Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Calendar
Cultural Appropriation and Appreciative Knowledge: a Conversation on Mindfulness & Yoga
Feb 13, 2023 05:30 PM
to
06:30 PM
Registration Deadline: Feb 13, 2023 06:00 PM
Join us for a panel discussion on cultural appropriation and appreciative knowledge as it pertains to mindfulness and yoga.
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn definitions of cultural appropriation
- Find out what appreciative knowledge entails
- Learn how others are applying these concepts to their engagement with mindfulness and yoga
Jennifer Bright (she/her)
Jenny Bright is a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and an Associate Member of the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care (CASC/ACSS). She has a PhD in the Study of Religion (Tibetan Buddhism and medicine) with a Collaborative Specialization in Women's Health through the Dalla Lana School of Public Health from the University of Toronto. Dr. Bright works as a spiritual care clinician in the Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and teaches courses on Buddhism and psychotherapy at Emmanuel College in the Master of Pastoral Studies program and in the Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health minor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Bright's research interests include spiritually-integrated psychotherapy, spiritual health and moral distress, and Buddhist spiritual care. Jenny's spiritual community is the Toronto Buddhist Church where she serves as a member of the executive board of directors. In her spare time, Jenny likes to take long hikes and play outside with her family.
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Hela Kalicharran (she/her)
Hela Kalicharran is a 5th year student at the University of Toronto pursuing a major in Buddhist Studies and minors in Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health and Indigenous Studies. She is a Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness Program Assistant for the Multi-Faith center, where she assists with MindFIT and other Mindful Moments programs. Since completing her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2021, she has continued to explore the relationships between yoga, health, and wellness.
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Angelica Lozada (she/her)
Angelica is a 5th year student at the University of Toronto pursuing a double major in East Asian Studies and Religion. She is an Assistant Program Coordinator for the Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Toronto, specifically assisting with the Inter-Faith Leadership certificate program. She has previous experience interning with the Becoming Neighbors Joint Apostolic Ministry, working directly with newcomers to aid in their integration process within Canada.
Shehla Khan (she/her)
Shehla has been teaching for over 15 years. Along with public classes, workshops, in-person, retreats and outreach
programs, she also teaches yoga philosophy and yoga therapy. Shehla is lead trainer for George Brown College for
its classical 200 hrs Yoga teacher training certificate program and senior faculty for several yoga studios in downtown
Toronto. Presently, most of Shehla's teachings are informed by field experience in serving racialized women from
African, Black, Caribbean, Latin and south Asian communities offering chair yoga classes and one-on-one yoga
therapy at community health clinics and working with automotive Injury clients in conjunction with healthcare
providers as their rehab support.
Melina Bondy (they/them)
Melina Bondy began meditation and Dharma practice in 2003 in both Plum Village and Vipassana traditions, eventually taking monastic vows under the VIetnamese peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 2012 with the name HaiAn (Sister Ocean.) After six years in the monastery, and a few more outside of the monastery, Melina returned to lay life in 2021. "Back in the world" they blend Insight and Plum Village practices with an orientation to somatics, social justice and creativity. As a queer, gender-fluid, white settler, Melina is honored and challenged to live on the colonized land of Tkaronto, where they continue to sharing the gifts of the monastery with a wider community, including training in Buddhist Spiritual Care at the University of Toronto. Melina completed the True North Insight Community Meditation Leader Mentorship program in 2022.