Join us on Sunday, April 14th from 1-4PM for our first BIPOC seasonal grief circle of the year at Ayni Herb Farm.
We are living in a time where multiple genocides are being live streamed to our phones and despite our calls to make it stop, the war machine of amerikkka keeps propelling forward. Coupled with the state sanctioned violence our queer, trans, and BIPOC communities already face domestically—we believe that it is vital and imperative that we create spaces to feel, honor, and process grief together with the loving support of the land and each other.
This month we will partner with Ashni from Mumbet's Freedom Farm to create a space to tend to our collective grief. For this springtime circle, we will be exploring the emotion of anger that is so often entangled with grief. This will be a physically active and engaging space that will be held outdoors on the farm. We'll begin by building connections with one another and the land, grounding in the medicine of spring, and engaging in practice and reflections from 1-3PM. Our time together will conclude with a potluck from 3-4PM.
We invite you to bring an item for our collective altar and a nourishing dish to share for the potluck.
Facilitators:
Ashni is a private practitioner of the Somatic Experiencing® method, which is a body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. It is the life’s work of Dr. Peter A. Levine, resulting from his multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, together with over 45 years of successful clinical application. The SE™ approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.
Ashni facilitates ceremonies, meditations, and experiences permeated with love that cultivate radical awareness, appreciation of self, and overall ecstatic wellness within participants and their community with the intention of re-cultivating a deep connection with our Earth mother
khadija is a queer gujarati-muslim land tender, community medicine maker, and gatherings coordinator at Ayni Herb Farm. They are committed to creating containers that allow community members to grieve, grow, learn, laugh, and love together. khadija has turned to ritual work and the medicine of the elements, the plants around them, and the moon, as teachers in their own healing journey and is excited to bring these modalities of communal healing to Ayni.
Access Notes:
Proof of a negative COVID-19 test will be required for entrance to ensure our collective safety. Limited COVID-19 tests will be available on site. If this feels like a barrier to you, please reach out to us.
Please stay home if you feel sick, suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 10 days, are recovering from COVID-19 and/or live/share indoor space with someone who currently has COVID-19 in order to minimize spread. We highly encourage participants to limit high-risk activities before participating in this event and continue masking in public spaces (including around people who you do not know their covid status). Hand sanitizer and hand washing stations will be available at all times and is required for anyone sharing tools and food during the event.
Please keep in mind the weather for the day and dress appropriately as we will be outside for the entirety of this circle. Please wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is uneven and some areas are very muddy. Bring a journal, something to write and/or draw with, and a water bottle. If you have tools that would be supportive to you during our time together, please feel free to bring them with you. We will be serving hot herbal tea during our time together.
Ticks are present! We encourage you to do a tick check when you get home. Some other preventative measures include: wearing light colored clothing, long sleeves and pants, or socks over pants.
We have very limited shaded areas especially during the middle of the day. So please make sure to bring a hat, sunglasses, and drink lots of water if the weather is forecasted be sunny and warm.
The terrain is uneven and very muddy in certain areas so please wear sturdy boots.
We will be gathering in a circle where participants have the option to sit on the ground on blankets or in a chair.
A single stall porta-potty is available on site with a hand washing station next to it.
Cost:
While we strive to keep events like our grief circle free of charge, our guiding principle at Ayni is reciprocity. It's crucial for us to maintain reciprocal relationships not only with the land but also with each other. The ticket cost is intended to compensate our guest facilitator and Ayni staff member for their time and effort, including ideation, material gathering, space preparation, facilitation, and cleanup. The true cost of participation is $35, however we also recognize the importance of accessibility and are offering a sliding scale option to ensure that cost is not a barrier. If you are able to contribute more, we encourage you to do so to support those who may not be able to meet the full ticket cost.