Devotion

•The RI.Perspective
Devotion is born from the meeting of Anayat, founder of Rising Sisterhood Movement, and Donna Trana, a Pilates teacher whose work is centred on mindful movement. Although they come from different backgrounds, they share the same question: how can the relationship with the body shift from something to control or improve into something to listen to and inhabit?
For five days in Sayulita, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, yoga, Pilates, breathwork, somatic practices, rituals, and moments of sharing come together in an experience centred on the relationship with oneself. Movement is offered as a space for listening and presence.
Anayat’s work is deeply connected to community building among women and to creating spaces where people can recognise their own voice and give space to their emotions. Alongside this perspective is Donna’s approach, which uses Pilates as a practice of awareness, precision, and understanding how the body moves.
Sayulita brings the rhythm of the ocean, the tropical jungle, and the opportunity to alternate practice, rest, and free time; for those who wish, there is also the possibility of whale watching along the coast during the migration season. Documenting the experience is Cory Hetherton, whose photography focuses on genuine emotions, everyday beauty, and the group’s quieter moments.
What remains is a different way of being in one’s body, less rooted in judgement, more connected to oneself. Something that does not end in Sayulita, but continues to unfold upon returning to everyday life.

A retreat by @anu_rising_‍ ‍@donnatrana