Body of Knowledge Recap
Written by Gretchen Sherrill
On October 23, Changing Tides hosted the first ever Body of Knowledge sponsored by Athleta with support from AllSwell. As the sun slowly came out from behind the clouds, we set out our yoga mats and Alexandra Wood led us through a beautiful session of mindful movement. In the yoga session, Alexandra prompted each of us to say an affirmation about ourselves to the rest of the group. Each of us, going down the line, proudly declaring - I am light. I am strong. I am worthy. I am a woman. I closed my eyes and soaked in how magical it was to hear these women radiate such positive comments towards themselves.
After yoga we all gathered around the tables for Breathwork led by Saffron & Sage that helped open and focus our minds to prepare for the “Non-Toxic Womanhood” journaling workshop led by AllSwell founder Laura Rubin. Laura provided beautiful journals for each participant to write, draw, and create in.
“Listening does not simply mean we hear other voices when they speak but that we also learn to listen to the voice of our own hearts as well as inner voices.” - Bell Hooks
This quote was on the front page of a packet Laura provided us with. The pages were filled with quotes to inspire and prompt our writing. These words seemed to really tap into the concept behind Body of Knowledge, encouraging us to listen to our bodies for what we can do for them and what they can do for us. We as women are not only beings of intellectual knowledge, but of emotional and physical knowledge as well. With guidance from Laura, we were prompted to write about a body part. I wrote about my legs. How I love my legs and how strong they are. I wrote about their physical appearance at first, but then my writing led me elsewhere: where my legs have carried me and what they’ve carried me through. How my legs have allowed me to do absolutely tremendous things in life and continue to do so. As other women shared what body part they wrote about, you could sense the energy in the space shifting and opening up. I felt raw emotions and vulnerability behind the words. To express yourself with pen and paper is one thing: it is freeing and relieving and you can let the words go without anyone ever reading them. But to then share those thoughts with 40 other women, most of which are strangers, takes such courage and bravery. Hearing these women share their personal writing aloud was a testimony of how beneficial creating community can be. Laura did an extraordinary job leading us into such a genuine and powerful space.
During the panel discussion on Encouraging Body Inclusivity & Conservation, we heard from Hillary Sepulveda: author, spiritual & business coach, Monica Mo: founder of WellSeek & SeekHer Foundation, and Carly Anderson: Content Creator. The conversation continued to discuss our bodies, our activism, and each other. I was thankful to hear from such an intersectional group of speakers who shared what it’s like to be a mother, a spiritual leader, and a creative, all while being an activist and a woman.
Following our panel discussion, we gathered in a circle to discuss: Period Truth led by Brittney Ellers, a doctor of Physical Therapy & Yoga teacher. Brittney provided such a comforting and wonderful space to discuss such a taboo topic. This workshop was educating in many ways; from pelvic health, menstrual cycles, and sexual wellbeing, to the unfortunate reality that the topic of menstrual cycles is not discussed nearly enough. For me, and it seemed a majority of women at the event, I was educated on my period in 5th grade then it was never discussed again. Besides what my mother has taught me behind closed doors, the topic has never come up in any public setting. To be something that is so natural and occurs in half of our population, this is a topic that everyone should know more about. We discussed not only how we can become more comfortable talking about women’s health, but how we can bring men into the conversation as well. It was very refreshing and encouraging to be able to talk about these intimate topics in an open space with other women. While this workshop was our last of the day, I think the conversation could have gone on for hours. I am so grateful for Brittney and the wisdom she brought to us to affirm the knowledge that our bodies truly hold.
Body of Knowledge is just the beginning; the ability to bring phenomenal women together in the same space and have it be so vulnerable and powerful can lead to so much. From this, I am walking away with not only a new community of women, but a new appreciation for my body. A body that is physically, emotionally, and mentally strong. A body that is ready for activism in this community and the next one. I am so thankful to have been apart of the first ever Body of Knowledge and cannot wait to see this community we created take their bodies of knowledge and share them with the world.