner seriously, receiving training from a school of sexuality and sexology. She also went to ministry school to better engage women in the Black community. The success of her sold-out retreats is predicated on her credentials, her life experiences, and her own journey.
VISTAS interviewed Newton to understand and share her critical and unique approach to help women process and heal their trauma.
VISTAS: What exactly are Sacred Retreats?
Porscha: They are retreats focused on intention, which means focused energy, focused on the positive, love, and growth. Using intention in all areas of life is how we show up in all other areas of our lives. I teach the women to have more intention in their conversations, more intention in their daily rituals of how they treat themselves, more intention to the people they surround themselves with, and more intention in their choices. Doing this creates a sacredness and deeper meaning of who we are. Many of us are disconnected and on a robotic program. When we set intentions in our lives, it becomes more meaningful.
VISTAS: Why do you coordinate Sacred Retreats?
Porscha: After my journey of self-discovery, I realized how important it is to live a life of intention. I felt 'called' to help other women do the same. I wanted to give them a safe space and create a genuine sisterhood. My goal is to help them understand intention and to live intentionally in a non-competitive way.
VISTAS: What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
Porscha: The transformation of a woman. For instance, a woman attending one of the retreats, who was reluctant at first, came in and we began the program by washing her feet. The foot washing ceremony is a regular part of the retreat, it's considered 'the Giving,' and this is performed with intention and sacredness. It honors the women coming in and bonding them in their energy, which allows them to be responsible for whatever comes up for them. She's crying and her sister comes to hold her hand, and then she also starts crying when it's her turn to have her feet washed. As the retreat was coming to an end, the sisters told me they had never experienced that much trust and safety or felt so much love from another woman. That blew my mind!
VISTAS: How do you create these dynamic transformations?
Porscha: From the first day of the retreat, I want the women to know they chose themselves, and we're here to celebrate that. We do everything that we can to make sure they can receive what is given to them. These are professional women who work and give so much of themselves, so the retreats are to show them what they can receive in this moment and what they will allow themselves to receive from someone else. Then they can determine how they can add this to their lives to make it more sacred and more intentional.
VISTAS: What's next for Public Karma?
Porscha: I want to help other women create experiences for their community, showing them how their retreats can be profitable, and done with intention.
VISTAS: What are traits that someone who wants to start organizing these types of retreats should have?
Porscha: #1 Flexibility – If they can't pivot then this is not the business for them. Having flexibility means having the ability to pivot and be able to work well under pressure. #2 Organization – This doesn't mean just planning an itinerary. The program needs to be cohesive so that the results and transformation remain. When my team helps me organize the retreats, we do everything intentionally, from the location selection, down to the colors we use. Organizers must have the heart for what they are doing to create cohesive experiences that fit with the theme and the intention of the retreat. #3 Integrity – Having the ability to lead with your heart and acting with passion from a place of integrity is key. I don't think my retreats would be as impactful or as transformational if it were only about earning money.
VISTAS: What are some challenges of hosting retreats?
Porscha: Facilitators do not charge enough. Monetarily retreats are very profitable, but often, organizers don't understand the infrastructure or how to stack up the marketing, and sales of the project. They have to understand that it is not about how much they charge, as much as it is about the value they offer and the transformation. People struggle with selling the retreat. They don't fully understand there is a difference between marketing for a retreat versus product or course sales. It's about having the right staff and people to help you push the event, and again, I think most people don't charge enough. They want to charge as little as possible and this diminishes the experience for attendees and what they receive, thus it doesn't allow the organizers to continue creating the experience they want, year after year. Once I saw what I could create with more money, collaborations, and sponsorships my retreats grew.
VISTAS: Can you share a story of someone who inspired you at a retreat?
Porscha: A woman who came to one of the retreats spoke to me about how her father took advantage of her for most of her life. The story touched my heart, and so I continued working with her. I told her that one day she would inspire so many women who are in the same position and don't know how to heal. I eventually got her to a place where she could write a love letter to herself. I told her that if she can't find anything about herself that she loves, then write what you like about yourself. She couldn't write it, so I told we would write it together. She said she couldn’t think of anything. She began going into this judgment about herself. I told her I wanted her to go back to the little girl who was full of life before these situations happened and look at her from a witness perspective. What does she need to hear and what do you need to tell her? What did she need to understand at those moments when things were not ok? It makes me emotional because today, she is now a podcaster and her first episode was, 'A Love Letter to Herself'. Then last year, she was a keynote speaker at one of my retreats, helping another woman who realized the same things happened to her.
VISTAS: I can see there is a lot of healing happening. What is the first step in helping someone organize a retreat?
Porscha: The first step is to understand their 'intention'. If the intention isn't there, it won't carry through in the experience.
VISTAS: Do you mentor your clients and if so, how far does that extend?
Porscha: We do everything from e-books to help people who just like to read and sit back and make up their minds about what they want to do, we provide them with a guide on how to intentionally start hosting retreats. There are à la carte options where I come in to organize, plan, and do everything you could think of. I call in my team, my sponsors, and my contacts, and then we do everything for you including marketing and branding. I really believe in being able to get monetary value in what we do because this is what keeps the mission going, so we do need to sell seats, which is why I help my clients with everything. I also believe that accountability is everything because initially, retreats can be overwhelming and logistically confusing, which is why I am happy to step in to create these special experiences for their community.
VISTAS: What is the one thing that you hope women take away from your retreats?
Porscha: Worthiness. That they are worthy of all things. That God is limitless. Stay authentic to who you are, and trust that there is nothing in this world that you can't have and do. You're worthy of it all. We don't have to decide if we'll have one thing or another because God is all things, and we get to experience all of it.
VISTAS: How do you rejuvenate yourself (self-care) after a retreat? Do you have a ritual?
Porscha: I always plan two days, alone, after the retreat to ease back into life. Taking into nature, sitting alone with my thoughts. As a mom and businesswoman, I have to cut everything off. My kids are my safe space, they help me get reenergized. I usually rent a house after the retreat to connect and spend time with my kids. I practice silent mornings that also help me rejuvenate.
VISTAS: Who is an ideal candidate for your retreat, and can you easily identify if they are ready to receive what you are offering?
Porscha: My ideal client is struggling with her self-worth, and it's showing up in all her business, life, and what she thinks of herself. The woman who is ok with giving her all to everything that she touches, but when it comes to herself, she's not a priority.
VISTAS: Thank you so much, Porscha for taking the time to speak with me today. I've learned so much in the time we've spent together. You are an inspiration to me, and I applaud you for all that you do!