Arts for Life has collaborated with organisation Magnetic Ideals to create an expressive movement workshop called 'The swamp'. The swamp will take the workshop participants through a journey embodying the swamp with the aim of connecting our inner experiences and senses with the outer world.
There is evidence to suggest that somatic therapy is an effective way to reduce stress and anxiety levels, as well as improve overall mental health. A study published in the journal “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” found that yoga Nidra was a successful treatment for reducing anxiety in cancer patients.
Drawing on theories of utopia, as a process and not a place, and practices of somaethetics artists Kirsty Lumm and Heather Mcknight are developing an evolving series of workshops using somatic practice and meditation, to be delivered at conferences, activist spaces, festivals, and in the community Arts for Life and Magnetic Ideals hope to alleviate feelings such as eco-anxiety, disempowerment, and isolation.
Our collaboration into the swamp began with thinking of ourselves as a biodiversity.
“50% of DNA in your body is not human DNA – a community of creatures must coexist for us to exist – cooperating forces that allow human life to go. See yourself as a ‘swamp amongst swamps’ the earth is your extended body.” – Kim Stanley Robinson, Ecology and Utopia Lecture
Swamps are a valuable part of our Earth’s ecosystem. The swamp is a transitional space with slow-moving saturated soils. Swamps are sources of fresh water and oxygen, and breeding grounds for biodiversity. They help protect from flooding absorb excess water, protect fragile coastlines, filter waste and purify water. Sadly, almost half of U.S. swamps were destroyed before environmental protections came into place in the 1970s. In the UK we altered many so they are barely recognisable.
These expressive swamp workshops will combine acts such as foraging for natural materials, creating natural paints and dyes to be used in expressive painting, repetitive ritualistic connection to the natural world, soundscapes, audiovisual experiences, and meditation.
Through embodying the complex ecosystem of the swamp we can explore our experiences of our own being, and the diverse contrasts between different physical and cognitive experiences of the lived world. In this we can work towards building new futures as a society of bio-diverse people, knowing ourselves and creating a momentum of action and self-growth in these current challenging times.
If you are interested in taking part in any of these workshops please send a message via the contact page.
These workshops will be offered free of charge and priority will be given to ensuring they are accessible.
More information on the utopian theories of this project can be found by Dr Heather Mcknight at Magnetic Ideals website.