Creating Traditions
Ksn - damn I just lost a beautifully balanced comment - briefly a recap
The unTotem idea has a history from the Strasbourg LOTE - you were there and maybe in the room - last session unConf day one . It came up in an exchange between Rysiek and Nadia - the next day in a barcamp session we embroidered it w among others Irma and Maks. I’ve included the development of the idea as part of my in-house project at the unMo. * The key becomes what is it’s contribution to communal life.
I suggest that you carry this idea forward as your mini-workshop ( may I join in?) Talking it up with as many people as you reach - You will then be forever known as that Shaman woman (bravo). However, what I suspect is that while LOTE can provide a good airing for the value latent in the idea, the practice will acquire additional facets when developed in the unMo.
The unConfession work is also something that is a grand impulse - I am jealous of the fire with which people who have previous with religious institutions run with the unMo imagery.
Externally the unConfession video taxicab might be useful for something like cataloging needs, but it it strikes that this grand idea also has yet to find its true, deeper form. Again to find out what the content of an unConfession will become it will benefit from the time that the unMo can provide. It opens for an extraordinary mutual self-cleansing practice.
Hugs, Bembo
*The Polarities of Triumphs and Frustration (in house/ interface) A project spawned by a discussion between Rysiek and Nadia at unConf I in Strasbourg that should help to given shape to both our daily and holi-daily activities. The twin totem pole proposal that evolved was followed up by several of us the next day. The notes exist somewhere (Max?); as a genuine Edgeryder invention, it needs a firm commitment at all levels to evolve into its true potential as a key tool for all people’s initiatives everywhere. I have proposed to James in Sheffield that I come over to his AccessSpace to do some preliminary work sketching some of the themes with his people – with so much on our respective plates, this however might not happen. Once we are ensconced in Matera, I would volunteer to flesh out one aspect of the ‘positive’ pole by leading an introductory 3-day workshop to unpack the metaphor of the monastery in order to poetically clarify the projects sub and meta-goals using a modified LFA process. The other primary function of this pole is to celebrate our triumphs . A sculptural centre piece to embellish our legendary dance parties may be just the thing, with time in can take on additional significance. The apposite pole will also find its natural function – helping us to channel the inevitable frustrations and moments of crisis. By allowing for this inevitability, one can circumvent much disappointment. (At some point in my theatre work, I learnt to include ‘Crisis’ in the director’s time plan that I gave young actors; it greatly eased matters when the crisis did indeed show up.)