I remember you going into a "character" once during one of the group improv sessions. The character had distinctive faces and sounds. Can you say a little more about the use of characters in Shamanic Improvisation practice?
I use character development as a way of advancing the expression from within. Allowing a character to emerge typically releases the deeper impulses into recognized form. You could equate this to soul infusing form or spiritualizing matter. When a character emerges encompassing posture, movement and voice it now has the ability to tell a story and communicate with the present reality. This requires a developed aspect of vocabulary of improvisation that I refer to as the "self director". This is similar to the "I Am" presence or inner observer that evolves as we deepen a spiritual practice. There is an awareness that something other than the ego is watching. The intent of this discovery is that we are now dancing and vocalizing with the steady application of "Now" impulses emerging rather than ego. The "self director" is discerning the path similar to the aspiration that the soul is infusing the personality and thus the personality is discerning the source, the soul purpose.
If and when we are in the "Now" the authentic character is inevitably present and the organic story of soul infused self emerges, albeit, one breath and one moment at a time. Like the spiritual practice of "Nowness" a deep frequency of trust in the unknown is unavoidable, in fact, necessary. However, if the character experiences that moment of fear or hesitation and avoidance then that becomes the character. One ultimately needs to be committed to what is truly present. This does not negate the observer's position it just simply allows what is to be present as the teachings of Eckhart Tolle might explain. You now embrace that indeed ego has moved in and so love the ego while all the while intentioning the deepening of original source.
As a result the development of character requires a very deep commitment to vulnerability. It is understandable that character emergence is only synonymous with how genuine we are in each moment. It's an exploration of unveiling the inner self. In its simple form we do dance between the worlds in regards to dancing the levels of personality as in ego. This dance tends to exemplify our ego dance of emotions, physical boundries and mental ideologies. However the bridge between the worlds is always there if we dare to go there.
In the Shamanic aspect of characters we are inviting the soul that speaks or the guides that guide to come into form. You could equate this to channelling or the experience of a shaman dancing and vocalizing spirit. This is when the character may not be recognizable from the "ordinary" view of consciousness. This is actually where my expertise shines. When these characters emerge my whole presence is involved and listening as is the character. These are moments of revelation and collective shared consciousness. Now messages from the collective soul emerge and typically speak to everyone in some shape or fashion. This is also an invitation for our soul brothers and sisters to have a voice, yes, as in our Star and Earth Nations, ET's.
The extraordinary part of this emergence is that the mere caliber of energy for them to surface alters not only the individual expressing but those who are in the company of this expression. It is truly when our altered realities are brought forth and the inner medicine of self is shared.
Now if you take this further as in a group experiencing this heightened state you inevitably invite a council of be-ings who now have the ability to exponentially empower the experience and communications. This begins the presentation of interactive dialoguing of multi-dimensional realms. Anything can happen here and everything is enthused...our illumined minds, body, spirit, molecules and cellular memory. The doors of infinity are wide open, portals are available to an unending existence of realities.
As you can imagine this can be very unnerving yet as we dare to go mysteries can be revealed and healing on a multitude of levels can be experienced. This now leads me into the deeper aspects of my work. This is where sacred geometry, fractal and acoustical physics and deeper studies of energy are applied. There is no limitations. The entire universe is open to us now.
You may be asking at this point how do we get there? That is a good question. It is engagement of my own multidimensional self that intuitively provides the prompts of opening these portal doors. I sense where the portals are and the readiness of the individual and group. With that information I am guided as how to proceed, adapt and rearrange the exercises. At the very foundation of this work I nurture intention and the concept of energy and all its ramifications and brilliance of limitlessness. Of course it all begins with the participants willingness to go the distance, dance between the worlds. Without consent and open mindedness there can be no journey of what I speak. As a result as you can imagine it is quite a unique character to begin with that is attracted to this journey. I would say there is a deeper call from within that is simply yearning for something more and yearning for validation of their multidimensional self.
You were involved with a dance company called Shaumbra Dance Theater Company. What message did you hope to convey with the company's performances? What did you hope the audience, whether of the theater company or any other Shamanic Improvisation performance, gets out of the experience?
Shaumbra Dance Theater Company of Consciousness was co-founded by myself and Tamarah Jonason, a professional Ballet Dancer and then included Rebecca Hahn, Dance-Movement Therapist, performance artist and dancer, as a prominent Company Member and co-creator. We came together knowing our dance expertise had retired from the traditional venues of dance for dance sake. We shared a vision of consciousness through our art and devoted our past 20 plus productions to the greater purpose of world awakening. The performances themed around a universal vision or message and all the performances produced and co-created by the three of us were full length shows that movement was scored but never choreographed. We would use many improvisation and intuitive techniques to stay connected to one another, the movement and the theme. Brilliantly we co-created top of the line productions to eventually be housed at Enthios Art Venue, Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
The uniqueness of our backgrounds challenged and succeeded at dissolving the typical boundries and finding the co-creation between the varied disciplines. Each one of us had strong expertise and disciplines in the art of dance and production.
Our intention was always to enthuse thus the name "Enthios" and a derivative and dedication to Christopher Lantz and the House of Symphonies.
The productions were inevitably a collection of local professional and nonprofessional artists. We were determined to enthuse human potential by eliminating any boundaries based upon experience or lack of or status quo of who was eligible or not. Our intent was to integrate all with integrity and respect of whatever one's talent might be. Many productions were actually created for and by the talent that was participating. There was always an invitation to participate with no expectation of how to perform just a desire to perform. This proved to be invigorating and inspiring for the community.
Every production was created as if we were on Broadway. Professional lights, sound and attitude was the perks we offered. Everyone was a star in these shows. Intention was the joining force.