Facilitated by Larissa Kaul, from Animist Arts

Image: Larissa on hands and knees in a window display at Lloyd Center Mall listening to themselves and the ground. Their foot is in the air, entangled with iridescent strands of plastic, and a large QR code hovers on the window near their face. Part of "Orbital Visions" with Paula Helen, hosted by Chimaera site. Photo cred Michael Perry

Developing self-talk, or inner voices that uplift you, clear your perception, and offer wisdom can save your butt. Our inner running narratives are in play almost all the time, and they have very real effects on our physiology and behavior. When we tinker at this level we can clean up major energy drains and thought-noise that makes it hard to listen for and follow what is actually most useful or fun. It is possible to develop inner voices that are so potent they can spark a similar feeling of being heard and encouraged by a trusted external source, a friend, partner, or family member.

In this workshop we will focus our attention on the question: "What are my beliefs and inner narratives about immersive play?" Immersive play refers to the direct experience of both participating and being absorbed in a dynamic set of relationships, where we are receiving ordinary pleasure from unpredictable contact, flow, and consequences, and where we relax the need to assert our separation or become possessive of our experiences of connection. It's the state that reminds us why being alive together is really fucking cool, and you realize you don't care about explaining it. As artists and/or space holders we can develop a lot of beliefs about when, where, how, or why we might engage in immersive play or not. We might associate certain risks with the state itself, forcing ourselves to silo or contain it inappropriately.

We will use meditation, creative prompts, and live feedback to get clear on a few core narratives/beliefs we are running related to immersive play, and then reconfigure them into jewel-like, life sustaining, spine tingling landmarks of wisdom in our thoughtscapes.

*Sales for this event will end one hour before start time*

About the host:

Larissa (they/them) is an artist-practitioner dedicated to "responsible animist improvisation", also known as the creative participation of humans in the dynamic, unpredictable interplay between all phenomena for the good of the whole. Larissa understands that most of the human realm is currently undergoing an absurdist non-consensual art project known as late stage capitalism and imperialism, and therefore chooses to listen to ancient grandmothers and spirits so old they have innumerable names and faces. They apply their knowledge in community organizing, performance art, theater, ritual, the energetics of transformation, and neurobiological health to social design and artmaking. They study the organizing principles of Nature and the roots of creative expression, and adapt this knowledge for work with 1-1 clients, groups, and collaborative art projects. Larissa is a trained therapist and has been facilitating in different settings for over 15 years. They are a mixed race, non-binary person living with chronic pain and health issues, and this blend of life experiences informs how they design.