Being Danced. An experiment in communal Play

Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 11 AM - 1 PM

Flowspace

6315 Doyle St,

Emeryville, CA

"True play is revolutionary. While tradition conserves and preserves, play turns over a new leaf, turns things upside down, stands things on their heads. We’re urged to play around and not follow the rules, to take risks, to be spontaneous (child’s play), open-ended (free play), experimental (play by ear), inventive. Play is accessible to everyone." ~from James Carse's

'Finite and Infinite Games'

Are you taking yourself too seriously?

Ready to remember what it feels like to play?

Willing to celebrate as a full participant in your life?

Being Danced is a vehicle for embodying presence and playfulness and a unique conscious dance experience with an artistic slant.

We work as an ensemble in silly and theatrical ways to co-create an alive response to our togetherness. You will be delighted with Improv games and scores that challenge your habitual patterns of movement, activate group mind and breed spontaneity. From this connected platform, with amazing music to lift your spirit, we create a living breathing work of art.

Cost: Sliding scale $15-$30. ~Cash only~

https://www.facebook.com/events/1709165172459781/

Calm Abiding

Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 1 PM - 5 PM

595 Millich Drive, #102

Campbell CA, 95008

A deep exploration into Nāmarūpa mindfulness practice.

A 4-hour experiential and lecture covering the key tenants of Buddhist psychology, providing familiarity with important truths about Zen states of consciousness, and group practice of authentic Vipassanā meditation. Workshop is led by a holistic psychotherapist and master in Somatic and Transpersonal healing arts.

Cost: $60

Facilitator: Dmitry Vulfovich

https://www.facebook.com/events/120577915289213

Mantra Music Meditation w/ Kirtan Connect

Friday, November 10, 2017 at 7:30 PM - 9 PM

Wund3rkid

559 College Ave,

Palo Alto, California 94306

The Yoga of Sound Vibrations ... right in the heart of Palo Alto!

Just like there are yoga postures for the body to relax and strengthen and tone, there are mantras (special sound vibrations found in the ancient yoga texts) that act as a revitalizing tonic for the mind. Using these mantras for meditation brings the mind to rest in a space free from stress and anxiety. The word “mantra” literally means to “free the mind”.

Kirtan is live music mantra meditation, a collective call and response style of music that incorporates Sanskrit mantras, a variety of instruments and our voices! With the potency to relax the body and free the mind, kirtan is one of the most powerful forms of meditation. Anyone can participate and experience the clarity and exquisite happiness that comes from kirtan, regardless of musical talent! So come sit back and relax – or get up and dance – and leave feeling invigorated in body and peaceful at heart.

And to let you know, the evening begins with a Goodness Dinner - made with love and totally vegan!

Come in and participate for this transformative Experience!

7:30 pm to 8:00 pm – Goodness Dinner (Optional)

8:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Mantra Meditation w/ Kirtan Connect

Cost: $8 pre-register or $10 at door

http://bhaktibay.com/

Date Night: The Art of Loving Touch

Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM PST

Oakland, CA

Discover the art of loving touch and massage.

Loving touch isn’t just about having the right technique. It’s a form of communication, and probably one of the most powerful forms available to us in a relationship. Whether it’s a passing affection, a kiss, or sensual lovemaking, loving and intimate touch is all about being present in your body while remaining open and attuned to your partner. Discover this and more at our next DATE NIGHT!

At the end of a very long and tiring day, what’s better than giving and receiving a nourishing back rub from your partner? And don't worry, you don’t need a massage table to make it happen; loving touch can happen anytime, anywhere, and who knows--maybe it can lead to more ;)

In this date night, you will learn:

·         Different forms of touch that connect you more intimately with your partner;

·         Being mindful of yourself and present with your partner when you’re touching them (a “heartfelt and sensual touch”);

·         Specific techniques to help release tension in your partner’s head, neck, back and feet;

·         How to massage for healing and relaxation or more for sensual and erotic play.

·         And yes, you will learn how to create a fantastic couples massage without needing a massage table!

Together, we will explore how touch is communication, a mindful way of speaking and listening to your partner using all of your senses. We will be offering various exercises and techniques for making sweet and nourishing contact that will give each of you a fresh new and playful approach to unwinding together. Please wear comfortable and loose clothing.

Facilitators: Liron Cohen, Gal Szekely, and Uma Kahn

Cost: $75 - $90 / couple

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/date-night-the-art-of-loving-touch-tickets-36984423406

Shamanism Weekend Workshop in Santa Cruz

November 10 –12, 2017 (Friday – Sunday)

Santa Cruz, California

Join world-renowned shaman and healer Brant Secunda for a weekend of authentic shamanic practice on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Step out of your everyday to focus on releasing unwanted negative energy and connect with the 4 directions to become more centered in your heart. Through guided practice this program offers opportunities for you to experience the power and beauty of shamanism for yourself.

Celebrate the transformative energy of the fall season by tapping into the life-force of Mother Earth. Discover how the art of pilgrimage can help you honor and internalize the power of Nature.

Learn to journey into the Nerika, the mystical doorway of the heart that connects each of us with all of creation.

Experience a weekend workshop that focuses on the shamanic traditions of the Huichol tribe through a mix of lectures, experiential learning, and guided group practices.

Join an unforgettable experience that can help inspire you. Walk on the path of shamanism and discover your true nature as a sacred being connected to all of creation.

Facilitator: Brant Secunda

Brant Secunda is an internationally acclaimed shaman, healer, and teacher in the indigenous Huichol tradition of Mexico.

During an intensive 12-year apprenticeship, Brant became the adopted grandson and close companion of Don José Matsuwa, the renowned shaman who passed away in 1990 at the age of 110.

Brant founded the Dance of the Deer Foundation Center for Shamanic Studies in 1979 and leads seminars, retreats, and pilgrimages worldwide. His work has been documented on television, radio, and in articles and books throughout the world.

Cost: $300 (w/o accommodation)

https://www.shamanism.com/programs/santa-cruz-autumn-healing-way-of-shamanism-workshop

How to Be an Intuitive Lover

Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM PST

Chaortica

956 Ashbury

San Francisco, CA 94117

There is no manual for navigating intimate experiences and too often doubt or confusion prevents us from being fulfilled.

Do you ever wish you could you could deepen your intuition when it comes to touching and expressing how you want to be touched?

Join sexual empowerment coach and educator Dr. Alison Ash and learn how to cultivate your innate intuition by:

* Establishing trust through communication and transparency

* Heightening your own sense of embodiment so you can draw on your body as a resource

* Enhancing kinesthetic awareness by exploring body language and non-verbal cues

* Learning how to create a feedback loop and attune with your lover

* Discovering how to feel pleasure from your lover's pleasure, and have that guide the experience

* Learning how to be an intuitive lover will not only make your sexual experiences more pleasurable, it allows your lover(s) to feel safe and connected - a recipe for deeper intimacy and exploration.

Facilitator: Alison Ash

Cost: $30 - $40

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-be-an-intuitive-lover-tickets-39213492612

Embodied Conscious Communication (NVC)

Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM PST

Mountain View, CA

Non-Violent Communication meets Embodied Awareness for an evening of going deep into our bodies' wisdom and using the NVC principles to communicate and empathies from that place.

This will be an evening filled with beauty, self-connection, movement, sound, meditation, sharing and empathy. We'll use Marshall Rosenberg Needs and Feelings flower to get connected to what is alive in us, allowing others to offer us empathy. There will be a chance to share and get heard.

Prepare to depart relaxed after a sweet savasana, a deeply restful time in the end.

This event is strictly limited to 14 participants and will sell out.

Facilitators: James Prieto and Kailani Shakti

Cost: $30

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/embodied-conscious-communication-nvc-tickets-39304345355

Dance Elemental - Dance Beyond the Veil

Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 8 PM - 11 PM

Center for Creative Living

1460 Koll Cir, Ste C,

San Jose, CA

DANCE ELEMENTAL is a unique expression of ecstatic dance culture, inspired by nature-centered spiritual paths. Dance with Air - Fire - Water - Earth - Spirit. Embody your Divine Nature on a journey back to your center, with conscious dance DJ music and Sacred Space created by our very own DAKINI UMA AMITABHA.

Move and flow with the rhythm in community, to witness, be witnessed, and to remind ourselves of the beauty that we are. Learn and grow from each element and work with its unique, palpable energy. Celebrate together, and allow your inner light to be revealed!

On this special night, we will observe the sacred tradition of SAMHAIN with our dance!

Samhain marks both an end and a beginning in the annual cycle and a celebratory calling of the ancestors. The Zoroastrians as well as the ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the spirit world thinned on this night, allowing the souls of the departed to communicate through the veil that separates them from the living. Food is set aside for ancestors and protective spirits. Traditional rituals surrounding Samhain include bonfires, healing, dancing, offering gratitudes, and honoring the beloved dead.

- At this special SAMHAIN edition of Dance Elemental, we invite you to bring photos and/or tokens of remembrance of your Beloved Dead (especially those who crossed over in the last year) and to place them upon the altar space.

- Also please bring: a POTLUCK FOOD ITEM TO SHARE.

- There will be a scrying mirror as well as other divination tools to assist your Work, should you desire to commune with the Ancestors.

- This is a sacred container for all to share. Be mindful, courteous and kind.

- Rejoice with your ancestors and bring yourselves fully into presence through the Dance! Nothing would please them more.

DJ - Katherine Glasa

Cost: $15

https://www.facebook.com/events/542878096050624/

Sounds of the Sea - Sound Healing & Meditation Day Long Sailing Retreat

Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM PDT

Sailing the San Francisco Bay from Point Richmond

1290 Melville Square

Richmond, CA

Spend a day being nourished by the healing sounds of crystal bowls and the lullaby of the ocean during this special during this special day long silent meditation at sea.

Be cradled by the ocean, feel the light breeze, and soak in layers and layers of sound while uncovering a deep quiet of the heart during this special day of inner nourishment.

Learn and experience lesser known meditation techniques while absorbing the natural meditative qualities of the sea and the healing sound therapy. Feel your spirit renew, replenish and create a lasting inner calm as you pause, sit, and listen.

Our day includes a variety of meditation practices, a crystal bowl sound bath on the boat itself, and, if conditions permit, a mindful walk and a sound bath on a secluded beach on Angel Island.

The boat is an elegant, modern, stable, spacious catamaran. We will sail from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, starting and ending in Richmond Marina. The captain and owner, Jan Passion is a long time meditator and gift in and of himself. 

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During this soul and sea nourishing day long retreat you will:

·         Meditate with ease as you listen to the meditative sounds of the ocean while being led through special guided meditations and lesser known practices.

·         Experience the ethereal alchemy of serene crystal bowls combining with the sound of the ocean while absorbing exquisite views of the San Francisco Bay.

·         Soak in the natural calming quality of being at sea: the ocean breeze, a slower pace, and a new perspective.

·         Gain clarity and certainty for the end of the year so you can be calm and centered before the busy holiday season. Leave with a sense of inner fulfillment as you set your inner sails for Winter.

Cost: $250

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sounds-of-the-sea-sound-healing-meditation-day-long-sailing-retreat-tickets-37570615723

Midterm Movement Dance Party

Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 2 PM - 8 PM

El Rio

3158 Mission St,

San Francisco, CA

The Groovement presents... an El Rio daytime dance party for SwingLeft.org! Dance and donate to help move our country back to representing the ideals that create a better, more caring America in the 2018 Midterms.

We've got a full day of DJ's, swag, and an awesome outdoor patio to help you break it down. Wear your interpretation of patriotic garb.

DJ's:

- Manics

- DJ ShoeBox

- Symonne + 1ACCORD

- Big(b)Ang

- Scottie Scribbles

... and more to come!

Cost: $10

https://www.facebook.com/groovementsf/app/1734065270200892/