MOON JOURNEY
A FOUR PART SERIES
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WORKING WITH THE SHADOW.
AN INITIATION INTO THE WAYS OF TANTRA YOGA
& THE NATIVE SHAMANIC WISDOM OF INDIA.
ONLINE HEALING CIRCLES
22 May | 30 May | 05 June | 13 June
From 19:oo to 23:oo | CEST
“Those who follow this journey
WHAT IS 'WORKING WITH THE SHADOW'?
A short interview with Boonath.
The Moon has effect on us all and is an important and easily overlooked factor in the healing journey. By learning practices and ritualistic formulas, both physical and psychic we invite rhythm and grace into our physical and spiritual lives.
The Feminine is a quality of force that has no likeness in the masculine counterpart, and is indeed the polar opposite and obeys laws of another order altogether.
These unwritten laws of the Moon are what we will embark upon in this journey by Moonlight.
Each moon phase is like a doorway that can be penetrated if we ourselves become the Key.
Different doors require different keys.
The Tantric practitioner mounds her/his being to the keys of creations mystery.
The Mystery of Life and Live is written in the sky.
Written by the feminine hand… written by Moonlight.
This Online Healing gathering will comprise of a 4 part in-depth study & practice related to the 4 most powerful stations of the Moon cycle from the Tantric perspective.
It will be an investigation of how these four points of the Moon effect us physically and psychically.
We will meet for 4 evenings online, one evening per week, to practice in a ritualistic fashion Asan and Mudra designed to synchronise with the corresponding energetic quality of each Moon phase.
We are greatly affected by the pull and push of lunar forces.
As the Moon alters its face, different karmic aspects of the psychic universe are brought to (Moon)light.
Just as the tides of the sea move with the fall and rise of the moon, so are the psychic currents within us which move in synch with the Moon.
This four part course will be the first chapter in an in-depth study and practice of the 4 directions of the Moon which constitutes a core element with this rare and initiatic tantric/shamanic line of Yoga..
The 4 faces of the Moon are key portals in the Tantric calendar:
- * For balancing the forces of darkness & light within ourselves;
- * For working with the upper & lower worlds;
- * For balancing the left & right halves of the psyche and body.
These are secret wisdoms of Moon practice that are not usually shared outside of initiatic circles and are not known within modern yoga styles.
We have the confidence after many years of building international healing circle that these practices will be received with the care and wise handling they deserve.
The Face of Kali
Portal to Darkness & the Landing of the Crow
| The Dark/New Moon
22 May, 19:oo – 23:oo CEST
Kali is the dark Mother of creation and the unseen, unknown and unknowable.
Her initiation commences upon the dark Moon, when the Moon is faceless, the inner portal is a mysterious one that can’t be faced but is nonetheless there. But where?
To find it, or to allow to lose ourselves in the unseen is a challenge and a doorway to living magically.
The forces of the unconscious world are strong at this time, and the opportunity is afforded to heal and resolve the themes that lie dormant in the unconscious basement of our being.
That which we don’t see, or perhaps don’t want to see, is at the foreground for healing at this opportune time.
The Dark Moon, or New Moon is the phase when the Moon is void and becomes a black door – a portal.
A vacuum-like black hole in the inner cosmos that eclipses a new potential beginning.
We will learn about Moon invocation and how Tantrics apply practical body prayers to invoke the death of the old and the birth of the new that brings us to the creative fire of Life and Love.
The Dark Moon will open the Chandra Parampara Moon practice.
Particular attention will be given to working with the Crow Mudras and the energy of the Goddess Kali.
On the way to Ghori
The Veil of Light & the Flight of the Swan
| The First Quarter
30 May | 19:oo – 23:oo CEST
The veil of darkness is half drawn, revealing a world of balance, the rising light awaits but, for now, at this balanced place the Goddess is poised as she is twice monthly between light and darkness. This phase is known by Tantrics as the flight of the Swan and is the time of the rising seed that flowers in the full Moon.
Prayer on this day move upwards and the work offers the releasing of liberated unconsciousness that finds flower in greater awareness and colour in the path of Life and Love at the next face.
This is the point when one half of the Moon is light, and the other half is left in darkness.
It progresses from this half way junction towards the Full Moon.
This phase has to do with the rising energy moving towards fullness.
It is a point in the Tantric calendar for introducing and applying further Moon practices, such as Chandra Bhand (a secret energy lock which enables us to raise the energy safely and wisely) Hamsa Challana (the Swan sequence) which mirrors the Crow from the first meeting.
The two in unison are used in inner and outer Mudra and the practice of dark and light are brought to a balance with the swan taking the path to the full moon to meet her life and then her death as the season of the crow calls back towards the next phase.
The aspects of Chanda Parampara that is connected with balance is brought to the foreground at this time.
The Face of Ghori
The Landing of the Swan & the portal of Light
| Full Moon
05 June | 19:oo – 23:oo CEST
The Full Moon is known by Tantrics as the landing of the Swan.
The psychic currents are strong and the veil of the spiritual spheres of the world of Light is thin, if we are living in Tantric Union with our Moon nature.
Communication with the worlds of subtle spiritual consciousness are opened when we do the work of walking through the shadows of the underworld and moving on as allowed to dwelling there.
The denial of the underworld would be as unwise as denying the absence of light at the Dark Moon.
The Yogi prays to be beyond ideology and to be governed by the Moon Goddess who will show us both dark and light on the path of Life and Love.
The portal of the Full Moon offers opportunity of spirit communion. On this day we can be moved beyond and allow magic and wonder to be imparted.
This Night is the Night of the Brightest Goddess Ghori.
She saw her dark reflection in the mirror of the previous dark moon.
And she will meet with Kali again in the ever-circling dance of the Goddess.
The realm of The Angels is opened at this time and the Swan finds fullness.
The full sequence of Chandra Parampara is practiced to extend the currents of Chandra Shakti (Moon Power) to enliven the psychic atmosphere of the planet on this day.
Moon power is at its highest at this point of the lunar cycle. Tantrics will challenge themselves to open-up the body and the psyche to the potent force of the Goddess. Not seeking it. But surrendering in order to receive it.
The teachings of Tantra on the importance of receptive forces is what we will practice and self-study on this day.
Back to Kali
Veil of Darkness & the Crow’s flight
| Second quarter
13 June | 19:oo – 23:oo CEST
Once again in the Lunar month the forces of dark and light are suspended in balance.
The veil of darkness will wax as we move once more towards the landing of the Crow at the next dark moon.
The opportunity in Tantra is to accept the dwindling of light that was offered at the full Lunar glow and surrender with nature back as the crow flies home.
The spirits in the world below come closer as the light recedes but here is the meeting point between the two worlds. Light and dark can only meet on rare occasions and exist together in balance.
The Crow is the Teacher of Shiva himself. His flight is the flight of the Shaman within who ventures into the underworld with Heart.
As the Moon sinks down from her fullness, and reaches the last quarter of her monthly journey, she once again becomes half darkened at this junction before her death. The Moon of Kali Ma on an endless cycle of death and rebirth.
The practice on this date will be about the Crow dark master of the spirits who will takes us down into the underworld of the subconscious as his wings grow with the dwindling light and rising darkness.
His is the realm of shadows where the things we don’t see are revealed.
The practice of the downward and fallen Moon Mudras are brought to the darkening foreground as the balance of Crow and Swan Mudras are pursued in the way of the wisdom of Tantra.
The Left Hand path of Yog is the path of the Heart.
It is our human attempt to remember, it’s maybe not easy but it is possible.
When we undertake the courageous journey of healing the temple of the Heart we are opening ourselves to the Goddess of Love and Life.
In darkness and candle light we will come together in an etheric circle of power to join a sacred ritual involving secret methods of Tantric Asanas (postures), Pranayam (breathwork), Mudras (gestures), and Mantras (sacred emotional syllables and animal sounds – often involving drumming).
These secret techniques awaken trance like states, or dream-like experiences in which deep healing and unwinding occurs.
WHERE & HOW: It’s all Online.
MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE
The workshop takes place ONLINE over 4 evenings, from 19h until 23h (and possibly later).
IT IS POSSIBLE TO JOIN FOR ONE EVENING ONLY. Discounted price when registering & paying in advance for all 4 evenings.
To find out how to register and what you will need to follow the practice online, click on the button below.
ANCIENT & SACRED
On these healing circles you will practice a form of Yoga that is rarely available and accessible even in India today. You will take part in a sacred Yogic tradition that roots itself in India’s native shamanic wisdom & Tantric lineage handed down orally between generations of Yogis, Babas, Sadhus and Fakirs.
You will be exposed to the old tantric ways of seeking profound healing and spiritual awakening, including practicing in darkly-lit spaces to quieten the mind and awaken the senses to the body’s subtle energy currents, holding simple postures for long periods of time, and engaging in powerful breath-work to open-up the body and take the mind into altered states of consciousness.
GENTLE
The practice draws on postures seldom used in modern styles of yoga, ancient sequences that honour the mother and the divine feminine, gently opening-up the body to its highest levels of flexibility through minimal effort.
Integral to this experience will be the exploration of sound-currents present in the body (Nada Yoga) – perhaps one of Yoga’s greatest secrets and one of the most powerful vehicles through which the karmic patterns stored in the chakras can be accessed and released in pursuit of profound healing.
UNIQUE
Unique to this tradition is its simultaneous employment of Asanas (postures), aerobic & anaerobic Pranayam (breathwork), Mudras (gestures), and Mantras (sacred sounds).
The synergy created by the employment of these various yogic tools will lead you into altered states of consciousness and dream-like experiences aimed at facilitating a greater openness to inward journeying and an easier access to your subconscious.
UNBOUND
Because we are going to play with shamanic yogic traditions, the practice will take place outside of clearly time constraints. Generally, the practice will last about 6 hours, but if the group is ready to practice longer we might carry well into the night.
INCLUSIVE
The Circle is open to those interested in the healing path.
Tantra and Yoga practitioners, and those seeking healing, practitioners of the mystic arts. Both advanced and beginners will find a place in this circle.
If you have had or are having psychosis please get in touch directly with us as this is important to know about in this work. The same goes for those with strong mobility issues. Drug and alcohol users also need to inform us of their condition. Thank you.
The practie usually takes place in the dark or darkly-lit spaces.
The pictures below were taken in daylight to capture the flow of a practice.
BOONATH
BOONATH was born into a life of yoga. He grew up between Europe and India and was introduced as a child to yoga through his grandparents who were on both sides yoga practitioners.
His grandparents took him on his first Himalayan pilgrimage when he was just seven years old and he has been exposed to the world of yogis ever since.
Boonath has taken initiation into the left hand path (that’s the path of the heart) and specialises in the branch of Chandra Parampara, that is a secret style of Moon practice that works with the night forces. It is a style of tantra that goes very deep into the subconscious roots It is first and foremostly a Healing System. Most of his family still lives in India and he has been travelling there regularly throughout his life in pursuit of yoga. He has worked closely in apprenticeship with elders in the line of Siddha systems of healing and holds much knowledge in the use of rituals, mantras and body/spirit healing methods among other things.
Boonath has been working in this line and helping people with the implementation of these techniques for over 25 years to successfully overcome mental and physical problems, from chronic pain to addiction.
Boonath’s healing and yoga work sees him travelling across the whole of Europe to give workshops and healing sessions. His travels and yoga workshops continue to benefit people in deprived circumstances.
In recent years Boonath has been living and teaching yoga in Germany where he has a network of students. It was in Berlin that Boonath met Kim, with whom Boonath co-founded Working with the Shadow in 2014.
Formal studies and encounters have all left their impression on Boonath, but his teachings are deeply rooted in the Shamanic traditions of the mystical Babas and Fakirs of India, with whom Boonath has been studying closely since childhood to the present day.
KIM
KIM is an Eco-Activist turned Yogi and the founder of Healing in the Willows, the retreat company hosting Working with the Shadow, which he developed in 2014 in collaboration with Boonath, who he assists with the teaching on the retreat. Kim discovered Yoga in 2005, following a burn-out at work that brought him onto a spiritual path. Kim had spent over 10 years coordinating international environmental campaigns in Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin for major environmental NGOs, including Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, ActionAid, and many others.
Kim practiced Yoga with many teachers from several modern styles of Yoga (including Iyengar, Astanga, Vinasa, Bikram, Sivananda, Scaravelli, Kundalini) all over Europe, India and further afield. In 2011 Kim set up a first yoga collective in Berlin, which he then expanded to a new location in 2013, in one of the economically deprived areas of town that was undergoing gentrification. The collective brought together a variety of local teachers to promote yoga on a donation basis within the surrounding community unable to afford the increasing cost of living. It was there that Kim met Boonath and, through Boonath, that his understanding of what Yoga is and what Yoga can do shifted entirely. Boonath’s rare and ancient Tantric lineage revolutionised Kim’s understanding of Yoga and initiated him into a mystical healing journey that impacted strongly also on Kim’s activist work.
Since then Kim has been collaborating with Boonath on developing Working with the Shadow through the retreats they run in a remote forest in Tuscany, where Kim lives, and the workshops they run across Europe.
“It shifted my understanding of what Yoga actually is,
on a fundamental level”
Joe
Farmer & Activist | UK
REGISTRATION.
To book a place on the workshops all you need to do is:
1 ) Make the payment
either via Paypal or bank transfer (see below).
2) Send a proof of payment
(a screenshot will do) to info@healinginthewillows.com
We will then:
a) Send you a confirmation email confirming your registration.
b) Three days before the event, we will send you an email containing:
– all the technical details to connect to the class online,
– suggestions on how best to prepare for the practice (foods and drinks to avoid),
– how to set-up your room for the practice,
– props you might need during the practice (blankets, cushions, etc).
PANDEMIC-FRIENDLY PRICE
FEES VARY ACCORDING TO INCOME
Please choose which even amount suits your current economic situation – please remember that we depend entirely on peoples fees for the carrying out of this work:
Unemployed
Low Income
High Income
€30
€40
€50
PAYPAL
kim.bizzarri@gmail.com
BANK TRANSFER
Account holder: Kim Bizzarri
Iban: IT91A0200870691000003926096
Bic/Swift: UNCRITM1CEC
Bank: Unicredit
*
PAYMENTS ARE TO BE MADE BEFORE & NO LATER THAN NOON
ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT
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THE SESSION WILL HAPPEN ON ZOOM
We will send you the links and passwords necessary for joining the practice.
All your need your end is a computer / tablet with a camera (preferably, but not essential – it’s important that you can see us), a microphone (so that we can hear you, but it’s not essential) and good speakers / audio, as it will be fundamental that you hear the instructions.
*
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
T: +39 3298456532
@:info@healinginthewillows.com
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