Embodied Dance & Journaling Workshop
A CHANCE TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR WILD NATURE
The Embodied Dance & Journaling workshop combines ecstatic dance, meditation, and guided journaling. I offer a space that allows ecstatic dance movement to create a grounding experience where participants can drop into their bodies. Afterwards, we are able to use writing prompts to help us better explore this heightened sense of awareness.
You don’t need to have any writing experience, just a desire to explore through any medium that speaks to you, whether that be essays, poetry, short stories, comics and more.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
I was diagnosed with uveitis in 2014, which is a vision threatening autoimmune condition, and for the first seven years I did not share this with anyone. I did not want to burden anyone with my illness, and thought it would be easier if I kept it to myself. But doing so was unbearably isolating, and it wasn’t until I joined support groups for my chronic illness as my condition worsened that I was able to truly understand the power of community.
While recovering from multiple eye surgeries in 2021 and 2022, journaling, painting, and music got me through a very difficult time. After starting my Substack newsletter called Eyewitness News, sharing my writing enabled me to connect to others and helped the people in my life understand what I was going through like never before.
But one of the biggest breakthroughs I have experienced have come from meditation and ecstatic dance. They are both different, yet powerful ways to feel connected to your body and your inner voice. Which is why I’ve decided to combine all three, because of how immensely helpful they have all been for me in my healing journey. After deepening my meditation practice at Pa Pae in Chiang Mai, and taking various ecstatic dance trainings in Bali, I wanted to provide these workshops in the hopes that they may be helpful to others as well!
I wanted this workshop to be an opportunity to build community where we we can feel comfortable being open and seen. Where we can create joy, and connect to each other through writing, meditation and dance, when sometimes speaking fails us.
I have previously led workshops in Koh Tao, Thailand, Bali, Indonesia, Florida and New York City. If you are interested, please subscribe and I will let you know when the next workshop is available!
In the meantime, you can listen to past ecstatic dance sets on Soundcloud here!
Testimonials FROM WORKSHOP PARTCIPANTS
“Julia’s writing workshop was amazing! Exactly what I needed, very relaxing and introspective. She managed to make us all share really interesting stories and I met some great people through it. Highly recommend! ”
— irene
“I’m so glad I participated in one of Julia’s journal writing workshops, it was a really positive experience. She had great insight and advice. I left feeling really inspired to deepen my personal reflection and journaling practice. ”
— MEL
“I took part in one of Julia’s journaling and meditation workshops and absolutely loved it. I had never done anything like it before, Julia made me feel comfortable and relaxed right from the beginning and really inspired me through the meditation and journal prompts that she provided - I have even started writing poetry since! It was a fantastic experience and Julia created a magical space and energy that will stay with me for a long time!”
— enya
“Loved the event. I rarely engage in creative pursuits and then have the opportunity to immediately reflect upon it while connecting with open-minded people. Would sign up again! ”
— FREDDIE
“The journaling workshop with Julia was a truly transformative experience. It was an amazing time spent in female energy and in beautiful surroundings. ”
— kLAUDIA
“I had the pleasure of joining a writing workshop hosted by Julia on Gili Air. Her guidance and relaxed demeanor created an ideal writing environment. She gave everyone time and space to think about what they needed to get onto paper as well as providing challenging questions to help get the ball rolling. Julia was super sweet, patient and took the time to connect with everyone that attended. I would definitely recommend people to join a workshop or event Julia hosts if you’re looking to open up and go deeper with your writing! ”