Lo Lunaris, a dedicated seeker, student, and teacher, embarks on a continuous exploration of the inner landscape, drawing closer to the Self through various transformative practices. As a practitioner of yoga, meditation, holotropic breathwork, herbalism, plant medicine, animism, and ancestral healing, Lo weaves a tapestry of holistic approaches on the path of self-discovery.
Specializing in therapeutic breathwork experiences inspired by the teachings of Jim Morningstar of Transformations USA, Lo holds space for individuals and groups to explore profound healing. Trained in the 5th cohort practitioner program with Dr. Daniel Foor, PHD of Ancestral Medicine, Lo guides potent work in ancestral healing.
Beyond breathwork and ancestral healing, Lo is a community herbalist, facilitating connections between humans and plants. Certified in yoga and NADA ear acupuncture, Lo intuitively selects modalities that resonate for individual healing.
With a diverse ancestral heritage including Welsh, English, Irish, French, German, and Cherokee roots, Lo walks humbly on the land of the Tewa/Cochiti/San Felipe/Pueblos, considering it home. In this unique journey, Lo Lunaris intertwines personal exploration, healing practices, and ancestral connections to create a harmonious path towards self-discovery and holistic well-being.
Read more about Lo in the latest MysticMag interview.
How do you integrate yoga and meditation to provide a holistic approach to well-being, and what benefits can individuals expect from this combination of practices?
To me, all of the practices I study are practices of self-exploration. These practices are not different from each other. I study and practice Iyengar Yoga, in which we use the body in different postures (asana) to achieve meditation through ekagrata (one-pointedness or single focus).
When working with clients, I meet them where they are. I have a variety of tools (practices), and use what is needed based on the individual. This may be within a session or for support integrating into their daily world.
Holotropic breathwork is known for inducing transformative experiences. How do you guide individuals through this process, and what positive outcomes have you observed in terms of personal growth and healing?
My role as a breath guide or facilitator is to hold a loving presence. We spend time preparing for the session by checking in and setting an intention for the practice. It is an intention-based practice and therefore helpful to have clarity on what you intend to work with. That said, setting an open intention, such as creating the space to see what needs to be present, can lead to profound and healing experiences. Allowing space for anything that needs to be tended to arise can reveal deeper layers to what one might be experiencing. I have seen many transformations with this practice. Folks are stepping into their true nature. For my personal breath journey, this practice helped me work through some deep-seated trauma I had been carrying since childhood. The breath is an incredible companion for inner wilderness exploration, and we all have access to this precious tool.
In your herbalism and plant medicine services, how do you incorporate these natural healing practices into your clients’ well-being journeys, and what role do they play in promoting holistic health?
The natural world is fundamental to healing, and I incorporate plants in everything I do. I use plants internally and energetically to prepare for journeys, we create sacred space with smoke medicine, aromatics, or plant energetics, we might bathe in plants. Food as medicine is a focus of mine, we always end a journey with a nourishing bowl of soup made with medicinals. I may send someone home with tinctures, essences, or teas to assist them in their integration process. It is an integrated and grounded method that aligns with my deep commitment, in all of my work, to a holistic approach.
Animism is often associated with a deep connection to the spiritual world. How do you incorporate animism philosophy into your services, and how does it contribute to the spiritual growth of your clients?
When folks come to me, we are connecting to the deep-rooted and ancient wisdom that is held in the natural world. We are on 13 acres of raw land, it is very quiet and surrounded by nature. I ask that each person who comes to the land, bring a land offering. This starts their connection or relationship to this land. It may inspire them to start to cultivate a relationship with where they live. We are surrounded by the spirit world, spirits are always communicating with us, it’s just a matter of us taking the time, space, and quiet to listen. All living beings have consciousness and thus personhood extends beyond the human; this awareness expands, deepens, and integrates our possible selves into a dynamic community of diverse, strange, and profound knowledge and wisdom holders.
Ancestral healing is a profound concept. How do you guide individuals through this process, and what benefits can come from nurturing relationships with one’s ancestors in the context of holistic well-being?
I have worked and studied with Daniel Foor of Ancestral Medicine. The emphasis of his work is ritual safety, through a structured process to bring our ancestral lines into a state of wellness.
We carry a lot from our ancestors, not just the trauma but also the gifts. By cultivating connection and relationship with our ancestors we begin to transform the habitual patterns of trauma. Throughout this process, we also come to recognize the powerful gifts they’ve passed to us and with dedicated work, we step into them more fully.
With such diverse offerings, how do you synthesize yoga, meditation, holotropic breathwork, herbalism, plant medicine, animism, and ancestral healing to create a comprehensive and integrated approach to holistic well-being for your clients?
None of these offerings are separate from each other. They are all fundamentally a part of a truly holistic practice. Working with each of these practices brings us deeper into our relationship with ourselves; our breath, our heart, our mind, the living world, and the spirit world. When we are working to be in the right relationship in some aspect of our life, it evolves into being in the right relationship with all parts of our world. Healing is a pathway towards becoming whole.
