Bianca Vernes

I was born in the city and reborn in the bush. Growing up I witnessed a great suffering around me which appeared to arise from a deep disconnection - disconnection from one's self, one another and the natural world. I sought to find this connection for myself - through travelling to spend time with medicine elders living in more connected ways, and through deep visions quests out in the wild. One of the greatest tools I discovered that helped me reconnect and open myself up as a channel for the divine life force of creation was the practice of shamanic trance dance. By engaging my heart, mind and body fully in prayer through ceremonial dance I was able to raise my energy to access profound experiences of connection, transformational healing and expanded states of consciousness - both alone as well as collectively when dancing with others. This inspired me to explore ways to help guide and facilitate people from different backgrounds and cultures to come together and connect through ceremony and the practice of shamanic trance dance, leading to the rebirth of the Circle Dance.