As July beckons us into the fullness of summer, we’re feeling the quickening pulse of something special that comes around each year at this time — the Summer Long Dance, our unique annual not-for-profit fund-raising gathering at Hillyfield is nearly here. The Long Dance is a living, breathing ceremony. A wild and tender dance of gratitude. A collective prayer of “Thank you!” offered with our bodies, our hearts, and our shared intent to stand for life.
Preparations are humming, and the circle is almost complete. Rooted in the act of giving — both inwardly and outwardly — the Long Dance is a vessel for deep transformation. Through our movement and our prayer, we honour the mystery, raise funds for good causes, and connect a web of dreamers and donors across the globe.
The dance is big enough to hold it all — our joy, our grief, our hopes, our love and our longing.
All the ways we pray, all the medicine we bring — it belongs. You belong.
With only 5 tickets left, now is the time to listen — if the drum inside you is stirring, come. Join us to move, to pray, and to stand for peace — for yourself, for each other, for all our relations.
********STOP PRESS********
We’ve just heard from Ramiro Vargas, a respected leader from the Achuar Nation of the Ecuadorian Amazon that he has got his visa and will be joining us. His presence, alongside Belén Páez, CEO of Fundacion Pachamama and an extraordinary woman, is a fantastic bonus for the ceremony. YEAH!
If you’re unable to be there in person, there are still powerful ways to connect. Ya’Acov and Susannah’s latest blog shares how the spirit of the ceremony can reach you wherever you are — because peace isn’t bound by geography, and neither is prayer. Thank you for walking — and dancing — this path with us. Your presence matters and is felt.
Find out more about it (in the words of our co-creators, participants and MM teachers) on our #celebrationcascade on insta and FB.
With love and gratitude,
The School of Movement Medicine Team
This month, we’re also hosting a special Fireside Q&A session for the Dancing with the Heart of the World Amazonian journey on Tue 8 July at 6PM UK time.
This gathering will offer a welcoming space to connect, ask questions, and explore the deeper purpose behind the trip. Whether you're already considering joining us or simply curious, it’s a perfect opportunity to engage.
See below for more details.
Below are some words from Megumi Miyata who is organising Phoenix Rising in Hiroshima, Japan, with Ya'Acov on 9 - 13 Oct 2025 with guest artist Hiroki Okano.
"I am writing to you from the heart of Japan, where the sun shines, in the middle of the rainy season. It is with deep joy and a sense of sacred purpose that I invite you to join us in Hiroshima this year for Phoenix Rising—a powerful and life-changing workshop developed by Ya’Acov and Susannah Darling Khan. In ceremony, we will work directly with this Peace Flame, not only as a symbol of collective grief and remembrance but also as a beacon of hope and resilience. With Hiroki’s gentle presence and sound, we will honour the spirit of Hiroshima with movement, prayer, and the alchemy of transformation. "
Megumi Miyata.
QUICK LINKS TO UPCOMING
SCHOOL EVENTS
- The Study Hub: This month's theme in the Movement Medicine Study Hub is "Sacred Space II” with Susannah.
- Dancing With the Heart of the World Q & A : An online Q & A with Susannah and Ya'Acov [Tue 8 Jul] Online
- Summer Long Dance: An 'in room’ not for profit ceremony with Susannah and Ya'Acov [Sat 19 Jul- Fri 25 Jul] Hillyfield Woodland Farm, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
- Lammas Tribal Heart Ceremony: An online ceremony with Ya'Acov and Susannah [Fri 1 Aug] Online
- The Shaman's Body: An 'in room' workshop with Ya'Acov [Fri 12 Sep- Sun 14 Sep] Zurich, Switzerland
- Autumn Equinox Tribal Heart Ceremony: An online ceremony with Ya'Acov and Susannah [Fri 19 Sep] Online
- Ecstasis: An 'in room' workshop with Ya'Acov [Fri 3 Oct- Sun 5 Oct] Tokyo, Japan
- Moving Hearts: An 'in room' workshop with Susannah [Fri 3 Oct- Sun 5 Oct] Utrecht, Netherlands
- Phoenix Rising Hiroshima: An 'in room' workshop with Ya'Acov [Thu 9 Oct - Mon 13 Oct] Hiroshima, Japan
- Soul Whispering: An 'in room' workshop with Susannah [Fri 10 Oct - Sun 12 Oct] Bristol, UK
- Initiation 2025: An 'in room' intensive with Susannah and Ya'Acov [Fri 24 Oct - Thu 30 Oct] Devon, UK
Each month, our newsletters share alink to Ya’Acov and Susannah’s latest blog, their work offerings, alongside personal stories from dancers and teachers about how Movement Medicine impacts their daily lives. See below.
The founder's Blog
Ya'aCOV and susannah's latest post is now available
This is a powerful and short read on what the Long Dance means to us and why each year, we pour our hearts and souls into it. It also talks about what we mean by the power of peace.
June's story
Megan Grace shares her healing journey through Movement Medicine, showing how it helped her overcome trauma and find connection, strength and renewal.
june'S spotlight
Nicolas Bernard blends his knowledge of neuroscience, osteopathy, poetry and play into his Movement Medicine teaching. Together with Anne Ena Bernard, he leads their bilingual (French & English) Movement Medicine Apprenticeship program.
We love hearing about how life on the Movement Medicine dance floor effects the dance of your life. If you have a story to share, please get in touch.
Thank you!
UPCOMING EVENTS WITH FOUNDERS
july's Study Hub Lesson
Sacred Space II
WITH SUSANNAH
What happens when we truly inter-be — with self, others, the biosphere, and the great mystery? This month in the Study Hub, we explore the five dimensions of relationship and the M.E.S.A. practice as pathways to nourish our dance within the living, sacred systems we belong to. When awareness is shared, something greater emerges — unscripted, intelligent, and alive. Ceremony, connection, and meaning arise not from control, but from presence.
DANCING WITH THE HEART OF THE WORLD
Q & A
with susannah and YA'ACOV
TUE 8 JUl 2025 ONLINE
This evening gathering is an invitation to learn more about Dancing With the Heart of the World, one of Ya’Acov & Susannah’s most powerful offerings.
Rooted in decades of partnership with the Pachamama Alliance and in deep relationship with our founding Achuar and Sápara partners, this journey is a profound call to those ready to walk with purpose and humility in these pivotal times.
summer long dance
with susannah and YA'ACOV
sat 19 jul- fri 25 JUl 2025
HILLYFIELD WOODLAND FARM, DEVON
The Summer Long Dance 2025 is a powerful 72-hour Movement Medicine ceremony held in Devon, UK, from 19–25 July 2025. Guided by Ya’Acov and Susannah Darling Khan, it blends dance, prayer, and community to support personal and collective healing. This year features special guests Belén Páez and Chumpi Ramiro Vargas, both active protectors of the Sacred Headwaters of the Amazon. We are blessed to have them with us.
5 tickets left!
LAMMAS TRIBAL HEART
WITH SUSANNAH AND YA'ACOV
FRI 1 AUG 6-8:30PM (UK TIME)
ONLINE
The Movement Medicine Lammas Tribal Heart Ceremony is a transformative event designed to celebrate the spirit of community and the abundance of the Earth. This immersive experience weaves together Movement Medicine practice with the spirit of the dance to honour the traditional harvest festival of Lammas.
Thanking you
for being part of this worldwide community and for your attention!
We wish you all the very best for the rest of July,
Whatever you do, keep dancing!
with warmth, respect and gratitude,
Susannah, Ya’Acov and the School of Movement Medicine Team.
We hope you enjoy these newsletters and that they offer something of value for you. Please feel free to share any feedback you have about them
