Singing Alive Seed Library

 

SINGING ALIVE 2012
Aug. 31 - Sept. 3rd

~ location to be announced ~

 

What is Singing Alive??
 Now in its 5th year, Singing Alive is a gathering of the SongTribes, birthed in the bosom of the Pacific NW (Cascadia) eco-festivals. It is about bringing people together who feel called to awaken, and nuture their spiritual life thru communion with songs (and prayers, chants, blessings, and so om) of celebration of life in this benevolent universe. Such songs clarify our lives, strengthen our communities, and foster personal and planetary renewal. At Singing Alive we gather to share them, and ourselves, in a safe, welcoming environment. Our goal is to open hearts, and the songs are the keys. These songs are multi-cultural, coming to us from many eras and lands far and near. Together they tell a perennial story, a Gaian dharma, so often forgotten, yet so joyfully remembered, of the Great work of spiritual evolution, of earth-conscious living and peaceful co-existence. By singing this story we come home to Ourselves and perform the Dream of re-Creation we have so longed to live. Singing Alive is intended to hold space for this Dream to emerge and manifest, to give people resources and support for this initiatory transition we are ALL, consciously or not, with grace or in denial, going thru.

Singing Alive is part of a growing global 'song culture' which is knitting itself, and the world, together, thru the harmonics of communion with our common spiritual heritage. This culture has been fragmented by various diasporas, neglected as community rituals have secularized, atrophied as singing professionalized, and devitalized as songs became disposable consumer items. However, it appears the innate urge to sing to, with, and as, the glories, and often terrible beauties of this world, is something that may be suppressed, but is never forgotten!

Singing Alive exists to encourage the remembrance of this deep desire to sing from the heart. It provides resources in the form of, 1) songs, 2) the community to sing them, and 3) support for those of us who want to live the teachings, the sadhana, of the songs. We therefore invite all who wish to activate and nurture their spiritual life in this way. We call all who long to gather in devotion to personal and planetary regeneration.

Singing Alive offers itself as a ceremonial space in the vibrant magic of river meadows in coastal rainforest, a chrysalis in which participants can rebirth, grow, enliven, and enlighten themselves in attunement with the Garden of the Divine family of Creation. The old paradigms of domination, exploitation, and war are fitfully, yet inexorably, crumbling, and a new genre of songs have (re)emerged that reflect and celebrate the new paradigm of love, light, and the pursuit of blissful service to the world. By engaging our hearts in song, we help actualize this paradigm in ourselves and the collective. This is subtle activism, nourishment for a spiritually hungry world. Our intent is to invite singers and musicians who can share songs of this genre, which work in the format of communal singing. This is not an entertainer / audience gathering; rather it is aparticipatory event, a co-prayformance, where we all sing together, and work together to make this happen. Those who don't think they can sing are encouraged to come and claim the birthright of a singing species! Remember the wise African proverb, 'If you can walk, then you can dance, if you can talk, then you can sing'!

'What is the key to untie the knot of the mind's suffering? Benevolent thought,sound, and movement.' - from The Gift, by 14th-century Sufi poet Hafiz

 

 

A Teaching and Sharing Gathering
Song-Circles of all sizes,
Dances of Universal Peace,
Voice & Breathwork,
Midwiving New Languages & Reclaiming the Ancient Ones,
Bardic Legacies and Storytelling,
Creating & Sharing Songbooks & Songbook Art

Traditions (Song Tribes)
Rainbow, African, Shamanic, Daime, Orisha, Osho, Cascadia, Native American, Amma, Sufi, Gospel, Kirtan, and omward . . .

Themes and Invocations
Peace within, Peace without, God/Goddess Exaltations, the Elements, Fairies & Devas, Blessings, Gratitude, Grief & Praise, Planetary Acupuncture, Human Flowering, Children Circles, Harmonic Toning, and song on . .

We aim to keep the event affordable and accessible to all who wish to attend. As in Cheap! To this end, we ask everybody to volunteer their time and talents. Everyone is asked to bring food to contribute to the community kitchen. Everyone is requested to help cook, clean, and do the necessary tasks to keep our village running smoothly.

ORIGINS ~
The idea for this gathering was conceived on July 16, 2005 by Michael Pilarski (Skeeter) , & Morgan Brent (MT Xen).
Skeeter is an wildcrafter and large-scale gardener, permaculturalist, educator, and the founder of many gatherings, including the Okanagon Barter Faire, the Northwest Herbal Faire, and the Human & Fairy Relations Congress. For more info, go to Friends of the Trees Society
MT is an educator, event organizer, and song enthusiast, who specializes in the prescriptive teachings of medicinal plants, aka Nature's plan to save the humans. In service to this guidance, he writes articles and essays, gives talks and discussion forums, births and gives haven to songs, and makes medicines of all kinds, among them events both large (Singing Alive gatherings), and small (Creation-song circles)

SCHEDULE ~
This is a 4 day Singing Alive, so there is plenty time to strreettccchh out and in to the xperience. Feel free to arrive anytime Thursday (and possibly earlier if you contact me and request . . ) if you wish, as we shall start Friday morning with whoever has arrived. Everyday (Fri., Sat., Sun., and Mon.) at 9:30 am (or so) we all gather in a MORNING CIRCLE, to altar the day and introduce the events to come. There will then be 2-3 smaller circles, both in the morning, (10:00 ~ 11:30/12), and in the afternoon (2:30 to 4/4:30). At 5:30 we gather again in an AFTERNOON CIRCLE, to close out the day and introduce dinner and the evening events, which are mostly free-form fire circles that take on a life of their own. There will be a little marketplace /barter faire happening mid-day on Sunday in which all are invited to participate if you have somethings to sell or otherwise exchange.

COSTS ~
At en-trance ~~ full 4-day weekend $90, $25 per day.
In advance ~~ full weekend $70 before Aug. 1, $80 between Aug. 1 - Sept. 1, $20 per day.
1/2 price for teens 13-17 with parents, children 12 and under free.

for pre-registration, please send a check to:
Morgan Brent
1631 NE Broadway, #426
Portland, OR 97232

make check out to: 'Common Ground Wellness Center'

or send $ thru Paypal ~~

Singing Alive 2012

LOCATION ~
 The late summer Singing Alive NW event has, after 5 years, outgrown its usual location, and we are looking for a new site for 2012. Parameters are: a relatively secluded place in W Washington, or NW Oregon, with meadows, trees, potable water, ideally a river or lake, minimal electricity and kitchen infrastructure, that could handle 250+ people. If you know of possibilities, let us know @ xen@singingalive.org

RIDE SHARE ~

ACCOMODATIONS ~

FOOD ~
The food vision for this event is to run it as a great potluck (food for everyone, no vendors), with us, the focalizers/organizers, providing most staples, such as grains, condiments, cooking oils, kitchen infrastructure, and a person(s) who's task it is to run the whole thing. Since it will be harvest season, there should be much abundance out there. Bring what fruits and vegetables you can to feed the Family! Everything will be vegetarian, and as organic as possible. Bring your own bowls/plates/utensils.

VOLUNTEERING ~
We would like everyone who is able, to contribute a few hours to the smooth running of the event. Tasks include childcare, regisration, firewood gathering, circle recording, food prep, washing dishes, clean up, errand running, etc. We'll ask for volunteers for the needs of the day at the morning circle, and leave it to you, and your karmic guidance to keep to your commitments. There will also be a volunteer coordinator to assist u in this . .

THINGS TO BRING ~

DOGS ~

WISH LIST ~

and. . . Singing Alive sampler Cds (9 hr mp3) recorded on site, can be ordered here ~ http://singingalive.org/cds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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