RVA DUP New Years DAY Retreat: Stepping Into Wholeness in Community

Name: RVA DUP New Years DAY Retreat: Stepping Into Wholeness in Community
Start: 2026-01-01T12:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-01T16:30:00-05:00
Location: Unity Richmond

Schedule

Thu Jan 01 2026 at 12:00 pm to 04:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Unity Richmond | Richmond, VA

You may walk in, but we prefer that you register if you know you will be joining us, as it helps with our planning! Copy and paste the following URL into a browser window: https://forms.gle/rXkN8edZywC49eWL8
"Stepping Into Wholeness in the New Year: Celebrate & Mourn in Community" ~~~ Our 3rd Annual New Years Day Retreat at Unity Richmond!
Join us for a mini-retreat with a shared nourishing potluck lunch, Sufi Sesshin-style - Dances of Universal Peace (sacred circle dancing) alternating with short periods of meditation, intention setting, forgiveness ritual, live musical accompaniment, expressive art (possibly the creation of a personal labyrinth), and concluding with a heart sharing circle, where we may share what we are mourning and what we are celebrating in community.
Bring friends and family!
We'll focus on opening our hearts....being fully present within ourselves and with each other, as we step into wholeness in the new year.
~ A Circle of Reciprocity ~
A suggested love donation of $15-$20 per adult is requested. If you want to offer a donation, you can either bring cash with you to the event or you can donate via one of the following electronic means, or make a check out to "Donna Bain". Digital options:
Paypal (@HayatDB), Cash app ($HayatDB), or Venmo (@HayatDonnaBain). A portion of the proceeds will be shared with Unity of Richmond and Dances of Universal Peace North America, as well as supporting our local dance circle.
We are so grateful for your presence! No one will be turned away for lack of funds or a dish to share. Everyone is welcome.
~~~~~~~~~
Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative and joyous circle dances using sacred phrases, chants, movements and music from the world's wisdom traditions...for the soul and all the Earth. There are no performers and no audience members, no experience is necessary!
Visit Dances of Universal Peace North America (https://dupna.org) to learn more about the DUP in our region. And here's a beautiful, moving video featuring dances and dancers at a retreat in Canyonlands National Park in Utah in 2006:

Flexible Plan for our afternoon on New Year's Day:
[11:00 am-12:00 pm Set up and decorate spaces]
12:00-12:45 pm Nourishing potluck lunch (Celebration Space downstairs)
1:00-3:15 pm Sufi Sesshin-style time with Peace Dances alternating with short periods of meditation (sitting meditation or a meditative visual art expression project), Intention Setting, Sacred Rituals to open the way to "Stepping Into Wholeness in the New Year: Celebrate & Mourn in Community" (Sanctuary, upstairs)
3:30-4:30 pm Heart Sharing Circle: What are you letting go of and mourning and what are you allowing in and celebrating?
[4:30-5:15 pm Finish cleaning up, resetting space, loading cars]
Email or text Hayat for more info or to be added to our mailing list: [email protected] ~ 804-467-9674 (text)