Yogi Eboni Brown curated the annual Black History Month’s healing circle, Melanin Minds, with a few San Jose residents downtown Saturday.
The healing circle was tailored to those of the African American diaspora and offered discussion designed to resonate with the experiences of inhabiting black bodies.
Brown said she started Melanin Minds last year and will continue annually in celebration of people of color.
“This is something we do exclusively because there were generations who were silenced. Now we’re laying claim to new legacies,” said Brown. “This is the stage for that.”
The “stage” was the open space of Forager Tasting Room & Eatery on South First Street. While the bar served drinks and coffee, Melanin Minds had wooden tables decorated with greenery under wide-strung white lights.
The six San Jose residents had open discussions about identity and mindfulness over food catered by Vegan Mob, a vegetarian and vegan soul food restaurant.
“The vegan food is another way that lets this be a space to heal in a way that is authentic,” said Brown.
After two hours of eating and discourse around the wooden tables, the group pulled out mats onto the open floor.
Brown led the group in a “soulful flow” of yoga with a live set from musician Kiva Uhuru.
Uhuru said they originally planned to play acoustic guitar, but decided to switch it up last minute.
“I brought my electric guitar and I decided I was just going to vocalize with what the people are doing,” said Uhuru. “I wanted to be present with the people in the room.”
Uhuru sat in on the yoga session, surrounded by a circle of leaves and herbs and harmonized with vocals on a red Epiphone guitar.
Brown occasionally walked around the circle and instructed participants on breathing and spiritual exercises, but was predominantly on her mat.
San Jose State business marketing junior Destine Kyubwa said, “I have a lot of experience with yoga now . . . But this experience was electric.”
Kyubwa said that the way Brown guided the session allowed her to connect within the deepest parts of herself.
“The meditative experience was very mindful . . . I felt every single part of myself,” said Kyubwa.
Uhuru also felt energy in their body as they performed off to the side.
“It was definitely powerful, I felt myself wanting to get up and stretch,” said Uhuru.
Brown described her yoga style as rooted in grounding mechanisms that appeal to the senses.
“It locates where your energy is directed in the body and being able to transfuse that and send it where you like,” said Brown.
She has been a yoga instructor for six years and is currently working at San Jose Behavioral Health to use yoga as a source of healing.
“Throughout the years, the way that I help best, to urge healing, was to do that in a space where people of color were getting uplifted and encouraged,” said Brown. “That is widely not done.”
Brown said she believes it will grow throughout the years to come and that no matter the turn out, Melanin Minds will be a movement for San Jose’s community.
