Establish the stable base of the body sitting, and feel the support and stability of the earth beneath you. No matter what floor you may be on, arriving in your space, feel the ground rising up beneath you—ground supported by the foundation of the building you’re in, the foundation of the building supported by the earth. Feeling into this connection, grounding, allow the weight of the body to settle into the support of the earth. As the body begins to relax, you may feel the lower half of the body connecting more firmly with the earth, and sense the subtle pull of gravity toward the ground beneath you.
Alisa Dennis, PhD
Residential Retreat Teacher
Alisa Dennis, Ph.D., discovered meditation through her study of metaphysics and ancient mystical traditions. Since then, she’s trained in the Soto Zen tradition, MBSR, and most recently in the Theravada tradition. Alisa completed Spirit Rock’s teacher training program and is an authorized teacher in the Theravada lineage. Alisa gravitated toward Insight meditation because of its emphasis on liberatory heart-opening practices and its growing community of practitioners committed to embodied awakening and transformative justice.
Appreciating the connections across diverse wisdom traditions, Alisa weaves varied ways of knowing and being together in her life and teachings. She has worked with shamans and medicine women and considers Nature one of her wisest teachers. Her study and practice of inquiry, as taught in the Diamond Approach has supported a deeper exploration into the nature of consciousness.
A clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, Alisa supports people as they move through transitions, deepening, expansion, or letting go in their lives. She specializes in Somatic Experiencing which informs her Dharma teaching. She enjoys the creative arts and invites creativity into her practice and teaching of the Dharma.
Though Alisa currently resides in the Atlanta area, she is a teacher at Insight L.A. in southern California where she’s enjoyed facilitating workshops on storytelling, creativity, embodying feminine energy, and Mindful Self Compassion. She teaches at Spirit Rock, and other retreat centers in North America. Alisa also offers trainings in mindfulness for community-based organizations and corporations around the world.
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Alisa Dennis through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.