I grew up in the ’70s and ’80s, and in true Gen X fashion, I watched a lot of TV. One show, in particular, had a profound impact on me: the original Wonder Woman TV series starring Lynda Carter. Her portrayal of Diana Prince—Wonder Woman—was unforgettable. She was strong and smart, compassionate and kind, while also unapologetically beautiful, radiant, and magnetic. Her beauty and sexuality weren’t something to hide or diminish—they were a vital part of her power, and that thrilled me. She was a vibrant, full-color example of a woman who was fierce and feminine, bold and breathtaking, all at once. Watching her made me feel like being a woman was something truly extraordinary, and that feeling has stayed with me ever since.
Wonder Woman became my role model—a living example of what I now call a "turned-on woman." I deeply resonated with her. I was mesmerized by her radiant smile and the way she fearlessly faced “the bad guys,” stopping them in their tracks with grace and power. To this day, I find myself smiling while channeling that same “oh no, you don’t” energy in moments where I need to stand my ground—whether at work or in life. Wonder Woman didn’t need guns or a sword. She had a magic lasso that compelled people to tell the truth and golden bracelets that deflected bullets with ease and flair. That’s totally my style. Watching her may have been the first time I thought, “I want that for myself.” Some deep, intuitive part of me knew that was who I was meant to be. That archetype—beauty, compassion, and strength combined—has been a guiding thread throughout my life, leading me toward my most fully expressed self.
Fast forward a few years. I was 20, walking through Boston with a boy friend, heading to a program to sit with a Hindu teacher. Our minds at the time were full of thoughts about enlightenment and how it could be applied to the modern world. Out of nowhere, I had a flash of insight, and I decided to share it with him. “You know,” I said, “when I picture myself as a fully awakened being, I see myself as vibrantly sexual and radiant, fully owning my power as a woman. But honestly, I can’t imagine actually being that in the world—I don’t think the world could handle it.” He looked at me with a mix of approval and deep understanding. His gaze felt like it was affirming my vision, quietly saying, “Yes.” A flicker of doubt passed through me: But how do I actually become that? How does someone learn to embody it? I didn’t say it out loud—it was just a fleeting thought before the conversation moved on, as they do.
Fast forward a few more years, and you’ll find me in India. I was there for the 50th birthday jubilee celebration of the hugging saint Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, affectionately known as Amma. Those four days were among the most profound experiences of my life—deserving of their own story—but one moment stood out as a turning point, one that planted the seed for the work I do today. I credit it as the moment I heard the call.
I was sitting on the steps of the Kali temple at Amritapuri, contemplating whether or not to take formal vows of renunciation. It would have been the first step toward becoming a brahmacharini, essentially a Hindu nun. I’d always felt a strong call to service, and I deeply respected Amma’s charitable initiatives and her focus on honoring the feminine. As I sat there, watching the ebb and flow of people—visitors, residents, monks, and nuns—I felt my perspective shift. Suddenly, it all seemed like a divine play, a theater of human existence. And one thing stood out with striking clarity: the dynamic between men and women in the ashram culture.Their gender identities and sexualities, though unspoken, were palpable, playing out beneath the surface of celibacy and religious devotion. The men carried themselves with a kind of chaste superiority, while the women—gripping their veils and deferential in their demeanor—seemed to look at the men as if the power resided somewhere outside of themselves.
“No,” I thought. “I cannot shape myself into that. I cannot fit into this mold.” I realized that if I stayed and made the ashram my home, I would have to shrink myself into that dynamic. And then, as if a bell had rung within me, the next thought arrived: I will go back to America and do work that embraces my identity as a powerful, free woman. My awakening will come through the exploration of my gender, my identity as a woman. I cannot leave my sex behind. Four days later, I left India.
Shortly after returning to the States, I moved to the East Bay of California and settled into my life as a hairstylist, meditator, and yoga and dance enthusiast. I often spoke about wanting to find a way to integrate my sexuality and access my power as a woman. Eventually, a few friends encouraged me to check out OneTaste, saying, “It’s everything you talk about.” They invited me to an InGroup (which became TurnON later). At those first few InGroups I attended, I saw women—some of whom have become dear friends—who invoked that same “I want that for myself” feeling. They were powerful, warm, and naturally sexy, their energy radiating through the room. But these weren’t fictional characters like Wonder Woman. These were real women who had done the work to own their sexuality and embody their fullest, most expressed selves. It was rich, beautiful, and profoundly inspiring. That was almost 20 years ago now, and that radiant, self-possessed beauty is something I credit to the dedicated practice of Orgasmic Meditation.
OM has been, and continues to be, a foundational practice in my life. As I quickly approach my own 50th birthday jubilee, I reflect on this mystical, magical, and profoundly human journey. It’s been both joyful and intensely challenging, and I’m deeply grateful. I feel more vital than ever, more creative, more joyous, and more aligned with my innate power as a woman. My heart of service and my power as a woman have finally come together, just as I always dreamed. OM has given me everything I hoped for and more. It has allowed me to harness the power of Eros within myself, creating a fullness that naturally expresses out into the world.
In Buddhism, the path of the Bodhisattva is described as—one who vows to end the cause of suffering in themselves and others for the benefit of all beings. That flame burns brightly in my heart. And just like Wonder Woman, I am dedicated to ending greed, hatred, and delusion with compassion, wisdom, and my innate turn-on as a woman.
