2009 April 10-13: Easter Arts

Developing the Spirit through Art as Practice

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain."
- T.S.Eliot

Spirituality and art share much in both being explorations of inspiration. The Other Power of spirituality and the Artist's Muse are forces that establish traditions of expression through human activity that is "for its own sake" yet speaks of the deepest meanings of which people are capable. Thus much of the greatest art is religious art, the world's spiritual literature includes some of its greatest poetry and prose, even secular art speaks of an influence that goes beyond the mundane, and art itself in all its diversity is a language of the Spirit. One does not have to be highly talented to participate in this. One of the aims of Amida Trust is to make it possible for ordinary people to participate, not merely be a passive audience. To this end the Trust sponsors pandramatics, poetry days, and a range of workshops. Easter is the time of rebirth after winter darkness. Let us meet together and have a collective flowering. Different participants may be drawn to different modalities of work, but all can stimulate and inspire one another.

During these four days we shall have opportunities to practice arts including:

Plastic Arts: Painting, collage, craftwork, construction of art works, flower arranging, etc.

Performance Arts: using the pandramatics approach to improvisation

Verbal Arts: Poetry, writing, scripting, etc.

Each day will include periods for creative work, seminars on method and meaning, and gatherings for sharing. The aim is to establish a creative community for the four days. Participants are, of course, also welcome to arrive early or stay longer if they wish to extend the time they devote to this work. The art room is always available.

This workshop counts half credit for psychotherapy students, ie full attendance gives you two days of staff contact
hours plus one day peer learning and costs you two days attendance fees.