LOS ANGELES - s4story -- LOS ANGELES, CA — What if spiritual awakening isn't about leaving the body behind, but discovering the body itself as a doorway to the sacred?

Beginning September 19, spiritual embodiment teacher and internationally acclaimed sacred dancer Banafsheh Sayyad will lead Mary Magdalene's Map of Ascension Through the Great Tree Within, a seven-week online journey exploring Mary Magdalene's path of awakening through sacred dance, Sufi whirling, Persian dance, meditation, Sama and Divine Feminine wisdom.

Early Bird Savings: Register for $297 through August 22 (regularly $325).

Inspired by the Great Tree Within described in The Gospel of the Beloved Companion, participants journey through its eight boughs, revealing qualities—from love and compassion to wisdom, courage, healing, truth, grace and beauty—as states of being to be danced, felt and embodied.

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Discover the Great Tree Within Through Sacred Movement

Participants explore chakras, elements and energetic pathways through movement and meditation, bringing mystical teachings into relationship with the body.

Sufi whirling and Sama—the sacred Sufi practice of listening—offer pathways into surrender, stillness and communion, while Persian dance and conscious movement invite vitality, presence and embodied wisdom.

At the heart of the journey is a different vision of spiritual ascension: rather than reaching toward the light, participants explore bringing that light into the body, relationships, creativity, purpose and everyday life.

For those drawn to Mary Magdalene teachings, Divine Feminine spirituality, sacred dance, somatic movement and meditation, Sayyad offers an experiential path that allows the body to participate in awakening.

About Banafsheh Sayyad

Banafsheh Sayyad, a visionary teacher of spiritual embodiment with an MA in Chinese Medicine and an MFA in Choreography, is a master sacred dancer whose work is devoted to helping people cultivate awareness, resilience, and vitality through conscious movement.

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Born in Iran, Sayyad pioneered a feminine expression of Sufi whirling. Her work explores the meeting place of spirituality, sensuality, mystical wisdom and embodied experience.

Her 2026 book, Dance of Oneness: Embody Love and Luminosity to Transform Your Life, invites readers to rediscover the body as a portal to presence, vitality and joy.

This online journey is open to anyone who loves to move. No advanced dance experience is required.

Participants may also choose Unlocking the Hidden Mysteries of Mary Magdalene through Movement, a four-part video journey recorded during Banafsheh's pilgrimage through Chartres and Provence, France.

Journey Information

Mary Magdalene's Map of Ascension Through the Great Tree Within
with Banafsheh Sayyad

September 19–October 31, 2026
Saturdays, 10:00–11:30 a.m. PT
Permanent access to recordings

Early Bird: $297 through August 22
Regular Tuition: $325

To learn more visit:
https://danceofoneness.org/e/mary-magdalene-map-of-ascension/