Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joni Fornelli. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Joni, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I am very inspired to delve into relational healing with each other, our ancestors and the land we inhabit. I received a vision years ago of hosting small gatherings among people called “Grandma’s Apron and Grandpa’s Hat, Stories of the Heart Around the Hearth. We explore ways of listening to our ancestors through sharing our family stories, evoking hospitality, a splash of playfulness and deep listening. My longing is for people in the gathering to reflect together, processing and relating on ways we may reinhabit creation. I sense readiness for a be loving culture to grow if we plant the seeds in our hearts, give some space, air and light too, for our way to become clear on creating the world we want to thrive within.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a mystic being who delights being embodied in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms. I thrive on wombifesting (vs manifesting) playfully and intentionally, dancing through life with a little splash. Seriously, play is the way for us to raise our vibration in the universe, shedding what is stagnant and hold more space for the light that we are. I provide embodied nourishment through art, music and movement. I have experience as an occupational therapist and Nia member which grounds me in soothing and tending body and soul. I enjoy MaiTri retreats at the Lavender House. MaiTri is a Nepalese word meaning loving kindness for oneself. When we are nourished beings ourselves, we are able to be present with others in a more loving and compassionate way. Guests may choose to receive washing of their feet, a way to honor their steps in life that brought them here. Kinnesage and Rhythmic Movement is given while I sing. I love being a silver hair woman who sings to another, like we experienced at age 1! It is a way to receive safe touch by those who want that experience. The songs I sing are soul journeys with whimsy and wisdom in their tune. A special MayaHara Meditation is available which grounds and fills us from the magnificent ball of light in the center of the earth and our personal star. I created a soul collage of that meditation, shared in a picture. We clear and cleans our physical body, energetic body and chakras and fill ourselves with two beautiful streams of light. I enjoy Nia’s guidance of through movement we find health. They have wonderful principles like dancing through life and life as art. Nia movement routines and freedance are available to explore here. Art is an option with journaling, paper mache and soul collage. As examples in the pictures, I created a paper mache heart with four chambers to play with, exploring our stories in chamber one, our emotions in the second chamber, the truth in the third and our intention in the fourth chamber. I shared a picture of my soul collage and feminine spirit symbol which has a lovely yonic essence. Other embodied experiences connect us to our inner child and magical child journeys. Creating a sacred chamber of your heart, where you are invited to take your seat of authority is possible to make. As we do inner planting of seeds we want to tend and grow, there are options to take our new wisdom through Nia’s five stages of healing including embryonic, creeping, crawling, standing and walking as a way to integrate them in your being. A favorite thing I do is plant a song in your heart. I love community singing and recognize the power of all the cells in our being vibrating with a loving intention in the songs. It’s so magical knowing the vibration that entered your ear ends up in your heart and we don’t know how it will grow! I love being the gracious guardian of the garden that is the Lavender House, aware the light within us and the universe, holds magical possibilities when we allow it.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I sense resilience as I listen, allowing our ancestors to reveal guidance through Grandma’s Apron and Grandpa’s Hat, Stories of the Heart Around the Hearth. Having relationships with them will help us know how to grow and do things in a better way moving forward. We want to be open to listening for wisdom and ways to live in balance. Reinhabiting with all of creation is essential including human and more than human. My resilience began when I was 4 and survived when my mother didn’t in a car accident. The love we share with each other is what fills the essence of the Lavender House. I’m wearing two of my mother, Delores Ferns’ aprons in the pictures, and another one is on a chair. As people share their ancestral stories I sense the connection between us growing, and our knowing that it’s all about tending our relationships with each other. I’m learning about different kinds of ancestors like the landscape ancestors – those who were original inhabitants of the land. In Lawrence, that is the Kanza people. There are also movement ancestors who are those we admired for their work in justice who have transitioned on. Many of us have ancestral trauma and turmoil in our stories. Root traumas like sexual trauma in our family lineage takes a lot of growth for us and healing, which helps to heal the world. This is sacred healing for women and men. I honor this healing, and look forward to unearthing experiences in collaboration with those in physical and spirit form

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I center relational healing with the land and creating a beloving culture. It’s amazing really, this is happening in the heartland and through the electromagnetic field of our hearts with the energy and support of the Spirit of Life and Creation! So this is a calling to create the world we want to live in! If we can imagine it, we can create it. I sense our ancestors want to support us, to heal with each other and learn to reinhabit this land together. Our ancestors are welcome at the Lavender House and you are as well. Let me know when you want to arrive for a song planted in your heart! Below are the lyrics to the song I wrote with body percussion.

Imaginal Power

Imaginal Power is the way we can heal.
Love looping with each other and mycelia’s the deal.
The recipe to evolve is now known to us.
Intention and love plus faith is a must.
The power within to imagine is first.
Add our feminine spirit and we’re ready to burst!

Our boundaries have shattered, they’re a thing of the past.
We’re awakened yet flawed, and our ignorance can’t last.
History, patriarchy has not worked for all.
Its lies and deceit are ready to fall.

It’s the women, love’s wisdom who can help the earth heal.
Return to the land, taking care of what’s real.
Relational gatherings being blessed by the land,
gives us wisdom and insight how to live hand in hand.

Income received at the Lavender House is shared between the Kanza Heritage Society and The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery.

Contact Info:

• Website: lavenderhouse.org
• Facebook: lavenderhouselawrenceks
• Linkedin: Joni Fornelli
• Other: The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery dofdmenno.org, Kaw Nation kawnation.gov,