EVENTS & OFFERINGS
BREATHING CIRCLES
As of March 2023 Breathing Circles will be held every other week at the Mobility Sangha, 408 Mobile Lane, Charlottesville. 2nd and 4th Mondays, 5-6pm. Please do your best to be on time!
Donations accepted anywhere from $10 - $50
Each session will be different and Spirit will be our guide. Multiple aspects of breath we will explore are:
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Physical (simple anatomy and physiology of normal, healthy breathing)
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Emotional (how anxiety and stress contribute to respiratory health or dysfunction)
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Mental (using our thoughts and words to insure optimal health and well-being)
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Spiritual (connection to higher Self and life source using our innate Power of Breath and perfect healing tool)
Each session will offer a balance of breath thoughts to ponder, a deeply nourishing parasympathetic (rest, renew, regenerate) 20 minute breathing exercise followed by discussion, questions or feedback.
Breathing is all about Balance. The lungs are 85% responsible for pH balance in the body, along with 15% from the kidneys. Two lungs, two kidneys. Easy and equal in and out breaths are a healthy norm. As above, so below, light/dark, sun/moon, grief/joy.
Come join us! In person only.
BREATH COACHING
Weekly or monthly.
Breath Coaching will support you in the ongoing process of regulating and tuning your body, mind and spirit for optimal well-being using the tools of a conscious breathing practice and is for anyone who wishes to improve their stress resilience, physical health, and general well-being.
First sessions always begin with a consult. Consultations alone are not offered as there will always be a breathing exercise or tool included, or important bit of knowledge gleaned with every session.
BreathDance uses foundations of the medical Buteyko Breathing Method developed in Russia in the 1950’s to teach restorative breathing and techniques to “get back to the norm”. The norm is how our bodies are physiologically meant to breathe. The norm is to be primarily in parasympathetic dominance (rest, regenerate, recharge), ready to leap forward into sympathetic when needed (fight, flight, freeze). The ability to remain calm during vigorous activity can become a model for handling many of life’s stressful situations. In Ayurveda it is called the co-existence of opposites, where silence and activity exist simultaneously.
Breath coaching sessions are arranged individually according to need. If you are a beginner on this journey or if you have a health condition of concern, we will begin with 3-5 scheduled weekly sessions and then continue monthly or as needed.
If you have some knowledge of Breath and Breathing, one session may suffice to give you that extra edge or understanding of your respiratory system, answer a question or catapult you into your next level of fitness and understanding.
Please contact us via our web contact form for questions or to schedule your first session!
3rd ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE TRIBE ~ RED TENT SISTERHOOD
SCHEDULE AND COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
SATURDAY 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
11:00 We Gather
12:00-12:20 Opening Circle with Cathy Kiley Martin - Art of Storytelling
12:30 -1:50 BreathDance with Dorisse Aha
1:00 - 1:45 Potluck, River Walk
2:00- 4:00 Independent Workshops and Sessions
5:00 -5:45 Dances of Universal Peace with Lisa Powers
6:00- 6:20 BreathDance with Dorisse Aha
6:30 Closing Circle with Cherl Crews
7:00 -7:45 ~ Agnihotra Sacred Fire with Lisa Powers
8:00 pm Departure
HEART OF THE LOTUS SESSIONS (Conversations in the tent)
1:45-2:15 Visionary Feminism with Cathy Kiley Martin. Our commitment to ending patriarchal domination.
2:45-3:15 Respect My Hormones with Teresa Boardwine. Recognize, Reset, and Regulate our hormones naturally for whole body health.
3:45-4:15 Heart of the Lotus Sessions - Woman without Wombs with Rhonda Foster Hughes. Social relationships and interdependence regarding, menopause, hysterectomy, and transgender identification.
REGENERATIVE ART WORKSHOPS
12:30 and 6:00 pm BreathDance with Dorrisse Aha. Breath is our most Sacred practice, the gift of life at birth. When spiritual and physical aspects are balanced, radiant well-being is the promise. Simple breathing exercises offer immediate core strengthening of all body systems and a greater capacity to be present and grounded at any stressful moment.
2:00-2:45 Celestial Wisdom and Planetary Motions with Dawn Andreoni. Embrace your role as a conduit between heaven and earth. Astrological symbology and embodiment exercises to understand the movement of the cosmic lights as they traverse the Earth’s sky.
3:00-3:45 Authentic Movement with Maureen Day and Cathy Kiley Martin. An exercise in Somatic therapy (relating to the body as distinct from the mind) to express and process emotions, and the essential practice of deep listening to oneself and to another through movement and witnessing.
4:00-4:45 Spring Reset Routine through Abhyanga (Ancient Art of Self Massage) and Yoga Nidra (Guided Deep Relaxation) with Laura Downey East. Restore, renew, and rejuvenate through this ancient natural practice of self-care to achieve a peaceful state of consciousness with the Sankalpa (intention) of increasing energy, relieving stress, and strengthening overall wellbeing.
BREATHING WORKSHOP
BreathDance ~ Wellness Through Breathing
Join us for a breathing workshop at Common Ground on Saturday April 8th, 2023, from 2-4p
Respiration is our body's primary regenerative, reparative, restorative system.
Incorrect breathing disturbs basic body chemistry and stops the optimal oxygen uptake by the body. When breathing is out of balance our bodies develop symptoms in major body systems: respiratory, immune, circulatory, neurological, digestive, and hormonal.
Breathing for Life
Let’s come together for a fascinating, honest, delicious and life changing look at Respiration and Breath.
Respiration is our body's primary regenerative, reparative, restorative system.
We’ll talk and learn about the lungs and the upper & lower respiratory systems, vagal nerve tone and breathing, emotions and the mind and how they affect and are affected by the breath and how one can and individuals have used breathing exercises to remediate even the worst of medical diagnoses.
We’ll talk about Life Force and how it’s all about Breath!
Be prepared to learn and practice some simple and powerful breathing techniques, and then move it through and around our bodies as we journey into the Dance of Breath.
With Breath, All Things Are Possible
Our goal is to welcome everyone who comes to Common Ground regardless of their ability to pay. Pay-What-You-Can is only possible when we all help. It costs $100 an hour to keep the lights on and our door open.
Benefactors pay the actual cost and add a donation.
Sustainers pay the actual cost.
Common Ground’s goal is to welcome everyone who comes, regardless of their ability to pay.
Come join us! In person only.
BreathDance
BreathDance ~ 5-Week Series with Dorisse Aha
Respiration is our body's primary regenerative, reparative, restorative system.
Incorrect breathing disturbs basic body chemistry and stops the optimal oxygen uptake by the body. When breathing is out of balance our bodies develop symptoms in major body systems: respiratory, immune, circulatory, neurological, digestive, and hormonal.
Join us for a Buteyko Breathing Practicum. The Buteyko Breathing Method was developed in Russia in the 1950’s and originally used to reverse asthma, angina and hypertension; it is a system of breathing analysis and correction that uses breath control, breathing exercises, posture and relaxation to help control symptoms, reverse illness and strengthen the immune system to prevent illness.
Buteyko breathing requires personal responsibility and regular practice to ensure success. Research shows that when the exercises are practiced with perseverance:
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the immune system is strengthened
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symptoms of asthma, allergies and anxiety disappear
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high AND low blood pressure begin to normalize; rapid pulse begins to lower, including atrial fibrillation
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symptoms of breathlessness, even for those diagnosed with emphysema or COPD are reversed
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diabetic complications and circulation improve
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metabolic rate improves and weight normalizes
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individuals report their first sound sleep, often in years
“Since learning the Buteyko Breathing Method my quality of life has improved beyond my expectations. It’s very exciting and amazing. More people should know about this!” -New York Times, November 3, 2009
Each class will focus on a different concept:
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Day 1 BREATH: Respiratory system ~ defining “normal” Nose, Belly, Cadence, Buteyko, CO2/O2
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Day 2 NATURE: Water, Minerals, Essential oils, Herbs
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Day 3 BALANCE: Sunlight, Moonlight, Lungs/Kidneys, Homeostasis/pH
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Day 4 BREATH: PRANA/Life Force, Spirituality, Pranayama, Humming
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Day 5 SUPPORT: Nutrition, Color, Cleansing, Respiratory Health Maintenance and Renewal
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Respiration = the unconscious metabolic process wherein the living cells of an organism produce energy by taking in oxygen and liberating carbon dioxide from organic substances.
Breath = the conscious process wherein an individual can guide the respiratory system in exercises to influence overall health and well-being.
This classes will be offered in-person on Thursdays, 4/27-5/25, from 5-6:30 pm, at our Common Ground Jefferson School location in downtown Charlottesville.
Sign up ahead to register as our in person spaces are limited and some series also have a minimum enrollment requirement. This is not a drop-in class; please prepare to attend the entire series for full benefit and teaching will be incremental.
You can register online or by phone, 434-218-7677
Gaia Gathering May 5-7, 2023 in at Seven Oaks retreat Center in Madison, VA
Central Virginia is a bountiful region full of plant stewards, farmers, herbalists, activists, healers, advocates, community leaders and creatives. We are honored to bring together a remarkable group of guides & practitioners for this years gathering. Please join us in celebrating and supporting the work of these teachers at Gaia and beyond.
FULL CLASS LISTING:
Bioregional Herbalism: Saving the World One Tincture at a Time with Lily Kunning
Birth Justice & The Prison Birth Project with Sara Zia
Clinical Pearls from an Elder with Geo Giordano
Deep Dive into Marshmallow + The Water Element with Sydney Batson
Ecosomatics and Eros with Victoria Maria Moyer
Flower Essences: An Immersive Journey from Creation to Usage with Taylor Womack
From Grief to Joy with Dorisse Aha
Herbs Important to Enslaved African Americans with Ruby Daniels
Intro to Astro-Herbalism with Meaghan Moore
Intuitive Painting In The Dark: Finding Your Joys Inspiration: An Experience of the Senses, Inner Wisdom & Soul Expression with Ursula Goadhouse
Joy as Revolution with Jamila Talbot
Let Breath Be Your Guide Dance Your Way into JOY with Dorisse Aha
Marshmallow Plant Journey with Suzanna Stone
Medicine Cabinet Makeover: Herbal Medicine Making with Sydney Batson
Native Herbs of Appalachia with Ruby Daniels
Navigating Depression as a Tool to Find your Joy with Kat Maier
On My Last Nerve-Three herbs for Emotional Regulation with Suzanna Stone
Plant Walk with Kat Maier
Rooted & Rising Yoga with Sara Zia
Sankofa Personal Soil [Lineage] Mining: Going Back to Fetch the Goodness From Your Ancestry Origin with Yolanda Coles Jones
Soothing the Soul: Spiritual Bathing with Marshmallow with Liz Henke
Stay Supple: Stewarding Your Nectar So that YOU Last and Thrive TOO with Yolanda Coles Jones
Tea Tasting: The Hidden Language of Flavor with Taylor Womack
TEENS CLASSES
Collage for Self Discovery with Malaina Poore
Making Body Care Products with Lily Kunning
Tarot for Accessing Joy with Meg Madden
Teen Affinity Circle
KIDS CLASSES
Altered Book Making with Malaina Poore
Herbal Stories from & for Kids with Geo Giordano
Nature Journaling and Plant Communication with Meaghan Moore
Song and Dance as a Gift with Victoria Maria Moyer
