Orca Dreams

Platform for mindful living

Dreaming, Connecting, Evolving as ONE

Welcome to Orca Dreams

Orca Dreams is a platform that offers coaching, training and education on mindfulness to individuals, groups and institutions (e.g. primary and secondary schools, university settings, businesses, health centers, social service organizations and non-profit organizations) globally, with a special focus on communities in Germany and Turkey.

The offerings are:

  • COURSES  Meditation courses, MBSR Program: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Courses on mindfulness and art, and on women’s health/sexuality
  • PROGRAMS for migrants, women, social justice activists, researchers/academics, health care workers, social workers, schools (educators, parents and students: children and youth) and universities, and,
  • PRIVATE SESSIONS Reiki and Counseling Sessions

About me

Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, I currently live in Berlin and travel between Berlin and Istanbul. As many of us do, I fulfill many roles, share many gifts. Having received bachelor degrees in Psychology and Political Science and International Relations from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and PhD in Human Development & Family Studies and Women’s Studies from the Pennsylvania State University in the U.S., for many years I worked as an academic and activist, specializing in women’s sexual and reproductive health rights. I am now a meditation teacher (who continues her practice), a tai chi/qiqong practitioner, a healer (RMT: Reiki Master Teacher in Usui Reiki and NORM Regulation Method student), a poet and a singer. In this platform I integrate my knowledge and experience from academia (in psychology, sociology and women’s health/sexuality), social justice work and mindfulness. As my acupuncture doctor in the U.S., Dr. Hahn once said, “nothing is in vain” in the universe. 

What’s new?

Intro to MBSR and practicing together

Intro to MBSR and practicing together

Free Online Event (Thursday, Jan 26)
WHAT IS MBSR? MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program is a systematic 8-week program established by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in the early 70s, and has been found to lead to scientifically proven improvements on wellbeing. The program provides a wonderful foundation to mindfulness practice. It trains the mind to be awake, focused and calm, increases body awareness and provides skillful practical ways to deal with life’s difficulties and enj…

2023 Winter MBSR Programs

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Autumn 2022 Trainings

To Enter the New Year Rejevunated & Free

Upcoming MBSR Courses in FALL 2022

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
  • Tuncay Murat

    PhD., Age 40, Academic, Turkey

    These classes benefited me in ways I did not even imagine, especially in emotional and mental ways. It also made me feel joyful and energetic. The effects lasted and I also did the practices on my own. The classes increased my life force, created psychological release, made my body more relaxed and flexible. I have been meditating for over 20 years. It is even more joyful and healing to do these practices with others. The Sunday qiqongs with dear Ayşe Dayı’s guidance are wonderful ways to see that others are on similar paths and this is very encouraging. And this happening during the pandemic was priceless.

  • Aylin

    age 35, Academic and Teacher, Turkey

    I especially liked the warm-up exercises, 6 healing sounds, 8 Brocades, and inner child meditation. Now I realize that all practices benefited me. I felt more energetic and dynamic on the days of class. My mind was clearer as well. When I feel stuck in daily life, I use the breathing exercises.

  • Burcu

    Age 29, Psychologist and Masters Student in Trauma and Disaster Mental Health Master Program, Turkey

    This MBSR program deepened my understanding of what it means to be in the moment (in the here and now) and to be in acceptance. These were my main needs for joining the program too. During the course, Ayşe’s patient and compassionate reminders on acceptance and mindfulness led me in a natural way to respond respectfully and compassionately to my mental and bodily boundaries. These days I am going through an emotionally difficult period and I realized that when the pain arises I am able to be mindful without planning it. This experience of going through this time without being engulfed in pain but accepting it makes me feel emotionally more mature.

  • S

    age 49, Professor, USA

    Thanks to Ayşe’s body scan method, I sleep so much more comfortably at night. She also helped me greatly with her Reiki practice. I had an issue that would wake me up and keep my mind occupied in the early hours of the morning. After two weeks of sleepless nights, I finally started sleeping better and came to have a certain degree of control over my anxiety. She is great!

  • Sreekala

    age 43, Professor of Educational Psychology and Mother, Germany

    It was an amazing experience and a complete course! I appreciate the depth of knowledge, clarity and experience Ayse, a committed teacher brings to each session. She takes all efforts to pass on what she has achieved over time for helping others to experience the same. I feel spiritually and emotionally grown over time. Every class she brings new knowledge and new movements that adds to excitement. This course smoothly integrates strength and mindfulness. Qigong movements Ayse taught helped me in getting to know my body. I admire her natural ability to transgress into individual needs and adopt suitable movements. I highly recommend this course for anyone who is interested to liberate mind and body!

  • Rojda

    Age 28, Psychologist at the Health Ministry, Turkey

    To start this MBSR program in a period of life, between the pandemie and work, when I felt challenged mentally has benefited me a lot. I look forward to the time on Saturdays that I set aside for myself. During the program I relax and through coming back to my body and breath, I feel as if I am letting go of all the tiredness of the week. Even though I am not doing the individual practices during the week that much, I feel like the teaching on coming back to the moment has been indirectly rooted and I am able to deal better with difficult moments through focusing on my breath and my body. To know that these have accumulated in my mind and even without a regular practice I can practice them in times of need, gives me confidence.

  • Tuba

    Age 50, Executive, Turkey

    I started the courses to move a bit, to gain flexibility, and to spiritually be more peaceful and balanced. I experienced improvement in all these areas. I am calmer, feel less angry and happier. My neck and shoulder pain decreased as well.

     

     

  • Başak

    age 40, Assistant Film Director and Mother, Germany

    My meditation instructor Ayse Dayi, definitely gave me the insight to raise the awareness of how precious the organs of our bodies are. By means of qiqong, I started thanking my body along with the nature, felt the dense connection between two of them; and during the sitting meditations, I recognized the significance of my being through the idea of bodily existence of myself apart from the spiritual one. Overall, both qiqong and sitting meditation help me to calm my body and my mind at the same time. In this sense, I am really grateful to Ayse.

  • Eda

    Age 48, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Northern Cyprus.

    I prefer to call it my MBSR life because this for me has been more than an education. It became an understanding, and an important step and milestone that makes my life more meaningful, more productive, and helps sensing life in a more mindful way. I believe that, in this healing experience, our teacher Ayse’s high level of humane attitude (in addition to her professional background and experience) played an important role. I am so happy that I have given this gift to myself.

  • E

    PhD Student, age 34, Germany

    I consulted Ayşe Dayı during one of my emotional and physical hard times. Right from the first moment, I felt her compassion, empathy, and understanding of my situation. Reflecting on our sessions, I recall how secure I felt when she would suggest me to do a task or an exercise saying “only if you feel comfortable” no matter how easy it might seem. I truly felt it wasn’t a generic approach and I was being well understood. She guided me with different suggestions such as breathing/meditation exercises, writing tasks, various Reiki practices, listening to my instincts/feelings, and looking at my inner-self and my surroundings from a different perspective. Especially with the writing tasks, I was able to better understand and materialize the links between the issues I have been dealing with. And thanks to her, it has been valuable to contemplate the importance of nature, the energy within, and how we are connected to it.

  • Gizem

    Age 20, Pschology Student, Turkey

    Mindfulness that came with the MBSR Program has been an incredible experience for me. I realized that I wasn’t really aware of the beautiful moments that passed. I became aware that my mind was always stuck somewhere else. With this program I also started learning what my body wants and how to breath.

  • Banu

    Age 49, Finance Director, Turkey
    Ayşe is my friend from elementary school. When I received her invitation to join online Qiqong courses, I joined the first class out of curiosity and with the wish to see my friend. The comfort of the online format, learning about Qiqong philosophy and meditation.. After a while I was hooked and attended all the classes..

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    Information according to § 5 TMG:

    Orca Dreams: Platform For Mindful Living
    Ayse Dayi
    Laubacher Strasse 54A,
    14197 Berlin,
    Deutschland

    Contact:
    Telephone: +49 178 317 9494
    E-Mail:

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