Banner image courtesy of agnieszka stankiewicz on unsplash.
Image courtesy of Irfan Simsar on unsplash
T H E E M B O D I E D S P I R I T
A 4 Month intensive in embodied spirituality
oct 11 - jan 24, 2025
12 SATURDAYs, 10:30am-1pm
Come experience a free open house / feel out the space and Ruth’s approach and whether it is right for you
Saturday, Sept 13. 2025, 10:30-11:30am MT
Dear wondrous, breathing, feeling, seeking Human,
Most of us have been conditioned into believing that this body of ours is something to be tolerated, and that to ‘meet God’ we had to ‘transcend the body’.
Most of us were unconsciously patterned to relate to these wondrous forms (our bodies) as little more than subpar machines, whose purpose is/was to enable us to ‘get to work’ and ‘get shit done’ and maybe ‘look good’.
Many of us came to feel great shame for even having a body.
Most of us felt or feel that its impulses, needs, feelings were/are an inconvenience, there to be tamed and bent to our will, if only we were/are strong enough.
Most of us have a mixed relationship with pleasure.
Most of us have a mixed relationship with pain.
Most of us were never taught that the intensity we inevitably meet as we start to allow our awareness to actually come to rest inside our body is not a bad sign, but a sign of vitality, of something to be valued, respected and listened to.
Most of us were not taught that there were resources we could rely on to enable us to be able to receive this at times immense intensity. And that this is in itself is both necessary and its own practice.
Most of us were taught instead how to numb, distract, avoid and medicate this intensity. Most of us were specifically encouraged that this was the best choice, one that was kind to ourselves and kind to others.
Most of us internalized we should be able to handle this gigantic intensity ourselves, and that if we couldn’t we were somehow weak or lacking or faulty.
Most of us were not taught how to even begin to allow our attention to truly reside in its very home.
Most of us were taught the exact opposite… To keep our attention specifically out of our bodies.
Some of us were explicitly taught that this was the way to God or that which is Sacred.
And that this relationship needed to be mediated by someone or something outside of ourselves... often a man. And that this person and their direction was to be placed above us and our own, internal direction.
Almost all of us live in environments and cultures that were and are still specifically, continually constructed to reinforce and perpetuate all of the above.
*
These are hard truths to stomach.
It is my belief however that only by naming and acknowledging them, by actually grieving the brutality of them, will we really have the clarity and internal resources we need to make the lasting change we long for.
And thankfully, from there, all we need to do is to turn our attention to what is already right here, in our bodies and in the world and Life and nature around us, and to meet and welcome what we find.
And as you do so, the inevitable result is a deepened relationship with Life, the Sacred, Source. A relationship that is Immediate. Unmediated. Entirely your own. That requires no external resources.
Because in my experience, as I practice bringing my attention to what is alive in me and the world around me, what I meet is a deeply nourishing, immediate, unmediated and inherently spiritual reality. A reality that is firstly rooted in the body and its wisdom, and thereby - because the body is the Earth - also inextricably connected and naturally in service to, this Earth.
It is for this reason - to practice this myself and support others in practicing - that I am running this program, because I feel threads of transformation alive in this body, heart and mind of mine and I want to devote myself more fully to following and living in alignment with them. I feel a hunger and a call to nourish these parts of me, to seek to deepen my service to this Earth…
I wonder if you do too?
Your way and your call will look and feel and be unique to you, it will ask and bring different things of and to you. Our diversity, learning to allow ourselves each to follow and share our own, unique calls - in company - is an important part of our learning and our strength (and not easy!).
And, there is also a greater power, momentum, insight and web of support that is woven when we practice together. Not to mention the great, glorious field of joy that is watered every time we gather in greater authenticity… So let’s do that!
Join me, and what I know will be a very special group of humans, for The Embodied Spirit!
What we will Explore Together:
Here are some of the themes we will explore over the four months:
Belonging: Finding and feeling a real sense of place. Coming to rest on Earth. Coming into the Here & Now. Recognizing habits of leaving this and cultivating returning. This body of yours is/as home.
Sensation / Feeling / Intensity: What is it? How to meet it? What does it mean? How do I know ‘good’ pain from ‘bad’ pain, ‘good’ pleasure from ‘bad’ pleasure? What do I do with all of this sensation?
Heeding the Impulse Within: Practicing listening and discerning the impulses that emerge inside ourselves. How do we, in the words of Margie Gillis, ‘Listen and fulfill’?
What is spiritual practice?: In what ways are you already practicing a relationship with Something Greater / the Whole? What sort or quality of practice is your system most drawn to at this time? Where is your growth, attention, intention most called at this time? What language around it is most appealing to you? What form does meaningful prayer take for you? What modalities have you explored in the past? What did you get from them? What are you most called to now?
Life as Sacred: How can we expand our sense of what is sacred to encompass more, to encompass all of our life? How does embodiment support this? How can this be truly and fully embodied?
Autonomy <-> Connection: How do we/can we maintain entirely the integrity of our relationship with our deepest selves while in relationship? While cultivating deep connection with others? How do we walk and live this balance? How do you specifically embody this at this time in your life?
Power <-> Victimhood: Where and how have we abdicated power in our lives? Why? How do we begin to take this power back? Where are we hanging onto power, control and manipulation? Why? How do we release this?
Your Unique Spiritual Powers: We are all inherently unique puzzle pieces in this web of life; our challenges and weaknesses and natural gifts becoming the foundation of our offering to Earth and to each other. Unfortunately, often we have dismissed many of these gifts because they don’t fit into our society’s values. Woven into our work together will be prompts and time to reflect, name and celebrate these more clearly. (If you really want to deep dive into this I invite you to consider the option of the 1:1 add ons, I can then give you focused time in support of this, which is one of my favorite things to do!)
Purpose: Coming to live our true purpose is not an intellectual exercise, it is an embodied one. One which requires a deeper seeing of ourselves. Together, we will explore what purpose feels like and how to open to it as it calls us.
What you can Expect to Come Away With:
A deepened sense of and connection to what matters most to you
An uncovering and releasing of challenges in place around your own spiritual unfolding
A clear and empowered articulation of what spiritual unfolding means to/for you
A clear understanding of what it means and requires for you to be and remain embodied
Greater capacity to hear and respond to the signals of your body this body
A clear sense of what it looks and feels like for you when you are in alignment with your Soul’s Calling and greater commitment and capacity to follow this
A deepened understanding and experience of spiritual practice, more of a sense of crossover between ‘spiritual practice’ and ‘everyday life’
A network of caring, authentic, intelligent and soulful humans to support your ongoing unfolding
More peace, wonder and meaning in your life
SESSIONS:
Each session will include at least an hour of actual movement practice, as well as discussion, reflection and prompts. Recording links and playlists will be shared and there will be a Telegram group to nourish reflection, sharing and your practice in between sessions.
Typical schedule will be something like:
~50mins movement
~15min break
~60mins discussion / reflection
~25mins movement / stillness / other practice
Schedule:
The course will take place three Saturdays each month for a total of twelve sessions.
1:1 sessions are an optional add on for those who want this. See ‘REGISTRATION’ for more info.
Time: 10:30am-1pm MT
Dates: Oct 11, 18, 25; Nov 1, 8, 29; Dec 6, 13, 20; Jan 10, 17, 24
COST:
Full program: $850 + GST
Full program + one-on-one sessions (bi-weekly for a total of 8): $1600 + GST
(Ad hoc add-on 1:1s: $125 + GST)
Reduced rate: $500 + GST (low-income, or those in need)
(Even lower rates or trade options also available. If you want to be in the room reach out and we will find a way!)
Program fees can be paid in instalments if you need, pls propose a schedule that will work for you to Ruth.
Try for free:
Come experience a free open house / feel out the space and Ruth’s approach and whether it is right for you
Saturday, Sept 13. 2025, 10:30-11:30am MT
REGISTER / APPLY:
Click here, to be directed to a form to apply for the program.
(10-30 mins to fill out depending on the level of depth you wish to share).
It is both a way for me to learn about you and also a way for you to orient yourself towards the journey we will undertake together. You are welcome to fill out the form even if you are just exploring the possibility of joining us.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Ruth here.
