Sunday, August 2nd at 5:00 PM (60-Minute Intensive)
$44
Step Into Your Sanctuary
Step into a sanctuary of deep restoration and high-vibrational alignment. This curated 60-minute mini-workshop seamlessly blends ancient lineage with modern somatic practice to recalibrate your nervous system and expand your consciousness. Led by a Master-level educator and Board-Certified Health Coach, this intensive experience takes you far beyond a standard drop-in class, offering a beautifully structured journey toward lasting inner peace.
Escape the external heat—whether it is the summer weather, work demands, or relational tension—and delve into a journey of internal balance. This unique experience is engineered to harmonize with the celestial energies inspired by the Moon in Aries. As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries embodies a direct, inspirational, and vibrant energy. By embracing these qualities, we will foster a collective mindset of curiosity, igniting your personal growth and welcoming you to try new things with a completely fresh perspective.
Workshop Highlights
- Kundalini Yoga Basics: Open the physical body with simple, foundational movements designed to unlock stagnant energy and prepare the mind for stillness.
- Pranayama Breathwork: Learn traditional breath exercises aimed at clearing your subtle energy channels and actively regulating daily energy flow.
- MBSR-Style Body Scan: Transition into deep mindfulness with a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction body scan to enhance physical awareness, release deep-seated tension, and ground your consciousness.
- Therapeutic Gong Bath: Surrender to the healing currents of a live sound bath, immersing yourself in frequencies designed to attune you to unity consciousness and foster profound relaxation.
Meet Your Guide: Valerie Merritt
Every breath, cue, and sonic frequency in this workshop is intentionally woven together to create a safe, therapeutic, and deeply educational container. This experience is uniquely engineered by Valerie Merritt, an alternative healing practitioner holding a Master’s in Education and a Bachelor’s in Music Education.
Valerie bridges the worlds of science, sound, and spirituality with an elite combination of credentials:
- National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBHWC)
- 500-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500)
- Certified Sound Healing Practitioner & Reiki Master
- Awakening the Goddess Within Temple Mentor
You will leave this workshop not just with a profound sense of peace and connection, but with practical, science-backed stress-reduction tools you can use every day.
What to Bring & How to Prepare
To ensure your absolute comfort during our light movements and extended reclined practices on the gallery floor, please prepare the following items:
- Yoga Mat: A thick or padded mat is highly recommended. A plush rug or thick towel works beautifully as well.
- Two Pillows or Bolsters: One to support your head, and one to place beneath your knees to fully release lower back tension.
- Cozy Blanket: Your body temperature will drop significantly during the body scan and sound bath portions.
- Eye Pillow or Cover: An eye mask, sleep mask, or soft scarf to block out ambient gallery light and deepen your internal journey.
- Water Bottle: To properly hydrate and ground yourself after the intensive energy work.
- Comfortable Clothing: Loose, layered clothing that allows you to breathe deeply and move with complete freedom.
Note: You are welcome to bring a journal or writing materials if you enjoy capturing reflections, insights, or notes immediately after practice.
Valerie Merritt is a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Sound Healing Facilitator, Master Holy Fire Reiki Practitioner, Forest Therapy Guide, and a Registered Yoga Teacher. Her practice focuses primarily on Kundalini, meditation, breathwork, and Yoga Nidra to support individuals flowing through the changing seasons of life.
As the creator of My Wellness Sage, Valerie offers these transformative modalities across corporate wellness programs, professional, staff training, intimate group workshops, and private, tailored settings. She also brings her passion for sacred community leadership to her role as a Temple Mentor for the Awakening the Goddess Within Mystery School.
Valerie’s personal practice and community offerings are deeply guided by the moon and its associated archetypes. For Valerie, the moon serves as a sacred reconnection point to the natural rhythms of our planet through the divine feminine aspect—reminding us to honor the inevitable ebb and flow within our personal growth cycles. She passionately guides her clients to reconnect with the many layers of their being, quiet their minds, focus on their breath, and make spacious time to align with their true essence.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
I am a complete beginner / I’m not flexible. Can I still attend?
- Absolutely. This fusion workshop is explicitly designed with a "try everything with a fresh attitude" approach.
- The Kundalini movements are simple, gentle, and foundational.
- We prioritize internal awareness and breath over advanced physical postures or pretzel-like flexibility.
- Every movement can be modified to suit your body's comfort level.
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What exactly is Kundalini Yoga, and will it feel too intense?
- It is highly accessible. While some advanced Kundalini practices can be physically vigorous, this specific mini-workshop focuses strictly on the foundational basics.
- We use repetitive, gentle movements paired with conscious breathing to safely unlock stagnant energy and quiet a racing mind.
- Think of it as a moving meditation rather than a strenuous workout.
What is a Gong Bath, and what does it feel like?
- You do not actually get wet. A "bath" simply means you are completely immersed in the therapeutic sound waves and vibrational frequencies of a large gong.
- You will spend this portion of the workshop resting comfortably on your mat under a blanket.
- The sound frequencies work to effortlessly guide your brainwaves into a deep state of meditation and cellular relaxation, clearing mental clutter without you having to "force" your mind to be still.
I get anxious in quiet or meditative settings. Is that okay?
- Yes, this is a completely safe and judgment-free sanctuary. It is entirely normal for a busy mind or trapped emotions to surface when you finally slow down.
- Because we cycle through active breathwork and physical movement before we lay down for the sound bath, your nervous system will be naturally primed and soothened to handle the stillness.
- You are always in control and can open your eyes, adjust your posture, or take a sip of water at any moment.
Why do I need to bring so many pillows and blankets?
- For physical and temperature comfort. When your nervous system enters a state of deep, meditative relaxation during the body scan and gong bath, your heart rate slows and your body temperature drops significantly.
- Having a cozy blanket, a head pillow, and a bolster under your knees ensures your lower back relaxes completely, allowing you to surrender to the experience without physical distraction.
