“The way is one, and the paths are many. We all need to go somewhere to restore our souls. We need to be on that path to recovery and to wholeness.” bell hooks
The WHOLE Story
The first WHOLE Mini-Retreat for Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color in Academia was in November 2019. It was birthed out of my Yoga Nidra practices, my most recent and ongoing research project, and my mentoring relationship with my teacher, sister, and friend, Octavia Raheem.
In Fall 2020, on the heels of intersecting pandemics, the first year of the WHOLE online community began to gather together to reconnect to ourselves and to begin to re-imagine our approaches to work in academia, and beyond.
For me, the word "Whole" meant integration, connection, and expression of all of our identities, preferences, stories, and dreams so that we can individuate - do the work that is uniquely ours to do. It affirms that our inner work is just as important as our outer work as we move along our path.
Importantly, wholeness also meant that we, too, can be connected in such a way that each of our unique gifts are amplified and supported. That our whole world is blessed by our connectedness.
In summer 2021, we more clearly describe WHOLE as a community and a journey whereby members draw upon restorative practices (ie restorative yoga, yin, Yoga Nidra, and meditation) to explore, unravel, and resist norms of work that intersect with racism and sexism. To do so, members go through an 10 month process of re-imagining generative, sustainable, and authentic approaches to being and working - in academic spaces and beyond.
The program continues to be offered on a scale of prices, based on members' available funds and resources. Enrollment for 2023-2024 is closed, but if you are interested in participating in future years and/or future related programs, please email: [email protected].
**The expressed thoughts and ideas here are my own, and they do not reflect the thoughts, opinions, or ideas of Georgia Tech.
Enrollment Year #4 (Sept 2023-June 2024) is currently closed.
Interested in joining subsequent years and/or related programs: email [email protected].
**The expressed thoughts and ideas here are my own, and they do not reflect the thoughts, opinions, or ideas of Georgia Tech.
WHOLE Testimonials
WHOLE has been a key self-care practice for maintaining my joy and stability in the chaos of 2020. I first attended the WHOLE retreat in November 2019 when this idea was a baby and I am so honored to be part of this growing community that Tiffany has created. I admire Tiffany and the way she holds space. She is both a teacher and a sisterfriend in the way that she relates to the community. Her themes and journal prompts are always right on time with what I am needing. Through WHOLE I have gained clarity about the ways academia has conditioned me to feel like I am not whole. I have defined what spaciousness means in my calendar, relationships, and in my mind and body. I have expanded my understanding of what I am capable of. And most importantly, I fell in love with dreaming. Spending time in the liminal space that Yoga Nidra facilitates has been powerful for envisioning and manifesting what I want. From Nov 2019 - Dec 2020, I proposed my dissertation, I enrolled in and completed YTT, and founded @BlackJoyYoga (my own Yoga community) and @CiSunshine_Consulting (my own psychology grad school coaching business). These accomplishments were all dreamed of and nurtured through WHOLE.
I'd highly recommend WHOLE to those looking for more accountability to rest and dream. I love that WHOLE is offered at the same time and day every week, but if I miss it I can always catch up on the replay. I love that when I am needing a little more rest in my week I can go back and pick a replay of a class to gain a new perspective about what the practice will bring the second time around.
- Ciera Lewis
Being a part of the Whole community was much more than I expected; believe me when I say this practice was beyond transformative! Being in a space with other women of color who share similar experiences in the workplace, personal life, and otherwise had a very different impact on mindfulness. You'd be surprised how connecting mind and body through movement affects you. Through this experience, I discovered my boundaries and better understood what I needed to function optimally. I learned so much more about who I was and how to bring my full authentic self to all I do. I developed a self-love routine that embodied and impacted all parts of me, both professionally and personally. Altogether, I gained clarity on (and I'm not exaggerating), literally, my whole life's purpose! I feel prepared to take action that incorporates my whole "being" with what I do, both inside and outside of the academy. I look forward to continuing this journey as part of a collective with the Whole community!
-Dr. Indira Turney
I truly enjoyed the live sessions. The live sessions were truly the only times this past semester that I was still. I was disappointed that I didn’t make more time to attend the live sessions, because they were so enriching. For this reason, I was truly grateful for the regular emails. They were helpful reminders that it was still important to make space, when I could. I gained a great deal of clarity moving forward that I must make more space in my life to be still.
-Dr. Nameka R. Bates
Dr. Johnson's WHOLE Community practice has been a life saver, particularly in this pandemic season with so much uncertainty and anxiety. The yoga and meditation practices have allowed me to create the necessary care time I need, have allowed me to focus on what fills me in all areas of my life, and has provided a wonderful supportive community of other women of color. I feel so calm and motivated after our sessions, and I am so grateful for Dr. Johnson's time and talent. I am eager to see how our WHOLE Community continues to manifest in 2021!
- Holly Smith
**The expressed thoughts and ideas here are my own, and they do not reflect the thoughts, opinions, or ideas of Georgia Tech.