I am deeply grateful for the incredible blessing of knowing that so many kind and beautiful souls are part of this journey with me. Sharing awareness, love, and the wisdom of the Divine Feminine (our Shakti) fills my heart with humility and joy. Your experiences and stories inspire me, and I would love to hear from you. Please share your testimonial and let your voice be part of this shared circle of light.
I have known Carmen since 2002. The Goddess Store & Studio was a stop for me every time I visited Downtown Hollywood. When I was looking for dance lessons for my 5 year old autistic daughter she was rejected everywhere because she is nonverbal and has trouble following directions. Carmen agreed without hesitation to set her up for lessons. Carmen took over teaching my daughter herself and continues to teach her now twice a week. Goddess Store & Studio closed in July 2017 and we have continued with private lessons in my home. Carmen’s dedication to my child has meant a lot to us and today we consider her a very dear friend. She is one of the most admirable and inspirational people I have ever known. I can testify she has always maintained a healthy lifestyle, has the nicest people as friends, is compassionate, non-judgmental and offers to help anyone she can. Carmen is a non drama person and she brings only love and peace to our community. -2019
Tonight I felt compelled to send you a message to let you know that your Open Mic sessions were so important to me while I was living in South Florida. I haven’t found anything comparable to what you were offering there. I was allowed to expand and to grow and to realize more fully who I was and what my existence meant. And if nothing else, I realize through my contact with you and your poetry circle what I was capable of as far as producing poetry and self expression. Thank you so much ! I will always appreciate you. 2019
To the most beautiful goddess I know. I am so grateful for all the love you have openly shared. Unconsciously you have become a second mother to me and this I can never repay you. Thank You for seeing my potential. I am slowly but surely becoming a woman with your guide that you wholeheartedly give. I love you. I still have so much to learn from you and I am excited to see you grow as well with all your dreams fulfilled.
After coming across the Goddess Store & Studio I met Carmen, who will forever be a mother figure in my creative/spiritual path and a mentor in event production. She is an inspiration to all of those that come across her, a symbol of community who embodies the Spirit of the Goddess in all of her teachings & creations.
"Thank you Carmen for your courage to share your wisdom and love for the Goddess . For sharing how to remember our connection with the the Divine Feminine. I truly enjoy your classes! And from my heart invite everyone to experience this beautiful practice with you!
You opened your Studio in my building on Harrison Street. There are few really special people around. Special, because they change people's lives for the better. You are one of them. Sincerely with love.
Carmen is a woman who reminds me of my mom: she is kind , soft , free, understanding. She opened her heart for me when I really needed it . I feel safe next to her. Some kind of warm aura touches you when she’s close to you. She is an incredible woman with a strong Spirit and a soft heart .
Carmen is a remarkable woman, mother, teacher and friend. I met her back in 2003 at The Goddess Store and Studio. She encouraged me to create and through her I was able to sell my first art pieces. I learned from her that femininity is a gift to be embraced, celebrated and cherished.
Carmen, what you have done and continue to do for women by empowering & guiding them to healing themselves and as a result for men as well as they must then step up to “whole” new stages of being to embrace those embodied Goddesses is immeasurable. What my time at your Goddess Studio did for me, witnessing the beautiful courageous strength and vulnerability fostered by your care of every woman and man that was brave enough to accompany them was also immeasurable. I am forever a Knight in Shiva-lrous service of the Goddess because of the time I was blessed to experience teaching and learning there. It was an initiation of the highest order. Besides how many guys can practice boxing, Kung fu and belly dance while watching a football game on Sunday? I can thanks to you. And you’d be surprised how much belly dance, sports and marital arts have in common. It’s all in the Hips, Heart & Hara (aka duende). Sister the Hips don’t lie…and neither does the love we ALL have for you!
Sister Carmen, You are divine, So kind And generous. Thank you! I’m inspired by you and reminded over and over how easy it is to make a difference for someone. Shining the light on what someone is sharing is a selfless service..I’m gonna do more of it. Thank you! I love you!
Carmen is an amazing dance teacher and I would like the world to know that Carmen has played a special role in my daughter’s life for over a decade. Johanna is a beautiful, sweet, talented. intelligent 18 year old young woman with autism. When she was very young, she heard belly dancing music while she was walking by The Goddess Store with her mother and she was drawn to it like a magnet. She walked into the store and that’s when her relationship with Carmen began. Carmen and Johanna have been doing dance lessons multiple times per week now for about 13 years. Dancing brings Johanna pure joy. It is one of the great loves in her life. Her ability to learn dance steps, and to feel the rhythm of the music and dance to it have been greatly developed by Carmen’s patient, kind, and loving approach. Carmen encourages Johanna to express herself through her dancing and has always been wonderfully supportive in every way. The pandemic has created new challenges in our lives and at this time they are conducting the lessons via Zoom. It is a testament to the strong relationship Carmen has built with my daughter that she responds to her video image with such enthusiasm. Johanna is not able to speak with her voice so she has developed alternative means of communication. Through the dance that Carmen has taught her, she speaks through that beautiful art form. Please do not hesitate to hire Carmen to instruct you. You will be very happy you did.
I met Carmen many years ago when she had the Goddess Store and Studio. Once I found it, I knew it was what I was looking for. That place, Carmen and everyone there changed my life for the better. She made of that place not a business but a safe space for all women ( men too) to share, heal and become better versions of ourselves. That’s exactly what the world needs, people like Carmen who are determined to make this world a better place. I will be forever be grateful for her kindness, patience, teachings and love.
We have shared so many beautiful, melodic memories!!! Our hearts forever entwined in our love for what moves our Spirits to Ecstacy. May your Heart always be full of the Joy you have shared with oh-so-many of us.
Eddie
I wish I had known you earlier. All I can say in the short time that I have known you, you have had a major impact in my life. I was burned out on development work and just wanted to soak up new age philosophy vibe, dance & music and never expected the great effects on my fate. Carmen your warmth, driven passion for dance & music, old fashioned ways, heart of gold that nurtures and your incredible array of talents has really touched my heart. I hope that you will continue to achieve your dreams and nurture so many others with arts, dance & motivation. Continue to empower many women to discover the Goddess within. You are an awesome mom and your daughter is an awesome woman like her mother. So many people are indebted to you and are grateful for you as you inspire women to pursue their dreams. You are a true healer and a goddess.