Connections, Possibilities and Joy: Reflections from the Healing Circles (2020)

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BY Resurj,BY Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies,

June 9, 2021

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Connecting-Mind-Body-and-Voice-1024x490.jpg
“Connecting Mind, Body & Voice”. A Graphic recording of the Healing Circle hosted by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar

From October – December 2020, RESURJ and The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) collaborated to bring together a Healing Circle for, with, by feminist leadersto explore the power and strength that can be derived from healing our bodies and spirits as a core part of our organizing continuum. We envisioned this 5-part workshop series as a joining of movements, minds and practices, aimed at unlearning self-care practices rooted in capitalism and sacrifice, through building and deepening collective knowledge of healing justice and care that can sustain cross-movement solidarity and community care.

We joined together from Brazil, Chile, Canada, Egypt, France, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the UK. Throughout the workshop, we created space to come together for grounding and reflection, sharing, celebration, ritual and festivities. These collective moments supported us to center pleasure and resiliency, as part of the core work of realizing safety, dignity and belonging. We also held respect for the environment at the heart of our encounter. We aimed to co-create the space to ensure we minimize our carbon footprint, while supporting and amplifying sustainable ecological practices and local economies.

We also helped us identify the manifestation of trauma & its impacts on the body, and develop tools to support healing at a personal level and in community. It helped us redefine our relationships to our bodies from a place of curiosity, pleasure, sexuality, self-love, empowerment and interconnection.

Two individual on the opposite end of the picture, one on upper left corner and the other on lower right corner, standing diagonally, facing each other, with hands spread out to convey an embrace. Between them a quote is written which reads “I see communication as a tool for human connection. The goal is to hear ourselves from the heart. We are different not only culturally, but personally too. But if there is pain in the heart, will it come through? Our emotions and needs are the universal language that we all know, and we can hear each other’s heart through it” – Hilal Demir."
“I see communication as a tool for human connection. The goal is to hear ourselves from the heart. We are different not only culturally, but personally too. But if there is pain in the heart, will it come through? Our emotions and needs are the universal language that we all know, and we can hear each other’s heart through it” – Hilal Demir. A quote from the Healing Circles, hosted by by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar
Image of an individual lying down peacefully, with their right hand spread above their head and left hand extending forward. Their eyes are closed, connoting peace and content. A tree is growing behind them with purple leaves and yellow flowers blooming on it. The text on the image is a quote, which reads, “Is it possible for us to begin to hold space to feel comfortable in our bodies? It is interesting to be able to do this virtually, giving us the chance to share as much or as little of ourselves as we want” – Marisa.
“Is it possible for us to begin to hold space to feel comfortable in our bodies? It is interesting to be able to do this virtually, giving us the chance to share as much or as little of ourselves as we want” – Marisa. A quote from the Healing Circles, hosted by by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar
A person on the centre left corner of the picture is standing with only eyes, eye brows and nose visible on their face. Their torso is covered with a big yellow star. Their hair, purple in colour, is flowing upward, extending all the way to the bottom right of the image. There is grass on the bottom of the image. The text, which is a quote, reads, “Being older than all of you, I can say this: Take time for you. Do things nobody else can do for you because you have to do it. Play instruments or listen to music that moves your soul. Touch yourself, make love to yourself. Take your time, it’s very important. Don’t go for peace, peace is an invention. Go for revolution, revolution is life. The capitalism systems want us to be sad and angry. Resist it. Resist it by being joyful.” – Niza Solari Oyarzo.
“Being older than all of you, I can say this: Take time for you. Do things nobody else can do for you because you have to do it. Play instruments or listen to music that moves your soul. Touch yourself, make love to yourself. Take your time, it’s very important. Don’t go for peace, peace is an invention. Go for revolution, revolution is life. The capitalism systems want us to be sad and angry. Resist it. Resist it by being joyful.” – Niza Solari Oyarzo. A quote from the Healing Circles, hosted by by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Connections-Possibilites-and-Joy-1024x490.jpg
“Connections, Possibilities & Joy”. A Graphic recording of the Healing Circle hosted by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar
The image is orange in colour and covered with many elements and illustrations of purple palms and yellow plant buds. In the centre, a white oval shape, with pointed edges at top and bottom is there. In the centre of the shape, text, which is a quote, is written, reading, “Collective healing spaces are hard for me to do on my own. Sometimes you need collective motivation. This really helps me work on my well being” – Saleha.
“Collective healing spaces are hard for me to do on my own. Sometimes you need collective motivation. This really helps me work on my well being” – Saleha. A quote from the Healing Circles, hosted by by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar
The image has a purple background with two upside down trees at the left centre to bottom of the image, with a yellow upside down figure of an individual standing in the middle of them. The centre of the image is covered by a white, curvy and asymmetrical oval shape illustration. In the middle of the oval illustration text, which is a quote, reads, “I am the soft of my upper arms, and the firm rounded curves of my strong tan shoulders. I used to think I am the things I carry, and now I want to be the person holding myself, me and my shadows all in one embrace” – Syar.
“I am the soft of my upper arms, and the firm rounded curves of my strong tan shoulders. I used to think I am the things I carry, and now I want to be the person holding myself, me and my shadows all in one embrace” – Syar. A quote from the Healing Circles, hosted by by RESURJ and CSBR | Illustration by Sonaksha Iyengar