Transformation: Does It Hurt When a Snake Sheds Its Skin, & What We Can Learn.

On Illness, Rest, and Trusting the Shedding Process

Snake’s natural transformation.

Does it gracefully surrend to the process?

This month, I found myself wondering: Does it hurt when a snake sheds its old skin and not just because it is the Chinese year of the Snake?

Why? I've been navigating deep change over the last few months (within and without). And now, my body has decided:

🌱 Stop. Deeply Rest. Release & Recalibrate.

Did I listen?

Well, do you listen when your body whispers its wisdom?

No, of course not. I had too much to do, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to face the truth of what it was telling me. So I pushed through. The result?

Three weeks of on-and-off flu. My second chest infection. A chest X-ray (waiting on results), an MRI, deep fatigue, and pain every time I cough or sniff. And yet, when I finally had a few good days, I jumped back in—back to work, back to crowds, back to 7,500 people (yes, germs everywhere!). Because my job was to create magic and present, and I loved it.

And then… my body said enough.

With my voice gone, I finally turned inward. I surrendered to my body’s deep wisdom and meditated with it. But mostly, I rested—really rested—in the darkness. My mind, too fatigued to overthink, finally allowed me to just be. And in that stillness, I got curious.

💭 “What is my body trying to cleanse? What is it preparing me for? What is it shedding?

Painful as it was, I searched for the gift hidden within the struggle. And then, I shifted into trust.

Liminal to Luminal: The Space Between

The paradox of darkness is that it often leads to light—if we allow it. If we trust the in-between space, open to it, and let the light in.

In the inbetween liminal space, can you allow the light in? Lumos 💫

In Latin, liminal means “threshold.” It’s the space between what was and what will be. The unknown. The void. But then there’s luminal, from lumen, meaning “an opening to light.” Like Lumos—for the Harry Potter fans.

This is the magic of transformation. The Phoenix doesn’t just rise—it burns first. A snake doesn’t just emerge renewed—it sheds first.

This brings me back to my question:

Does it hurt a snake to shed its skin?

Shedding looks painful. A snake goes into darkness. It stops eating. It rubs against rough surfaces, peeling away what no longer serves it.

But—here’s what I learned: If the process is done gently, it’s painless. The secret?

The snake’s body produces a lubricant between the old and new skin to make the transition smooth.

So, I asked myself:
💡 What is my lubricant? What makes my shedding easier?

The Answer?

✨ Acceptance. Surrender. Trust.

Because sometimes, doing is no longer the answer. Sometimes, the only thing left to do is Be. Go within and listen deeply (and, for me take my antibiotics). But, the whole process is the Medicine.

This is the wisdom of Savasana, the “corpse pose” in yoga done at the end of the practice. It is a death, yes—but also a rebirth. A pause that allows for integration after the doing. A necessary stillness before transformation. The darkness needed for a seed to crack open.

If you are in a season of change, uncertainty, or transition, here’s my invitation to you:

 💫 Get curious. Rest deeply.
💫 Meditate with your body and soul wisdom
💫 Trust the process.

🌱 Let the new seed open.
🌱 Let your new skin emerge.

 What I Know for Sure 

My body knows what it needs. My nervous system, that deep and unconscious wisdom, needed support. So, I turned up the dial on my somatic tools, and slowly, I feel more like myself again. But I’m being gentle. Tender.

If you need support, here’s a breathing exercise I’ve been using. From a biological level, It shifts the body from acidic to alkaline, reducing inflammation and emotionally, it calms the mind and allows for a natural release to come up. From here, we can get honest with the 'soul-self’. 

Try it and allow yourself to release (Spotify link below). Listen Deeply!

David Elliot has been one of my teachers, but I also use this breath to guide my clients to help release and heal.

Other little things that help:

✨ Finding moments of joy—even if it’s just looking out the window. Neuroscience shows this helps open curiosity and possibility.
✨ Support—let someone hold space for you. My little guardian, Dobby (yes, my dog!), has been my nervous system’s best friend.

Because sometimes, Awakening flow means Surrendering. Resting. Trusting.

• For me, “Trust” is my nervous system's safety word.

  • Question: What's yours?

  • Sit with that question and your nervous system for a while.

  • Find a word, smell, or image that invokes 'safety'. Trust me, it's powerful & creates ease quickly.

A Quick Note on My Offerings

For the next three months, I won’t be taking on new clients as I transition into this new season. But I’ll still be sharing online meditations and teachings when I can, which I love.

Until then—
🌟 Keep looking for the light. Try saying “Lumos” when it’s hard.
🌟 Listen deeply to your body & soul’s whispers.
🌟 Trust that all will be well. You are held and guided.

Reach out if you would like to discuss any of this or share your experience. I would love to hear it.

With moonbeams,

Nila

PS I wanted to share the best Instagram post I saw on this theme this week, and given it was the New Moon on the 27th, I felt it was perfect.

For those who don’t know - the New Moon was a time when our wise ancestors would honour it by going into the darkness, resting and setting new intentions… (Lunar living) - Enjoy!

PPS: Please share this post if you think it might help someone else who is going through an illness or transition. Thank you!