To be diasporic means to be a member of any group of people who have been dispersed outside their traditional homeland, either involuntarily or by migration. Many of the world’s population, including the majority of North American residents, exist within a diaspora. Our histories, in some way, are characterized by the social phenomenon of dispersion, constant mobility, or rootlessness. At the same time, there is also an overarching phenomenon of ancestral cultural separation and amnesia that many of us inherit.

With this separation can come disorientation from land, language, and tradition and assimilation into modern cultures based on capitalism, materialism, and white supremacy. Wherever we are from, and whatever our nearness or distance from our roots cultures within the spectrum of the diaspora, when we learn about the cultures of our ancestors, both lessons and blessings, we root down into who we are and consciously choose what we bring forward as we shape culture with our lives. To do this brings ancestral healing, cultural repair, profound nourishment, and breaking patterns that have become toxic to us.

To root in stories and songs also helps to balance and heal the challenges of ancestral connection. Many times the medicine for the adversities our ancestors faced is in that very culture itself. All humans gathered around imagination and creativity, confessing their life stories, wonderings, and prayers. Their humanity often came forward through these outlets, creating medicine for the hardships of life.

Through studying the stories and mythologies of these cultures, we have an opportunity to connect to the psychic, spiritual, and material landscapes of our ancestors. These stories tell us the flora and fauna they were surrounded by, the fundamental patterns of daily life they engaged in, the foods they shared, and the celebrations they marked.

In addition to these more literal truths, stories connect us with the psyches of our ancestors, the mythic worlds that engaged their thoughts that they passed their prayers through. Learning their cosmologies allows us to reconnect to the cosmos they painted around themselves, while inspiring us to reflect on who we truly are and what we are made of. This type of cultural learning is a powerful tool and a pivotal step in the journey to connecting to our authentic selves and spiritual depth.

We are excited for all of us to take a break from our daily routine and fully immerse ourselves in our Singing the Bones retreat experience, what a gift! We will have the whole of the Prama Retreat Center for our use, located on 150 acres in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. These mountains have given birth to many indigenous and settler folk traditional cultures, offering serenity and beauty as our backdrop.

• You’d love to learn about your ancestral culture and traditions. (in a supportive, immersive, and in-person environment!)

• It excites you to have uninterrupted time as you gain knowledge in a healing container. (with practices that engage somatically, intellectually, creatively, and spiritually)

• You’d love to build meaningful connections with others in the diaspora and create a greater sense of belonging. 

• You seek to improve your well-being through the healing power of cultural reconnection 

• You’re curious about harvesting wisdom and finding meaning by exploring your cultural heritage. 

• You’re curious about discovering the ancestral instruments and music styles singing in your blood. 

• You’d love to get nourished by the nervous-system-regulating vitamins of singing, sharing stories, dancing, and celebrating life together!