OneLife Institute
Spirituality & Social Transformation
For seventeen years OneLife Institute served at the intersection of spirituality and social action to nurture, inspire, and sustain people committed to healing and justice. In October 2021, we ceased operations and sunset the organization.
Everything in Life has a season. OneLife Institute has had a long one. When we began there were very few organizations doing this work locally or nationally. Now there are many. When we began, very few spoke about supporting the wellbeing and sustainability of activists and community caregivers. Now it is a given. When we began, foundations had no program areas to fit our mission. Now there are a growing number supporting this expanding field. Now it even has names: Healing Justice, Contemplative Activism, Transformative Practice.
We are proud of the work we did to help expand the conversation and establish the field. We are proud of the number of people we served and the difference we made in so many lives. We are humbled that so many many people invested their time, talents, and resources in support of our vision. It has been an amazing journey, and we are deeply grateful.
We chose to call this a “sunset” rather than “closing down” with intention. There is magic and beauty in the sunset. Colors paint the sky in a way that makes us stop in awe and watch the majesty unfold. Humans, animals, all of Life sit in reverent communion with the Divine... And then, following every sunset – and a period of rest – a new day dawns, a new beginning... But without the setting of the sun there can be no dawn. We are excited to make way for all that is dawning!
OneLife was intentionally launched with a community gathering of prayer and celebration in 2004. We wanted to close the circle in the same way - in sacredness - and with you, our beloved community both near and far. We gathered via zoom to share memories, enjoy some live music, and hear from a few special guests. We gave thanks for all that has been, and blessed the way forward for each and all of us. You can see the video from that event here: https://youtu.be/0_tMNF1e-BY
We also created an online platform where everybody who has been touched by OneLife Institute can upload photos, videos, stories, memories, prayers, and testimonies to create an accessible history of our journey together. Please visit, and add your own contributions. OneLife is made of all of us, and it will take all of us to tell its story.
Whether you have been with us for the full seventeen years, or have only recently discovered us, we are grateful for you and for your presence. And to our many donors, volunteers, team members, and community partners, we love you so much! Your support made OneLife possible. May the gifts that you shared with us return to bless you a thousand-fold!
SO NOW WHAT? WHERE CAN YOU ACCESS HEALING RESOURCES?
Below you will find a number of organizations and links, both local and national.
Stay in touch with us...
Rev. Dr. Liza J Rankow - OneLife founder - will continue to offer spiritual care as a counselor and elder, including occasional workshops, classes, and healing circles. She and harpist Destiny Muhammad will periodically offer the Spirit, Sound & Silence retreats they have done for over 16 years (now on zoom). Learn more and sign up for email updates: https://lizarankow.org
Destiny Muhammad - Harpist from the Hood - will continue to partner with Rev. Liza on healing retreats. Find out about her concerts, her jazz band and trio, booking info, CDs, and other offerings at https://destinymuhammad.net
Oakland / Bay Area
Freedom Community Clinic - BIPOC and womxn-led grassroots organization offering community healing clinics, health trainings/workshops, support groups, heal-the-healers circle, and more. They integrate ancestral, Indigenous, and holistic practices with the strengths of western medicine. All services are offered for free and/or at sliding scale in accessible community settings. Their practitioners network includes: Herbalists, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, Nutritionists, Spiritual Counselors, Social Workers, Primary Care Practitioners (nurses, doctors, PAs, etc), Art Therapists, Somatic Bodyworkers, Reiki practitioners, Therapists, and others. https://www.freedomcommunityclinic.org
East Bay Meditation Center - offers meditation training and spiritual teachings from Buddhist and other wisdom traditions, with attention to social action, multiculturalism, and the diverse populations of the East Bay and beyond. Our programs include meditation classes, daylong retreats, sitting groups, workshops, and classes. Based in Oakland, many of their offerings have moved online during covid. https://eastbaymeditation.org
Sacred Roots Oakland - offers community-based healing and liberative learning/unlearning circles centering Black, Indigenous, AAPI, and People of Color ancestral wisdom and practice. Their practitioners offer energy work, spiritual direction/companionship, Traditional Chinese Medicine, astrology, numerology, coaching and counseling in both group and individual sessions. https://www.sacredrootsoakland.org
Healing Clinic Collective - has offered grassroots BIPOC-centered healing justice clinics in the Oakland community for many years: http://www.healingcliniccollective.net/about-us.html
Nepantla Healing & Consulting - Healing, workshops, and ceremony by curandera and Toltec healing practitioner, Brenda Salgado. https://www.nepantlaconsulting.com
Reclaiming Our Own Transcendance (ROOT) - BIPOC-centered organization addressing individual and communal trauma wounds through transformative education, a diversity of healing encounters, and community accountability. https://www.wetakeroot.com
Conscious Voices African American Well-Being Center - provides mental health services to low and moderate-income community in Alameda County. Their approach empowers community, therapists, allies and grassroots providers to implement solutions, improve outcomes, increase life expectancy and address the social determinants health. https://www.consciousvoice.org
IF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO ADD PLEASE LET US KNOW!
National Resources
Faith Matters Network - a Womanist-led organization focusing on personal and social transformation. Their programs support community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources for connection, spiritual sustainability, and accompaniment. (They will inherit our Sustaining the Soul of Activism curriculum.) https://www.faithmattersnetwork.org
Trauma Response & Crisis Care (TRACC) for Movements - a BIPOC-centered project responding to trauma in social movements: providing community care, trauma and crisis response on the frontlines, and healer training and education to support activists and social movements. https://www.tracc4movements.com
generative somatics (gs) - brings somatic transformation to movement leaders, organizations, and alliances. Their programs engage the body (emotions, sensations, physiology), in order to align actions with values and vision, and heal from the impacts of trauma and oppression. They aim to advance loving and rigorous movements that possess the creativity, resilience, and liberatory power needed to transform society. https://generativesomatics.org
Thrive - is a Bay Area based national community, network, and movement building Beloved Community for these times. Their programs gather people at the intersections of meaning, belonging, music, the arts, and social change. https://www.thrivenetwork.org
Healing By Choice - a Detroit based circle of women and GNC practitioners of color. They offer a range of healing modalities for self and community care for the reduction of racial harm in mind, body, spirit, and institution. Since covid, many of their offerings are now available online. https://www.healingbychoicedetroit.com
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network - a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). They work at the intersection of movements for social justice and the field of mental health to integrate healing justice into both of these spaces. Their web site includes a listing of mental health support resources and a national directory of QTPoC therapists. https://nqttcn.com/en
Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) - is a national training, direct service, movement building and grant making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness and liberation of Black and marginalized communities. https://www.beam.community
IF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO ADD PLEASE LET US KNOW!