Episode 31: Awakening The GoddUs Within with Elisa Valdes, Founder of GoddUs Rising

sensuality sexuality Mar 01, 2021

Awakening The GoddUs Within with Elisa Valdes, Founder of GoddUs Rising

Kendall: I am so excited to introduce you to Elisa Valdes, the founder of Goddus Rising. Without further ado, I would love to just dive in and start to you share a little bit about who you are and how you shine your light on the planet.

Elisa: I am the owner founder of goddess rising. My business, is really my movement. It's spelled G O D D U S as in us goddesses. We rise together. I's all about tapping into your feminine divinity, your sensuality, your sexuality. My photo shoot sessions are not just your typical photoshoots. They are a self identity and self-awareness, conscious therapeutic investments. I very much love working with all different types of women. I don't believe in Photoshop. I believe that we show up as our most authentic selves and, allow our inner being in our inner goddess to shine bright because we are, we all are, and we all need to rise together.

Kendall: Tell me how you have really started to embody and spread this movement, with the women that you work with.

Elisa: I think right now, especially during this time and this global world that we live in, we are all seeking a friend, a family, someone to help us guide us, be a part of our influential everyday being. And that is just my personal goal for myself is how can I impact women? How can I make women feel more connected to themselves through their sexuality? There's nothing to be shameful of that to show up and to be nude or not nude or wear leather and whatever it is that resonates. I'm probably let's see a year and a half in Goddess Rising has been an existence and it's just continuing to build and I get the pleasure to work with gorgeous women like you and, you know, us all be a part of this.

Kendall: Let's talk a little bit about my favorite topics and sensuality and sexuality and creating a space to really embrace that because you have a really powerful container that you get to offer women to really embrace that. What are some of the challenges that you see, when women are considering booking a shoot with you and stepping into this container, what are some of the things that they're looking to overcome in that space?

Elisa: I think a couple things. I think one thing that holds a lot of women back from booking a photo shoot is I am not this version of myself. I am at this weight when I should be 15 pounds less. I always tell women that our bodies go through different phases and it's all temporary. And we met a morphic and to many different castings and our wings spread during different times of our life and seasons. And what a better time than now to do it, regardless of what you have going on lately, which is really surprising to me is I've been having a lot of women going through divorces and just not, you know, with that absence of like the masculinity, masculinity energy, that they're now wanting to explore more of their feminine side and their sexual side and what it is to be sexy. I've had a lot of women going through separations, but in that, the beauty of, of all of it, even though it's a tragic thing, it's making the conscious decision to choose yourself and to show up as yourself and your self investment. And I love it and I think it's awesome. I'm like, wow, you can take such a heartbreaking, tragic thing and say, Hey, I'm going to go like be sexy for me. To see that women are choosing me to be a part of their self care.  I never thought boudoir was going to be a self investment. I saw it as a self investment, but not as like a routinely thing, like most of the time think, Oh, I'm going to do it when I get married or, Oh, I'm going to do it when I'm this way, or I'm going to do it for my 30th birthday. Even though those occasions are milestones that should be celebrated and embraced. We have daily milestones that should be lived

Kendall: I love it because this is obviously something that I am incredibly passionate about, but I love how you honor the different seasons and the seasons of your life is exactly perfect for you exactly where you're supposed to be. And when we can use our sensuality and our sexuality as a doorway to honor that and embrace that and really start to integrate it, we get that instant tap in of divine guidance of who we're supposed to be in our fullest expression and who we already are. It's that remembrance into this power already exists within me. You don't have to do it for anybody by yourself and how amazing that women are honoring that and saying, Oh my gosh, this, this was step one. Here's step two, here's step three. And kind of moving through this journey of absolute transformation overall. Let's talk a little bit about how you even developed Goddus Rising. Where did that begin? Because the way that you shoot food-wise is not how most other photographers do and that elements of energy that you captivate is truly different. It comes through your work. What does that journey look like? Where did you begin and how did it evolve and take its own transformation to become this powerful container?

Elisa: I've been a photographer for many years. Very much started with fashion and which is so fun. Don't get me wrong. I love fashion. But then I was like, we ended up being like a human coat hanger and we don't end up representing ourselves. We start representing a brand or a different style. And I just didn't that wasn't very raw and authentic to me anymore. I fell in love with nudes and I was like, Oh, I want to be this fine art nude photographer for, and just show how the human form, whether it's male or female. I do work with a lot of, females, but I've also had the opportunity with work with males too, which is nice because then I can tap into my masculine energy and what is appealing or what is sexy or how men also have body issues too.

You know, we all do in so many different ways and kind of shining that light of it's not just women that are subconscious and self-conscious about their weight or their stretch marks or whatever it, you know, for.

We lose weight, we gain weight, we go through pregnancy or our muscles get enlarged and we start bulking and it's just like, yeah, we just go through different formations. I started with nude and then which I loved, but then not everybody is ready to full-blown though, you know, run on sand dune, butt naked.  I was like, let me tap into boudoir. When I started kind of fondling with idea of boudoir photography, I found myself going through a very hard time with my sexuality, right? And like, I want to be this sexual person and not necessarily, you know, I have sex with multiple different partners. I mean, if you do, or whatever that resonates and brings you happiness and go by means for me, I just felt lost. Like I wasn't sexy. I was like, gosh, this is terrible and when I started working with new women and I fell in love with the lace, I fell in love with the leather. I fell in love with still fashion. You know, you can still dress up and have that sex appealed look, but then I'm like this is self care.


I was at the time, when I was thinking about a business, you know, I was like, gosh, what am I going to do? Like, what am I going to name myself? And I, everyone was like, Oh, you're still about the goddess, the goddess, the goddess. I was like, it can't be generic. It can't be another, just typical name. And I was thinking about it and I was like driving home from a trip in California. And I was like, how can I change the word goddess? And I was like, us got us, us goddesses. We rise together. And that's kind of my Anthem. It's my motivation. It's the movement. So that's how this sense of God is raising came and I've been a business owner for a year and a half.

Kendall: It's absolutely stunning and to really honor the journey. I think what you've shared about, it's not just women who have body issues. I think honoring the fact that for most human beings it's part of our human experiences where like, Oh man, my body, I don't know if I like my nose or my like my, whatever it is. It's how do we start to shift that perspective and really start to give ourselves the grace and the compassion to say, sure, we have different experiences. We go through different seasons and, you know, to just raise the awareness. So that as individuals, when we walked down the street, you know, not everybody is walking down the street striving confidently. And how do we just honor that everybody's going on their own journey, whether you are whatever identification you identify as, but really just honoring that, that journey.

When we start to peel back those layers and take off those clothes, we get to see how can I lean into some of those places where I'm not as confident. How do I start to see the beauty and the, the lines, the folds, the wrinkles, the stretch marks, and really just honor it and you know, I think when we look from a physical bodies space, like women with their breasts, their vulvas, like what they look like, the color, is it normal? Like, yes, it's normal, every single color, but men go through the same thing too with their size.

All have our own things and so how do we stand there fully, like in our skin to be like, this is who I am. This is the body that I, that I get to embrace without, let me add the fillers and enlargements and the things, and then just embrace who we are. So that's something I get really passionate about is like, you are perfect exactly. As you are, your body is beautiful and sure. We want to honor it and take care of it and love it and eat well and move well and do all those things. But how do we start to lean into that, that next phase to truly evolve as human beings. So, Oh, I just love it. So when we think about sexuality and that shame, that really comes along with so many people, how do you help people really honor their sexuality as something that is so natural?

Elisa: Whatever it is that you are going through, it is temporary. Just like we go through seasons and our body changes. And I think using phototherapy, that's how I see my photography sessions. It's phototherapy. I am causing a shift with your subconscious level to cause self identity and self-awareness, and with that, it might be hard. Like I've had women that broke down and told me what brought them here.

I want to be a healthcare provider. I want to be able to heal people. And I had to take a step back and say, you are healing. It is not just your typical put on some lingerie. And let me stop a few photos. No, like it is a full experience. You will leave feeling like a new person, at least, hopefully that is my intention.

Kendall: Well, and you know what, an honor for yourself too, to step into that truth for you, that is your authentic truth. That is who, who you're meant to be. I think when we step in to that truth for ourselves, of course, it's going to magnetize the people who believe in that same truth to us. That is a testament to your growth and your own embodiment of the journey that you're you're on yourself, right? Sometimes that the biggest learning for us us is often the things that we need the most love and attention on. As you said, like you were trying to feel sexy or trying to figure out who you are as this natural sexual being and by being able to help people with that, then you to honor that for yourself. I love your perspective on being an educator. Talk to me a little bit about how you, of course, in sensuality and femininity, but talk to me a little bit about what are some of the avenues that you're showing up as an educator. So how are you embodying that archetype?

Elisa: It's an archetype that I've always wanted. Um, I come from a family of educators. My dad was a teacher for 40 years. Um, that's actually who introduced me to photography. He introduced me to film at the, like the age of 12. I always wanted, I saw how my father very much influenced so many kids and so many people and teachers, and really caused such like education is knowledge and knowledge is power and it's confidence and it's self investment. And I just want it that archetype. I just want him to be that person.

I've been teaching women like get in front of the mirror, get in front of a camera, see what new birthmarks have arise, what new sunspots, the varicose veins, the spider veins, that extra new cellulite that might be on that thigh. Like all the natural, beautiful things that happen with growth. Our body is growing when those things happen and that's okay.

Kendall: I think that's a really beautiful space and to honor some of those, um, that family lineage is really cool because your father was an educator.

Let's talk about some of those skills and things that you've applied over really just the way that you shoot, because you have a unique eye and you like to play with light and shadow and all those things. So let's talk a little bit about what are some of your favorite things to shoot or not necessarily things cause obviously women's bodies and bodies are one of the tops, but really if you look at the way that you love to shoot with shadows and exposure and location, let's talk a little bit about some of your favorite things.

Elisa: It just, depending on my creativity space, um, sometimes I'm like, Ooh, yeah, let's get super high fashion and a little bougie with some like gems and jewels and you know, gloves. But then I love being able to go out into nature and be one with one with God, one with the universe, mother nature. And to be in it's like, I think the nature she was with like the most natural, like naked out on the river or out in the sand. And like, I feel like it's those moments it's like, this is how it should be. This is how the human spirit, the human mind, the human connection to the earth to one and how those merge together and create such a it's reviving.

Kendall: Then you also do some work with couples too. Yeah. Tell me a little bit about that. Cause that's, that's on my to-do list is some really fun, couple of shots.

Elisa: Awesome to see people and how just human connection is and to watch people's body languages and their love languages, how it comes out in also the physical, time of actually being present there, you know, me witnessing that. But then when I go back and edit it and I actually get to see the love and the affirmation and the things that she didn't get to see how he looked at her. I've had couples, photos done of myself, with past lovers and it was so fun and it was like such a bonding experience to show up. By the end of the shoot, everyone, most of the guys are like, that was not bad at all. That was not what I thought it was going to be and all this stuff. It's so fun and I think all couples should do it.

Kendall: I love that. So what is a great way for people to connect with you?

Elisa: Instagram is where I get most of my business and I have a website.

During today's episode we talk about:

  • How did Elisa start her business and movement Goddus Rising? 
  • What are some of the challenges Elisa sees in her clients when trying to embrace their sexuality and sensuality? 
  • What are some of the conflicts that come up with women and their bodies? 
  • How are boudoir shoots a form of self care? 
  • How is Elisa showing up as an educator? 
  • How does Elisa work with couples and why couples should consider doing a nude shoot together? 

Memorable Moments:

  • "All have our own things and so how do we stand there fully, like in our skin to be like, this is who I am." -Kendall
  • "Whatever it is that you are going through, it is temporary. Just like we go through seasons and our body changes. And I think using phototherapy, that's how I see my photography sessions. It's phototherapy. I am causing a shift with your subconscious level to cause self identity and self-awareness, and with that, it might be hard." -Elisa
  • I want to be a healthcare provider. I want to be able to heal people. And I had to take a step back and say, you are healing. What you do it again. It is not just your typical put on some lingerie. And let me stop a few photos. No, like it is a full experience. You will leave feeling like a new person, at least, hopefully that is my intention." - Elisa
  • "I've been teaching women like get in front of the mirror, get in front of a camera, see what new birthmarks have arise, what new sunspots, the varicose veins, the spider veins, that extra new cellulite that might be on that thigh. Like all the natural, beautiful things that happen with growth. Our body is growing when those things happen and that's okay." -Elisa

Connect with Elisa:

In light, in love, and in gratitude, K

If you loved this episode I’d deeply appreciate you subscribing and leaving a 5 star review and please share this with someone who will resonate with this episode today!
 
Find out more on my website: www.soulsaturations.com

Let's Connect!

Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.