When Patwant Rhodes was 23 years old, she gave birth to a daughter. Less than a year later, she learned her partner was HIV-positive. That moment of shock, uncertainty, and fear was the catalyst that catapulted her into a lifelong search for deeper meaning. At the time, Rhodes knew nothing about spiritual healing and was unsure of where or how to start. She stumbled upon an ad for reiki healing, and with nothing to lose, made an appointment. During the session, she felt a profound sense of joy, peace, knowing, and clarity. She knew then that no matter what, everything was going to be all right.
In the following years, Rhodes studied reiki, kundalini yoga, and meditation, and taught her learnings to refugees and intellectually disabled patients. kundalini yoga was particularly powerful, as it functioned as an anchor during a time of great upheaval and change. “Essentially, we are awakening our dormant energy, symbolized by a coiled serpent at the base of the spine. As we awaken this energy, we release blocked or stagnant energy and strengthen and balance all systems of the body,” she says. Since then, Rhodes has found spiritual practices to be her constant and consistent light. Now, Rhodes teaches all she’s learned in daily group classes and private one-on-one sessions, and she also holds workshops and retreats.
