Social Presencing Theater
Social Presencing Theater, Theory U and meditation – an invitation to explore and promote the connection between inner life, relational and spatial awareness, and action confidence. This programme will be taught in English and in French.
Social Presencing Theater
Overview
In our highly challenging times, what does it take to apply art and the power of mindfulness, awareness and compassion to the transformation of our situations, communities, organizations and systems? What does life call us to do, when it calls the best in us?
These are two key questions that Social Presencing Theater, Arawana Hayashi’s life work, addresses and helps us move forward.
We invite you to embark with us on a five-day journey to slow down, learn and practice the tools of SPT and Theory U, and strengthen the connection between your inner life, relational and spatial awareness, and action confidence.
”You have a tremendous responsibility: the first is to yourself, to become gentle and genuine; the second is to work for others in the same way. It is very important to realize how powerful all of us are.”
– Chögyam Trungpa, True Perception: The Path of Dharma Art
What we’ll do
The program will include daily
- Morning meditation practices
- SPT practices: movement and embodied exercises in awareness, collective play and improvisation, embodied systems mapping, and reflection dialogues.
- We will cover the following practices: 20-Minute Dance, Duets, Groups of 5, Village, 4D mapping, Seed Dance, Field Dance.
- Theory U and Presencing practices: 3D model systems mapping, journaling-visualization, and case clinic.
Our approach will be one of exploration and discovery rather than performance.
What is SPT
Social Presencing Theater (SPT) is a pioneer Social Art form created in service of systems change. It brings together the contemplative arts tradition, movement theater, Presencing, mindfulness and compassion-based practices.
This method is designed to make significant situations visible and explore their emerging future possibilities. SPT puts into action the creative potential of Theory U, and reveals the wisdom in every social system and supports movement towards healthier futures.
“Since there are always multiple causes and conditions holding us back or stretching us in different directions, we need a method that allows us to feel the richness of our situation and also shows us a direction and a place to put our next step.”
– Arawana Hayashi, Social Presencing Theater: The Art of Making a True Move
See a video presentation of SPT here.
Meet Arawana Hayashi describing the root principle of SPT in an interview with Otto Scharmer.
Theory U and Presencing
Theory U is an awareness-based systems change methodology, developed under the leadership of Otto Scharmer and grounded in the MIT’s tradition of action research.
Theory U posits that the quality of what we co-create in the world is a function of the quality of our attention to what is wanting to emerge. This profound attention to the emerging future is what is called Presencing. One of Theory U’s groundbreaking contribution is to put Social Arts and Presencing at the heart of systems change processes. You can read more here.
“In order to operate in the complexity of this century, we have to do some inner work.”
– Otto Scharmer, Theory U: Leading from the Future As it Emerges
Who is it for?
This program is open to all: whether you’re an SPT or Theory U practitioner or completely new to the field. Come as you are, and let’s practice together!
”When our heart is full, humans naturally long to express themselves.”
– Chögyam Trungpa
Practical information
This programme is taught in English and in French.
Arrival day: Saturday, 16 March. You are invited to arrive at 4 pm to check in and settle into your room. Dinner is served at 6:45 pm.
End of programme: Thursday, 21 March. Closing circle and celebration in the evening.
Departure day: Friday, 22 March. No programme. You are welcome to stay for breakfast.
Professional certification and funding
For professionals seeking certification, this retreat counts as an SPT-Basics course in the certification pathways of the u-school
For participants who have access to professional training fundings through a French OPCO, please reach out to Agathe at [email protected] before January 31st 2024. The price and payment of the training will be processed through her professional organization.
