YWCA Spokane's Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) Learning Community came together for a restorative evening of sound bath and somatic healing, led by our fellow member, Hannah Talbot. It was a beautiful opportunity for us to slow down, reconnect with ourselves, and align our hearts, minds, and bodies with the work of justice and healing.

Sound Bath

Hannah led us through a calming sound bath experience, guiding us to tune into our nervous systems using soothing sounds, crystal bowls, and gentle breathwork. The goal was to help us shift into a more relaxed state, moving away from stress and into a place of ease and presence.

As the sounds filled the room, there was a noticeable shift. The tension in the air softened, and we felt more spacious inside, as if we could breathe a little easier and listen more closely to what our bodies needed.

Somatic Integration

After the sound bath, we took time to integrate the experience with some gentle movement and body awareness exercises. We paused to check in with how we were feeling and gave ourselves space to notice any shifts or sensations in our minds and bodies.

Building Community

As we usually do, we closed the session by inviting everyone to share their experiences: “How did this feel in your body?” A few individuals new to the practice, opened up about what they felt during the exercises and how the experience impacted them.

One of the most meaningful takeaways was how justice work and healing are so deeply connected. To do this work, especially anti-racism work, we need to have bodies, hearts, and nervous systems that can hold discomfort, tension, and even the process of healing itself. This evening of sound and somatic work helped strengthen those parts of us.

Healing and Justice: How They Work Together

This evening reminded us that healing and justice are deeply connected. The RSJ Learning Community is all about raising awareness, breaking down oppressive patterns, and taking action. But to keep doing this work, we need to make sure we’re caring for ourselves, our bodies, hearts, and nervous systems, so we can handle the complexity of the work and keep moving forward.

• Justice Work Is Not Only Cognitive, It’s Embodied.
  Racism, oppression, and trauma are experienced through the body: increased heart rate, muscle tension, shutting down, or fight-or-flight responses. Similarly, privilege can show up as numbness, defensiveness, or disconnection. Somatic practices help us notice these patterns so we can respond with awareness rather than react unconsciously.
• It Builds Capacity to Stay Present in Discomfort.
  Conversations about race and inequity often bring up shame, fear, or guilt. When we can regulate our nervous systems through breath, grounding, or movement we expand our capacity to stay in the conversation, listen deeply, and act compassionately, instead of withdrawing or becoming defensive.
• It Supports Healing and Connection.
  Oppression harms everyone’s ability to connect authentically. Somatic awareness helps us release tension and trauma stored in the body, creating space for empathy, trust, and community which are key foundations for collective liberation.
• It Makes Learning Transformational, Not Just Informational.
  Real change requires rewiring habitual ways of being. Somatic integration ensures that what we learn about justice doesn’t just stay in our minds but becomes part of how we move, speak, and act in the world.

I hope this post gives you a feel for what we experienced together and highlights why it’s so important to make space for healing within justice-centered communities. I encourage anyone involved in anti-oppression work to explore practices of care and embodiment, so we can show up for this work in a sustainable way.

About Anam Cara Healing Center

Hannah is the founder of Anam Cara Healing Center, where she offers practices like energy healing, mindfulness, and somatic work to help people reconnect with themselves. The name Anam Cara means "soul friend," and it’s a place where people can slow down and reconnect with their inner intuition.

Hannah teaches that energy is all around us, and true healing happens when we feel supported, grounded, and open our hearts. Her work helps people create space for that kind of healing, which is so important when we’re doing justice work.

Gratitude to Hannah

A heartfelt thank you to Hannah for sharing her beautiful space with us. Hannah’s presence, along with the energy she creates in this space, made this experience even more profound. We are deeply grateful for her guidance and the opportunity to experience her work in such a supportive, nurturing environment.

For more information or to book a session, visit Anam Cara Healing Center. You can also stay connected through their فيسبوك و انستغرام.

RSJ Learning Community: Why We Gather

Over the course of a year, we follow two-month cycles, each focused on one major theme. Right now, we’re diving into Organizing and Activism. Each cycle, we come together over four meetings to focus on the following:

1. Topic Introduction – In our first meeting, we explore the topic and share resources to help us dive deeper.
2. Guest Speaker – We bring in someone to share their perspective on the theme, giving us new insights.
3. Somatic Integration – The work we do can be heavy, and sometimes we need to pause and reconnect with our bodies. Somatic integration allows us to feel our way into justice, not just think about it. It roots our commitments in presence, empathy, and courage, enabling us to move from awareness to sustained, embodied action for racial and social equity.
4. Taking Action – As we wrap up, we ask ourselves: How will we carry this forward in our lives? What are the next steps?

If you’re curious about joining our مجتمع التعلم RSJ, check out our next cycle and join us for the next round of learning and healing!