Reconciliation Through Breath: Ariana Fotinakis on Healing and Connection
November 5, 2024by Carissa Harrison in Product Spotlight
"Reconciliation starts with self,” she explained, stressing that personal healing is integral to the broader process of reconciliation.
Reconciliation and healing don't have to follow a single path - a lesson from our conversation with Ariana Fotinakis, an Anishinaabe woman, breathwork facilitator, and earth medicine worker. In our conversation, Ariana shared her intentional approach to reconciliation through personal healing, sharing with us how deeply intertwined self-awareness, breathwork, and connection to the land can be in this process.
Ariana's connection to nature began in childhood, where she would spend time talking with animals and connecting to the natural world. Yet, as she grew older, addiction and life's challenges led to disconnection with her inherent self and interests. "I was just so numb from everything that it was hard for me to really feel that connection" Ariana shared.
It wasn't until sobriety and motherhood that Ariana began to rediscover her bond with nature and her Indigenous roots.
Much of Ariana's shift has centered on what it means to be Indigenous, particularly as her mother was a Sixties Scoop survivor, who grew up disconnected from her own culture. "I knew I was Indigenous, but I didn't really know what that meant" she explains. This lack of connection left Ariana with questions when it came to her identity, she began to explore her heritage and what it meant to her personally.
For Ariana, connection is not only cultural - it's also spiritual, tied to the land, ancestors, and the self. As a breathwork facilitator, she helps others reconnect with their breath and body, encouraging them to slow down and listen.
Ariana's work extends beyond personal healing. As a cofounder of Decolonize and Rise, she helps organizations and individuals navigate the complexities of reconciliation and decolonization, focusing on well-being and nervous system regulation. "Reconciliation starts with self" she explained, stressing that personal healing is integral to the broader process of reconciliation.
At the end of our conversation, Ariana reflected on her collaboration with us at CheckingIn, where she has created mindfulness content for our app. Her series of short breathwork videos offers ways to reconnect with yourself at any point in the day, serving as a gentle reminder to slow down and be present. As Ariana says, "sometimes the most important work is simply slowing down and being present."
