The Art of Embodied Cultural Sensitivity
Creating Harmony in a Time of Polarization
Noon – 2:30 pm, Pacific Time, 5/3/24 – 7/12/24
10 Zoom Sessions + Online Community | Tuition: $1500
Free informational seminar: Noon – 1 pm, 4/19/24
WHY
In today’s multi-cultural world, we constantly engage with diverse cultural paradigms woven by drastically different belief systems, values and attitudes towards life. Many complex factors may shape the differences, including ethnicity, profession, faith, socio-economic class, gender orientation and more. To form nourishing relationships that foster generative team collaborations, we need to cultivate sensitivity towards each individual’s unique culture, and hone the art of integrating differences. Without this sensitivity and the art of integration, we might unintentionally cause harm or get entangled in painful conflicts.
HOW
We recognize that cultural awareness is an embodied experience. Rewiring our cognitive and behavioral patterns shaped by cultural conditioning requires an integrated approach of one’s mind, body and heart, a process akin to art-making.
This course provides an embodied, playful and experiential environment for people to learn and practice the art of cultural sensitivity and integration, as well as the skill of transforming differences into learning opportunities. With compassion and wisdom from ancient traditions, we will explore what is usually experienced as extremely uncomfortable territory.
This course is grounded in self-awareness, community building, compassionate witnessing, storytelling and embodied play acting. Embodiment is also supported by energy healing and grounding practices.
FOR WHOM
- Professionals and service providers who interact with diverse cultures, including therapists, healthcare providers, coaches, social workers, educators, community organizers, and activists;
- People interested in developing cultural awareness in their daily life and family relationship, especially multi-generational, or multi-ethnic family settings; and
- Organizational consultants interested in developing a holistic and collaborative culture in teams or organizations.
To attend free Informational Seminar: Noon – 1pm, Apr 19, register here
Facilitators
This course is co-created and co-facilitated by Drs. Spring Cheng & Stephanie Mines. Stephanie and Spring are scientists, healers. artists and writers. They share their experiences of practicing cultural sensitivity in their relationship as a foundation for this course, alongside their combined decades of interaction with a broad spectrum of cultures.
Dr. Spring Cheng is the co-founder of the Resonance Path, dedicated to the transformation of consciousness. She is the originator of Living Resonance / Holistic Psychology program at Ubiquity University. Spring grew up in pre-industrialized China and experienced the transition from family-based, farming-oriented traditional culture to a merit-based, competition-centered capitalistic culture. Spring currently serves individuals and groups in Asia, North America, Europe and Australia. Her work is informed by her experience as a Taoist practitioner, scientist, healer, and artist.
Dr. Stephanie Mines founded the TARA Approach and Climate Change & Consciousness. She is the originator of the Regenerative Health MA/PHD program at Ubiquity University. As a neuroscientist, trauma therapist and embryologist, Dr. Mines serves communities throughout the world at the grassroots level. She develops applications for populations in need in the US, Europe, Latin America, Polynesia, and the Middle East. She is the author of five books on the resolution of shock and trauma.
Cultural conditioning shapes neurological patterns of our nervous system. It shields us from the intensity and uncertainty of life, by defining what’s right, good and valuable based on past experience. But they also insulate us from the true source of life, which is beyond what’s known and definable. To live to our fullest potentials, we need to shed these patterns like shells, composting them into nutrients to feed our growth. This happens not just on an intellectual level, but also in a full-bodied, somatic way.” – Spring Cheng
In my decades of service to communities in need, I am constantly reminded of the absence of cultural contextualization. If we consider every aspect of human development, from conception onward, it is clear how much we are shaped by culture. Without including it in healthcare or any human service, we fail to resource the whole person. Cultural sensitivity and integration infuse us with enhanced empathy and compassion. They are the crucial ingredients to amplify effectiveness in health and healing.
This course is co-sponsored by
TARA Approach
