metasofa workshops & events

artists support workshops

"Yes, the world is an illusion.  But Truth is always being shown there."
        - Subhani (via Idries Shah, 1970)   [more quotes]

these workshops are for artists in any media (words, images, sculpture, music, dance, film, software, architecture, etc) who live and work in spiritual consciousness (with any, all, or no particular religious affiliation).  they continue to be a good opportunity for us to dedicate quality time and attention to our creative processes and our experiences and identities as artists, in a safe supportive non-critical non-competitive environment (and with no smoking or drugs), so we can make better friends with our muses, ourselves, and each other! :-)

one day per month we do an all-day workshop including personal and group meditation time, 5-minute autobiographies, collaborative tale spinning, and about 1/2 hour per person for presenting work to the whole group without interruption or criticism, or as each presenter prefers to use the time.  please bring a completed work that you can present in 5 minutes as your introduction to everyone, and also any completed work(s) or work-in-progress for your 30-minute presentation.  join us any time during lunch between noon and 1pm.  if you wish, bring home-made vegetarian food to share for lunch and/or dinner (organic vegan prefered).  we will provide plenty of organic vegan soup, bread, fruit, tea, etc for lunch & dinner.

we also have artists support group meetings one or two evenings per month for those who have attended a workshop and are familiar with the group process.  for more info, come to a workshop or movie night.

food workshops

"bless this food, everywhere it's been, and everywhere it's going... yum, yum!"
        - metasofa tradition   [more quotes]

truly good nutritious food (and clean air and water) are essential for healthy physical and spiritual functioning, while many foods and additives (and pollution) that we take for granted seriously inhibit our functioning.  the purpose of this workshop is to provide simple, true, and practical information on this subject.

once a month, we spend the afternoon preparing some favorite recipes from the metasofa community restaurant, including organic whole-grain sourdough breads, veggie pancakes, sprouted stuff, various shades & hues of green-drink, healthy cookies and munchies, yum yum!  all ingredients, utensils, etc will be provided (call with special requests or contributions)

transcendent movie nights

from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1991),
    tran-scend  (from Latin 'trans'+'scandere', to climb across)
        (vt 1b) to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of
        (vi) to rise above or extend notably beyond ordinary limits
    tran-scen-dent
        (adj 3) transcending the universe or material existence

this is a good chance for us to see movies which are each other's top favorites, so bring only movies you already know and love!  the general theme is 'transcendent art', anything that is transcendent art, or is about transcendent art, whatever 'transcendent art' means to you... (see the transcendent movie index for some folks' opinions of transcendence ;-)

the evening's program is not predetermined, but is decided by consensus.  each person describes the movie(s) they are sponsoring, and we decide on a program which is agreeable to everyone present.

it's ok to come without a movie, certainly don't feel obligated to rent one (but we may agree to share rental costs for the ones we watch).  feel free to bring food to share, or to not share (like it's ok to bring your dinner and eat it all yourself), vegetarian please, and no smoking or drugs.  feel free to bring your favorite friends, and their favorite movies too...  stay up late! and stay overnight if you wish (bring a sleeping bag)

movies start at 7pm, casual vegetarian dinner at 6pm.  no rsvp necessary, just show up, but you can call first if you want to make sure it's happening, or if you need directions (don't give up if the machine answers first, start talking so we know it's you).  see you!

frequently asked questions & general info

Alice: "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
Cheshire Cat: "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
  (from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1865)   [more quotes]

what are the workshops like?

the groups have been small (3-10 people), and diverse in age (15-64 years) religion and culture (buddhist, physicist, pagan, christian, jewish, bahai) art media (words, images, music, dance, film, etc) and experience (students, amateurs, professionals).  this workshop process works well with smaller groups of people who each take seriously their existence / relationships / creativity / evolution, but not too seriously...

when and where?

dates & times can be found in the current metasofa news. location changes depending on weather, people, etc... during the winter we've been meeting at people's houses. during the summer, we may do some workshop weekends with wilderness camping.  call a few days before if you're not sure of the location, or if you need directions, or can give / need a ride... or if it's too far to travel, make an artists support community wherever you are, and join us in a virtual meta-community of metasofa artists.

what's the cost?

for the all-day artists support workshop, suggested donation $10.00 - $10,000,000 (sliding scale) and/or contribution in some useful form toward development of the workshops and metasofa community.  the food workshop is $10 including everything.  movie night is free, but please bring a favorite movie.  parents free when accompanied by a child.  satisfaction guaranteed or your money cheerfully refunded.

"The workshop is about artists (and we are all artists) offering each other
  a supportive environment to renew our creative energies and urges..."
        - Barb Rich (mga e-flyer 1998 Sept)