In this episode, SAND co-founders and hosts Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo welcome Dr. Thema Bryant, a tenured professor of psychology and former President of the American Psychological Association, to discuss holistic healing, ancestral wisdom, and collective liberation. Dr. Bryant emphasizes the importance of recognizing both individual and collective trauma, the power of storytelling, and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to wellness. The conversation explores the emotional and spiritual aspects of healing, the role of joy and grief, and the importance of community in fostering resilience and thriving. Dr. Bryant also provides practical advice on deepening relationships, finding like-minded communities, and maintaining emotional balance in the face of ongoing trauma.
Topics
00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:53 Introducing Dr. Thema Bryant
01:20 Dr. Bryant's Background and Philosophy
03:11 Grounding Practice and Body Sovereignty
08:32 The Importance of Compassion and Presence
11:52 Intergenerational Trauma and Healing
17:15 Decolonizing and Indigenizing Healing Practices
27:00 Balancing Activism and Self-Care
34:15 Grief and Collective Healing
36:44 Cultural Differences in Grieving
37:59 The Interplay of Grief and Joy
38:28 Toxic Positivity and Spiritual Bypassing
41:07 Constructive vs. Destructive Anger
44:53 The Importance of Emotional Expression
47:03 Creating and Deepening Community Connections
51:00 Collective Healing and Liberation
01:03:13 Balancing Self-Care and Collective Care
01:11:14 Final Thoughts and Resources
Resources
Dr. Thema Bryant Dr. Thema Bryant is the author of the recently released book Matters of the Heart and the host of The Homecoming Podcast.Jaiya John
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1:15:39
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1:15:39
Rongoā Māori: Donna Kerridge
Recorded live at The Eternal Song Seven Day Film Premiere summit with Indigenous voices.
Donna Kerridge, a Rongoā Māori practitioner from Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand, shares insights into her journey bridging Māori traditional medicine and the Western healthcare system. Kerridge discusses the challenges and beauty of indigenous healing practices, emphasizing the significance of connection to nature, ancestral knowledge, and the balance between the physical and spiritual realms. She reflects on her experience watching the film Eternal Song and the necessity of truth in storytelling. Through her work and this conversation, Kerridge elucidates the importance of understanding one's place in nature and the universe to achieve true wellbeing. Hosted by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo.
Topics00:00 Introduction to Donna Kerridge
00:58 Reflecting on the Film's Impact
03:45 Understanding Rongoā Māori
06:10 The Concept of Wellbeing in Rongoā Māori
10:55 Healing Practices and Patterns of Disease
20:19 The Importance of Ancestry and Connection
22:37 Ancient Knowledge and Modern Science
29:47 Challenges of Being a Healer in Modern Times
32:18 Exploring the Pillars of Ru Māori
33:42 Connecting with the Spiritual Realm
36:30 Healing Through Nature
43:28 Respect and Indigenous Knowledge
45:41 Bridging Western and Indigenous Medicine
52:28 The Role of Ancestral Knowledge
56:25 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
Find out more about The Eternal Song film series and All-Access Pass and the SAND film Mauri which features all three guests from today’s show.Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member
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58:23
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58:23
Reindigenizing Our Ways of Being: Tina Ngata, Diana and Mark Kopua
In this panel from the The Eternal Song 7-Day Global Gathering Schedule, Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo speak with Dr. Diana Kopua, a Māori psychiatrist, Mark Kopua, a cultural leader and master carver, and Tina Ngata, an advocate for indigenous and environmental rights. The conversation explores the significance of revitalizing indigenous knowledge, ancestral connections, and reindigenization. They explore the effects of colonialism, the doctrine of Christian discovery, and the urgency of collective wellbeing practices. The conversations weaves reconnection with ancestral stories, the environment, and indigenizing oneself as crucial steps towards collective healing and resilience.
Find out more about The Eternal Song film series and All-Access Pass and the SAND film Mauri which features all three guests from today’s show.
Topics
00:00 Introduction of Extraordinary Voices
01:50 Personal Introductions and Backgrounds
07:09 Current Issues in New Zealand
12:24 Colonial Impact on Māori Wellbeing
18:42 Traditional Māori Wellbeing and Ancestral Connections
33:29 Healing Through Ancestral Stories
34:56 Impact of Colonization on Indigenous Mindset
37:04 Reconnecting with Ancestral Wisdom
40:55 Understanding Racism and Education
44:26 The Role of Christianity and Wealth
52:51 Indigenizing vs. Decolonizing
53:35 Practical Steps to Re-Indigenize
56:38 Final Thoughts and Reflections
Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member
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59:50
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59:50
ALTÆR: Iya Affo
Ancestral Bone Mapping & Healing: Reweaving the Soul Through Bone, Beauty, and Ancestral Nourishment with Iya AffoThrough rhythms of beauty, grief, and intergenerational wisdom, this presentation and conversation explored healing through the languages of somatic ritual, trauma-informed neurobiology, and ancestral remembering.
Iya Affo is a Culturalist and Historical Trauma consultant. She earned Western certification as a Trauma Specialist and is a descendant of a long line of traditional healers from Bénin, West Africa. Iya serves as an Executive Board Member for the Arizona ACEs Consortium, is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Arizona Trauma Institute, and is the founder of Heal Historical Trauma Culture & Indigenous Wellness Academy. She has visited more than 30 countries; living in Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Native American, and Yoruba communities, embracing aspects from each culture for personal evolution. She strives to transcend tolerance through cultivating love and respect in hopes of facilitating the decolonization and subsequent healing of indigenous people from all over the world. Iya advocates for the harmonization of Traditional Medicine and Western Medicine for true holistic healing.
ALTÆR is a sacred invitation into ancestral medicine, where the body is honored as shrine, and the bones are read as living scrolls. Culturalist and Historical Trauma Consultant Iya Affo brings her deep-rooted knowledge and ceremonial practice to this space. As a featured presence in The Eternal Song film and founder of the Heal Historical Trauma Culture & Indigenous Wellness Academy, Iya carries experience across many Indigenous communities and advocates for the harmonization of Traditional and Western medicine as a path to collective wholeness.
ALTÆR: The Bones Remember – Eight week course with Iya Affo
Topics:
00:00 Introduction and Greetings
00:42 Introducing Iya Affo
01:44 Acknowledging Ancestral Lands and Ancestors
04:25 The Importance of Ancestral Healing
09:38 Understanding Coherence and Healing Practices
18:06 Exploring Bone Mapping
28:11 Personal Story: Ancestral Memory and Birth
32:45 A Difficult Labor and Ancestral Memory
34:33 The Impact of Historical Trauma on Black Women
38:47 Bone Mapping and Spiritual Genetics
43:57 Roles of Men and Women in Ancestral Healing
49:53 Healing Practices and Rituals
57:31 Integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Western Therapy
01:03:20 Closing Reflections and Future Courses
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1:05:03
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1:05:03
We Will Not Look Away: Vigil for Gaza
Please join us along with Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, Ashira Darwish, Rae Abileah, Shahd Abusalama, Omid Safi, Reverend Michael Yoshii, and Iyas Sartawari for a reckoning.
A collective refusal. A gathering of those who cannot stay silent while genocide is livestreamed.
We do not come together to be informed. We come because we already know.
We come because we refuse to normalize atrocity.
We come to grieve every stolen Palestinian life—every child starved, every family erased.
We come to grieve the collapse of our shared humanity—and to ignite what remains.
This grief is not weakness. It is fire. It is clarity. It is a declaration: we will not look away.
Topics
00:00 Opening Remarks and Introductions
01:24 Shahd Abusalama's Testimony
07:46 Raif Ziada's Poem Recitation
19:53 Rabbi Lynn's Address
28:30 Omid Safi's Prayer and Reflections
40:03 Introduction and Greetings
40:07 Reverend Joshi's Reflections
42:10 Prayers and Songs for the Martyrs
46:09 Ashira's Call to Action
51:28 Rae Abileah's Contributions
52:12 Small Group Discussions
56:21 Project Hope Overview
01:03:59 Final Reflections and Call to Action
01:08:39 Closing Remarks
SupportTogether, we call for the return of UNRWA and the shutting down of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Funds from the gathering will go to Project Hope, providing aid to Gaza.
Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member
Sounds of SAND invites listeners into a contemplative journey through the infinite cycles of existence - from its raw beauty to its deepest mysteries, from its intricate complexity to its profound wonder. Through intimate conversations, thought-provoking interviews, poetic readings, and carefully curated music, we weave together ancient wisdom with lived experience, creating a tapestry of sound that honors the great questions of being