| Date & Time: | Tuesday, February 19, 2008
- Saturday, February 23, 2008
2:00 PM |
|---|
Forestdance Sacred Ceremony
Start: Feb 19 2008 - 12:00am
End: Feb 23 2008 - 11:59pm
FORESTDANCE SACRED/DYNAMIC FIRE FESTIVAL
at Art of Union HOME Community
Dates: February 19-23, 2008
Forestdance Introduction:
Forestdance is a sacred healing and expressive arts gathering that
lasts three to five days. Forestdance is facilitated by Jason Cohen
and other trained healers, artists and teachers who teach the group
to calibrate sensitivity and cultivate energy in the all night
'vessel' of the sacred circle. The sacred dynamic fire circle
ceremony revolves around a series of inspired all-night fire circles,
where together we allow the thick skins that we necessarily have
developed to protect ourselves, to soften and come down, creating a
safe space to reclaim our inspiration, and refuel our hope in
ourselves, each other and humanity. Through allowing our minds to
quiet and making space for inspiration to come through us, the circle
varies and combines modalities between drumming, chanting, dancing,
speaking truths, and serving each other. Volumes shift, silence is
honored, and a balance between giving and receiving, listening and
expressing, and ultimately the divine feminine and masculine energies
are attained. Along the way the beauty that is created and shared
comes as a form of medicine and often can catalyze profound
cathartic/healing experiences for the participants. The group holds
the intention of supporting the ritual as sacred. The rituals go from
midnight until dawn. Between ceremonies the facilitators offer
workshops and focus sessions in their particular areas of expertise to
deepen the experience for the participants. The event is eclectic and
welcomes people of all faiths that are willing to honor life, the
forest and the fire.
Also facilitating will be Una Gallagher, who will hold the "root fire"
where we will brew teas given to us by the forest. To read about Una
and the rest of the teachers and staff that will be joining us, please
go to the home site at www.Forestdance.net.
Forestdance History
As a trained musician with a strong interest in the relationships
between music, healing practices, fire and magic, Jason Cohen has
spent years traveling from fire to fire visiting communities and
participating in their ceremonies. He spent years as a water pourer
for his community in Jamaica Plain, MA. His experiences with the
sweat lodge led him to the fire, which in turn brought him to shamanic
and intuitive healing. The sacred dynamic fire circle ritual and
Forestdance itself has come from the balancing of many existing fire
circle ritual cultures honed into a form that honors the forest, life,
holding space for the softest voices, and not being afraid to welcome
in our own darkness so that it may be transmuted in the fire.
Sustainability, healthy food, and being in sync with our hosting land
and communities also plays an important role with Forestdance's
holistic approach. The first Forestdance happened in a rain forest
in Georgia on the harmonic concordance in 2003. Since then, the
gathering has happened 9 times in five states in the US. Jason has
traveled across the seas and to Mexico sharing and gaining knowledge
of the subtleties of the fire circle. In 2006 he was a founding
member of the non profit Fire Family Gatherings. He recently has
co-founded the heARTbeat Collective: Healing and Expressive ARTists
for Balance, Ecology, Awareness, and Transformation in Jamaica Plain,
MA, and has currently been asked to sit on the board of the Institute
of Environmental Awareness based in Petersham, MA.
Personal Experience:
During the harmonic concordance, November 8, 2003 both Cannon and
Tenasi participated in a three-day Forestdance Festival at the Hostel
in the Forest, in southern Georgia. The experience was profound for
both of us and we maintained kin-nection with Jason throughout the
years with the intention of one day bringing Forestdance down to the
Art of Union HOME community in Costa Rica. For me, Tenasi, "the
Forestdance Festival was and still is the single most effective
(non-medicinal) group healing experience I have ever participated in.
After participating for years in fire circles with semi-focused
healing intension, the Forestdance festival was a climax experience
that exceeded my highest vision of multidisciplinary prayerformance
art."
A brief description of the Forestdance festival that we participated
in: Although I had never participated in a Forestdance festival
before, I was invited as a co-facilitator to help maintain a high
vibration throughout the ceremony and to offer classes in higher limbs
yoga and sonic yoga during the afternoon sessions. The ratio of
facilitators to participants is crucial to maintain a healing
container throughout the ceremony. We were a group of 12 facilitators
for 72 participants.
We arrived the first evening at the Hostel in the Forest, located in a
deep oak tree forest in southern Georgia, and were brought into a
relaxed circle around a campfire, where one of the Forestdance
facilitators shared with us the intention and flow of the three day
ceremony.
Specifically we were prepared for the first all-night sacred/dynamic
fire circle. As part of the introduction, we were each given a piece
of paper and asked to write down (habits, addictions, fears,
relations, memories, traumas, pains, etc) that we were ready to
release.
We were then led down a winding trail through the forest to a series
of three illuminated archways or portals attended by one or two
facilitators. At each portal we were cleansed with a incense (i.e.
sage,copal, or pala santo, etc) and guided through purifying and
uplifting meditations. At the third portal was a small fire in which
we were asked to deposit our list of items that no longer served us.
We then came to a sacred fire circle along the side of a pristine
lake, and were guided to stand around the perimeter. The pure beauty
and divinity visible in the ceremonial site allowed all present to
relax into a sense of security and trust. Surrounding the central fire
was a cleared circle with a radius of about 8 meters. Along the
perimeter of this greater circle at each of the four cardinal
directions were specific alters, each illuminated with their own
color, style and source of fire (candles, etc). Between the northern
and eastern alters the circle opened up to embrace a smaller diameter
semi-circle with benches aligned in the shape of a horse-shoe for the
drummers and musicians to sit on. Behind the drummers semi-circle was
a second smaller fire circle, which was used for the preparation of
medicinal and healing teas that were prepared and offered throughout
the night to keep the group energy high and clear. A short distance
away from the circle was the "Calm Tent", decorated with tapestries,
soft sleeping areas, massage tables and comfort foods.
As the ceremony started Jason walked in a clockwise circle around the
fire, speaking lyrically and stirring the energy of the fire circle
slowly drawing the energy in. We were instructed that inside the
circle we should try to stay in motion most of the time. The drummers
began a heartbeat and Jason's speech soon transitioned into song and
his steps into a dance that began lifting the energy of the fire,
which was amplified as facilitators and eventually participants
joined.
Soon every participant was in the circle, dancing, skipping and
spinning in a clockwise direction around the fire to ecstatic
drumming. And thus the ceremony began.
Throughout the night, the tempo shifted through waves of intensity,
pulsing the healing energy and raising the vibration of the circle.
Soon people began experiencing profound healing, some smoothly, some
through dramatic outbursts of emotion, and some collapsing. Always
present to assist was a collection of facilitators, each offering
unique avenues of healing and consolation. Usually people experiencing
healing crises were nurtured back into the flow and were soon seen
smiling and dancing with more vitality than before. In severe cases,
people were escorted or carried out of the circle and brought to the
Calm area where they were attended to by healers who felt resonance to
assist.
Thus the night progressed with dozens of inspiring songs woven into
the fabric of the music. Participants were encouraged to remain in the
circle until dawn, when we celebrated the rising sun with a sacred
prayer and offerings of incense and food.
After resting for the morning hours, participants were offered a
mosaic of focus sessions, wisdom sharing shops, and healing modalities
to choose from. In the evening we celebrated with a feast, and free
time to explore, reflect, swim, sleep and prepare for the next
ceremony the following day.
The waves of increasing energy and healing reminded me of other
modalities of group healing, specifically the energy in a teepee
during a peyote ceremony; and the white tantric solstice gatherings
with the 3HO Kundalini Yogis, who sit facing a partner in long lines
while chanting or practicing intense breathing exercises. I feel that
due to the dynamic creative energy cultivated through the
multidisciplinary atmosphere of the forestdance festival, it has an
even more flowering/empowering and healing effect on the participants
than other ceremonial modalities.
Registration Details:
We are setting a limit the number of participants in the HOME Community Forestdance Festival 2008 to 52 for the first year of the production. To maintain the container for the festival will be a minimum of eight facilitators, two Art of Union organizers and three HOME village stewards.
The festival officially begins Tuesday February 19th and ends Saturday February 23rd. All participants will receive three meals a day from dinner Tuesday evening to Breakfast Saturday morning.
Participants will be given three options of participation:
Basic Fee – $333
for participants who will be camping in their own tent. Camping participants may show up as early as Sunday February 17, for an additional $11 per day, meals included.
Casita Fee - additional $111
For participants who prefer to share accommodations in one of the casitas at the HOME Village. Casita spaces are limited to 20 participants, early registration/casita reservation required!! Casita participants may show up as early as Sunday February 17, 2008 for an additional $33 per day, meals included.
Work-trade Discount Fee - $222
A maximum number of 7 work trader will be given a $111 price reduction in exchange for offering twodays of service prior to the event, four hours of seva work- trade during each day of the event and one day of service after the event.
Costa Rica Nationals and Residents Fee - $222
Costa Rican nationals who chose to offer work trade will be able to participate for $169. All work-straders are required to arrive two days prior to the evetn and to remain on site one day after the event.
Facilitator Fee - $108 camping ($208 for casita)
All facilitators in addition to the four receiving full festival scholarships (described above) will be asked to contribute financially to support the event. Facilitators are encouraged to show up several days before the event at no extra charge to help create the container for the festival.
To Register for Forestdance Costa Rica, please see
www.forestdance.org
Start: Feb 19 2008 - 12:00am
End: Feb 23 2008 - 11:59pm
FORESTDANCE SACRED/DYNAMIC FIRE FESTIVAL
at Art of Union HOME Community
Dates: February 19-23, 2008
Forestdance Introduction:
Forestdance is a sacred healing and expressive arts gathering that
lasts three to five days. Forestdance is facilitated by Jason Cohen
and other trained healers, artists and teachers who teach the group
to calibrate sensitivity and cultivate energy in the all night
'vessel' of the sacred circle. The sacred dynamic fire circle
ceremony revolves around a series of inspired all-night fire circles,
where together we allow the thick skins that we necessarily have
developed to protect ourselves, to soften and come down, creating a
safe space to reclaim our inspiration, and refuel our hope in
ourselves, each other and humanity. Through allowing our minds to
quiet and making space for inspiration to come through us, the circle
varies and combines modalities between drumming, chanting, dancing,
speaking truths, and serving each other. Volumes shift, silence is
honored, and a balance between giving and receiving, listening and
expressing, and ultimately the divine feminine and masculine energies
are attained. Along the way the beauty that is created and shared
comes as a form of medicine and often can catalyze profound
cathartic/healing experiences for the participants. The group holds
the intention of supporting the ritual as sacred. The rituals go from
midnight until dawn. Between ceremonies the facilitators offer
workshops and focus sessions in their particular areas of expertise to
deepen the experience for the participants. The event is eclectic and
welcomes people of all faiths that are willing to honor life, the
forest and the fire.
Also facilitating will be Una Gallagher, who will hold the "root fire"
where we will brew teas given to us by the forest. To read about Una
and the rest of the teachers and staff that will be joining us, please
go to the home site at www.Forestdance.net.
Forestdance History
As a trained musician with a strong interest in the relationships
between music, healing practices, fire and magic, Jason Cohen has
spent years traveling from fire to fire visiting communities and
participating in their ceremonies. He spent years as a water pourer
for his community in Jamaica Plain, MA. His experiences with the
sweat lodge led him to the fire, which in turn brought him to shamanic
and intuitive healing. The sacred dynamic fire circle ritual and
Forestdance itself has come from the balancing of many existing fire
circle ritual cultures honed into a form that honors the forest, life,
holding space for the softest voices, and not being afraid to welcome
in our own darkness so that it may be transmuted in the fire.
Sustainability, healthy food, and being in sync with our hosting land
and communities also plays an important role with Forestdance's
holistic approach. The first Forestdance happened in a rain forest
in Georgia on the harmonic concordance in 2003. Since then, the
gathering has happened 9 times in five states in the US. Jason has
traveled across the seas and to Mexico sharing and gaining knowledge
of the subtleties of the fire circle. In 2006 he was a founding
member of the non profit Fire Family Gatherings. He recently has
co-founded the heARTbeat Collective: Healing and Expressive ARTists
for Balance, Ecology, Awareness, and Transformation in Jamaica Plain,
MA, and has currently been asked to sit on the board of the Institute
of Environmental Awareness based in Petersham, MA.
Personal Experience:
During the harmonic concordance, November 8, 2003 both Cannon and
Tenasi participated in a three-day Forestdance Festival at the Hostel
in the Forest, in southern Georgia. The experience was profound for
both of us and we maintained kin-nection with Jason throughout the
years with the intention of one day bringing Forestdance down to the
Art of Union HOME community in Costa Rica. For me, Tenasi, "the
Forestdance Festival was and still is the single most effective
(non-medicinal) group healing experience I have ever participated in.
After participating for years in fire circles with semi-focused
healing intension, the Forestdance festival was a climax experience
that exceeded my highest vision of multidisciplinary prayerformance
art."
A brief description of the Forestdance festival that we participated
in: Although I had never participated in a Forestdance festival
before, I was invited as a co-facilitator to help maintain a high
vibration throughout the ceremony and to offer classes in higher limbs
yoga and sonic yoga during the afternoon sessions. The ratio of
facilitators to participants is crucial to maintain a healing
container throughout the ceremony. We were a group of 12 facilitators
for 72 participants.
We arrived the first evening at the Hostel in the Forest, located in a
deep oak tree forest in southern Georgia, and were brought into a
relaxed circle around a campfire, where one of the Forestdance
facilitators shared with us the intention and flow of the three day
ceremony.
Specifically we were prepared for the first all-night sacred/dynamic
fire circle. As part of the introduction, we were each given a piece
of paper and asked to write down (habits, addictions, fears,
relations, memories, traumas, pains, etc) that we were ready to
release.
We were then led down a winding trail through the forest to a series
of three illuminated archways or portals attended by one or two
facilitators. At each portal we were cleansed with a incense (i.e.
sage,copal, or pala santo, etc) and guided through purifying and
uplifting meditations. At the third portal was a small fire in which
we were asked to deposit our list of items that no longer served us.
We then came to a sacred fire circle along the side of a pristine
lake, and were guided to stand around the perimeter. The pure beauty
and divinity visible in the ceremonial site allowed all present to
relax into a sense of security and trust. Surrounding the central fire
was a cleared circle with a radius of about 8 meters. Along the
perimeter of this greater circle at each of the four cardinal
directions were specific alters, each illuminated with their own
color, style and source of fire (candles, etc). Between the northern
and eastern alters the circle opened up to embrace a smaller diameter
semi-circle with benches aligned in the shape of a horse-shoe for the
drummers and musicians to sit on. Behind the drummers semi-circle was
a second smaller fire circle, which was used for the preparation of
medicinal and healing teas that were prepared and offered throughout
the night to keep the group energy high and clear. A short distance
away from the circle was the "Calm Tent", decorated with tapestries,
soft sleeping areas, massage tables and comfort foods.
As the ceremony started Jason walked in a clockwise circle around the
fire, speaking lyrically and stirring the energy of the fire circle
slowly drawing the energy in. We were instructed that inside the
circle we should try to stay in motion most of the time. The drummers
began a heartbeat and Jason's speech soon transitioned into song and
his steps into a dance that began lifting the energy of the fire,
which was amplified as facilitators and eventually participants
joined.
Soon every participant was in the circle, dancing, skipping and
spinning in a clockwise direction around the fire to ecstatic
drumming. And thus the ceremony began.
Throughout the night, the tempo shifted through waves of intensity,
pulsing the healing energy and raising the vibration of the circle.
Soon people began experiencing profound healing, some smoothly, some
through dramatic outbursts of emotion, and some collapsing. Always
present to assist was a collection of facilitators, each offering
unique avenues of healing and consolation. Usually people experiencing
healing crises were nurtured back into the flow and were soon seen
smiling and dancing with more vitality than before. In severe cases,
people were escorted or carried out of the circle and brought to the
Calm area where they were attended to by healers who felt resonance to
assist.
Thus the night progressed with dozens of inspiring songs woven into
the fabric of the music. Participants were encouraged to remain in the
circle until dawn, when we celebrated the rising sun with a sacred
prayer and offerings of incense and food.
After resting for the morning hours, participants were offered a
mosaic of focus sessions, wisdom sharing shops, and healing modalities
to choose from. In the evening we celebrated with a feast, and free
time to explore, reflect, swim, sleep and prepare for the next
ceremony the following day.
The waves of increasing energy and healing reminded me of other
modalities of group healing, specifically the energy in a teepee
during a peyote ceremony; and the white tantric solstice gatherings
with the 3HO Kundalini Yogis, who sit facing a partner in long lines
while chanting or practicing intense breathing exercises. I feel that
due to the dynamic creative energy cultivated through the
multidisciplinary atmosphere of the forestdance festival, it has an
even more flowering/empowering and healing effect on the participants
than other ceremonial modalities.
Registration Details:
We are setting a limit the number of participants in the HOME Community Forestdance Festival 2008 to 52 for the first year of the production. To maintain the container for the festival will be a minimum of eight facilitators, two Art of Union organizers and three HOME village stewards.
The festival officially begins Tuesday February 19th and ends Saturday February 23rd. All participants will receive three meals a day from dinner Tuesday evening to Breakfast Saturday morning.
Participants will be given three options of participation:
Basic Fee – $333
for participants who will be camping in their own tent. Camping participants may show up as early as Sunday February 17, for an additional $11 per day, meals included.
Casita Fee - additional $111
For participants who prefer to share accommodations in one of the casitas at the HOME Village. Casita spaces are limited to 20 participants, early registration/casita reservation required!! Casita participants may show up as early as Sunday February 17, 2008 for an additional $33 per day, meals included.
Work-trade Discount Fee - $222
A maximum number of 7 work trader will be given a $111 price reduction in exchange for offering twodays of service prior to the event, four hours of seva work- trade during each day of the event and one day of service after the event.
Costa Rica Nationals and Residents Fee - $222
Costa Rican nationals who chose to offer work trade will be able to participate for $169. All work-straders are required to arrive two days prior to the evetn and to remain on site one day after the event.
Facilitator Fee - $108 camping ($208 for casita)
All facilitators in addition to the four receiving full festival scholarships (described above) will be asked to contribute financially to support the event. Facilitators are encouraged to show up several days before the event at no extra charge to help create the container for the festival.
To Register for Forestdance Costa Rica, please see
www.forestdance.org
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Costa Rica
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