Goddess god-dess, (noun)

1 : a female God

2 : a woman whose great charm or beauty arouses adoration – Merriam-Webster

Imagine being on the best campout ever, purposefully cut-off from everything, with like-minded girlfriends all around you, and a dab bar that opens at 7 a.m.

That kind of magic has been happening once a month for three years now during the Glowing Goddess Getaway; the love child of Dierdre Bagdasarian and Saileen Ossman, two Goddesses with a gift to facilitate, create, and bring best friends forever, together.Bagdasarian had been making medibles within California’s medical cannabis industry for ten years, and felt that most of the events had a “boy’s club” vibe.

“After giving birth to my daughter, I was feeling isolated and in lonely in newborn-land,” she shared. “Like many new moms, I started fantasizing about a vacation; a getaway just for women – but with cannabis!”Bagdasarian came to the cannabis table late in life, partaking for the first time when she was 25 years-old, quickly realizing it was not the drug she’d been warned about.

“After using it a few times, I noticed a profound impact on the depression I’d struggled with for years,” she said. “I had relief from symptoms for hours, sometimes days after use – not just while I was ‘high.’ It was changing how I thought and felt about my own depressive nature.”Cannabis, she said, allowed her to examine her own thoughts and beliefs without self-judgement and criticism, helping her to grow and evolve as a person, long after the high wore off.The getaways were created as a private, member’s only social club, and have become a platform for this exact kind of enlightenment and growth.

Enter Ossman, after sitting on a panel Bagdasarian facilitated for Women in Cannabis, geared toward a discussion about women’s retreats, she said she immediately felt at home.“I felt like I had found my tribe,” Ossman said. “The love and sister vibes were so palatable, I wanted to be involved. Deidra had no idea at the time that I had 20 plus years’ experience in catering and event planning! I knew there was something magical happening – something much bigger than ourselves, and I wanted to be a part of it.”Ossman’s history with cannabis began as a coming-of-age in Southern California in the 60s.“I was always drawn to cannabis,” she shared. “In my late teens I was in a near-fatal car accident and was in ICU for over two weeks, with multiple injuries.

I was on a respirator and had round-the-clock inhalation therapists coming every few hours to perform various therapies to keep my lungs clear. That’s when I learned about cannabis as medicine, and how it’s a natural bronchial dilator.”Ossman said she made a clear and conscious choice to use cannabis in her healing process, and never took another pill.“Today my greatest mission is to educate and elevate the cannabis experience,” she continued.

“The getaways are a-calling, and they fulfil my heart’s desire to create a safe place for women to come together to foster sisterhood connections. We are normalizing cannabis as a spiritual and creative tool

Wine Country, without the Wine

This past April (2019), the Goddesses rented a private estate in the California Wine Country, complete with a vineyard, swimming pool, and enough meadowland to create a camp haven. Participants are asked to bring a bed roll, pillow, personal belongings, and snacks to share. Everything else is all-inclusive in the average price of $420 per person, depending on location and what’s offered. Extracurricular offerings include Astrology readings and assorted workshops special to each getaway.

The only thing missing from the California Wine Country getaway was the wine, as the retreats are for cannabis partaking only, with no alcohol allowed.Jessica Gonzales, aka, The Mommy Jane on Instagram, was in attendance with her own mommy, Jamie Fraser. Gonzales is known for giving up wine for weed, becoming a better mom in the process. “For someone who has alcohol abuse on both sides of my family tree, to be able to attend this retreat with my mother – not only booze-free, but blissed-out and high on life and cannabis – is something I hope everyone gets a chance to experience in their lifetime,” she shared. “To be in this space with my mother and canna-sisters, fulfi lled and loved – I can only say that the Glowing Goddesses have created heaven on earth!”For Gonzales, the maternal vibe began the moment they arrived, with experienced participants greeting the newbys with helpful advice and a friend to sesh with right away.

“We felt so taken care of, literally!” she exclaimed. “Everything was all ready for us to enjoy and consume. The entire weekend was mapped out for us. For a mother who is usually the one making arrangements and always taking care of others, this getaway was more than a treat, it was desperately needed!”

Glowing Together

Base camp is a large, sheltering, open-air tent that’s the hub of the gathering. Upon arriving, Bagdasarian offers up an inspiring welcome. She details the weekend’s agenda of crafts, astrology, belly dancing, and more. You can do as much or as little as you like – it’s your time to play, bond, and smoke a lot of weed – which enhances the entire experience.After a Puff & Paint workshop led by Mindie Gum-Grivell of Aries Art NW.com, infectious laughter was encouraged in a Laughter Yoga session led by Claire Coughlin Powell.

According to a definition in Wikipedia, the premise for Laughter Yoga is the belief that voluntary laughter gives the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter – as forced laughter typically turns into real and contagious laughter.

With an exuberance rarely seen from a yoga instructor, her playful stances and the way she brought out laughter from all of us, stayed with us the entire weekend, helping us bond at the top of the event.Each morning Ossman leads a mindful meditation session. Her words are fresh and ring true of love and acceptance, for each other and for ourselves.A large plastic bag, holding seemingly hundreds of pre-rolls, are procured, becoming a comical, yet welcome sight before each workshop and session.

Munchies are important, and each camper is asked to bring their favorite junk food to share, making snack time an orgy of chips and sweets. A cutting board of cheese straight from Wisconsin is laid out, courtesy of Goddess, Emily Duncan, who fl ew with everything from her home state via carry-on.

Mealtime did not disappoint, with meals provided by local Thai and Indian caterers, with a Taco Truck on the last day; a full breakfast buffet each morning; and a bounty of snacks laid out 24/7. To end each day, a party-like gathering came together under the big glow tent. Karaoke was a given; with Show & Share a favorite for what’s called “Tribe Time,” with Goddesses performing skits, dance, and song. On the second day, a panel of cannabis industry professionals shared their own stories of healing and growing in the world’s fastest growing industry.

On the last day, an awards and appreciation ceremony was held, during a final bonding moment, before heading back to reality. In My Lifetime, an UnderstatementThough I’ve been covering cannabis events for more than eight years now throughout the U.S., I’m from the 1970s. My first hit was taken hiding out in a gas station bathroom. The reality of being able to partake openly, to celebrate the plant with like-minded people, is still a dream come true for this old educated stoner.

To be able to giggle with sisters, besties, girlfriends old and new, from morning until night – while exploring and revealing our souls to each other during purposeful sit-downs, was truly a kind of heaven, reserved for those of us who have crouched in alleyways and stood on hotel room toilet seats, blowing smoke into ceiling fans, for decades.

“The getaways are absolutely our heart project, and Sailene and I are devoted to this community,” Bagdasarian surmised. “The more we learn, the more we want to share; and the Glowing Goddess Community has become an amazing place to share all we know about cannabis as remedy, and a therapeutic tool.

Written and Published By Sharon Letts In Weed World Magazine Issue 143

For a Glowing Goddess experience near you, join a Sister Sesh Sunday, each Sunday at 4:20 p.m., when sisters gather to sesh across the U.S. The Goddesses welcome their sisters from across the world to join them. #SisterSeshSunday

For more information on Sister Sesh Sunday, or becoming a member visit:glowinggoddessgetaway.com

Please note: The Glowing Goddess Getaway is for women, or those identifying as women