The World of Healing and Stillness in Motion with Parisa Shirazi Chavoya

In this enlightening episode, we venture into the healing universe of Parisa Shirazi Chavoya, a queer Iranian-American woman who's transforming the wellness landscape in Milwaukee with her unique blend of yoga and sound healing practices.

A double graduate of Marquette University, Parisa's incredible journey from political science to the realm of healing is a story that needs to be heard. With a strong emphasis on trauma-informed, accessible classes, her work aims to serve individuals with chronic pain conditions, disabilities, and pregnant women.

This episode is a tribute to resilience, a celebration of diverse culture, and an exploration into the power of sound healing. Parisa's journey with fibromyalgia and her mantra, "Don't be afraid of being still," serves as an inspiration to many. Tune in to discover how she leverages her experiences to foster a culture of wellness and empowerment.

Episode Highlights:

02:34 - There was this desire to learn more embodiment practices where I was able to find healing and rest through movement and yoga became that tool for me throughout my twenties.

04:52 - I think my experience of my own healing journey of learning how to better support myself and also having a chronic pain condition myself has really drawn me to being more empathetic and understanding of other people's realities. I've been doing a lot of extensive training to be able to learn how to work with people.

08:35 - Movement had become my medicine. And also when it came to the mental health aspect, I had become so busy with my life and didn't know how to really quiet my mind, and that was resulting in panic attacks, high stress levels.

Interview

What's the story you want to share with us today?

I really want to share more about my own healing journey and how wellness has played such a big role in that.

How do you identify?

01:55 - I identify as a queer Iranian-American woman.

Were you born in Iran or were you born here?

02:04 - I was born outside of Chicago. Both my parents are from Iran, came here when they were young, and my brother and I were born in the US.

How did you get on the path that you're on now?

02:16 - It's been a journey for me. I have always been really interested in movement. It comes from my culture. Iranians are very expressive people. We're very creative people.

02:54 - My chronic pain condition of fibromyalgia and then mental health concerns really drew me towards yoga and sound healing.

How did you go from being a practitioner to being an educator or a healer?

03:13 - I was feeling really drawn to working in higher ed. I had roles in different capacities and felt really driven in that way.

03:36 - I signed up for a yoga teacher training program, not really knowing where it was going to take me. And I fell in love with the practice and the idea of sharing that modality with other people.

What's been your greatest joy as a yoga practitioner?

03:56 - I love seeing people rest. The last couple of minutes during the class is Savasana, which is the time of complete rest. People are able to be still during that time and every time I get emotional seeing it.

How has your identity informed the choices that you've made?

05:11 - My background is Iranian, we're culturally very hospitable people. We love to serve other people, hold space for other people. And so, that has always naturally been a part of my journey. But now to be able to do it through yoga has been a really cool way to be able to share that.

Do...