By Terri Wright, Staff Writer
On Saturday evening, Nov. 2, as the sun dipped below the horizon and election season neared its close, Beloved Yoga’s Maryam Ovissi welcomed the community to a free event aimed at stress relief and healing. The event combined art, yoga, meditation, and sound healing—an inviting mix designed to ease the anxiety many feel around elections.
“This gathering is a response to the palpable stress surrounding the elections,” Ovissi said. “By offering this event for free, we hope to support collective healing and cultivate peace. Everyone is welcome in this inclusive, diverse space.”
The evening began with a reflective art activity led by Susan Knoblauch and Heather Hagaman. Participants were asked to reflect on what they could offer to the world, independent of election outcomes. “What do you want to give to the world, no matter the outcome on Tuesday?” they asked, prompting people to explore their personal intentions and positive contributions.
Afterward, attendees rolled out their mats, gathered props like bolsters and blankets, and prepared for movement and meditation. Ovissi guided the group in breathing exercises and gentle stretches, allowing everyone, regardless of yoga experience, to find a sense of calm and grounding. Together, the group moved mindfully, focusing on balance and quieting the nervous system—an antidote to the constant stimulation of today’s world.
Then, Reggie Hubbard, founder and “chief serving officer” of Active Peace Yoga, led a powerful 45-minute sound meditation. “I’m not playing music,” he explained. “I’m playing sound for you all.” Hubbard invited participants to consider four principles for reducing anxiety: a clear mind, an open heart, a sense of community, and a regulated nervous system.
For the remainder of the evening, the group sat comfortably, breathing deeply and allowing the sounds to resonate. Hubbard’s words—“When we work on ourselves, we’re healing the world. The world changes when we change ourselves”—captured the spirit of the evening. The meditative soundscapes he created provided a tranquil backdrop for each person’s individual reflection and peace.
As the sound meditation drew to a close, one participant, a Gen-X-er, felt a familiar lyric echo in their mind from Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence”: “All I ever wanted / All I ever needed / Is here in my arms.” The words served as a perfect conclusion to an evening devoted to calm, connection, and self-reflection.
Beloved Yoga plans to offer more community events open to all, continuing their mission of fostering wellness and peace.
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