RACHAEL SHARKLAND, CHP

Saturdays February 8, April 12, June and September TBD, 2025
In-Person | 10-1pm | Hayes Valley SF

Drawing on the teachings of Tibetan Medicine, Hakomi, and embodied healing traditions, Lia Rubinoff and Rachael Sharkland offer practical guidance on diet, breath, meditation, and movement, so that you may:

• Manage stress and anxiety

• Nourish and energize body systems and organs

• Resource from natural & seasonal cycles

• Develop personalized self-care practices

Be a source of strength and sanctuary for yourself and your community. As external circumstances become more uncertain and turbulent, it is increasingly important to cultivate inner balance and resilience. Incorporating the teachings of Tibetan Medicine, Hakomi, and embodied healing traditions, Lia Rubinoff and Rachael Sharkland support you to cultivate a nourishing and sustainable personal practice aligned with seasonal energies and your unique typological constitution. Participants can choose to attend workshops on a drop-in basis or join all 4 for a reduced rate.

Workshops combine a combination of conceptual frameworks (e.g. Tibetan Typologies, Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Opening & Transformation) with experiential, movement-based practices to support individual and embodied learning. We aim to empower you to (re)claim confidence and agency as experts in your healing and wellbeing.

Each workshop is seasonally responsive and offers a foundational understanding of the 5 elements— space, wind, fire, water, earth— and constitutional typologies in the Tibetan Medicine tradition. Getting to know the characteristics of each typology as well as how the typologies behave within your body, mind, and energy empowers you to understand how to balance the elements within you so you can be healthy.

Tibetan Typologies
The Tibetan typologies are based in the 5 Elements (space, wind, fire, water, earth) and are divided into three types called loong, tripa, and beken. Loong is categorized by the wind element, tripa is categorized by the fire element, and beken is categorized by the water and earth elements. We all have all three typologies, but each of us tend to embody one or two typologies more dominantly than the others.

Seasonal Principles & Body Systems

• Winter - Kidneys & Endocrine System (February 8) rest, reflect, warm, stabilize, nurture

• Spring - Liver & Digestive System (April 12) ground, unfurl, detox, revitalize, prepare

• Summer - Heart & Circulatory System (June) play, express, cool, calm, soothe

• Fall - Lungs & Respiratory System (September) gather, harvest, root, nourish, prepare

Tibetan Medicine
Tibetan Medicine is called Sowa Rigpa in the Tibetan language, a term which translates to “the science of healing.” It became widespread as the medicinal system of Tibet in the 7th century, although its roots reach much further back in time. Sowa Rigpa is based in the 5 Element Theory and defines health as the balance or homeostasis of these 5 elements in our body, mind, and energy. It sees the 5 elements as active within our human self as well as within our external environment, and draws upon diet, lifestyle, medicine, and external therapies to establish health within the body, mind, and energy of the human self.

Hakomi
Hakomi is a mindfulness-based, body-integrated method of psychotherapy grounded in five core principles: body-mind holism, mindfulness, non-violence, unity and organicity. Through present-moment, experiential inner exploration Hakomi encourages you to expand your awareness of your lived experience and encounter (more of) your whole self with curiosity. The method opens access to unconsciously held beliefs and conditioning so that you may make more conscious choices about how you want to live in your body and in relationship to your world. Premised on body-mind integration and client empowerment, the Hakomi method is uniquely suited to help process trauma. Although gentle and collaborative, this practice tends to catalyze deep and sustained transformation due to its focus on shifting the entrenched somatic responses and neural patterns associated with psychosocial wounding.

Facilitators

Lia Rubinoff is a Philosopher, certified Nutrition Consultant, hobbyist herbalist, artist, and student of Tibetan Medicine and Tibetan Counseling. She believes that wisdom is our most effective medicine and that mindfully relating to the world and creating balance within ourselves is the key to restoring well-being. As a Nutrition and Lifestyle Consultant, she offers education, skills, tools, and practices rooted in nutritional science, Tibetan knowledge and perceptual philosophy, so that her clients may learn, heal, and come into balance within their own bodies to make real, important changes for themselves and within the world.

Rachael Sharkland is a mother, dancer, movement educator, Mind Body Coach and Certified Hakomi Practitioner. All of these identities are rooted in her dedication to embodiment as a creative and healing force on the path toward liberation and wellbeing for all life. She offers one-on-one consulting and coaching and facilitates movement-based group workshops for folks interested in exploring embodiment as a means of empowerment, expression, and connection.

PRICING & registration

• $100 for one workshop

• $350 for 4-series

If you are interested in participating but cannot afford the requested rates, please contact us. Once we have received your registration we will email you with payment information and confirmation details. Cancellation Policy: 50% refund up to 2 weeks prior to the workshop.

Virtual mentorship sessions with Lia and Rachael available between workshops for participants interested in additional support. This includes one-on-one and small group counseling elaborating on the material and practices offered in each workshop. Please inquire for more information.