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f15:lab_for_rituals [2015-04-13 17:21] – nik | f15:lab_for_rituals [2015-06-02 08:38] – alkan | ||
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- | === FoAM bxl as a lab for rituals === | + | ===== FoAM bxl as a lab for rituals |
- | The third in a series of [[transiency_conversations|conversations about the transiency]] of FoAM bxl. This time we asked ourselves what if FoAM bxl would focus on rituals as a focus of our work in the coming years? The conversation | + | The third in a series of [[transiency_conversations|conversations about the transiency]] of FoAM bxl. This time we asked ourselves what if FoAM bxl would consider |
+ | |||
+ | ==== 1st conversation ==== | ||
=== Ritual === | === Ritual === | ||
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* Peak experiences, | * Peak experiences, | ||
* Focusing of purpose, clarity | * Focusing of purpose, clarity | ||
- | * Tradition (een verhaal onderschrijven | + | * Tradition (een verhaal onderschrijven |
* Transition, transformation, | * Transition, transformation, | ||
* Time marker, a moment to remember, life & death | * Time marker, a moment to remember, life & death | ||
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What lives in the cross-section between FoAM and rituals? | What lives in the cross-section between FoAM and rituals? | ||
- | Most things mentioned above can be relevant for both FoAM and rituals, so we realised that | + | Most things mentioned above can be relevant for both FoAM and rituals, so we can draw a larger circle around the two, in which the characteristics of FoAM as a lab for rituals are already described. However, there are a few specific words that appeared in both discussions, |
* Celebration | * Celebration | ||
* Process | * Process | ||
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What does it mean for you (FoAM members present at the conversation)? | What does it mean for you (FoAM members present at the conversation)? | ||
* Study and appreciation of the existing **history and context** of rituals. Understanding and uncovering rituals that are already out there, both rarified and non-rarified, | * Study and appreciation of the existing **history and context** of rituals. Understanding and uncovering rituals that are already out there, both rarified and non-rarified, | ||
- | * **Participaning in out-of-the-ordinary experiences**; | + | * **Participaning in out-of-the-ordinary experiences**; |
* Developing our culture of **hosting and hospitality**, | * Developing our culture of **hosting and hospitality**, | ||
- | * Becoming a place where **magic | + | * Becoming a place where **magic |
- | * Being a **garage for rituals** (construction, | + | * Being a **garage for rituals** (construction, |
- | * Moments of deep seriousness punctuated with moments of silliness and humour | + | * Moments of deep seriousness punctuated with moments of lightness, |
* Developing FoAM’s specific aesthetics | * Developing FoAM’s specific aesthetics | ||
- | * Connecting to people from very divergent fields (e.g. artists, technologists, | + | * Connecting to people from divergent fields (e.g. artists, technologists, |
- | * Working with rituals in a **secular context** and working with **appropriate technologies** (e.g mobile phones aka tracking devices) to connect rituals to the contemporary zeitgeist | + | * Working with rituals in a **secular context** and working with **appropriate technologies** (e.g mobile phones aka tracking devices) to connect rituals to the contemporary zeitgeist |
* Rituals related to our relationship to the future - contemporary **invocation and divination** practices | * Rituals related to our relationship to the future - contemporary **invocation and divination** practices | ||
- | * **Method of science, aim of religion** finding FoAM’s place in relation to the the post-enlightenment pantheism | + | * **" |
- | * Becoming aware of our own cultural traditions and contemporary realities in which we live (e.g. we can’t escape being embedded in neo-liberal | + | * Becoming aware of our own cultural traditions and contemporary realities in which we live (e.g. we can’t escape being embedded in our societies) |
- | * **Collecting existing rituals** around the world | + | * **Collecting existing rituals** |
* Developing a **fieldguide** for ritual techniques, flows, processes and methods | * Developing a **fieldguide** for ritual techniques, flows, processes and methods | ||
- | * Looking at different ways to document, reflect and analyse rituals (e.g. [[http:// | + | * Looking at different ways to document, reflect and analyse rituals (e.g. [[:State specific science]] |
* Connecting the world outside to the ' | * Connecting the world outside to the ' | ||
- | * Engaging in 'soul midwifery' | + | * Engaging in 'soul midwifery' |
* Finding a **multifaceted language** and different ways to talk about rituals in different contexts (e.g. young people, scientists, businesses, paliative care units, cultural critics, school children, etc.) | * Finding a **multifaceted language** and different ways to talk about rituals in different contexts (e.g. young people, scientists, businesses, paliative care units, cultural critics, school children, etc.) | ||
* Conducting **Learning journeys**, immersive experiences and training expeditions in traditional communities (e.g. monasteries) | * Conducting **Learning journeys**, immersive experiences and training expeditions in traditional communities (e.g. monasteries) | ||
- | * "To foam" | + | * "To foam" |
- | * Be very careful and aware of unintentional branding as a ’sect’ | + | * Be very careful and aware of unintentional |
- | What does it mean for the ritual as an art form, with a place in the art-world / art sector? | + | What does it mean for the ritual as an art form, with a place in the art world/ |
* Participatory events of different durations, where the process and performance inform each other | * Participatory events of different durations, where the process and performance inform each other | ||
* Guided tours the gardens of Earthly Delights / Eden | * Guided tours the gardens of Earthly Delights / Eden | ||
* A combination of music and architecture, | * A combination of music and architecture, | ||
* Direct experiences: | * Direct experiences: | ||
- | * Nature walks and storytelling, | + | * Nature walks and storytelling, |
* Rediscovering (cultural/ | * Rediscovering (cultural/ | ||
* Ritual architecture | * Ritual architecture | ||
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* The art field can become a neutral space, an entry point to (re)introduce rituals (to atheists, good communicators, | * The art field can become a neutral space, an entry point to (re)introduce rituals (to atheists, good communicators, | ||
* Reframing and reclaiming art as part of (daily) life | * Reframing and reclaiming art as part of (daily) life | ||
- | * Licensing requirements: | + | * Licensing requirements: |
* Revaluing of collective, anonymous creations, acknowledgement of horizontal and vertical lineage (transdisciplinary and historical) | * Revaluing of collective, anonymous creations, acknowledgement of horizontal and vertical lineage (transdisciplinary and historical) | ||
* Artisanal ritualcraft | * Artisanal ritualcraft | ||
- | What does it mean for society and ’the world’? | + | What does it mean for society and ‘the world’? |
* Small, mundane, prozaic rituals AND non-ordinary peak experiences | * Small, mundane, prozaic rituals AND non-ordinary peak experiences | ||
* Social cohesion, family in the broadest sense of the word | * Social cohesion, family in the broadest sense of the word | ||
* Life-changing experiences | * Life-changing experiences | ||
- | * Safe and supervised spaces for non-ordinary experiences and alternative states of consciousness (including a political and/or pragmatic approach to end prohibition of psychedelics (in rituals; possible collaboration with [[http:// | + | * Safe and supervised spaces for non-ordinary experiences and alternative states of consciousness (including a political and/or pragmatic approach to end prohibition of psychedelics (in rituals; possible collaboration with [[http:// |
* Raising awareness of the need for secular rituals to fill the void left in the wake of grand (religious) narratives (see [[http:// | * Raising awareness of the need for secular rituals to fill the void left in the wake of grand (religious) narratives (see [[http:// | ||
* Transdisciplinary and transgenerational, | * Transdisciplinary and transgenerational, | ||
- | * Reframing traditions as well as creating rituals for situations in which they should | + | * Reframing traditions as well as creating rituals for situations in which they could exist but don’t exist yet (e.g. rituals for miscarried children) |
* Reframing what ' | * Reframing what ' | ||
* Finding a more mutually beneficial relationship between humans and the rest of the world (ref. McKenna’s " | * Finding a more mutually beneficial relationship between humans and the rest of the world (ref. McKenna’s " | ||
* From a culture of fear to a culture of trust | * From a culture of fear to a culture of trust | ||
+ | ==== 2nd conversation ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | In the conversation on the 1st of June we continued looking at the societal relevance of rituals in general and FoAM's take on rituals in particular. We also discussed what kind of organisational structure would make most sense for continuing this work. The most important decision was that we decided NOT to apply for structural funding in 2015, to give ourselves the time needed to explore the subject through (university) research and as a project. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Present: Barbara, Rasa, Alkan, Angelo, Bart, Nik, Maja, Stevie | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Why rituals today? === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rituals used to be a more significant part of (social) life up to the last 50 years or so. Since then there seems to have been a need (which isn't new) to fill the social and spiritual gaps that were left in the wake of the collapse of the grand narratives of the 20th century (religious, ideological, | ||
+ | |||
+ | A question was raised whether this pulling apart of technique, narrative and cultural context is too much of an arguably problematic intellectual exercise in deconstruction. We agreed that our approach to rituals should be (embedded in) an **applied philosophy**, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The term ritual (lat. //ritus// -- ceremony, religious usage) carries weighty **cultural baggage** that varies for different people: for some it evokes ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | While running through the group' | ||
+ | |||
+ | There is a productive tension between **rituals and openness**; rituals as a point in time and continuous processes of transformation; | ||
+ | |||
+ | We talked about the connection between rituals and two other possible present and future directions for FoAM: **speculative culture** (c.f Resilients, Future Fabulators, PARN, etc) and **techno-ecological pantheism** (c.f Dark Ecology, Machine Wilderness, Thalience, Romantic Machine, Silent Dialogues, etc). One of the links between these three themes is **design**, focused on building experiences through (new) connections and relationships. This is a much broader topic of discussion which we'll continue at the FoAM retreat in autumn, with people from other FoAM studios as well. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Funding and governance === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The deadline for the next structural funding round from the Flemish Authorities is 1 October 2015. After that, the next one will only be in 2020. **We decided not to apply for structural funding**, for several reasons: problems with authenticity, | ||
+ | |||
+ | **Project funding** of the Flemish Authorities has been extended and can now support projects from 1-3 years. The deadlines for applying are the 15th of January, May and September each year. So if we'd apply in September 2016 and are successful we could have funding from January 2017. This gives us more than a year to formulate a coherent project. The Flemish funding could be supplemented with an EC project (e.g. the Future Fabulators follow-up with Time's Up) for up to 75%. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In addition to the familiar non-profit strategies, Barbara is exploring a possibility to form a **co-operative** with FoAM as one of the founders and associates. This would allow us to explore alternative (for profit) financing models and different types of collaboration and ownership. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Barbara' | ||
+ | |||
+ | For now we will continue exploring this three-pronged axis of a VZW (with project funding), a co-operative, | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Next Steps === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The next conversation will happen at the FoAM Network retreat in autumn 2015. By then Barbara will have one or two mentoring sessions on co-operatives (which others can join if interested). All interested members are invited to continue informal conversations and occasional messages on tangle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Reading List ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | (to do!) | ||
+ | |||
+ | from conversations: | ||
+ | * [[http:// | ||
+ | * [[https:// | ||
+ | * [[https:// | ||
+ | * [[http:// | ||
+ | * Alain de Botton' | ||
+ | * Phil Torres' | ||
+ | * Ulrich Libbrecht' | ||
+ | * ([[https:// | ||
+ | * [[http:// | ||
+ | * etc, etc. | ||
+ | (some of which may(not) be found at https:// | ||
- | |||