The Heart of the Phoenix
Leave the Ashes. Keep the Gold.
A Movement Medicine® Weekend Immersion with Carrie "Zaza" Branovan
September 25–27, 2026
Friday Evening • Saturday • Sunday Afternoon
Some patterns keep returning...until we're ready to dance with them.
For centuries, the Phoenix has been a symbol of renewal—not because it escapes the fire, but because it discovers new life by passing through it.
The Heart of the Phoenix is your invitation to step out of everyday life and learn a new way of looking beneath the surface of your own experience. It is an introduction to the Phoenix Process—one of the central practices of the School of Movement Medicine®.
For one weekend, we'll enter the rich landscape of the imaginal, where movement becomes a language, the body becomes a trusted guide, and imagination opens the door to fresh insight. Together we'll dance, reflect, laugh, share stories, and explore the wisdom of archetypes, seen and unseen allies, and the intelligence that emerges when we become fully present in the field.
At the heart of this work is a simple question:
What patterns keep repeating...and what are they trying to teach me?
Many of us find ourselves arriving at the same place with the same outcome, despite our hearts longing for something different. The Phoenix offers an embodied way of recognizing these unconscious patterns—not to judge or fix them, but to meet them with curiosity, compassion, and courage.
Sometimes, in order to belong, to survive, or simply to keep going, we leave precious parts of ourselves behind. This work invites us to discover that beneath every familiar pattern, beneath every old story, something essential has been waiting for us all along.
Leave the ashes. Keep the gold.
This weekend is both deep and joyful. You'll spend time with a community of courageous, open-hearted people, learning through movement, conversation, play, and shared experience. You'll leave with new friendships, fresh perspectives, and an embodied practice you can return to whenever life invites you into challenge, change, or a new beginning.
Who is this for?
This immersion welcomes adults (18+) of all genders, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, philosophies, and levels of physical ability.
Please consider this invitation if you:
Enjoy conscious movement and would like to deepen your practice.
Notice familiar patterns showing up again and again in your life.
Sense there is something beneath the surface influencing your choices.
Are curious about the meeting place of movement, psychology, archetypes, shamanic wisdom, and embodied awareness.
Want to become more fully yourself and live in deeper alignment with your values.
Value honest conversation, meaningful connection, and learning in a community of courageous, open-hearted people.
Would like to learn a practical embodied process that you can return to throughout your life.
An Introduction to the Phoenix Process
This weekend is guided by Carrie "Zaza" Branovan, a certified Movement Medicine® Teacher and Facilitator based in the United States.
Created by Ya'Acov and Susannah Darling Khan, co-founders of the School of Movement Medicine, the Phoenix Process weaves together somatic movement, archetypal wisdom, Gestalt, Family Constellation principles, and shamanic practice into a rich, embodied approach to self-discovery.
Rarely offered in the United States, this is a unique opportunity to experience the essence of this extraordinary body of work close to home.
Weekend Details
Friday, September 25
6:00–9:00 pm
Opening Circle & Evening Session
Saturday, September 26
11:00 am–6:00 pm
A full day of movement, learning, embodied practice, inquiry, and an outdoor mini vision quest.
Sunday, September 27
12:30–3:30 pm
Final Ceremony, Integration, and Closing Session, followed by a community potluck celebrating our weekend together.
Tuition
$150 — Early Bird Registration (available now)
$175 — After September 11, 2026
Sliding Scale Available
No one will be turned away for financial reasons. Please contact Perennial for more information.
Prerequisite
Approximately 12 hours of Movement Medicine or another conscious movement practice (5Rhythms, Open Floor, Soul Motion, Ecstatic Dance, or a similar embodied movement practice).
Please Bring
Comfortable clothing for movement, a journal, a water bottle, and a dish to share for Sunday's potluck.
