A free movement, meditation and writing session is being offered to community members, as part of an ongoing series, at the Seekhaven Chapel, 81 North 300 East.
Though the movement portion of the class is yoga-inspired, the session also incorporates free-form movement with moments of meditation incorporated throughout.
Instructor Sophia Archibald will engage participants in a writing exercise, similar to journaling, with a topic of inspiration or a prompt from Archibald. Participants who wish to share what they wrote will have an opportunity to do so at the end of the session.
People can join the “Inner Body and Mind Exploration: Writing, Movement and Meditation” series at any time. Thus far, Archibald has taught two classes. The next one will take place on Sunday, Dec. 16, from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.
Though hosted by Seekhaven Family Crisis and Resource Center, the classes are available to anyone.
“Sophia came to us; she wanted to volunteer (and) contribute something,” said Megan List, Seekhaven’s volunteer coordinator. “She’s passionate about offering alternative ways for people to heal. Anyone can come; you don’t have to be connected with Seekhaven.”
List said the workshop has generated positive feedback from the community.
“Anyone can benefit from this type of group,” she said.
There is no need to register for the event prior to the class.
“People can just show up,” Archibald said.
There is a Facebook page hosted by Seekhaven, where people can join to receive event reminders and notifications of any changes in scheduled events. Though the chapel belongs to Seekhaven, the former church is used for community events that are open to the general public.
“Seekhaven is extremely excited that Sophia is offering this group through us, and we are planning to offer more groups and workshops in the future, such as a hiking group, cooking group, basic car maintenance workshops, or anything else that folks are interested in,” List said.
Archibald said she has practiced yoga for most of her adult life; she attended 200 hours of yoga teacher training in Portland, Oregon, before moving to Moab three months ago. She also completed an intensive 200-hour monthlong yoga course in India.
In Portland, Archibald volunteered to teach yoga at a rehab facility and transitional home for women with drug and alcohol addictions. As a college student, she co-facilitated a reading and writing group at a local county jail that served as an independent study for a course called “Telling My Story,” which used writing and drama to bring college students and inmates together for 10 weeks to collaborate on a final production of skits.
Archibald said her purpose in teaching the classes in Moab is to provide an inclusive and collaborative space for exploration of the body and psyche through movement, meditation and writing.
“In my experience, giving the body space to move and breathe leads to calm (and) a sense of wholeness,” Archibald said. “I want it to be inviting to anyone who might not go to a more formal yoga studio.”
Four people attended the first session in November, followed by 11 participants in the second class. After the Dec. 16 session, “Inner Body and Mind Exploration: Writing, Movement and Meditation” will resume in February once Archibald returns from a 10-day meditation retreat in Texas. She plans to offer the series through 2019.
“She’s passionate about offering alternative ways for people to heal. Anyone can come; you don’t have to be connected with Seekhaven.”
Free sessions taught by yoga instructor Sophia Archibald
What: “Inner Body and Mind Exploration: Writing, Movement and Meditation”
When: Sunday, Dec. 16, 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Where: Seekhaven Chapel, 81 N. 300 East.
Cost: Free
Send an email to sophia.archibald@gmail.com or megan@seekhaven.org
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