The Common Woods Benefit

Our Annual Common Woods Benefit is in the works! Mark your calendars for: 📅 May 3rd, 12pm-10pm The Rain Date is May 10th Revisit this page for more details closer to the event. This day-long community gathering is a celebration of connection, healing, wellness, and giving back to the land. We’re co-creating a beautiful festival filled with music, movement, learning, and joy. We are launching The Common Woods as a full time nature based community center and The Gwinnett Wellness Community as a wider outreach to join hearts and hands in Gwinnett through shared practices that improve our livelihoods and relationships. It's also the 10th anniversary of The Common Woods! We have grown so much in that time thanks to strong community support and have an outpouring of offerings now to share with others. Not very long ago, the woods were overgrown with privet so dense you couldn't even walk through it! This event is our way of giving thanks and showcasing what we have to offer our local neighborhood and extended communities. If you have an offering you’d like to share during the event, please direct message Sharon Yun — we’d love to include you! If you'd like to be a part of the dream team making this gathering happen, we currently need: catered food, event staff, help with promotion, and tea servers. Please bring your own chair or cushion to help us make sure we have enough seating for everyone! Here’s a preview of what’s planned: 🌱 Delicious Food 🍵 Tea Service with Zakery Mizell 🎶 Kirtan with Josh Klein and Radha Rose 💗 Cacao and Sound Healing with Ariana Malilay and Gleydy Cruz 💬 Communication Workshop with Sonali Sadequee 🧘‍♂️ Tarot and Cacao Ceremony with Charles Emmanuel 🎤 Open Mic Talent Show – Share music, poetry, storytelling, or any creative expression! 👐 Skill Sharing & Community Wisdom Exchange 👧🧒 Children's Activities & Nature Play 💧 River Clean-Up & Land Stewardship Activities 🌀 Community Mandala 🎨 Art Installations 🧘‍♀️ Yoga with Serenity Joan 🎶 Conscious Dance with Marisa Skolky 🎼Song Circle Voice Activation with Jhenya 🥁 Drum Circle to close out the event in Rhythm and Gratitude 💡 Mushroom Log Plugging with Timu Moraru 🧘‍♀️ Circle Dancing with Erika Moraru Check back closer to the event as more offerings will be added and there will be more information about the presenters and their offerings as well as what time and where each activity will be. It’s going to be a beautiful day, and we’d love to have you with us. We will be offering this event for free to celebrate our growth, showcase the potential of The Common Woods and Gwinnett Wellness Community, and to connect our communities. This is a Benefit and we will be raising money for The Common Woods and The Gwinnett Wellness Community. Please scroll down to learn more about how you can participate. If you'd like to join our mailing list and get monthly newsletters, please click here: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/1233274/148609948320794576/share If you'd like to join our Meetup Group, please click this link. https://www.meetup.com/gwinnett-wellness-community/ The Gwinnett Wellness Community's Facebook group is: www.facebook.com/groups/gwinnettwellnesscommunity The Common Woods Facebook Group is: www.facebook.com/groups/thecommonwoods Also, if you'd like to list your events on our Facebook or Meetup Groups, and upcoming Gwinnett Wellness Community website and calendar, please reach out to Sharon Yun at [email protected]. You can also use this email to contact me with any questions or concerns. Our website is www.thecommonwoods.org Event Venue Information The Common Woods is like the Tardis, it's bigger on the inside. It is located in a suburban neighborhood and is a tract of 6 acres inbetween two rows of houses, so you will not see it from the street. The address 4335 Bending River Trail is our home, The Yunzow Family Farm. You'll have to walk to the right of the house down a hill and follow the signs to enter the woods. There will be street parking. Please be considerate of the neighbors and do not park too close to anyone's driveway and make sure there is space for 2 lanes of traffic. When you arrive, go inside the house first for information. That is also where there will be catered food for purchase. There is a hill in the backyard of the house which can be difficult to get down if you are in a wheelchair or mobility challenged. Unfortunately, this is an aspect of the property that we have no control over. We will try to have an ATV for the day to help anyone who has mobility needs. The majority of the property is level. If it has rained recently, there may be some puddles, so wear proper shoes. The event is outdoors, so dress accordingly. There is a Bell tent which will host the Tea Temple and some workshops. There will be an outdoor air conditioner in the tent. You may also dip in the Yellow River to cool off, so bring proper clothing and towels for that if you think you'll be getting wet. This is a family friendly event. You may bring your well behaved dog if they stay on a leash. Are there any questions that haven't been addressed? Please message us and we will get back to you with the answers. Presenters: ​Zakery Mizell has spent the last six years exploring the art of tea, diving deep into the details that make each cup special. From the minerals in the water to the design of the teaware, he believes every element plays a role in creating the perfect tea experience. His passion isn’t just about brewing—it’s about the feeling tea brings, the mindfulness in each step, and the connection it fosters. Through careful attention and practice, Zakery has found joy in tea, and he loves sharing that experience with others. Radha Rose is a community builder, mantra musician and retreat leader based in Athens and Atlanta, GA. Radha has hosted Ceremonies, Kirtans and Retreats with her husband Josh Klein since July 2019, building conscious community in the Southeast USA Radha's mission is to create intentional community containers that empower personal transformation, vocal expression and collective spiritual healing. “Ecstatic Kirtan Singing Circle” with Radha Rose + Josh Klein: Melt away what no longer serves you by the power of your voice. Kirtan is a call-and-response journey of mantra music, meditation and devotional singing. Let sacred sound vibrations align your body, mind, heart and soul and taste the bliss of cosmic love! Radha Rose + Josh have created community with vocal empowerment, mantra/kirtan and spiritual events + retreats in the Southeast USA since 2019. https://linktr.ee/theradharose Conscious Dance Marisa will lead us in an intentional dance practice with vocal toning where we will be able to shake out what no longer serves us and call in the embodiment of our highest selves. Marisa Skolky is a dedicated Integrative Healing Arts Practitioner and Medicine Woman, weaving Hypnotherapy, Reiki, Expressive Arts and Plant Medicine together to create multidimensional transformation plans for her clients. With her profound experience and unique approach, she has been helping individuals tap into their creative potential as a path to healing and self-discovery. Marisa has been guiding individuals to explore their emotions, challenges, and aspirations through the transformative power of art and body focused therapy. My website is www.marisaskolky.com and people can book a free 45 min discovery call with me through my website or come join my bi weekly group call every other Monday from 6-7:30pm Eastern over zoom. Link for Group Call: https://marisaskolky.as.me/groupcall Cacao Ceremony and Sound Healing Ariana Malilay and Gleydy Cruz will lead us in sacred ritual around the heart opening medicine of cacao. After we are relaxed and our senses are more open, they will serenade us with a relaxing singing bowl sound bath. Ariana Malilay is the founder of Atlanta Women's Wellness Events & Outings. She’s an Aries, with a rising Taurus. Nature is home for her soul; it is her place of centeredness, connection, and peace. If you know her, you will always catch her in some phase of death and rebirth, as she’s continually being invited to let go a bit more deeply, explore deeper aspects of herself and consciousness, and as a phoenix rise from the ashes again. Currently her work has been strongly centered in connecting to the medicine of mama gaia, and the deep wisdom of the Andes, the land of her ancestors. This has led her to host events in connection with nature, and intentional communion with plant medicine. To stay connected follow her on insta + join our sacred earth community https://www.instagram.com/arianamalilay Relationship Communication Workshop Sonali will lead us in practices to help us communicate more authentically in a way that will encourage vulnerability and openly. This is a great foundational class for anyone to learn basic communication techniques which will enrich all of your relationships by making it easier to connect. Sonali Sadequee CHHC, RYT 500 is a wholistic practitioner, community organizer, and communication trainer and facilitator who believes in the transformative power of trauma & resilience-informed relationships for influencing social change. Conscious communication and relationship-care, and self-care practices are her medicine of choice. As the founder of Relate Consciously, she educates, facilitates, and coaches community organizations, leaders, and activists who seek to repair the aftermath of unresolved conflicts, frustration, disconnectedness, and stuckness so that they may create and sustain a safer, more connected, and trusting relationship with each other. Her various training sessions are rooted in Imago-based and trauma-informed relationship and community-building skills that help to transform the impact of collective trauma on our minds, bodies, hearts, and souls. She curates and facilitates relational programs that transform the impact of colonization, generational trauma, and burnout by equipping groups and individuals with accessible self-regulation and co-regulation relational skills that enhance nervous system function, and therefore, support mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. She is teaching monthly workshops at The Common Woods with an upcoming one April 5. Please check out the page about that on this website and learn more about her offerings. ​www.relateconsciously.com Song Circle Jhenya will lead us in group singing. Her expert instruction will help you to unlock your voice and inner confidence. This is a group for beginner and experienced singers alike. Please come make a joyful noise with us! Jhenya is a holistic voice coach, sound alchemist, and vocal mentor with over 20 years of experience guiding others on their vocal journeys. With more than 30 years as a singer, performer, and over 13 years of experience as a recording artist, she's dedicated her life to helping people discover the power of their raw, authentic voice. As the founder of Conscious Singing with Jhenya, she's mentored hundreds of singers, artists, and individuals—whether seasoned professionals or complete beginners—helping them find freedom in their expression, confidence in their voice, and a deeper connection to themselves. Her background includes a BM in Classical Voice, years of recording across multiple genres, and a YTT 200 certification in yoga, which she integrates into her holistic approach to all of her private voice coachings, group voice activation circles, her community and her sound healing music. After stepping away from opera due to vocal health struggles, she rediscovered her true VOICE as Indee Star. This profound and painful experience completely reshaped her artistry, her purpose and who she was a person. Today, she has facilitated countless sold-out Voice Activation Circle events here in the metro Atlanta area. She guides people on a daily basis—especially women—toward vocal liberation, healing, and self-empowerment. Many of her former students have gone on to tour the world, amass millions of streams, and build thriving music careers while others who are not necessarily pursuing a singing or artist career have had major life break thrus, break ups and shifts in their life that have absolutely transformed and empowered them for the better. This all would happen after sometimes only having one session with her. She believes that every voice holds power—whether you’re a professional singer, a creative, or someone who’s never considered themselves a vocalist. Her mission is to help you reconnect with your voice as a tool for presence, energy alignment, and personal transformation. If you’re ready to take the plunge into stepping into your light, she's ready to help you. www.conscioussingingwithjhenya.com Instagram @conscioussingingwithjhenya Charles Emmanuel Tarot Workshop Tarot workshop: A brief history of Tarot and its relationship to the human experience. Charles will demonstrate how to do a Tarot reading. 1 hour. Open floor for tarot readings after the workshop. Cacao Ceremony Charles will share his homemade cacao through an intentional ceremony focused on opening the heart so that we can connect more deeply with each other. Serenity Coleman Yoga Instructor Core Solar Plexus and Heart Opening Yoga Serenity embodies what she teaches - a lifestyle of practicing presence and deep connection with all of life, especially the furry creatures. She has a playful and nurturing spirit. She loves the outdoors and making magic. Instragram @Serenity_joan Facebook: Serenity Joan Timotei Moraru Mushroom Log Demonstration Timotei (TeaMoo) will be showing us how to grow our own culinary mushrooms on logs Erica Moraru Circle Dance Erica will lead us in circle folk dancing Bruce Leonard Vision Quest for Peace We’ll begin with introductions and connection practices, We’ll move into a guided visualization about heaven on Earth We’ll do some group drumming, meditation and breathing. After this activation, we’ll collectively visualize what peace on Earth looks like and feels like and be able to speak it into existence. We will leave with a tangible action for peace plan which we can begin implementing in our lives. More coming presenter info coming soon! Support The Common Woods – A Nature Based Community Center We are set up a Go Fund Me! to accept credit card and alternate ways to donate https://gofund.me/866cb753Y You can also Venmo @SharonZYun or bring your donation to the event. The Common Woods Benefit is a full-day festival designed to celebrate our growth, introduce The Common Woods, Gwinnett Wellness Community, and the presenters to more people, and share diverse wellness practices with our neighbors—all for free as a gift to show our appreciation for our community! This event is a reflection of what we have to offer to help our community be strong, healthy, and connected. The value of all the incredible offerings at this event exceeds $300, yet we are committed to keeping it accessible to everyone. To help us make this possible, we invite you to contribute what you can. Recommended donations range from $10 to $100, but any amount is greatly appreciated. If you’re able to give more, your generosity will go a long way in nurturing this community space and ensuring its continued growth. If the Common Woods has benefited you in any way, or if you anticipate it will in the future, now is the time to give to the Common Woods knowing your contribution will continue to be paid forward. We believe in inclusivity—everyone is welcome, regardless of their ability to donate. We trust that those who can support financially will do so, allowing us to sustain and expand our efforts. The Common Woods belongs to everyone, and our goal is to create a space where each person feels valued and connected. Your presence is the true present. Donating is purely optional. If you'd like to make a donation of time, we could use help setting up, during the event, and cleaning up afterwards. Please email Sharon at [email protected] Please don't hesitate to join us, even if you can only drop in for a short time to see what we're all about. Our main goal with this event is to show our neighborhood what we have to offer. Just showing up, if only for half an hour, would mean the world to us! Where Your Donation Goes: 1. Supporting the Festival: Your funds will first go towards compensating the many hands and hearts making this event possible. 2. Maintaining The Common Woods: Upkeep for the land, care for our sheep and chickens, fencing repairs, cleaning the Bell Tent, and maintaining the natural environment. 3. Launching a Community Compost Program: Providing neighbors with a sustainable way to recycle food scraps and take home nutrient-rich compost. 4. Expanding Community Offerings: Your donation helps us create programming that fosters deeper connections with nature, self, and community. Our Vision for the Future Beyond this event, we aim to establish full-time programming, including: • After-school and homeschool nature education • Song circles, Earth skills workshops, and community ceremonies • Monthly neighborhood potlucks and gatherings • Sound healing, yoga, and other wellness practices • A shared calendar allowing community members to utilize the space more • A welcoming space for discussions and meetings that impact our local community The Common Woods is a place where meeting on common ground helps us find common ground—building a resilient, interconnected community. Spending time in nature together strengthens our bonds, supports our well-being, and empowers us to create a thriving future. If you can’t attend the event but still want to support our mission, your donation will ensure the continued growth of The Common Woods and the Gwinnett Wellness Community. As a token of our appreciation, you’ll be welcome to join a future event for free. Stay Connected & Get Involved: links are on the website www.thecommonwoods.org • Join our mailing list: Sign up • Join our Meetup group: Gwinnett Wellness Community • Facebook Groups: Gwinnett Wellness Community | The Common Woods • List your events with us! If you’d like to share your offerings through our platform, email Sharon Yun at [email protected] Your support means the world to us. Thank you for helping us cultivate a space where community, nature, and wellness thrive together! A personal note from your hostess and land steward Sharon Yun: We are celebrating 10 years living at our home, affectionately called The Yunzow Family Farm! We have grown so much and stewarded the land to bring out its potential and our own potential in the past 10 years. A big selling point of the house was that it had 7 acres of land. It happened to be a flood zone with an extremely thick privet hedge throughout the forest and therefore cheap and undevelopable. We needed 3 acres to legally have chickens, so finding a home with that much land within reasonable distance to Atlanta was quite the mission and the reason we chose this property to start with. We did not go in the woods at all until Thomas rented a skid steer and created a path to the river in 2018. We've been able to accomplish a lot of our dreams while living here. We installed a 11.5kW solar array on the perfect south facing roof which was one of the boxes our house needed to check. I was able to plant a huge garden in the back. I also started working for a Solar company, Alternative Energy Southeast where I could channel my passion for helping humans live sustainably on the Earth. Thomas worked for the VA as an addiction psychiatrist and then changed jobs 5 years ago to Mercy Care to help underserved people get adequate mental health care. Now he is starting his own practice in Lilburn, Gwinnett Holistic Psychiatry, so this event will be in celebration of that as well! Our son Bodhi was 2 when we moved here and is now a 6th grader at Trickum Middle School. We have accomplished so many of our life goals here of living more sustainably and building a strong community that we decided to add another member to our family, Ayden Yun! He is a precious 1 1/2 year old who inspires me every day to have hope for our future. We have lots of natural water from the neighborhood lake and the Yellow River which a wide area of our property borders. We started tubing down the river years ago and are grateful for access to natural flowing water, especially in the summer! Over the years we were able to add to the land and improve it. We built a chicken coop and composting system, beehives and a wildflower meadow, and stairs up the dam to make the lake accessible. A couple years ago we decided to tackle the privet hedge that had made the entire woods impossible to walk through. I hired someone who owned a forestry mulcher for three days, and he was able to clear the privet out of 4 acres. It was a worthy investment that we were fortunate to be able to afford as the woods opened up and became a whole new world!! I literally was singing that song from Aladdin for a week straight. I couldn't believe my eyes when I could see so much walkable land which had been hidden by the privet hedge. Since then we've been able to build a sweat lodge, a Circle of Love gathering space in a grove of trees, camping spots, and the woods became an accessible wonderland to explore. We expanded our sheep fencing to cover almost the entire property so that our sheep, RIP Melody, Charlie, and Chase, could maintain the property and keep the privet from coming back. Unfortunately we lost them when the land flooded during Hurricane Helene. Their cairns (graves with stones on top) are at the edge of the property. We'll be getting new sheep soon to continue stewarding and restoring the land. We built two platforms and now have a large bell tent to host events. We also built a solid outhouse. We have a Red Tent which is available for women's rituals and sacred time together. We've already been hosting events for the past four years. The vision is for this place to be utilized by the local community as a full time nature based community center. If you are in the area, please celebrate with us May 3 as we launch The Common Woods as a full time community space providing nature inspired programming for all ages, and the Gwinnett Wellness Community as our outreach to connect wellness and healing arts practitioners in the area. Our mission with this outreach is to expand the wellness community's influence and grow a strong network of lifelong meaningful relationships grounded with authentic communication and wellness practices. Our land provides ample opportunity for restoring and revitalizing our relationship with nature, with each other, and with ourselves. As we have carefully stewarded and restored the land to be healthier, it has made us healthier, and now we want it to help our community to be healthier.