Meditation & More

AIHM - Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (Free Lectures once a week)

Center for Nonviolence Communication

Collective Trauma Summit (Free Fall Summit Online - Poetry and Music)

Common Ground Meditation Center

Damo Mitchell - Microcosmic Orbit - 3/14 - Anchoring the Breath

Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing at U of MN (Free Class on Monday at 12 pm)

East Coast Mindfulness (Free Thursday Gathering at 11 AM CST)

Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and Related Conditions Support Group of MN   

George Wellbeing YMCA

Grateful Living 

Guilda -Free programs for people that have been touched by Cancer

Hay House (Books and Much More. Free Podcasts and Summits in Spring and Fall)

Hugh Byrne Website (Meditation)

Insight Timer (Some Free Classes and Membership)

Juniper (Free online for Seniors and people with Chronic Health Issues)

Meditation for multiple chemical sensitivities group 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) (Meditation)

Minneapolis Theosophical Society 

Pathways Minneapolis (Free if you have Chronic Health Issues or Caregivers)

Qigong Connection (Free - phone call - a meditation group on T, TH & S)

Shift Network  (Online Classes with a Free Summit in Spring/Fall)

Sounds True Multimedia Publisher of Mindfulness Materials

Tara Bach Meditation

Tapping Solution and Summit (Emotional Freedom Technique) (Free in February)

Qi Breathing by Mind Body Science Institute 

Wisdom Ways

Healing Frequency Sounds:

Rewire Your Brain | Activate 100 % Brain Power | Brain Healing Sounds | Alpha Waves | 432 Hz

Alpha Waves | Improve Your Memory | Super Intelligence

Alpha Wave Brain Massage, Proven Healing Sound Wave, 100% Effective, Regeneration Aging Cells

432Hz- Alpha Waves Restore the Whole Body, Emotional And Physical Healing - Meditation Music

528hz, Miracle Tone, Dna Repair & Healing, Nerve And Cell Regeneration, Complete Body Healing

[Full Recovery] Whole Body Rejuvenation While Sleeping Alpha Waves Healing and DNA Regeneration

Full Body Healing Frequencies (528Hz) - Alpha Waves Massage The Whole Body, Regeneration Aging Cells

Singing Communities 

Conie Borchardt Sing Outs Mpls & online on Mondays & more (Partners up with Liz): http://www.pointsoflightmusic.net

Heather Houston in CA but does a lot online with major song leaders, visit her website: https://heatherhoustonmusic.com

Linnea and Annie Singing Community in Mpls either on a Tuesday or Wednesdays PM and many events,  please email her at linnea.champ@gmail.com for upcoming events. 

Liz Anderson Sing Out Mpls 1st &  3rd Sundays AM  & more (Partners up with Conie).  Please email lizdances@gmail.com to get info on upcoming events.

Liz Rog (Decorah, IA) Offers Singing retreats and many other offerings. Get on her newsletter:  liz@decorahnow.com. 

Perfection Free Singing with Brother Timothy Frantzich in Minneapolis or Minnetonka, Most Saturdays at 9:45 AM or 10 AM or Thursday. Updates on Facebook. For more, website: https://www.brothertimothy.net

Sarina Partridge in Minneapolis.   Many offerings.  Sign up for her email list: sarinapartridge@gmail.com

Singing in the Valley with Lia Falls and Barbara Mcafee St Croix Falls, WI area on some Sundays, Retreats, virtual offerings... Please email them both as they booth have amazing offerings: barbara@barbaramcafee.com and liabeing@gmail.com

Sing and Share Freely with Stephanie Siddiqui once a month online on Wednesdays  at 12:30 PM at Pathways Minneapolis or email touchingworlds@gmail.com

We Belong Community with Lyndsey Scott online and in different places. Lives in Central IL.  Join her Facebook group or Email her at: nevertidy@gmail.com

Zikr with John Hakim and Karima Nur on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in person and online.  Email karima@lulsuficenter.org

Virtual Open Mic with Leah Robshaw Robinson every Monday from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM CST Email leah_robshaw@yahoo.com

Confidence In Singing Aideen Online program and vocal summit.  

Most 3rd Wednesday at Open Book but email first to confirm:  greyxdoolin@gmail.com 

Valuable Resources Links

Pathways Minneapolis Resource Page (Healing Resources)

Sea Others Resource Page (Human Servies Resources)

Common Questions...What is.......?  

• Tai Chi or Tai Chi Quan (Chuan) 太极拳; 太極拳  and Qigong  (Chi Kung) 气功 are graceful coordinated slow movements from China.  They were created for better health and wellness which is endorsed by many health organizations for many conditions.  Qigong (or Chi Kung) is an art and science of regulating internal energy for health, sports, or martial arts.  Outer qigong would be like Reiki where you send energy out.  Qigong is the original practice and Tai Chi started from it.  Tai Chi (or Tai Ji) or Tai Chi Quan (or Chuan) 太极拳; 太極拳 is an inner martial art and whole body internal qigong for health, meditation, and martial arts. Series of movements are typically practiced as a form.  There are many styles and many forms of Tai Chi.  Tai Chi means supreme ultimate and it is the yin and yang symbol. Quan or Chuan means boxing or is thought of as shadow boxing.  In Western society, we tend to drop the word Quan or Chuan but this can be confusing if speaking to someone from the East or China as they will think of the symbol or the meaning.

• Tai Chi for Health is a non-profit organization that was created by Dr. Paul Lam in Australia.  He modified traditional forms and created new ones that are easier on the joints and safer.  He has created many programs, has lots of research and it is a very popular practice.  Enjoy slow graceful movements that create inner and outer balance, strength, and vitality. Tai Chi for Health uses a stepwise progressive teaching method in each class. In each class, we will do warm-ups or qigong movements, break down a form into a progress stepwise instruction, practice of the form, and cool down with reflection. The class will be taught with options of either standing or sitting. All levels are welcome and no experience is required. Each class will build on each other and all are welcomed as we will repeat the lessons over time. There are 6 principles incorporated into the practice. Principles are what separate these practices from dance or aerobics.   We practice slowly and we move within one's comfort zone.

• Tai Chi Chih: Joy for through Movement or Tai Chi Chih (for short) is a form of qigong that means supreme ultimate (Tai Chi) knowledge (Chih). It is 19 qigong movements and a pose created by Justin Stone in late 1960 to 1974 in New Mexico, USA. Another very popular practice with lots of research and, is a non-profit organization.  The complete practice is about 30-45 minutes long depending on the pace and stillness in the practice. The class will be taught with options of either standing or sitting. All levels are welcome and no experience is required. In each class, we will review a movement in more depth.  all are welcome as we will repeat the lessons over time. We practice slowly and we move within one's comfort zone. There are 6 principles incorporated in the practice to focus the movements more inward. The founder does not consider this practice as an exercise in the traditional sense.  It is common but not necessary to end the practice with meditation or stillness.

• Tai Chi or Moving for Better Balance or Tai Ji Quan Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) are 8 movements that were taken from a traditional Yang form and were modified for older adults at risk of falling and people with balance disorders.  This was developed by Dr Fuzhong Li, PhD, a senior research scientist at the Oregon Research Institute. This is a unique practice where the focus of every movement is inducing an off-balance recovery feel. There are no principles in this practice as the focus is on balance and balance recovery.  Tai Chi or Moving for Better Balance is what YMCA commonly offers which is a 2011 program. There has been a major revision in the program and research hence the reason for the new name of Tai Ji Quan Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB).   People are to teach this version but many do not.  You can practice sitting or standing.  In the newest version of the program, it is offered in 3 months of commintments for beginners and 3 months for advanced practice.  

• Community Singing or Sing Outs or Paperless Singing or Singing Circles are gatherings of people to sing songs that are call and response or paperless singing.  No Experience is necessary to join or watch.  Usually, songs are positive and inclusive of all faiths, people, and communities. 

• Mediation is a way of calming the senses, the mind, body, and heart.  There are many ways to achieve meditation through stillness, breathing work, slow movement, imagery, singing, drumming, muscle relaxation, tapping, stretching, guided meditation, etc...

• The difference between Yoga and Tai Chi/Qigong is Tai Chi and Qigong are slow or tapping coordinated movements with the stretching within the movement where as Yoga is usually a holding pose or stretch until the stretch is achieved. Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga are meditative and involve movement and stretching.  

• Conscious Creating is about feeling creative or playful or unsure.   Use your intuition for whatever artistic media you like to use. You can create paper collages, digital art, sketch, paint, weave, carve, knit, etc... use this creative time together to be inspired and share your artistic expression/passion/insights. Consciously create what you emotionally react to for wellness and healing. It may be because of the color, shape, texture, meaning, activity you like to do/did/will do, or brings up a memory. Create with others to express what is important to you at this moment for healing with a different theme each month. Please come to be inspired by yourself and others and to please share your visual art talents. My main art media will be paper collages. If you like to make a paper collage during class, please have: 1. Have a sketchbook or loose paper 2. Tape, a glue stick, or adhesive tabs 3. Have 5-15 pages of images or words from magazines, photos or printouts that emotionally excite you for known or unknown reasons. Find images in the mail advertisements, old photos that you can cut up, or go to your local library for free magazines/advertisements or ask friends if they have anything. 4. We will cut out the imagery/words, arrange the collage, glue it, and share what we have done.

• Sing and Share Freely is a virtual class that combines community singing and an open microphone (mic) for people to sing and share their creativity.  This is a class that Stephanie Siddiqui came up with combining the two formats.  Participants are invited to join in song together and space will be created for individuals to share in an open mic format (but not required!). Why is singing healing? Stimulating the vagus nerve benefits your autonomic nervous system and mental health which gives a sense of calmness, compassion, and community. The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting, and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve. Come to listen, participate, and have fun! No Musical Experience Needed. The goal as we sing community songs is to connect and express what inspires, calms or motivates us as we journey toward healing. Some call this style of singing, paperless singing or sing-outs... it is not performance-based singing.  Risks and mistakes are encouraged as we share our sacred voices and hearts through songs, poetry, or visual art for healing. No need to share if you don't want to, you could sing with us on mute while you are cooking, resting in bed, or creating more art. For optimal virtual singing, we will mute ourselves while learning a song or chanting. If one feels comfortable with a song, we can take turns, unmute and sing a line from a song to the group, be creative and change a line, etc... or lead/share a song for the group as well. The benefits would be healing and connection with others as we stimulate the vagus nerve. Remember the ABCs... Always Be Comfortable. All singing and creative sharing abilities are welcome. Singing unmuted and sharing with others are optional. We will be singing non-religious and uplifting songs for all people. 

•  Adventure with Inspirations and Gratitude is in a virtual discussion class with a focus on inspiration and gratitude.  In the class, there is a different theme or focus for discussion, meditation, movement, song, artwork, and inspiring words.  This class was designed to be personal, experiential and insightful by Stephanie Siddiqui. The intended goal is to feel through our senses. Experiencing gratitude and inspiration is expected, but not required as thinking about them is a good place to start. Sharing insight and feelings is encouraged.  Benefits include added insight, joy, and connection. Taking notes at the end of the class is suggested as this will help your practice in between our scheduled sessions. All are welcome. All levels of gratitude are welcome. The goal would be to find a connection with others using all our senses as well as having a mindful connection with ourselves.

• Touching Worlds Together is an online offering that started as a demo but turned into a movement, a quote, a joke, meditation, and a song in a presentation format. It has turned into the greater theme of my business.