Reclaiming Wellness Recap 

Wanting Without Knowing: Creative Wellness as a Practice of Introspection and Embodiment 

By Ryann Flynn

 

With the way the world is shaping up, tending to your wellbeing is becoming an obstacle in itself. From our government stripping away rights, benefits and support to societal pressures that occur in our personal lives, it’s hard to find balance day to day. But what is the balance that is needed?

Our Mental Health Clinic brought us their first session of Reclaiming Wellness for 2026, and it was entitled Wanting Without Knowing: Creative Wellness as a Practice of Introspection and Embodiment guided by Ashanti Hazina.

Ashanti started the session off by leading the room with a grounding technique that sent them strolling around the Rafiki main space, accompanied by a carefully curated playlist to create a soothing vibe. This exercise invited folks to make room for their body to find safety in the space around them, rather than jumping straight into the presentation. As they wandered around the room, posted on the walls was a mixture of quotes from powerful Black authors & art from talented Black artists, piquing curiosity as to what it could mean for the presentation later.

As the grounding technique came to a lull, Ashanti posed a question to the community, “Can I be safe eye contact for someone else? Am I willing to receive eye contact from others?” And what you saw around the room was folks shaking hands, quietly making acquaintances with unfamiliar faces; creating a safe, warm environment to prepare us for a journey connecting our wellness to creativity.

Ashanti Hazina is a Black, queer expressive arts therapist, founder of We Say Asé and a creative wellness practitioner. What is the concept of Creative Wellness? “I care deeply about defining things together. How we name something shapes how we look at it and how we move through it.” So, they broke the practice down to its two words: wellness, an active process toward wellbeing across many domains and creativity, the ability to make meaningful connections between existing concepts and unique perspectives. Art becomes the bridge between creativity and wellness.

As the presentation continued along, interactive and intriguing, ancestral connection was introduced into the conversation.

How did our ancestors practice their version of creative wellness?

Ashanti spoke beautifully about her grandmother Joann, who made jewelry, and a picture of her dressed down in her favorite color, red. The pictures and quotes adorning the walls came to fruition. Once again, folks were asked to roam around the room, as soft neo-soul music played in the background, and pay close attention to the quotes like: 

“All that you touch 

You Change. 

All that you Change 

Changes you. 

The only lasting truth 

is Change. 

God 

is Change.” 

-Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower, Earthseed, The Book of the Living 

Place yourself in the room, as if you were gazing upon that quote: What did that parable mean to you? Did it stir something inside? For Ashanti, Octavia E. Butler is one of her favorite authors, and that introductory parable from this dystopian novel enacted a strong pull in her Creative Wellness practice.  

Whilst folks were exploring the Rafiki space, the Sugar Shack painting created by Ernie Barnes, famous to so many because of its staple in Black history, brought a lot of emotion out of participants. This unapologetically Black painting had folks building a connection between the art piece and the quotes adorning the walls. As we dove deeper into the painting that captivated everyone, Ashanti asked us, “What does it mean to us as Black people to have a space like this?” A space where intergenerational movement is their form of creative wellness, and “the juke joint is their safe space.”  

Using Creative Wellness in your practice can be influenced by the pastime of our ancestors. Movement with dance, a way with words written or spoken, and images painted or captured are all examples of creative wellness techniques passed down through generations and with uniqueness coming from our expression. Even leaving us with SAWUBONA, which means I See You. 

As we gathered back together in the room, we wanted to continue the theme of an interactive session by posing a question to you: What is one thing that you are taking with you from this event? And the responses were as impactful as the presentation. 

“SAWUBONA” 

“The importance of creative wellness and its connection to our ancestors” 

“Stop. Breathe. Listen. Make change.” 

“The use of art, media and movement to transition through difficult moments” 

The presentation allowed you to name a practice that is ingrained in our DNA and has fueled our ancestors’ passions for so long. This allows us to use generational strength and channel it through art and literature. We want to say a special thank you to Ashanti Hazina for gracing Rafiki with a presentation that gave meaning to creative practices and connected them intergenerationally.  

Through Reclaiming Wellness, we create a welcoming space for our community’s mental health journeys by educating them on the topics most relevant to them in fun and interactive ways. From interactive discussions to healing circles to somatic healing practices to creative wellness events and more, our goal is to provide communal healing that allows San Francisco’s Black community to reclaim its wellness. Reclaiming Wellness is about a person learning how to overcome personal and generational trauma using methods that promote holistic wellbeing and address the trauma at its root. These sessions are more than just workshops; they are a chance to break bread with your community, heal together, and learn directly from Black mental health experts. We’re excited to host another Spotlight in March. Stay connected via our newsletter and social media for upcoming details and topic reveals.