The Body & Soul Healing Arts Center

Four Major Components of the Body and Soul Healing Arts Center
1. Spiritual Strengthening and Healing
BSHAC is creating a space for people to come and reconnect with The Creator God and their deeper selves, in ways that foster faith and facilitate the healing of the broken places in one’s life. Through the teaching of intentional spiritual discipline and rituals, rites of passage education, community conversation circles, restorative justice circles, and meditative physical movement, the BSHAC is helping children, youth and adults to claim peace and healing in their lives.

2. Culinary and Nutrition Education and Empowerment
The pace and stress of urban living has created a culture of fast food and convenient food consumption that has led to urban neighborhoods filled with unhealthy people. As “church” we have spent immeasurable resources on “feeding people” but have had very little investment in providing families with the resources, skills, and opportunities to feed themselves, and to be engaged in hands on learning related to food and nutrition. The BSHAC strives to provide families with what is needed to care for the family by feeding themselves. We have a strong commitment to fresh food production, and providing hands-on learning and education related to culinary preparation and the consumption of healthy meals. There is also a focus on issues of food justice and culinary capital.

3. Artistic, Creative Expression, Body Movement
Art and movement have the power to heal. A growing body of research demonstrates that a variety of creative engagements (the arts) can positively impact emotions, attitudes, and beliefs, contributing to greater health and wellness for the individual. Additionally, the arts have long been recognized for their power to bridge differences — connecting individuals of different backgrounds and experiences through the shared experience of art, music, literature, movement, and dance, thus healing communities as well as individuals. BSHAC is building a foundation of multicultural folk art education, theater arts, visual arts and body movement.

4. Youth Leadership Development
The benefits of teaching leadership to our youth are immeasurable! From confidence building to self-coaching to leading others; by teaching our youth to lead themselves and others, we are giving them:
o The self-confidence to stand up and express their opinions
o The ability to recognize right from wrong
o The courage to help those who can’t help themselves
o The tools to fulfill their own potential
In order for youth to be prepared to work in partnership with adults, they need to develop and/or enhance their leadership skills. Leadership training prepares youth to manage time, work as a team, set goals, start conversations, facilitate meetings, and make effective presentations. Youth Leadership Development is a great way to promote positive life skills learning.