MR x Womankind: A Survivor Gathering Cycle

This fall, Moving Rasa partnered with Womankind for a four-class Survivor Gathering Cycle centered on rasa—an Indonesian word that can mean “taste” or “essence.” In our work, rasa is the felt sense that arises through movement: how we experience ourselves, our relationships, and the spaces around us.

Our anchor throughout the cycle was Once Upon a Rasa, a cooperative movement-based storytelling game. Each gathering helped participants build the capacity to play the game by developing movement through the Moving Rasa lenses—body, mobilize, touch, connect, imagination, and place. Instead of forcing a story, we practiced listening for what wanted to emerge through sensation, gesture, rhythm, and relationship.

We began with gentle arrivals—sometimes using markers and crayons to show how we were feeling—then sharing those arrivals through story and movement with partners. We explored how rasa shifts with tempo, direction, and proximity, and how the environment itself can support us: the steadiness of a wall, the openness of a window, the feeling of being held by place.

As the series unfolded, something powerful became visible: participants made a connection between cultivating freedom to move and the ability to stay with oneself and with others long enough to tell a story together. The game became more than play—it became a practice of presence, connection, and shared meaning.

We’re grateful to Womankind, to Miyoung for the warmth of tea and snacks, and to every participant who brought their presence. It was beautiful.