The Rhythms of Life: Ecstatic Dance & Community with Ahva Lenay

Julian talks with Ahva Lenay, a ceremonialist and founder of Rhythm Sanctuary. Ahva works in conflict resolution as well as facilitating life transitions, rites of passages and ceremonies and in helping create events such as the Wisdom Village at Arise Music Festival. Learn more: http://www.rhythmsanctuary.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/44591474049/ https://www.a4uj.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecstatic_dance Partial list of topics (approximate times) 0:00 Introduction - The MeetDelic Conference & the corporatization in the emerging field of psychedelic medicines 6:38 Conversation with Ahva begins What is Rhythm Sanctuary and Ahva's role in helping found it How Rhythm Sanctuary has been a community, a place many people have made friends and Ahva has now facilitated 3 weddings of folks from Rhythm Sanctuary 11:38 What is Ecstatic Dance 12:39 Ahva's background with dance and as a dance teacher and her own teachers and journey with learning about dance and embodiment 15:00 - How Ecstatic Dance is a practice and way of finding connection and ecstasy while being Sober together 15:38 - the structure and elements of the Rhythm Sanctuary ritual, including the importance of not speaking on the dance floor 17:30 How Rhythm Sanctuary has saved people's lives 20:38 How Rhythm Sanctuary is not about the DJ, it is co-created by everyone who shows up together. 21:38 the power of sharing in a circle 24:30 Evolutionary reasons for why Public Speaking is so challenging for many 27:00 Ahva's background, being a single mom at a young age, how she lived in an intentional, off grid, sustainable community that included farming on 600 acres 35:38: The human needs for love and joy How to find your joy and purpose 39:30 New definition of Hierarchy 42:00 Ahva’s witnessing of a wild geese funeral service 42:30 Ahva's work as a Death Douhla and her work as a ceremonialist Rites of passage 52:00 Prosperity circulator abundance 54:50 - Ahva's work with Conflict Resolution 56:30 - When Ahva was unfairly attacked online for re-starting Rhythm Sanctuary and had her own brush with 'cancel culture' 65:30 Ahva's connection and roles with Arise Music Festival 1:12:00 - Ahva's work with Conflict Resolution and the Alliance for Unitive Justice which is based on Restorative Justice. 1:19:34 - the poem 'Courting the Muse' by Tiffanie DeBartolo, read by Ahva. A State of Mind Podcast: www.astateofmindpodcast.com Therapy, Coaching, Meditation and more: www.astateofmindcounseling.org Support the show: www.patreon.com/astateofmind