About Us

Vision: We curate sacred spaces where healing unfolds naturally through compassionate self-witnessing—honoring every story in the warmth of community care and divine presence.

Our Values: We live by BALI — a rhythm of being together:

• Boundaries – Honoring personal and communal limits to foster trust and safety.
   
• Authenticity – Embracing our true selves with courage, truth, and tenderness.
   
• Love (Compassion) – Practicing empathy and care for ourselves and one another.
   
• Integrity – Aligning our actions with our values and what we believe is sacred.

Purpose and Approach:

Our mission is to create spaces for deep, embodied healing—rooted in spiritual practice, gentle professional guidance, heart-centered community connection, and intentional rest.

Through Self-Witnessing, we explore the intersection of Christian faith, somatic movement, structured play, and African community practice models such as Àṣà (culture, encompassing values, customs, creative expressions, and traditions), Ubuntu (shared humanity, “I am because we are”), Àlàfíà (peace, wellness, and balance), Sawubona (“I see you”), Sikhona (“I am here”), and Àṣẹ (life force, divine energy, creative potential, and complete agreement rooted in faith and belief).

We believe healing begins within—and that this process is both an individual return and a collective journey. Our approach is one of grace, patience, and deep listening.

What You’ll Experience:

You’ll learn to witness yourself with the same compassion you’d offer a beloved friend—honoring your story and patterns with clarity, tenderness, and love.

This practice fosters deeper self-awareness and authentic relationships, all within a nurturing community of care.

Here, you are invited to simply be, to rest, and to return to the truth of who you are.

Rooted in the Christian understanding of grace and the African practice of Sikhona ( “ (“I am here”), participants practice presence with love and compassion through breathwork and somatic techniques.

Inspired by God’s gift of rest and the African value of Àlàfíà (peace and wellness), participants embrace stillness and renewal through rhythmic 4-7-8 breathing and body scanning.

Scripture-based meditations, paired with universal themes of peace and gratitude, are woven together with somatic rhythms, making this practice inclusive for all.

These principles emphasize peace, cultural identity, shared humanity, and creative potential, offering tools for healing, connection, and growth.

Gentle African dance and rhythmic exercises unite the body with sacred space, grounding the nervous system and fostering self-belonging.

Storytelling, expressive art, and humming or singing invite participants to explore identity and creativity through embodied practices.

Community-based circles foster themes of witnessing each other, fully seeing one another, and widening the circle of human concern. These circles center Ubuntu, humanity, and cultural storytelling, inspired by African traditions of shared healing and collective well-being.

Olutola Afolayan Olutola Afolayan is a transformational leader, wellness practitioner, and advocate for thriving communities. As the founder of The Belonging Arc, she creates sacred spaces for personal and collective growth, blending Christian faith with African principles like Àlàfíà (peace), Àṣà ( ancestral wisdom) (ancestral wisdom), Ubuntu ( shared humanity ) , We are here(shared humanity), Sikhona (self-presence), Sawubona (acknowledgment), and Àsê ( (life force, divine energy, and creative potential).

With over a decade of experience and an MBA alongside executive education from Harvard Business School, Olutola bridges cultural wisdom with modern leadership. She leads self-witnessing journeys, healing circles, and organizational programs that center well-being, inclusion, and leadership development—guiding individuals and communities toward authentic belonging and transformational growth.

"My name is Olutola Afolayan, and my work is rooted in Christian faith and African community practice models. I am deeply inspired by the wisdom and scholarship of Monilola Afolayan, Dr. John Powell, Brené Brown, Ben & Gynelle McBride, and Martha Beck. Their teachings continue to shape my commitment to healing, belonging, and the restoration of self and community."