To set the energy in virtual rooms I'm creating, I pulled Oracle cards. When I drew a card for my welcome room, I was taken aback — it was the DistantThunder card. Not exactly the warm, inviting energy I had in mind!
But after letting the message settle and work through my subconscious, I realised something that had been holding me back.
I’ve let other people’s criticisms take me away from my truth and values.
There’s so much pressure online to take a stand on every major event, to voice an opinion, to prove that you care. I’ve felt the weight of that expectation — criticisms of people who don’t share enough, judgements about those who stay silent. And for a while, I let it affect me. I let it pull me away from what I feel is most important: authentic connection.
Image from Denise Linn's Sacred Traveler Oracle Cards
The Role of Criticism—and Why It’s Not My Role
Criticism, shaming, and calling things out have their place. Some people create real change through activism, through raising awareness in that way. But not all of us are meant for that role.
And I’ve come to accept: I am not meant for that role.
The pressure to “have an opinion” or “use my voice” in a particular way doesn’t align with the deeper truth I’m here to share.
Being a Japan lover and a Japanese teacher, I’ve always resonated with a different approach to communication—one rooted in grace, connection, and a welcoming presence. Japanese culture places a high value on relationships, on harmony, on creating a sense of belonging. It’s not that Japan doesn’t need more assertive communication, particularly in areas like gender equality. But each of us has a space where we come most alive, where our energy naturally flows. And that’s the place where we can have the greatest impact.
Releasing Shame, Reclaiming Connection
People rarely respond well to being shamed. If anything, shame makes them more defensive, more entrenched in their views. And yet, so many of us have been conditioned by shame—taught that it’s the way to correct behaviour, to prove we care, to fit in.
But my role? My role is to help undo that shaming.
I’ve realised how subtly shame creeps into our behaviour, shaping our actions in ways that don’t serve us. And for me, this was one of those moments—allowing myself to feel ashamed for not sharing things the way others expected me to. It didn’t make me more engaged; it only put up armour and blocked me from leaning into my true voice and gifts.
I fully believe that each of us is born with unique gifts, that life has an intelligence to it, bringing us into the world at the exact moment we are needed. But to discover those gifts, we need space—especially space free from shame.
The Symbolic Shift: From Hotel Lobby to Cosy Café
Looking at my own family dynamics, I’ve noticed a tendency to mask uncertainty with a kind of false certainty—to grasp for control, to shame others rather than sit with the discomfort of not knowing. But in doing so, we disconnect from the deeper intelligence inside us, the wisdom that emerges only when we give it space.
So, by letting go of the shame around not having strong opinions, around not taking a public stance on everything, I’ve actually created space for what feels true for me.
And this shift is reflected in how I’ve set up my welcome room.
At first, I created a formal hotel lobby —structured, professional, elegant, but ultimately creating a wall between me and the people I wanted to connect with. It was a space that projected a polished exterior, but it wasn’t truly welcoming. It held an air of distance, a sense that there was a correct way to enter and engage.
Now? It’s a cosy café.
A space where people can gather, chat, and connect without shame. A space of curiosity, of not knowing, where new perspectives can be explored playfully, without the pressure to have all the answers.
This transformation mirrors my own journey. I no longer feel the need to have fixed opinions or to present myself in a certain way to be "right" in the eyes of others. Instead, I’m creating a space where dialogue is open, where different perspectives can sit side by side, and where people can engage with one another in a way that feels natural and free.
Some people are meant to have firm opinions and clear lines. That’s their alignment. But for some of us, we are here to hold different perspectives—to invite conversation rather than dictate conclusions. And for me, this café energy represents the kind of space I want to create in my work and business.
I’m not here to tell you what to think.
I’m here to help you feel into what’s aligned for you.
From Denise Linn's Sacred Traveler Oracle Card Deck
And when I shuffled the cards again, asking about the energy of the space, one card flew out of the deck—Grace and Gratitude.
A card with a Japanese woman, a cherry blossom tree, and a welcoming Japanese house.
It felt like confirmation.
This is my path. This is the space I am here to hold.
See It (And Feel It) For Yourself
Come and take a look around our Virtual rooms on GoBrunch.
I created it as part of the Worldbuilding Expo March 11th-12th 2025
