Dynamic Movement Workshop

Decolonizing the Yoga Space

with Ranmalee Araliya Perera

The Seeker Yoga School welcomes Ranmalee Perera to guide as in a discussion around decolonizing yoga practices and how as teachers we can be better stewards and space holders in the classroom. This virtual workshop is geared towards teachers in the west that have a sincere desire to be a part of the re-balancing of how the practice is offered in the states. As a Śakti devotee, an author, Linguist, and someone dedicated to centering anti-racism and decoloniality in higher education, Ranmalee specializes in educational policy, curriculum transformation, and language planning policy in California and Sri Lanka. In her capacity as an educator and activist (most recently, as DEIA faculty), she works directly with faculty, upper management, managers, and students in shifting traditional eurocentric educational systems to equity based representative paradigms that address embedded structures of systemic and institutional racism within institutions of higher education and other learning spaces. Her work is informed and inspired by the phenomenal work of Black, Brown and Indigenous critical epistemologies and practices in decoloniality. Her work is a continuous confluence of ancient Tantrik teachings and womanism. Her dedication to language valorization and the anthropological study of language and culture invariably guided her to deepening her practice and knowledge of Vedic traditions, Tantrik rituals and practice, and the language of Ayurveda and Yoga. She furthered her commitment to these practices by establishing "seva yoga" and ayurvedic food delivery networks among the diverse communities of Southern California and Veracruz, Mexico. She continues to host Pançakarma and ayurvedic life-style retreats in California and Mexico. Most recently, she merged her lived experience and knowledge of "decolonization" work with her deep love for yoga and Sri Lankan native plant medicine to develop a curriculum on “reclaiming and reframing in ayurveda and yoga”. She is a committed Raja Yoga āsan practitioner and guide; teaching yoga in both English and Spanish in the United States and Mexico. She is a Śiva and Kāli bhakta (devotee) continuing her families' lineal tradition of Śakti worship. She is the author of Roots and Rivers; a collection of poetry and vignettes, published in the Spring 2021. She has dedicated her life to seva and raising her three children with a strong understanding of their cultural heritage, multilingualism, and most importantly a dedication to indigenous ideals of public welfare and community. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Applied Theology at the Ramakrishna Seminary/Kālí Mandir. She lives on traditional, present, and the emerging land of the Tongva people whose colonized name is Long Beach, CA, with her 3 children and husband.raperera@gmail.com@vedaspices (IG)

When: Saturday January 24th 12-2pm CST

Where: Zoom Only (link will be provided with registration)Cost: $40