Beyond the Mind, Into the Body

Thursday, October 22, 2020 // 4pm PDT
Hosted by Maytha Al Hassen
Free (RSVP Required)

Member price accessed with discount code at checkout. Are you a member and don’t know your code? Email [email protected]! Not a member but interested in these perks? Join here!

From its inception, western civilization culture privileged the mind as the dominant mechanism for experiencing the world, each other, and ourselves. Our ancient practices and wisdoms long taught us otherwise. Yoga is one of those practices that transcends that cerebral supremacy; instead, teaching us to integrate all parts of our being: mind, body, and spirit.

In this 60 minute-class will offer poses and sequences to get us in our bodies and connect with our souls. Through the guidance of somatic experiencing, we will also work on balancing our over-taxed nervous system, healing sympathetic nervous system dominance by activating our parasympathetic nervous system by exhaling deeply, easing some tightness, and opening our horizons. Open to all levels and entry points! Modifications will be offered.

somewhat of a “freedom doula,” maytha alhassen have spent decades serving the elevation and liberation of spirit through journalism, academia, art, social justice organizing and healing worlds. alongside a ph.d. in american and ethnic studies, and expertise in history, anthropology, critical race studies and gender studies, alhassen also explored a multi-dimensional path towards inner liberation (authentic self-revealing) by training in trauma-informed yoga + meditation (a somatics approach), social justice-infused yoga (off the mat, into the world training), reiki, and pregnancy doula training.

alhassen have supplemented this work by delving deeply into the divine feminine tradition within islam, offering “sufi sacred femme” healing circles from nyc to the bahamas. through her invocation of these healing traditions intersecting with knowledge of systems of oppressions, alhassen have worked with vulnerable, neglected and under-resourced communities. this has included offering yoga and meditation to refugee women in the greek island of chios, facilitating arts-based, critical literacy workshops with incarcerated youth at rikers island, sacred femininity circles for companies like brandless, summit and mama glow and spiritual counseling to clients all over our beautiful, life-affirming mama earth.

*All members get 20% off paid programming. A limited number of free spots are also available for Warrior & Goddess level members. Email [email protected] to inquire about free tickets.

Our program costs go directly towards compensation of the instructors and staffers who work the event. We want to make programming as accessible as possible to anyone who is interested, however, so we offer volunteer opportunities in exchange for membership, as well as free community tickets to each program (number varies depending on capacity of the class). Email [email protected] for more info or to find out more about these opportunities for a specific event.

This event is part of our Fall Organizer in Residence programming. Read more about the organizers in residence and view all related programming here.