A Night of Medicine, Music & Movement with Shine Rilling at The District House
Every now and then, an evening arrives at District216 that feels less like an event and more like a portal — a doorway into remembrance, community, and the deeper currents that shape what it means to be human. Our evening with Shine Rilling was exactly that kind of night.
Shine is one of those rare beings who carries medicine in everything he does — his words, his movement, his textiles, his music, his presence. As a speaker, healer, musician, teacher, and lifelong Earth ally, he weaves together wisdom from biology, psychology, indigenous traditions, ceremony, and lived experience into a single, coherent tapestry of transformation.
And from the moment he stepped into The District House, that tapestry began to unfurl.
The night began with a live indigenous flute invocation, accompanied by a friend on hand drum. The room filled with a grounded, ceremonial heartbeat — a sound that felt both ancient and immediate, spacious and intimate. It set the tone for the evening: we weren’t here for a lecture; we were here for a living experience.
District216’s own Hannah Jo joined Shine for a deep interview exploring:
Microdosing as a tool for subtle awakening
The teachings of Amazonian and North American plant medicine traditions
How ceremony guides us back to source
The ecological and cultural responsibilities of working with sacred plants
The importance of community for modern healing
Shine shared stories from his childhood in medicinal gardens, his early exposure to Native American ceremony, his travels to over 15 countries, and his apprenticeships with shamans and medicine carriers across the world. His words held what our community craves: clarity, groundedness, and heart.
Peace Sticks: Movement as Medicine
What happened next surprised even our regulars.
Shine and Hannah moved into the center of the room and gave a Peace Sticks demonstration, transforming the evening into an active, embodied practice. Peace Sticks is Shine’s own creation — a methodology that awakens life-force energy, play, collaboration, and connection through movement.
Within minutes, the entire room was pulsing with rhythm, trust, and joy. It was part ceremony, part game, part energy practice — a reminder that healing isn’t always heavy; sometimes it’s pure embodied aliveness.
Shine then introduced the fabrics, textiles, and handwoven cloths created by indigenous artists in Peru — pieces he wears, works with, and shares daily. Each cloth carried prayers, stories, and symbolic patterns tied to Amazonian cosmology. Hearing him break down the meaning and lineage behind the designs offered everyone a chance to witness the medicine behind the art.
It was a moment of cultural reverence and education — an important reminder that these traditions are living, breathing, and deeply interconnected with the communities that hold them.
To close the night, Shine picked up his guitar, joined by his drummer friend, and performed a brand-new song for the District216 community. It was raw, beautiful, and emotionally honest — a perfect culmination of a night rooted in authenticity and expanded awareness.
The music turned The District House into a soft, glowing container of openness. People sat quietly, some with tears in their eyes, soaking in the medicine of sound.
Before and after the event, the back of the room turned into a buzzing marketplace of Shine’s creations and collaborations:
Peace Sticks
Bee Magic Sacred Chocolate
Textiles from the Shipibo and Peruvian communities he partners with
Artifacts, tools, clothing, and medicine-inspired goods
Guests left not only inspired, but holding tangible pieces of Shine’s work and the communities he supports.
A Living Example of What District216 Stands For
This night was more than programming. More than education. More than performance.
It was community.
It was culture.
It was lineage.
It was remembrance.
Shine embodies the bridge between ancient wisdom and modern seekers — and our community responded with open hearts and open minds.
Thank you to Shine Rilling for bringing his full self, his tools, his teachings, and his medicine to our space. And thank you to every member who showed up ready to learn, to move, and to connect.
Nights like this remind us why District216 exists — to change the way we gather, to expand what’s possible, and to keep weaving the tapestry for future generations. 💜
If you’d like to join more evenings like this, explore our membership options and upcoming events. The journey continues — and you’re invited. 💜
