In our midseason finale, we are joined by Eliana Rubin, who talks (among many, many other things) about their new book, “Taking the State out of the Body: A Guide to Embodied Resistance to Zionism.” Eliana builds transgressive relationships with bodies, land, and lineage through their work as a somatic practitioner, politicized facilitator, anti-Zionist organizer, full spectrum doula, land steward, and queer pleasure instigator. They run a somatic facilitation practice with Sanctuary Embodied aimed at resourcing organizers in developing embodied leadership and power for movements for justice.
While discussing her brilliant book, Eliana gives insight to what somatics are, how somatic practices can support us through challenging conversations with Zionists, speaks to some of the plants and body parts that informed the book - like calendula, redwoods, and the vagus nerve, and talks about the pitfalls of individualistic models of therapy. Eliana goes beyond fighting for liberation, and teaches us how to live for liberation.
Find more of Eliana on their instagram or website, and go buy the book ASAP! We truly could not recommend it enough.
We will be back with more episodes in February, see you then!
[This episode was recorded in November 2024.]
Big thanks to Eliana for joining us, to Jessie for editing the podcast, and to Nate for our podcast music. If you want to support our work, you can do so here.