a bit about me

Some Background

I've been offering movement, mindfulness and music practices since 2001 in my capacity as founder of the award-winning Charity and the JAMband (joyful music and dance for families and communities) and The Invisible Bee (songs about being human and aware in the Anthropocene).

During a challenging time of life in 2006, I began practicing Insight Meditation and found the practice to be critical to maintaining my mental health, my sobriety, and healthy and compassionate relationships with other humans and the Earth and her creatures.

Since the practice was so helpful in bringing balance to my body-mind-heart, I dived deeper into the Dharma, reading books, devouring podcasts, and attended many retreats, day longs and courses with various teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Thanissara and Kittisaro, Susie Harrington, Gil Fronsdal, Konda Mason, Jack Kornfield, Kate Jackson, Erin Selover, Kaira Jewel Lingo, Vinny Ferraro, Daisy Lee, Matthew Brensilver, Nick Loffree, Anne Cushman, and Joanna Macy. I am profoundly grateful to and forever inspired by these teachers who have come before, for all the wisdom and healing they have offered.

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Over the years, as my practice grew and deepened, I integrated more and more mindfulness, meditation and Qigong into my work with children. I also began offering meditation courses and gatherings in 2013, and Qigong since 2020, as part of various yoga and mindfulness communities and in partnership with the SF Botanical Garden.

Along the way, I sought out deeper training in these practices in order to satisfy my insatiable desire to learn and in to be able to bring them to a wider audience. I'm now a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher through Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's two-year MMTCP certification program, and a Certified Qigong Instructor through Nick Loffree's teacher certification program. 

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I've also been a passionate vegan since 2012, and I enjoy nothing more than supporting people on their journey to explore eating a plant-based diet and living a plant-based lifestyle, through my quarterly 15-Day Vegan Challenge+Celebration courses and private coaching.

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I still regularly sing and dance with my bands at places like the Bandshell in Golden Gate Park, bringing people together to experience love and heart-opening connection through the expressive and healing practices of music, dance, and presence.

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Simply put: I love working with people of all ages to co-create more joy, peace and love in themselves, in their relationships, and in the world!

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So, I look forward to working with you -- whether through a meditation course, vegan challenge, Qigong class, music concert, or private instruction/counseling. My door and my heart are open.

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Let's wake up together!

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