Bekki Shining Bearheart
Bekki Shining Bearheart has been teaching shamanic trance work regularly since the early 80s, from the basics of shamanic journey work using drumming to alter consciousness, to the most advanced levels of shamanic trance work used for healing, divination, spiritual practice, ritual, and other purposes. A core and basic part of that work is giving students an understanding of the spiritual principles underlying the work, especially self-protection and containment of energies. She has co-facilitated a shamanic healing circle weekly since 1989 in Athens OH. She has been an artist and musician all her life, and creates shamanic art and music as part of her shamanic healing and teaching practice. She is also an accredited art educator.
Grounding, Centering and Shielding and other Shamanic Techniques for Keeping Yourself and Others Safe and Sacred
This workshop will cover both basic and more advanced techniques for working with trance and with the sacred energies of fire and other elements SAFELY. This includes understanding the principles of Grounding, Centering and Shielding (and potentially other techniques); understanding trance states that may be induced by the ambiance of drum and fire: what trances states are, how they feel and how to work with them. We will cover what the safety issues may be when entering trance, and how to engage with the spirit energies that may be called by the fire particularly. We will also discuss when to ask for help and who to ask, if you feel “something is happening”. Occasionally trance may be induced without awareness on the part of the participant. Using these techniques heightens our awareness and enables a more conscious use of trance for healing, transformation and enlightenment.
Shamanism for the Creative Artist(in two parts)
In this workshop, we journey to connect with the spirits who inspire our creative endeavors. Depending on the needs of participants, we will focus on burnout/artist’s block; connecting with the Source of our creativity; utilizing creative gifts to honor Spirit; and generating ideas for creating beautiful tools for our work with ceremony and healing.
Danièle Albert Frost
I have been a North Carolina licensed massage therapist & body worker for three years. I have an insightful proficiency for bodywork, and love my work administering massage both intuitively and effectively. I like to think of my work as a Swedish massage with a focus on energy movement. I am also gifted in cranial-sacral work, which focuses on the subtle flux of cerebrospinal fluid in the neurological pathways. Over the past ten years, I have also taught art to elementary children in an after school program at the historic Hickory Nut Gap Farm, in Fairview NC, and during their annual summer day camp for children. I think of myself as a creative person and I enjoy visionary Mische painting technique, gardening, and the local plants of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I studied biology and botany at Montreat College. Presently I live in Black Mountain where I see local clients in my home. I have a son Alyk, almost 18 years old, who will be graduating from Asheville School this year.
Kinsey Allen
Kinsey Allen is a licensed massage therapist and intuitive energy healer, with a growing passion for assisting people to rediscover the peace and well-being emanating from our core. Offering a firm yet soothing presence through her touch, she trusts in the body’s impeccable intelligence to guide all process of release, renewal and regeneration. She is a humble witness to the ever present and abundant energy available for healing, and believes our only challenge is ‘getting out of our way’, to make room for this to flow in. She is elated to share this healing space with you and to offer her hands in service to our deepest relaxation, so we can play and celebrate more freely and joyfully throughout the weekend!
Jeroch Carlson
Jeroch Carlson started his healing path when he was young, but officially in 2007 he became a Reiki Master at the Omega Institute. In 2008 he started working with the Lotus Palm Thai Massage School and found an incredibly deep passion for healing work. In 2012 he traveled to Thailand to assist in the teaching of a two week course with the Sunshine Network School of Massage outside Chang Mai. The last two years he was the head chef at the Fur Peace Ranch in Pomeroy, Ohio which is owned by original Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna member and Hall of Fame guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. He also has a art installation company called Osirian Flora Design, which creates unique sculptures while utilizing mostly natural and repurposed materials, and tries to bring awareness to the sensitivities of the Earth. He lives with his beautiful wife and two darling daughters in Amesville. Ohio. He is bursting with joy at the thought of holding space and sharing healing work with you during the campout.
The Divine Dance of Thai Yoga Massage
Thai massage is one of the oldest forms of massage practiced in the world today and has it’s roots in the Indians science of Ayurveda. In this playshop we will explore our physical and energetic bodies and offer each other Metta, or Living Compassion. Led step by step by the instructor, we will cover the entire body from head to toe, learning some of the basic sen lines and marma points, which are akin to the meridians and accupressure points. Please bring an extra blanket and yoga mat for extra comfort. Also wear comfortable clothing that you might wear to a yoga class and try to stay hydrated before and after.
The Sunshine Within- Reiki Attunement Level 1
Reiki is a healing lineage from Japan that can be used for personal healing, administering healing to others, setting sacred space, attuning sacred tools, manifestation, and more. Level 1 is generally used for self healing for the whole body and during this workshop we’ll learn basic history of Reiki, procedures, hand placements, and some symbols used in the system.
Katherine Kipps
Solar-waving yogi, peaceful warrior, lover of the mystery; Katherine Kipps, RYT, CMT, came to yoga as a student of the universe seeking a practice with the capacity to explore the greatest depths of love through awareness, movement and touch. Intending to harness the truth within each moment to empower the collective to step heart-first into new and vast opportunities for growth, her mission is to inspire union between inner and outer realms. Her heart-centered yoga teaching style offers space to release tension and stagnation within the body while channeling the wisdom held within a single breath.
Alexander Sher
South African born Alexander Sher has spent the last five years immersed in reflexology. Alexander believes that the feet are the key to restoring balance throughout the body- aligning the micro with the Marco. He will be offering both foot reflexology and a chakra balancing, ying and yang syncing sessions known as the metamorphic technique.
DJ Weber
David is enthusiastic about learning, listening, growing, traveling and sharing. Fascinated by language and the expression of ideas, he enjoys writing and speaking rhymes in hip-hop and spoken-word poetry formats. He resides in Asheville NC and is grateful and excited to be kinnecting in community with all of you wonderful individuals!
Flowetry ~ Exploring the Language of Imagination
Imagination is a deeply treasured asset of the human mind and a fascinating aspect of our psyche. Flowetry is a linguistic model through which our imagination can express itself. The ancient healing art and practice of spoken-word flowetry can powerfully catalyze creative expression and provide groups with the opportunity to share premeditated and/or improvisational lyrical flows with each other. Those who choose to participate tend to co-create a safe, casual container where all are encouraged to share flows, speak from the heart, and be heard without judgement. Silliness, laughter and catharsis are generally common place within the duration of a flowetry cypher; as are profound personal expressions, waves of gratitude, inspirational transmissions, surprising synchronicities, a strong sense of community and many other forms of positive creation. Within a relaxed & inclusive setting, I will share my relationship to flowetry and prompt conversation, after which we will humbly co-facilitate the collaboration of our collective imagination through this fun & playful poetic activity. See y’all in the flow! <3
Sacred Sound Healing with Bekki Shining Bearheart, Jeroch Carlson, David John Weber, Daniel Continenza and others We will be holding sacred space by using harps, singing bowls, flutes, didgeridoos, our voices, and other tools to create healing vibrations to help cleanse our energetic fields. Please join us in the celebration of Sound- Om Shanti. This workshop will be featured multiple times during the weekend. 
Dima Ablessky
A loving & playful being IN-joying the dynamic art of expression, transformational culture, and healing play, Dima has been cocreating joyfully with the Tribal Council from the ground up for many years now wearing many hats, often found serving tea and/or massage-twerking a storm with a buffer or 2! He has spent recent seasons cultivating passions and skills with a variety of communities and gatherings on the west coast, Hawaiian Islands, and Central America. Serving fusions of rejuvenating freshness around the hemisphere including most recently as coordinator of the Divini-TEA Dome at Cosmic Convergence Festival Guatemala, Dima is enthused to be back in Appalachia, bringing his heart and soul to KINNECT deeply with you all~ Aloha & Pura Vida!
a SQUISH FU PLAYSHOP: Intro to the Expression of Creative Healing Touch w/ Dima Ablessky, Alex Sher, & Special Guest: Ayesah Dean A tactile journey of joy through kinnection with the healer inside facilitated by cultivating and sharing qi on multiple levels. Playful, active, and ergonomic stretches and presses will launch participants through stored tensions that we are often unaware of into an open space of gratitude and readiness to celebrate the love of the NOW!
With the guidance of Dima, Asa, & Alex, we will have the opportunity to play with a variety of forms of touch including: Thai Massage (Lazy Man’s Yoga), Reflexology, Acro/Partner Yoga, Inversion Therapy, Lomi Lomi, Accupressure, Cranial Sacral, EFT, Chi Nei Tsang, Lymph and Myofacial Therapies, Watsu and more~! Come with certain needs ready to be addressed or simply ready to explore in the magic of sharing affectionate touch!
-No partner needed, everyone that comes will be able to practice giving and receiving 45 minutes of squish-sage!!