Sacred Self-care During Times of Suffering

​​How do we find balance?

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Growing up in the middle of the Vietnam war, we had to find balance--a balance between going about our daily lives in our own little bubble and being pulled into the experience of suffering. If you lived in a safe place, you existed in a bubble of your typical daily life. If you lived where the sounds of war raged on, you couldn't function. 

In a safe society, we live our lives in a bubble of our own existence. When we are forced to step beyond our experience, we can see the harm and suffering in the world. 

In Buddhism, the First Noble Truth is the existence of suffering. In being a part of this world, we experience the constant ebb and flow between pleasure and suffering. To remain balanced within this reoccurring rhythm, we must pay attention to our bodies and our breath. 

When we connect with our bodies and our breath, we can see the light in the darkness, the beauty in the pain, and the hope rising up to be shared.

The past three years have taught us how interconnected we are. Large catastrophic events have reminded us of our shared human experience and vulnerability. We are a part of everything.

Hopefully, we have learned how to care for ourselves during times of suffering—we start with breath, then movement, followed by nourishment, connection, and finally rest.

May we bring care for our hearts, and for each other.

With Love,
Sylvie & the SDP Team

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About Sylvie Minot

​Sylvie Minot received her BA in Dance from San Jose State University and is a certified 5Rhythms® Teacher who was also trained in the Heartbeat (emotional) map by Gabrielle Roth.

Sylvie has studied psychology, indigenous healing rituals, energy medicine, and sound healing and is inspired by the teachings of Angeles Arrien, Caroline Myss, and Tito La Rosa.

​Since 2000, Sylvie has taught weekly dance classes and workshops for a variety of populations. Sylvie is often described as a catalytic shape-shifter because of her ability to meet people right where they are and move with them into new possibilities.

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