Rena Branson
Philadelphia, PA
Hello! I am an educator, musician, and Reiki practitioner based in Philly. I first learned about Breath-Body-Mind from my mother, Dr. Yvette Branson, who teaches BBM to veterans in New York. I am deeply interested in the power of the breath to transform trauma, including the intergenerational effects of oppression and how we carry our family histories in our nervous systems. I started a collective called A Queer Nigun Project, which centers around the practice of singing nigunim (wordless melodies from the Chasidic tradition), an activity that also regulates the breath and soothes the spirit. Through this project, I lead singing gatherings (now virtual) for LGBTQIA+ Jews and, when volunteering in jails is possible, for people who are incarcerated. I use BBM as a tool for my own healing and integrate the exercises into my work with students and Jewish congregations, with an interest in reaching other communities as well.