I am Sweet Water Shadow Woman, and the author of this book. If you are silently suffering emotional pain from past events or avoiding the full self-expression of your innate gifts, my story is for you. It will reveal how the roots of pain take hold, how to overcome resistance to expressing yourself freely, and how to feel loved, appreciated and seen for who you truly are. Walk with me on this path of unlearning and fear busting into a life of creativity, spirit, connection and joy. This compelling memoir will take the reader from shock, to delight, to hope. It includes short narratives from those who know the author’s work and presence in the world. How she became a vessel for the Divine is a must read, especially for those who are tired of suffering or have denied themselves the full expression of their creative and spiritual gifts. Sweet Water learned to hide her true nature in a self-made prison of compliance, protection, pain, grief and betrayal. The world, and the people in it, showed Sweet Water what was expected of her. She obeyed until the day her inner Shadow Woman was called forth to help her unlearn everything she had needed to believe in order to survive. The author’s struggles, courage and journey - to learn through direct experience what was hidden deep inside her - are real. This compelling memoir will take the reader from shock, to delight, to hope. The graphic descriptions of the author’s sexual, physical and emotional abuse lead to the transformative events and people who changed the direction of her life completely - shifting her inner world and identity from one of self-denial and fear to self-expression and love. It includes short narratives from those who know the author’s work and presence in the world, along with some of the author’s poetry, lyrics and ceremonies. How she became a vessel for the Divine is a must read, especially for those who are tired of suffering or have denied themselves the full expression of t