CommonRoot: Our Mixed-Gender Retreat 2017

Devorah Bry

Dev is the Founder and Creative Director of HoneyRoot. She devotes herself to this community as a mother does her child and is truly honored to be working alongside such loving, full-spectrummed friends. Beyond HoneyRoot, Dev works with women, men, and couples to heal, expand, and create beauty within their relationships. She has an MA in somatic psychology and considers the body a primary pathway for psychological development, transformation, and self-knowing. Dev is a dancer, a reverend, a Certified Hakomi Therapist and a Certified Soul Motion teacher (www.soulmotion.com). Stillness, motion, and breath are her guides. Her mother, ancestors, and teachers are her bedrock.

Deepika Sheleff *

Deepika is a somatic coach and trainer, and co-leader of HoneyRoot’s School for Embodied Leadership. She blends bioenergetics with mindfulness based somatic therapy to unwind old patterns and restore authenticity and aliveness. Her work focuses on developing greater capacity to feel and navigate emotions, reclaiming the full range of our expression and learning to love from the depths of our heart. She is an expert in creating more connection and deepening love, using the Seven Flavors of Love system.

She has a big heart, a sharp eye and a deep devotion to bringing people back home to their true selves. She lives in Marin County with her family, and is currently writing the transformational book, “The 7 Flavors of Love - a path to wholeness.”

Omar Aena

Omar Aena is a conscious dance ambassador and community organizer based in New York City. His passion and focus is in bringing people together to experience a sense of belonging, connection and freedom.

He is co-organizer, facilitator and DJ at Ecstatic Dance NYC and creator of Dance Lab, a place for somatic inquiry. A student of various mystical traditions - including Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, Advaita Vedanta and other philosophies of non-duality - Omar seeks to integrate these age-old, wisdom teachings into his life in the big city.

Darshana Avila*

Darshana is a HoneyRoot gem, bringing form, structure and vibrant love to the Hive. Out beyond, Darshana shares her passion as a somatic sex and intimacy coach and educator with a tantric twist. With a signature blend of wisdom, compassion and groundedness she guides people toward the awakening of their ecstatic potential. A self-confessed intimacy junkie, tireless student of the infinite nuances of relationship and skillful facilitator, Darshana delights in initiating others to the way of presence, pleasure and passion as the path to deep fulfillment.

Working with individuals and couples offering both experiential coaching and erotic bodywork, Darshana guides people home to their bodies and into right relationship with their sexuality and sensuality in order to live a more gratifying and turned on life.

Jim Matto-Shepard

Jim Matto-Shepard, PhD is a licensed psychologist who specializes in relationship, somatics and ritual. He is passionate about integrating difference as a necessary step in healing ourselves, our relationships and the world. Jim is a relationship therapist with nearly four decades of experience. Currently, in addition to a full practice working with couples, he facilitates a weekly couples group and, with his wife Felicia, facilitates groups for couples who want to deepen into emotionally connected sexuality. He also facilitates weekly groups with men and with mixed gender adults. In addition, Jim has a regular practice as a Soul Motion teacher.

Wren LaFeet

Wren teaches partner dance internationally and primarily on the west coast of North America as a practice for mindful, authentic living, enlivening communities with his signature modality, Cocréa. He is a celebrated TEDx speaker, featured author in "ReInhabiting the Village" - a comprehensive volume of collected works outlining best practices for building regenerative community, and ardent proponent of pioneering a new renaissance through co-created movement, authentic connection and consensual touch. As a cultural architect, his facilitation aims to aid others to create themselves as safer spaces for others to express and embody joy through the synthesis of structured social partner dance, conscious movement, authentic relating, sensuality as spirituality and luscious dance music. Seeing partnered movement as a form of dance and touch therapy, his practice focuses on trusting our bodies with the music and our partner to catalyze elevating the whole being into higher vibrational states. Dancing professionally off and on since 1999, teaching since 2008, and partner dancing virtually since he was in the womb, Wren's work is deeply influenced by nature, relationship, mindfulness and messing up, and has been hailed as "the next evolution of conscious dance."

Stephanie Meux

Stephanie, one of HoneyRoot's core facilitators in both our large-scale retreats and the School for Embodied Leadership, has been exploring the connection between the body, mind and soul since she was a young girl. Deep connection with nature and animal, dance, the study of psychology and other somatically based practices have all been her muses and inspiration for this life.

Stephanie has a degree in Psychology and is trained in Somatic Experiencing. She works as an Equine Guided Educator (which utilizes the relationship developed between horses and humans to catalyze personal growth and healing), as a body worker, and as an event coordinator for embodiment based events.

Elan Freydenson

Elan's life is dedicated to freeing himself and helping others free themselves from the unintended burden of familial, cultural, ancestral and trauma imprints. He believes it is everyone's conception right to experience being in a body and connecting with other bodies as an easeful and joyous experience. He has over a thousand hours of training in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and Polarity Therapy. He has completed the Castellino Perinatal and Birth Therapy training. He is on track to become an Authorized Continuum Movement teacher later this year and had the honor and pleasure of studying almost 500 hours directly with Emilie Conrad.

KristaLove & James

KristaLove and James both found the path of yoga nearly ten years ago. The attention to breath, the physical challenge and energetic subtleties which creates the mind-body Union inspires their journey to practice and share the transformational power of yoga. As Affection Advocates, James & KristaLove incorporate healing touch as a major component in their classes and workshops because they recognize the gift and impact of sharing conscious touch with others.

As HomeFreeYogis, they enjoy collaborating on efforts like festival production, yoga ceremony, yin yoga massage and yoga teacher trainings. They advocate for a joyful life of meaning and purpose, celebration and growth!

CommonRoot: Our Mixed-Gender Retreat 2016

Devorah Bry

Tayla Ealom

Tayla Ealom is a Received her 200 hour teacher training certification from The Bhakti Yoga Shala under Govindas and specializes in hatha, gentle, and vinyasa style classes in Berkeley. She’s studied Anusara yoga with Kenny Graham, Siri Peterson, and Chrissy Graham at YogaKula, as well as yoga and the psyche with Mariana Caplan and yoga for the emotional body with Pete Guinosso. Her deep passion is connecting the healing power of the earth with body and emotional and psychological work. She invites students to rewrite the internal story and start releasing from limiting beliefs. She is pursuing her masters degree in Somatic Psychotherapy from The California Institute of Integral Studies and invites that knowledge and physical understanding into her classes and private sessions.

Lorina Manzanita and Tobin Giblin

Lorina Manzanita MA, SEP is the creator of a 7 week eCourse for women called, “Your Compelling Bubble Love: Six Self-Love Skills to Create Abundant Love from the Inside Out". She is a Somatic Relationship Coach, certified SE© Trauma Resolution Practitioner, writer and teacher. Her work integrates a number of healing systems that honor mindfulness and the body's intelligence. Her influences includes Somatica Sex & Relationship coaching, the Hendricks relationship coaching, Shakti Malan Somatic Sexual Presencing, healing developmental trauma with Diane Poole Heller and Larry Heller and CoActive Coaching with CTI.
Lorina loves helping women and men to break free of old, unsatisfying relationship dramas and embody more conscious, yummy, empowered interdependent loving ways of being. You can learn more about what she offers at www.LorinaManzanita.com

Tobin Giblin is best known as a powerful catalyst for deep transformation and embodied awakening and has been described as the ultimate Guide… A rare, exquisite blend of therapist, coach, spiritual teacher and Tantra master all wrapped into one. He authored The Art of Mindful Living: “You Can’t Stop the Waves, But You Can Learn to Surf,” and has been teaching groups, couples, and individuals for over 18 years. His brilliance shines most brightly when working with men, women and couples in the realms of love, intimacy and sacred sexuality.
For over two-and-a-half decades, Tobin has been wholeheartedly dedicated to spiritual awakening and to serving others in the flowering of their highest potential. His extensive training includes (but is in no way limited to) 6 years in a Zen Center, 12 years in the Ridhwan School (under the direction of AH Almaas), a three-year apprenticeship with one of the foremost transpersonal psychotherapists in America, five years with Adyashanti, and a teacher-training program with the South African Tantra teacher Shakti Malan. You can learn more about Tobin at www.TobinGiblin.com

Elan Freydenson

Wren LaFeet and Antje Schaefer

Wren and Antje co-create safer spaces for partnered exploration in movement and interpersonal connection, working internationally in support of strengthening and enlivening communities through dance. Wren is a celebrated TEDx, Body Intelligence Summit, and Conscious Dancer Podcast speaker. He holds a BA in Drama and Dance from the University of Washington. In Portland, Antje produces the Nectar Fusion Project, an interactive monthly Fusion dance bridging the worlds of partner and ecstatic dance, installation art, and DJed and live music.
Teaching as featured presenters at festivals and in communities across North America since 2011, they have presented at Stanford University's Design For Dance Conference promoting dance in the work place, several much celebrated three-day retreats, and are contributors to the published work, "ReInhabiting the Village" - a tome outlining best practices for cocreating intentional community. Their work together in co-producing the memorable Connexus events in San Francisco have been instrumental in inspiring an interest in intentional partnered dance. Their newest collaboration with Awake At Work Institute is pushing the edges of innovation, introducing mindfulness and embodiment practices into corporate and mass culture.

Jerry Gridley

Jerry Gridley is an experienced facilitator, council member, and former board member of the Man Kind Project (MKP). He is currently the MKP Emeritus Chair of Council of US regional Directors and Area Stewards. He is a father, a builder, and a guide to many man on the path of self-discovery and self-ownership.

Maleda Gebremedhin

Maleda has trained in Women's Yoga, Indian Temple Dance and Women’s Wisdom by internationally renowned instructor Sofia Diaz, and in meditation, energy work, and spiritual discipline in a monastic ashram with an Indian master. Her training is steeped in over 15 years of practice and teaching the core wisdom of the Vedic traditions and Western Esoteric mysteries.
In 2012, Maleda had an inner revolution that changed her life forever; she left the teacher, tradition and positions of leadership she had been in for 10 years and embarked to live what was a true and authentic path for my soul. It was a profound movement of Self-Love. Now in a deeply committed relationship with her soul's path, her offerings are grounded in a commitment to authentic heart-based soulful living, honoring the diversity of human awakening -- all based on one's own, utterly unique relationship with Self, Truth, and that which we may call the Divine Feminine.

Stephanie Meux

Stephanie, HoneyRoot's event coordinator and one of HoneyRoot's core facilitators, has been exploring the connection between the body, mind and soul for over 40 years. Deep connection with nature and animal, dance, the study of psychology and other somatically based practices have all been her muses and inspiration for this life.

Stephanie has a BA in Psychology and is currently studying Somatic Experiencing, she works as an Equine Guided Educator (which utilizes the relationship developed between horses and humans to catalyze personal growth and healing) a Body worker and as an event coordinator for embodiment based events.

Matthew Sutherlin

Matthew is a certified Master NLP practitioner, family constellations facilitator, Kundalini Yoga teacher and General Contractor with a long history of participating in, creating and facilitating transformational workshops and experiences for people. He has devoted the last decade or more to being the change he seeks to see in the world, and is a perpetual student of Human Experience. He currently co-facilitates a co-ed group intended to bring Men and Women’s sacred work together in an effort to bring our combined gifts to the world. Being a dedicated Father, Lover, Son, Family and Community member is deeply rooted in his joy for life.

Darshana Avila

Darshana is a HoneyRoot gem. She plays many different roles in the HoneyRoot hive and is an exquisite channel of form, structure, and vibrant love! She is also the founder of Enlightened Focus where her wisdom, compassion and skills as a coach fuse together with her extensive study of tantra and yoga. Guiding clients toward the awakening of their ecstatic potential, she teaches pleasure and passion as a pathway to purpose. After more than a decade spent honing her expertise in the corporate realm, Darshana chose to follow this pathway for herself, which led her to find balance somewhere between the sacred and the secular, firmly rooted in the body and flowing freely from the heart. Having established herself in this space, it is her honor and pleasure to share with others.

Anjuli Mahendra and Alok

Anjuli and Alok have been developing their work together since 2010 to bring deliciously deep and surprising effortless somatic practices to open the body, heart, and psyche. Founders of Contactyoga.org as well as Shakticura Healing Lounge, they weave together rejuvenating practices from Zenthai, Partner yoga, Contact improvisation, and their extensive healing arts practices. Known for their friendly, approachable demeanor, they bring you their wisdom as seasoned yoga teachers and massage therapists with over twenty years of experience. Every year, they offer Fall and Spring retreats at Sierra Hot Springs as well as a their winter retreat at Playa Viva. You can find out more about their work and private practice at: www.contactyoga.org

Jeremy Weichsel

Jeremy is a certified Soul Motion™ teacher. He has been facilitating dance and embodiment practices for over 20 years. His influences include: Release Technique, Feldenkrais, Body-Mind Centering, Contact Improvisation, and Modern Dance. He has taught and performed internationally - and is a member of the Bay Area Soul Motion Collective

Ajaya Sommers

Ajaya Sommers, RCST, is known for her unabashed love of God, devotion to Truth and service to igniting the presence of Love wherever she goes. Sheis a gifted healer, teacher, writer, and creative alchemist. A true catalyst in the field of embodied awakening for the last 25 years. She has been instrumental in the evolution of thousands of people’s lives through mentoring, counseling individuals, couples as well as group training programs, retreats and workshops. All of her offerings are grounded in science, expanded through devotional practice and made real through direct experience.

Within a field of unconditionally loving presence, Ajaya facilitates and transmits a unique discovery process, called, Core Embodiment, an integrated system of embodiment practices, principles and perceptual orientations to awaken and align with the power of our human potential. She is a certified Biodynamic Craniosacral Integration Teacher as well as an Authorized Continuum Teacher.

Cris Mulvey

Cris Mulvey grew up in Ireland where her relationship with the Earth, Poetry, Ceremony and Spirit began. She worked for thirty years in the women’s movement as an educator, community organizer, non-profit manager and peace and social justice activist, primarily with low income women in Ireland and around the world. She is a graduate of the Irish Center for Shamanic Studies, the Naked Voice Facilitator Training and Poetry Depths Mystery School and has spent many years actively involved in Native American ceremony.

At the age of forty she left home and set out on a Heroine’s Journey that led her to an almost twenty year communion with the wildest mountains, forests and creatures of Montana. Thanks to a bout with cancer and a prolonged dance with chronic illness, she was catapulted into an earlier-than-expected apprenticeship to Elderhood. She now lives a grace-filled life writing, dancing and practicing the arts of genuine service and of devotion to the full resurrection and embodiment of the Divine Feminine in our world.

Felicia & Jim

Jim and Felicia have been married since 1990. To their union, each brought lifelong questions regarding gender dynamics, how to be an individual within a couple, and what it means to be engaged with the larger forces of life. As they found ways to address these questions in their careers as psychotherapists and teachers, they also explored them within their personal relationship. Influential disciplines include Vipasana meditation, Tantric philosophy and somatic psychology.
They have created After the Honeymoon based on years of working with couples, individuals, families and communities, as well as by drawing on their personal experiences in relationship development and transformational practice.

Musical Artists

Sweet Medicine

Sweet Medicine is a musical collaboration between Emily Lewis and Naia Jess Graham. Their sound is earthy, elemental, spirit infused folk with a side of soul wisdom & playful witty banter. It is medicine music for all beings and for the planet. Sweet Medicine has musical roots in the folk, world, and sacred chant traditions. Inspired by the elements, spirit, truth, earth wisdom, and heart opening, they sing as a pure offering to the community, to the earth and to all beings. They offer a rich participatory musical experience, bathing you in sacred sound and soul harmonic singing. The duo is based in Berkeley and Oakland, CA and have been sharing their medicine music at festivals, conferences and concerts in and around the bay area since 2012.

Ron Tofanelli

Ron is a conductor -- a real deal, in love with the sounds of life, DJ. Your body will learn things while in his holding. The beauty of relationship guides his offerings.

Laura Inserra

Laura Inserra is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and artistic director from Sicily. She authors and performs music for theater, dance performances, exhibitions, and soundtracks for movies. Her music display ancient and modern instruments infused with a unique blend of musical inspiration and melodic harmonies which deeply resonate with audiences worldwide. Her approach to music is ritualistic and completely tuned to the present moment as a form of deep listening. By doing that she succeeds in transforming life into sounds, melodies, and rhythms.