The Sacred Pause: Exploring the Monkey Mind

The Sacred Pause: Exploring the Monkey Mind is a two-hour spiritual workshop at Raleigh Aikikai in Raleigh, NC, led by Victoria Haffer. It brings together breathwork, mantra, Kundalini yoga practices and conscious movement to help quiet a restless, busy mind. It is open to anyone who wants practical ways to calm down, feel more energized and reconnect with themselves.

What to Expect

The afternoon is built around the idea of the "monkey mind," the constant chatter and mental stress that so many people carry. Over two hours, Victoria Haffer guides the group through a sequence of practices: conscious breathwork, mantra meditation, Kundalini yoga and movement. The emphasis is on tools you can use yourself, ways to shift your state, settle the mind, wake up the body and come back to your center.

The workshop runs from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. It is an experiential session rather than a lecture, and the invitation is simply to explore.

About Victoria Haffer

Victoria Haffer, M.S., also known as Aurelya Seraphina, is a holistic life and business coach, Reiki Master/Teacher, somatic movement therapist, yoga therapist and meditation teacher. She describes herself as a transformational mentor, holistic alchemist and energy medicine practitioner, and she says she has guided thousands of women over two decades to break free from the past and step into their intuitive power.

Her path into this work began with burnout. She writes of years as an overachiever who struggled with boundaries, until her body broke down under diagnoses including leaky gut, fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's and chronic fatigue. Her healing began, she says, when she started listening to her body and her inner child. Her training and initiations span energy medicine, Reiki, somatic movement therapy, yoga and meditation.

The Setting

The workshop takes place at Raleigh Aikikai, 2210 E Millbrook Rd in Raleigh, North Carolina, a martial arts dojo space.

Before You Go

No experience is necessary. What you need is an open mind and a willingness to explore. Bringing a journal, a water bottle, and a meditation cushion or blanket is recommended, so you can sit comfortably and make notes during the session.