DANCE OF ISHTAR - Women's Circle

An evening of movement & stillness, descent & return woven through ecstatic Qigong and inspired by the ancient mysteries of Inanna-Ishtar. About Dance of Ishtar Dance of Ishtar is an invitation into movement, stillness, descent and return, inspired by Inanna-Ishtar, the ancient Mesopotamian goddess associated with Venus, the morning and evening star. Gathering under the approaching November full supermoon, we will explore the mystery of totality: the great above and the great below, light and darkness, sun and moon, stillness and movement. Rather than separating these seeming opposites, we meet them as expressions of one whole living within us through the wisdom of the yin-yang circle. Through Ecstatic Qigong, free movement, sound, reflection and ritual, we will draw from Taoist principles of release and replenishment: softening what no longer needs to be carried while nourishing Yin, receptivity and our deeper inner resources. Inanna-Ishtar offers a particularly potent doorway into embodiment without shame. Our exploration will touch themes of body acceptance, releasing inherited shame and guilt, sensual aliveness, sovereignty, desire, and the courage to descend into what has been hidden without abandoning ourselves there. Like Venus appearing as both morning and evening star, this is a circle for remembering that we need not divide ourselves into what is worthy of light and what belongs in darkness. The great above and the great below and all the worlds are one within us. A few things to know • Please arrive with enough time to settle in. Doors will close at 7:30 PM so the ceremonial space can remain uninterrupted once we begin. • Bring a small meaningful object for our communal altar. You will take it home with you at the end of the evening. • A ceremonial elixir containing apples will be offered. If you have an apple allergy or sensitivity, please let the facilitator know. • If you are living with a mental health concern or a unique medical condition that may affect your participation, please contact me at [email protected] before registering so we can determine whether the gathering is appropriate for you. Meet your facilitator Syra R. Khan is the founder and facilitator of the Listening Circle, a Qigong practitioner and a teacher, ceremonial and movement artist, a poet and story teller. A student of ancient Taoist practices and esoteric sciences, her work brings people and mystical realm together through embodied practice, ritual, movement, sound and contemplative self-inquiry.