I saw two Savannah's in Michigan that's 180 points.
If you are wondering what a Savannah is and why they are 90 points a piece in Michigan you might be new here. WELCOME, I'm Jin. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and certified Yoga and Mediation guide. In this blog, my focus is always on self-care as it pertains to your whole being. That's mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I share things that have worked for me, things people in my community have shared with that has worked for them, and things I've learned or studied as a way to help those who may want or need the information. Now that we have that out of the way.... let's to down to bald headed business.
Last week I flew out to Jackson Mississippi to attend my friend Maya's annual Protect Your Peace Festival. This was a huge deal for me because I was meeting with MY yoga teacher, in her hometown, to assist and attend her annual festival in person for the first time. Maya and I connected online with our love of yoga and grow our friendship overtime. For a little more of a back story follow this link.
If you clicked the link welcome back. If you didn't you missed that Maya is the founder of Protect Your Peace Foundation and owner of Split Rebel studio in Jackson. Maya is a mother of 2, wife, and thriving enterpuner. Maya started offering yoga in the park and hosting community events at her studio over a year ago and as things grew like a pathos plant the Protect Your Peace Foundation and Festival was born.
(@pypfest) (@naturallymaya)
The Protect Your Peace Festival is an annual yoga, music, and arts festival dedicated to mental health and over all wellness. There were live yoga classes, mental health panels, local vendors, food trucks, meditation, sound bowl healing, live music performances, and so many other things. This was something I was really looking forward to and I was not disappointed. Maya did such an amazing job bringing her vision to life. She held space for people to come and enjoy the healing properties of being in community with the community.
People came from all over for this experience. *When I say people I'm talking about myself too... I'm people too.* I had the opportunity to take a class with Candance Hermine creator of the yoga kickback. "The Yoga Kick Back is a community built on social and radical health and wellness. Creating a space for people of all races, cultures, ages, body types, and levels to bring it to the mat, heal, & do the work. The Yoga Kickback meets people where they are and encourages them to press towards their goals."
It was lit! I felt like I was taking a class with a friend that I'd been practicing with forever. It's always a good feeling to take a class with an instructor that may be new to you and leave feeling closer to yourself. That's how I felt. Get into the yoga kick back experience by following her website linked below.
(@theyogakickback)
I was honored to grace the stage of a panel speaking about navigating and surviving your 20's along side some very insightful "drivers".
(@mamafiiit, @henryamazin, @kevion.devante, @myaagrimes)
There was a men's mental wellness panel that I didn't get a photo.
(The reader)
Chill on me for a second y'all. I was living in the experience okay. Some things you just had to be there for.
I guided an introduction to mediation that flowed into a sound bath healing guided by Kevion.Devante with a special appearance by Simba the Sphynx Cat (@ziazifir)
This closed the wellness portion of the festival as things got set up for the concert, I took some time to sit in this thing that was once a thought in Maya's head 10 months ago. A festival. She made a festival happen in six months of planning, donations, sponsors, supporters, community members. This event was so peacefully protected it felt like a huge birthday party celebrating the birth of thoughts becoming things while allowing things to flow like water. It was such an honor to be in this space with Maya and shared in the experience of The Protect Your Peace Foundation's first annual Protect Your Peace Festival. Protect Your Peace Foundation is a non-profit promoting peaceful change with a focus on mental wellness and non-violence in the city of Jackson Mississippi and surrounding areas. To learn more and donate to the Protect Your Peace Foundation following the link below.
Oh if you made it this far into the blog post and you are still trying to figure out what a Savannah is and why they are worth 90 points each in Michigan follow this link.
Maya- Keep impacting and inspiring us. Thank you for your light!
Until next time....