http://www.theatrebayarea.org/Programs/Annual-Conference.cfm

……

Barron Scott Levkoff aka Professor Violet     profviolet@gmail.com
‘…quality of play is a direct reflection on HOW YOU PLAY…’

- James Carse

Personal writings and projects: www.mysticmidway.com
Our recent Mythic Adventure in Palenque, Mexico: www.palenque2012.org
Our ‘uniquely San Franisco’ event production company: www.themoralminority.net
Our ‘sexy arty party’ spreading across the globe: www.kinkysalon.com
Our community run venue in The Mission, SF: www.missioncontrolsf.org
Our free PDF download of The Beauty Engine Guidebook: http://beautyengine.org/the-book/

Inquiries:
As we move from a consumer based culture into a CREATOR CULTURE, how can we embrace THE POWER OF PLAY and CREATIVE COMMUNITY as means for accelerating this shift?
How can we give people the means to co-create deeply meaningful ‘MYTHIC’ experiences for themselves and others?
How can understanding of the narratives and techniques working ‘behind the curtains’ of popular entertainment & traditions such as street fair and festivals, improv, living history models, costume cultures, gaming culture, flashmobs and the multitude of creative communities emerging today inform our efforts in crafting better experiences…ones crafted OF, BY and FOR the participants, ones in which all participants come out transformed?
What lessons can we learn from the triumphs and mistakes of our innovative, playful, creative communities?
What tools & principles can we embrace as facilitators to encourage ‘authentic presence, abundant behavior, heartfelt connection, spirited collaboration, and the sharing of gifts’?

A few tools & techniques  for crafting deeper, more engaging experiences…

• Hold the intention for possibility & transformation- ‘all things are crouched in eagerness to realize their potential…’
• Weave an ‘inviting openness’ into your creations
• Let the participants know that their creativity is an essential part of the experience
• Host & curate using creative themes, playful containers, inspiring playing fields- ‘celebration as alchemical vehicles…’
• Make the rules of play transparent, invite the players to help craft them- ‘…infinite players play WITH rules…’
• Empower the players to maintain and uphold these rules or ‘dynamics’- ‘distribute accountability amongst the community’
• As directors and leaders, be sure to play at your own game- players don’t trust ‘Game masters’ who refuse to play by their own game rules
• Always keep the center open and invite surprise, potential, possibility, innovation & MYSTERY
• Integrate the findings, discoveries, creative value and reflections earned through PLAY…back into your game!

A few inspiring books and resources:
Finite and Infinite Games: A vision of life as play and possibility- James Carse
The Engineers of the Imagination Tony Coult and Baz Kershaw  
The Death and Resurrection show: From shaman to superstar, Rogan P Taylor
The Theater of The Marvelous: Surrealism and The Contemporary Stage- Gloria Orenstein
Psychomagic:The Transformative Power of Shamanic Psychotherapy – Alejandro Jodorowsky
Ariel Spilsbury- The 13 Moon Oracle

Feels a little outdated now but its still gots lots of good stuff and the outline and tools of how we craft creative community and experiences still holds up nicely!

It contains much of the science behind how we produced our recent PALENQUE 2012 event.

http://beautyengine.org/the-book/

Palenque 2012 was the culmination of a kind of social experience i’ve been looking for for over 15 years.
I’ve been attempting to integrate the experiences i had on the trip for almost a month now and am still reeling from the many profound gifts and inspirations i received. What a doozy!
I am SO GRATEFUL to all those that contributed their time, energy, resources, inspiration, gifts, support, creativity, goodwill, vision, prayers and blessings in pulling off so beautifully what was a TRULY ASTOUNDING MYTHIC ADVENTURE!

Here are the top three most successful aspects of the PALENQUE 2012 MYTHIC ADVENTURE which really stand out in my mind:

#1 CELEBRATION AS AN EVOLUTIONARY VEHICLE!
So what do i mean by this?
I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing and participating in some pretty amazing social events over the past 25 years. I’ve seen celebration serve both  personal and collective evolution for many years now. I’ve been studying the qualities of these events that have had a profoundly positive effect on my consciousness and very intentionally wove in their  techniques, tools and scripts into PALENQUE 2012 with Polly. I guess i really am an ‘pro-human activist’ of sorts in this regard and our Mythic Adventure helped me to realize this.
We celebrated AND we evolved. Well, i did.
I had deeply mythic experiences which transformed me and i have come out the other side changed. From what i’ve gathered so far, most of the other players have as well.  I came back more devoted to the power of creative community and mythic experience than ever before.
The Science of Celebration worked well in PALENQUE!
Sometimes we forget to nurture our intentions and allow ‘the party’ to numb us rather than help us to wake up, but this was not one of those occasions.
May we continue to come together in celebration of what it is to be fully human and ALIVE, to celebrate in creative, conscious community and to WAKE UP TOGETHER!

..or in Caroline Casey’s words regarding celebration as an evolutionary force-

‘we’re ready for the lightning of Reverent Ingenuity to strike the circle (of how we gather) into a spiral of the next creative experimental realm of applied mojo.’

#2 Creative engagement played a major role!
I think if someone were to ask me what my Spirituality was, i would have to say-
‘being creative’.
I find that creativity puts me in touch with Purpose, Beauty, Strength, Wonder, Mystery, Awe …and for lack of a better word ‘The Divine’,  more than anything else in my life.
Creativity brings a sense of purpose and meaning to my life that gives me the means by which to connect with my fellow persons in a way that nothing else can.
Exploring my creativity continues to provide me access to the flowing currents of life, light, energy and inspiration that fuels ALL  my work and play!
So naturally i was very happy at how creativity played a key role at the event by giving all of us the chance to connect within ourselves to our inner currents & energies…and then join that energy outwards with each other.
It was really inspiring to watch our group connect with the  locals through the process of creating art together…it created the most wonderful vibe!
The event was crafted in a way that enabled everyone to participate in ways that were suited to their comfort levels as well as gently encouraging them to explore new avenues and modes of expression.

#3 The spirit of THE GIFT!
This was probably the biggest source of SHIFT that occurred in my consciousness.
Being immersed in a heartfelt container in which people were sometimes falling over themselves  to share…was healing, inspiring, nurturing and affirming on many levels.
Polly and I hosted PALENQUE 2012 as a gift to our community & the world as an intentional act of AFFIRMATION towards GIFTING and GIFT CULTURE.
Now don’t get me wrong, i had misgivings about creating an event for free for my friends and was hesitant to come onboard at first. Polly set out with laying down the groundwork of the event before i was even convinced it was a good idea!
I’ve noticed in creative communities that there is a lot of heated dialogue right now around ‘being valued’ for your gifts and ‘getting paid’.
Now the thing is, creating experiences is MY ART and it GIVES ME JOY…so if i always wait around to get paid to do what i do…i’m not going to be doing what i love as much as i would like to!
Its a sort of ‘Catch 22′ many creative people get stuck into.
I notice that when i get stuck in the ‘am i getting paid?’ mentality my access to my ART, MY CRAFT and MY ENTHUSIASM drops drastically. So finally i decided “F*** IT, lets do it!’
I also thought- ‘hey, its 2012 for goodness sake and we’ve been invited to host an invite near the Maya Pyramids with a group of creative, fun friends for Spring Equinox, WHATS MY FRICKIN PROBLEM!!!??’
That voice of scarcity and fear is strong though, isn’t it? It persisted up to and even into the event itself. In Palenque, when i was tired and overwhelmed with the tasks at hand…i found myself saying-
‘OH FOR GODS SAKE I’M NOT EVEN GETTING PAID FOR THIS ____!’
Being immersed in a temporary community dedicated to the sharing of gifts and creating art/ was not only incredibly healing (and reminded me of another dusty event back in the 1990’s) but ACCELERATED MY DESIRE TO SHARE EVEN MORE.
….

The following also played a huge role in making the event a success, in my mind:
Palenque 2012 was:

•  A true reflection of the participants.
• Embraced a spirit of playful adventure, exploration
• A Loosely facilitated collaborative structure with accountable players
• A rich dialogue between the SACRED and PROFANE
• Wove intention into the mix (through ritual, ceremony, offerings, blessings, prayers and meditations) in ways that weren’tt creepy or too heavy handed.
• SUPER FUN
• not only ‘LEFT NO TRACE’ but LEFT THE CONTAINER BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT!

Personally speaking, Palenque 2012 was the ‘Burning Man’ experience i’ve always wanted!
It’s true that, in part, PALENQUE 2012 was a constructive response as a community builder and experience designer to early formative experiences i had out in the desert.
My first time on the playa back in 1997 my camp burned down and was replaced WITHIN HOURS by the POWER OF THE GIFT. A very humbling and profound awakening for me then!
Radical Self-Expression, a core tenant central to The BMAN Festival serves its purpose to an extent…but what about RADICAL COLLABORATION and RADICAL PRESENCE?
The EGO can only shout over each other for so long, like the proverbial art cars, blasting louder and louder and louder…
Caroline Casey herself said recently in regards to the ENVISON FESTIVAL down in Costa Rica-
‘how can a festival that blast thousands of watts of sound on multiple speakers in the rain forest be called REVERENT?’
….

My experience in Palenque gave me a powerful dose of the value of both COLLABORATION and HEARTFELT PRESENCE.
It reminded me that as Stewards & Pioneers of community science & ‘party-as-achemical-vehicle’…its is VITAL that we tend to the feminine aspects of our pursuits.
Nurturing the reflective, watery, ‘YIN’, heartfelt, emotional, process-oriented, communicative, ‘being fully present’ aspect of outward community action yields a quality of experience otherwise not possible!

We are in times that say- CHANGE OR DIE, so forgive me if i’m hurting anyone’s feelings.
Its not me that’s throwing down the gauntlet, i feel it is EVOLUTION ITSELF inviting us to STEP UP OUR GAME. (literally in our case!!!)

PALENQUE 2012 showed me that these two paths, CELEBRATION and EVOLUTION when woven together, enliven the other in ways that ARE UNIMAGINABLY AWESOME!

Palenque 2012- an invitation to Mythic Adventure
Palenque 2012 has rolled out into an artistic expression of people coming together to celebrate Maya Culture,  collaborate creatively and celebrate community as an evolutionary agent for change.
One of our intentions for this event is for all participants to experience the value of participating in community that supports creative collaboration and celebrates each others authentic expressions & gifts.
When Heros venture out on mythic adventures they come back with amazing stories and laden with golden gifts…what stories and gifts will YOU bring back?
Come dive with us into the incredibly lush landscape of Palenque 2012 and into mythic realms frequented by fantastic characters, bewildering realities and untold treasures!
Its MYTHIC ADVENTURE TIME!

Preparing for your Mythic Adventure
So onwards and inwards to adventure!!
This event invites us as creative players to step deeper into the realms of MYTHIC ADVENTURE.
What mythic personas might you embody: Hero, Shaman, Priestess, Fool, Mythic Explorer, Dionysian Mystic, Goddess…?
What gifts of INNER GOLD might we share or discover on our path?
How might we use our INNER GOLD to meet the mythic challenges that might face us?
How might we help our fellow players in wielding their INNER GOLD?
What dreams or visions might we like to explore in the fabulous mythic setting of Palenque?
As EXPERIENCE DESIGNERS, what kind of experiences might we be able to host for others and thus raise the level of  MYTHIC GOODNESS for everyone?
What will we bring back out of the jungle afterwards as CHAMPIONS of CREATOR CULTURE?
How might we embrace THE CREATIVE PROCESS in service to our adventures?

The Mythic Adventure Totem Areas- ‘setting the stage for adventure’
Perhaps you’ve prepared some sort of  artistic offering ahead of time, thought a little about how you want to play and what you might  like to experience on your adventure.
We invite you to explore the
The totem areas of the Palenque 2012 event site are designed to assist us in diving deeper into our experience.
7 areas, each with their distinct vibe and focus, will provide a landscape for our inner heroes journey as well as space for the social alchemy of our group to unfold.
These social areas, prepared by fellow participants the week before the event will give people a place to hang out, connect, create, host and share various kinds of experiences.
As experience designers, we know that these kind of social spaces are essential in allowing connection, stories and sharing to unfold…each a vibrant thread weaving into the whole.
What MYTHIC TAPESTRY will we weave together?

Look for the simple guidelines, questions, activity suggestions and Totem animal images marking each area!

Mythic Adventure Questions
These questions will help you identify the archetypes (various persona’s and mythic characters), challenges, treasures and wisdom you may encounter on your adventure!
The Mythic PLAYERS
Who are you and what role do you play on the Mythic stage of your life (or at least on this adventure)?
What archetypal qualities do you have?
Mythic name? Bonus points for origin story & personal manifesto!
(We have many selves…describe one you wish to share now)
Your ALLIES
Who are the allies that you draw strength, support and inspiration from?
An ally can be any person or being but may also be a quality or concept.
Your INNER GOLD
What inner gold shines within you?
What form of gift does your inner gold take on in the world?
Your SHADOW MEDICINE
What shadows have you or are you now facing within yourself?
What keeps you from your inner gold?
EMBRACING THE MYSTERY
How do you embrace uncertainty, experience beyond understanding and that which is beyond knowing?
Why would you?
Getting ALCHEMICAL
What affords you the power of transformation in your life?
How do you wield you INNER GOLD to embrace change and fluidity?
Your PRESCRIPTIONS
Name something that has helped you bring your inner gold into the world.
It could be a practice, an inspiration, an activity, a saying, an ally…etc.
STEWARDSHIP
How do you serve others and/or your community?
In what ways do you support others in realizing their inner gold?
INVITATIONS
What invitations do you wish to extend to others?
Invitations to journey, to play, to create, to explore, to ….

Getting MYTHIC
So what is it that brings adventure into the MYTHIC REALM?
When people think about the term MYTHIC they usually think of ‘make believe’ or ‘fantasy’.
We are using the term MYTHIC to suggest looking at ourselves and life in new ways.
We are inviting you to go a little deeper, open a little wider to new things and venture out a little further than you might normally.
What ARCHETYPES, persona’s and mythic players move within you and your life in ways that perhaps you have not noticed before?
What signs, messengers, portents, challenges and inititations await you on this adventure?
Let the Totem Animal areas at the Palenque event inspire you in sharing stories, tuning into new ideas, new viewpoints and to consider life from new perspectives!
As brave adventurers into new times, what INNER GOLD have you discovered within yourself that you can share with others?
Even if you feel like you havn’t figured out what your INNER GOLD looks like yet, by just being willing to take a HEROIC  look inside yourself- you begin to glow, alight and inspire others to do the same!

What does ‘Mythic Adventure’ mean to you?
For me, ‘Mythic Adventure’ means diving into deeply meaningful, transformational experiences in which i get to truly play THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME, living as fully as i can dream!
Mythic Adventures are drenched in BEAUTY, filled with AWE and reveal WONDERS that awaken us and MARVELOUS moments that INSPIRE us.
We rise together to meet the challenges of our lives by embracing and sharing our INNER GOLD, that inner fire which illuminates and animates us.
By calling upon our INNER GOLD, we find the means to meet the players, challenges and initiations life presents us with GRACE and MASTERY.
By embodying as MYTHIC PLAYERS, we find ourselves, again and again, waking as both playwright and player, in cowritten stories of INFINITE SCOPE.
Embracing ‘THE MYTHIC’ dares us to expand and open to the ECSTATIC POSSIBILITIES of life.
Are YOU the HERO in the EPIC movie of your life?

Creator Culture ON THE RISE
Palenque 2012 is a reflection of what is unfolding around the planet today.
Creative communities everywhere are rallying in celebration of THE INNER GOLD, MYTHIC ADVENTURE, MYTHIC PLAYERS and all these good things…though they might refer to them in different terms.
So what happens when all these Mythic Adventurers, experience designers and creative communities start connecting in conscious conversation and collaboration?
A Creator Culture begins to emerge!
As it rises, so too does the invitation for everyone to become experience designing, culture building, tool sharing and creatively engaged players!
Creator Culture does not reject Consumer Culture, no;  it has the ability to digest and integrate old FINITE games (defined by winners and losers) into a NEW INFINITE GAME (defined by increasing the quality of play for all players- James Carse)
Creator Culture welcomes everyone into the play, encourages all of its players to become thoroughly engaged.
Creator Culture recognizes the latent seeds of renewal and goodness everywhere, in everything and in everyone!
When we are creatively engaged we are filled with a life affirming desire to connect to, purify and share those expressions and perceptions that fill us with delight, fill us with life.

Community operates as a lamp for holding the luminosity of our INNER GOLD when consciously stewarded through the science of good experience design,
Healthy creative community (defined: from com munus- to share freely amongst one another) becomes an alchemical vehicle which puts CREATION FIRE into service of the abundant FUTURE NOW that we all dream of!

Many of the most successful communities i’ve encountered  support their participants in facing challenges, discovering and sharing their INNER GOLD.
When Heros’ face challenges in the underworld, they come back transformed through the process…shining with INNER GOLD and incredible stories…
What about whole communities sharing Mythic Adventures together, what would THAT yield?
Communities BECOMING GOLD TOGETHER??
Creative communities have the power to change how we live together on this planet by innovating NEW METHODS in how we can play together nicely and introducing them back into society.
Competitive modes of PLAY are proving themselves to be obsolete and only useful to the few at the top.
It seems like JUST COMMON SENSE that creative communities that honor THE INNER GOLD will rise in response to everything thats going on in the world today!
Communities that celebrate what we all value are on the rise, ones that value each others gifts, moments of quality connection, robust sharing, simple principles, visions, altruism…happiness and freedom for all.
May our culture may find ever deeper access to the well springs of renewal necessary to navigate these complex and challenging times by supporting creative communities dedicated to the increasing the flow of our INNER GOLD.
Lets step into this dawn together and rise to meet this Spring Equinox dawn in our fullest potential.

Bringing back THE GOLD
What will we take back with us when our week has passed?
What will we be able to share with others when we’ve returned to the ‘Default World’ as the participants of The Burning man Festival call the ‘real’ world?
These kind of shared community experiences, like this one in Palenque we’ve cocreated, The Burning Man Festival and others….creative gatherings which celebrate  ‘the flow of gifts freely amongst one another’,  remind us of the true meaning & value of community.
We come away enlivened  in ways that feel really, really good.
The world is hungry for the innovative fruits this type of creative community exploration has to offer!
Let us take our INNER GOLD back, hold the gates to Mythic Adventure & possibility open and take this inspiration into the challenges of today’s world, warmed by compassion’s imagination and the light of dawn light on our brows.
Let us celebrate and support each other on every level of our adventure into the HEART of THE WONDERFUL MYSTERY….and see how good OUR COLLECTIVE STORY can get.
…for there is no way you cannot have an influence on the world!
Whether you realize it or not, EVERYDAY you make decisions which affect the quality of your adventure.
Every time we join in any form of social experience we are showing up as collaborators in crafting those experiences.
Consider that you are always the architect of your OWN incredible experiences!
Consider that YOU have more of a impact in the world around you and especially to those immediately close to you, than you realize!
James Carse, author of Finite and Infinite Games, said it best-
‘Quality of play is a direct reflection on HOW WE PLAY’

By taking an active role in raising the quality of experience for others and not justourselves, we contribute to a win-win real world scenario where-
‘…more for you is not less for me, but more for you is more for me too!’
Charles Eisenstein- Sacred Economics

With GRATITUDE
I am SO very grateful to the many players involved with helping this event come to fruition.
First, huge gratitude to my Palenque 2012 co-producer, Polly Superstar, who has been an amazing mythic ally on this adventure!
Thank you to the amazing land and place of Palenque.
Thank you to Carol and the folks at the Maya Exploration Center, Don Moises, Chatos and El Panchan for hosting us!
Thank you to the local peoples, the guides and experts who have shared their wisdom and passion with us.
May we all be open to receive wisdom that can aid and guide us on our paths of growth and transformation.
I wish to give thanks to the many elders, guides, mentors and tricksters that have patiently offered their wisdom to me over the years.

By embodying wisdom and being open to RECEIVE, may we transform knowledge into living art, bring life back in balance with the heart, into practice and into community.
As we learn to balance our lunar and solar natures, our masculine and feminine aspects, our light and dark sides… may we also move back into balance with nature as well.

Lets celebrate & share what works for us, what has been gifted to and through us, with the intention of supporting each other in cocreating the deepest, most meaningful and rich Mythic Adventures possible…
and bring everyone into The Play!

Whoa, we leave in less than two weeks for Palenque.
It’s official, there are more x-factors with this event than anything i have ever been a part of or produced before.
Its both exhilarating and terrifying!

Seems that the openness and loose structure of this event has appealed to a certain creative type; those that are excited at the prospect of participating with something that is still loosely formed, open and inviting.

We’ve very intentionally tried to keep the event structure as open and inviting, giving folks as much opportunity to COCREATE with the event as possible.

Creative people love bending the rules, innovating, entertaining new ways of playing and bringing THEIR ideas and methods to the table.
PALENQUE supports a kind of social jazz, an experiential improv jam …with jaguars.
We are doing our best to inspire and facilitate a creative unfolding that serves everyone’s MUSE in the best possible way.,,,and still have fun ourselves.

It may challenge the control-freak event producer aspect of myself, but its also thrilling to step onto a playing field where i will find surprise, chance, luck, fate, destiny, synchronicity and the pure pleasure of creating with other creators….

As an event producer working in San Francisco, it easy to get locked into creating events that you know will work and have a desired effect.
For the sake of getting people in the door and paying the rent, you have stay fairly true to the quality of ‘experience’ that your paying guests have come to expect.

For someone like myself, who LOVES to innovate and try new things out as an experience designer, getting stuck in a groove  feels like creative DEATH!
…

PALENQUE 2012 was not something we ever planned or schemed up…it seems to have a mind of its own.
This event rose out of a series of synchronicities, conversations, friendships and threads which we lead down into a proverbial verdant jungle rabbit hole.
Carol invited us to provide some sacred music for a Spring Equinox ritual and it sort of rolled out from there.
….
Its been really wonderful watching people step up with their ideas, enthusiasm and GIFTS for the event…
We’ve got someone wanting to host a fashion show, folks collaborating on building a jungle labyrinth from natural materials, a couple wanting to build a Tiki Bar, folks ready to host rituals at the HUMMINGBIRD area, the BAT area…theres a Tuvan throat singer who wants to lead a pre-dawn Equinox ritual..
There’s quite a few folks who want to led yoga, facilitate shamanic breatheworks and meditations.
We’ve got 3 dj’s who want to play and a videographer who is ready to capture the action.
..and thats just a sample of all thats unfolding!
People seem very gung-ho and ‘can do’ with repsect to getting the space ready and preparing the site.
Many folks are coming down early to help out with preparations…i have a feeling that this will be a great bonding time for everyone…helping to prepare the event site and ‘social container’.

I’m feeling confident that we will have enough people to step into volunteer roles to keep the basics running.
People are taking pride in thier participation and seem to grasp  that this really is a COCREATION and that their gifts and energy will shape what it becomes.

….

I’m really excited about the DIVERSITY of folks that are showing up.
I LOVE bringing super diverse groups of people together.
I’ve seen amazing magick unfold when this happens.

We’ve got super eccentric bohemian types, organic hippie mamas, artsy burner types, psychonauts, true artistes, shamans, dakinis, poets, dancers, conscious hedonists, Dandies, gypsy punks, fashion designers, survivalists, community builders….
…basically all the types i’d invite to rebuild the world… on MY ARK ….when the tidal waves poise to wash away civilization!
….

I feel like we’ve been able to instill a sense of ‘we are all in this together’ as participants.
Sure, Polly and i may have done a lot of the work in creating the basic container..but we really support a level playing field with regards to the creative collaboration aspect.
There is no iconic hero worship (no talking head celebrities…though we are very much open to them showing up and playing)

Its seems that people are valuing BOTH sharing their gifts AND creating a container in which others gifts can be recieved!
I really can’t stress how much i value this.
From what i learned as an experience designer-
FREEDOM comes with a responsibility to actively support others in expressing their freedom…not just ‘doing your own thing’.
RADICAL COLLABORATION supports RADICAL SELF EXPRESSION from devolving into a screaming fest of ‘LOOK AT HOW WILD AND CREATIVE I AM! LOOK! LOOK AT ME!’

….

The openness of this event is a challenge for me as an experience designer and tool creator.
Thats also one of the things i really like about it.

So, i’ve been working on a set of ‘mythic tools’ designed to take anyone deeper into their Mythic Reality.
Polly helped load the content into a card generator…they’re ready to ship, in hopes of arriving in time for Palenque!
I’ve also offered short essays on THE INNER JOUNREY and THE INNER GOLD, in hopes that they might inspire people to open up and connect on deeper levels at the event.
I’ve talked about THE INNER GOLD and presented participants with 10 questions designed to help us relfect on what we want to take to the event…what do we want to get out of our experience? What gifts do we have to share and what aspects of ourselves do we wish to celebrate, heal, explore and expand?

The cards will support a sort of ‘mythic role playing game’ kind of exploration.
My desire is that we can prepare in synch to venture on a journey inward as well as outward.
I’m excited at the prospect of connecting with my friends in whole new ways, seeing new aspects and deeper levels of each other’s magickal personas.

!PERSONAL SHARING ALERT!
As always, i live in doubt that hardly anyone cares about this stuff, that i am being too heavy handed in my offerings, that i am not inviting enough and that people are mostly interested in ‘doing their own thing’ . This is part of my work, don’t take it personally!
I operate in a community of party people and artists struggling to survive in one of the most expensive cities i the US…what space is there for sharing thoughts on inner exploration & mythic potential in a wild environment of costumed sexiness?
I know that there are people in my community that get scared and project on our techniques and methods for facilitating different kinds of experiences…i’m learning to be ok with that, too.
Each to their own…but i don’t want to let it keep me from sharing what i am passionate about.
I know that its mostly a form of self sabotage, hiding behind these old story of ‘being too weird’ or ‘being to spiritual’ or too ‘cult like’.
I’m ready to let them go.
Truth is, there is a large part of me which i’ve kept from a lot of my community…because i simply did not know how to integrate it or give myself permission to  open further and share.
Its a real learning curve for me and many creative people i know…being trusting enough to share our soul gifts.
I know i’m not the only one either…
People often share with me their hidden desires and  soul longings; visions & dreams edging insistently via the thralls of dionysian expansion that comes with charged creative events.

As a leader of sorts and  experience designer…i hope that i am doing my best in honoring people’s trust.
I want to be more open, want to listen more…be more available to THE MYSTERY that beckons to us beyond what WE THINK is best and what WE THINK we know is the way forward.
Such arrogance.

This continues to be one of my main intentions for this event: that the participants can support each other in opening up, being vulnerable with each other and really connect in deep ways…opening the doors for WILDLY CREATIVE COLLABORATION.
THE MYTHIC MARVELOUS invites us to throw open these doors…and will rise to meet us.
I feel it in my bones.

pondering his inner gold

‘The true self is found through the ecstatic giving of the self…’
-Anon

Hello my fellow Mythic Adventurers!
On the heels of my last post- THE INNER JOURNEY, i would like to propose the following questions as further means of preparing for our upcoming journey to PALENQUE.

Consider:
Inquiry & identification of our INNER GOLD as the basis for a Mythic Currency.

So what do i mean by ‘OUR INNER GOLD?’
Currency is usually thought of as a competitive means for establishing what is yours and what is mine.
Consumer culture encourages us to hoard gold, literally.
When we think of an ‘economic exchange’ we usually think about money for goods or services.
The ritual of exchange is ripe for all sorts of possibility but has currently reduced to a soulless act that devalues and depersonalizes the parties involved.
Lets reinvent this!
Swap out the old gold standard for a radical new one that honors our INNER GOLD.
What if we embraced a currency that celebrates what WE value as a community: our gifts, connection, sharing, principles, visions, goodwill…
Currency which supports moments of sharing;  shared visions, wisdom and dreams…courageous exchanges of soul truths and heartfelt reflections like petals bursting from fertile darkness
Currency which reveals hidden currents of abundance; creative forms of inner riches imbued with magical intent
Currency invested with the ‘spirit of the gift’…a spirit which inspires each of us to keep our gifts in motion…

Onward and inward to THE INNER GOLD.
Below are a set of questions  designed to help with a process of identifying our inner riches.
How can we write our own bank balance in this new culture, to quote Polly, if we don’t stop to take stock of what we can share?
I live in a constant state of longing to go deeper with my friends and community.
I see SO MUCH INNER GOLD shining in those around me, how could i not want to support them in sharing it?
Make no mistake, there are A LOT of communities around the world today exploring new models of currency. There is a new gold standard being embraced by creative communities today….lets join them in this conversation of practice.
Mythic currency as COLLECTIVE PERMISSION?
Permission to go deeper, past surface level transactions, beyond ego-fear and scarcity…especially if we know that others are also taking stock of their inner gold!
Let these questions reveal and celebrate the INNER GOLD that pools and shines within us:  those visions and intentions we secretly hold, those beautiful truths we’ve witnessed, those emerging superpowers we’re birthing…the gifts we are so eager to share.

Mythic Currency: revealed through a process of self-reflection in which we learn to acknowledge our inner gold and face those things that keep us from wielding it!

A word of encouragement
We are both coward and champion, every one us; in this process of learning how to show up authentically, in owning our true gifts and finding the inner strength to face our shadows.
Do we try to rid ourselves of our inner cowards?
I say NO… let Champion and Coward embrace.
By challenging ourselves to go deeper with others through joined intent and action, our quality of experience in life will increase…and our champion grow stronger.
My vision of community is one in which we not only get to celebrate the good times together, but  where we journey together towards attaining our highest aspirations, often by facing heroic challenges!
Why do we come together when we feel good, or in order to feel good…and then isolate ourselves when we struggle?
It is my champion now that writes this, that reaches out, that wants to take chances despite my fears.
You might say:
‘Buts it scary to open up…i’ve been burned before…how do i know i’ll be safe..what if i look inside myself and i have nothing to offer…what if nobody cares about what i have to share…what will others think about …etc etc.’
I say:
‘Steady on, brave souls, take heart and lets find our courage together! A new dawn wind fills our sails and beckons our mythic ships, onto new lands blossoming within and  onto old, tired worlds- much needing our inner gold! As pirate champions we sail…not with a desire to loot and plunder but with a boldness to renew ourselves and thus the world …in the name of THE MARVELOUS…flying the flag of WONDER’’
…..

Go deep with these questions now and determine how deeply you wish to share later.
Be gentle with yourself and go slow in the process of revelation.
Establishing trust is critical in sharing your gifts.
Maybe all of these won’t speak to you, maybe just a few, thats ok too…
Have fun with the process!

10 Mythic Questions in search of the INNER GOLD

PLAYERS
Who are you and what role do you play on the Mythic stage of your life?
Name? Bonus points for origin story & personal manifesto!
(We have many selves…describe one you wish to share now)

ALLIES
Who are the allies that you draw strength, support and inspiration from?
An ally can be any person or being but may also be a quality or concept.

MYSTIC FIRE
What inner gold shines within you? What form of gift does your inner gold take on in the world?

SHADOW MEDICINE
What shadows have you or are you now facing within yourself? What keeps you from your inner gold?

YES,AND…
How do you keep ‘the play’ in motion?
What agreements help you ‘play well’ with others?

THE MYSTERY
How do you embrace uncertainty, experience beyond understanding and that which is beyond knowing? Why would you?

ALCHEMICAL
What affords you the power of transformation/ transmutation in your life?
Share a ritual, practice, ally…anything which helps/has helped you in facing your Shadow Medicine.

PRESCRIPTIONS
Name something that has helped you bring your inner gold into the world.
It could be a practice, an inspiration, an activity, a saying, an ally…etc.

STEWARDSHIP
How do you serve others and/or your community? In what ways do you support others in realizing their inner gold?

INVITATIONS
What invitations do you wish to extend to others? Invitations to journey, to play, to create, to explore, to ….

……

The Palenque 2012 Experience Designers Notebook presents tips, techniques and reflections on how to create your own inspiring social experiences from Professor Violet, one of SF’s most illustrious Puppeteering Mustachioed Dandy experience designers and proponents of CREATOR CULTURE.
In this ongoing series of posts i will sharing my love for experience design, relate behind-the-scenes observations on PALENQUE 2012 and explore what makes for awesome, inspiring, life-changing, wildly creative, participatory, surprising and TRANSFORMATIONAL experiences!

The Inner Journey
-preparing for The Inner Journey

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

‘The journey is the destination’
-PeepShowMiniGolf

Life is a journey, or so they say.
With this in mind, i would like to share a few thoughts on ‘the inner journey’ aspect of The Palenque 2012 Mythic Adventure.
Even if you doubt all the woo-woo hype around 2012 as a year of apocalyptic portent, its pretty clear that theres a LOT of change going on right now in the world!
Theres a saying a good friend has taped to his front door-

‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’
-Ghandi

I like this because it implies a radical sense of accountability in how we approach our lives as conscious beings, immersed in times of change.
This sentiment puts you in the drivers seat of your own experience and suggests that instead of whining about the way things are, change yourself and then see what happens!
Quit projecting your shadow onto others and face it within yourself, right?
Is this not essentially the gist of our Hero’s journey in life?
To face our inner shadows and become positively transformed in the process?

So, onto preparing for ‘the inner journey’.
…but first, a bit of colorful exposition.

Into the breach, dear friends
Too many times have i arrived at The Burning Man Festival and made note of how much time people have put time into the vast complexities of their external preparations necessary for survival out in that harsh environment and so little time preparing thier ‘inner self’- intentions, gifts, psyche, agreements with partners, etc.
The vastness of all the external prep is consuming: camp planning, travel preparations, camp supplies, camp structures, food, water as well as endless planning meetings, email lists, email conversations, dealing with clashing personalities…it goes on.
Add an artcar, add another thousand hours of prep.
But wait there’s more: buying blinky toys, packing endless bins of costumes & fancy shoes that will soon be destroyed, searching for hard to find substances, printed lists of dj’s and parties and of course creating and preparing ART.
You might say that preparing ART for the playa can be a very reflective, inwardly focused experience…but most don’t create art to share.
Most people attend this ‘party / spiritual pilgrimage/ appointment with derangement’ having done little if no inner preparation.
Its a very special kind of psychically buggering apocalyptic experience that one suffers out there, one that really does benefit from some tending to ones inner needs.
But what on earth could you prepare you for this kind of journey?
How can you prepare for a jump off a cliff into the scary unknown?
A friend once called this festival ‘Kali’s Playground’, an apt description if you ask me.
If you are lucky, perhaps you’ll stumble across Jim Morrison’s ghost wandering the open playa muttering something about ‘prolonged derangement of the senses’.
If your really lucky, maybe you’ll even stumble out of a dust storm into a hallowed dome to join fellow dehydrated burners looking like Saddhu -HolyMen ghosts covered in fine white playa dust  huddled at the feet of some iconic subculture literary figure in an attempt to glean pearls of wisdom that might guide them on their journey.
Journeys which have now begun to remind them of that vow they made last year ‘to really take the time next year to set some intentions before their burn’
Intentions and vows which always get forgotten in the frenzy and hub-bub of pre festival preparations.
In the first few days of the event, after everyone has arrived and the camps have been built, after those first elated bike rides out onto the open playa to check out the ‘big art’…there sets in that universal question on the lips of every participant-
‘now what?’
Friends and community sitting around in various states of derangement, passing snacks and cocktails, murmuring the same old lines-
‘hey, do you know whos DJ’ing tonight?
‘hey, did you see that big metal art thingy, i hear its gonna blow up…

Embrace your fire consciously or get burned
And yes, though the ‘road of excess does lead to the palace of wisdom’ and i do love me some  big crazy spectacle as much as the next fun-loving trickster…i’ve also seen the destruction that comes from unconsciously courting Dionysian frenzy.
When we come across that ‘what now?’ moment in our journeys, do we simply pile on more substances, louder music, more crazy making spectacles and crazier costumes???
OR, do we do the ‘counter intuitive thing’ and remove ourselves from the fray and take a moment to still ourselves, be quiet, find a still point and reflect?
I can remember years ago, towards the end of my first Burning Man trip, literally RUNNING out into the empty desert driven to escape all the intense experiences i had piled one on top of the another.
My psyche was bent over backwards from the pressure of too much stimulation, too much emotional complexity, too much NOISE.
In a desperate need to retain some sense of stillness and sanity, i sought refuge ….and found myself sitting far out in the empty desert….and able to hear myself breathe again.
I remember that moment like it was yesterday, sitting in the cool evening air with the sun setting behind purple mountains, the festival glimmering miles in the distance like some weird mirage.
So amazingly, blissfully, quiet.
It was then, after letting all the noise and crazy chaos drain out of me, that i could see my inner journey that was unfolding, as if for the first time.
As i sat there,  i watched scenes of my insane week prior replaying, unfolding scene by scene, I saw how the consequence of my actions played a part in my play.

‘Quality of play is a direct reflection of HOW we play’
-James Carse, Finite and Infinite Games

I saw myself sometimes as a conscious player in my experience, but mostly stumbling about as a pawn being moved solely by the desire for more and more intense sensation, stimulus and novelty.
That day i became intensely aware of the value of tempering ones’ outer journey with that of inner reflection.
That day my personal journey shifted from being outwardly driven to  inwardly informed.
It was then that i was able to step back into my unfolding play in a much more conscious way.
This festival and many like it invite us, as Mythic Players, to step deeper into our experiences as Heros’, Shamans & Priestesses all…invite us to dive within our own mysterious depths and face what shadows and wonders await us.
It is a fact of life that we all have shadows to face, challenges to meet, Minotaurs to encounter in the depths of our labyrinthian psyches….
When we gather in the presence of such collective creative fire, it is absurd to think that the light that results will not reveal Gods, Goddesses, Demons, treasures and shadows.

I’ve lost friends to the other side via the destructive forces that attend these celebrations and paths.
I myself have suffered needlessly through lack of proper preparation and respect for ‘the journey to come’.
I’ve hurt others by wandering blindly on my journeys and been hurt by others also smashing into me.

So now what?
After all the immense preparations, time, energy and resources attendees expend to make these sort of epic journeys…to then sit around asking the question of ‘now what’…is one that begs addressing.
I’ve been in this position too many time to count and every time…i’ve always thought to myself-
’what tools could keep the adventure moving forward and inward, could assist us right now in tapping the mysteries & moments we’ve come seeking?
How can we prepare ourselves to have the most deeply meaningful and rewarding journeys possible?
At the BMAN fest and in many other creative communities, we are encouraged not be spectators, but rather-players on a playing field, participants in ‘the play’.
I believe that the BMAN festival and many of these participatory, creative, gift sharing experiences exist as a manifestation from our collective desire to embody our inner heros, shamans, priests, goddesses, magicians, poets and whatever magickal avatars you feel waking up inside you!
These festivals, as celebrations of the creative spirit, challenge us to step into the  mythic aspects of our lives.
THROUGH play and the sharing of our gifts, we are coming into a greater mastery of what it is to truly LIVE as embodiments of unlimited possibility.

The Mythic Adventure aspect of Palenque 2012
At Journeys end, when we’ve all returned from our adventure to the jungles of southern Mexico, what stories will we bring back?
Sure, we might have some great trinkets we found at the markets, but what of the true gifts, the soul discoveries, triumphs and epiphanies that want to flow through us?
Are these not the gifts that will inspire and fuel us and others on yet more EPICALLY MYTHIC ADVENTURES?
The Mythic Adventure Totem areas and Mythic Questions are designed to help each of us in diving deeper into our own journeys.
The 7 areas of Mythic Adventure, each with their distinct vibe and focus, provide a landscape for our inner journey.
They create an intentional container for our inner experience to occur.
Mythic questions in these areas will further assist  in preparing our stories, intentions, gifts and anything else that might be pushing on us from inside, that might want to be faced..or shared…or celebrated!

“An important part of any sacred activity is marking a boundary between the sacred and non-sacred. It’s important to build a container so the action is conducted inside sacred space,”

-Lewis Hyde, author of The Gift and Trickster Makes The World

So here’s an example of how the Mythic Questions could work:
In The HUMMINGBIRD area, which focuses on VISION and INSPIRATION, the MYTHIC QUESTION CARDS might ask something like-
‘What inspires you? How do you court inspiration? What activities help you to feel inspired? What blocks you in receiving inspiration? Have you found ways to face these blocks?’

It is our hope that these questions will generate more questions of Mythic Inquiry, as well as inspire deep sharing and spirited group exploration.We will be making these questions available o the website and at the event.

Everyone that participates will probably feel drawn to one or more specific Totem areas, this is welcome as it will help to create a diverse playing field!
In the preparation for  inner journeys, we are humbly invited to consider wisdom held by mystics, alchemists, shamans, elders and so many traditions informed by those that have gone before us down these roads…
There are some really sound and helpful tools that can assist us on our journey!

In closing
I am deeply grateful to the many elders, guides, mentors and tricksters that have patiently offered their wisdom to me over the years. Wisdom that more often than not fell on the deaf ears of this incredibly egoic and unwilling fool.
Wisdom  that can aid and guide us on our inner journeys as we explore the bewildering worlds of Mythic Adventure.
Lets share what works for us, lets share what has been gifted to and through us, with the intention of supporting each other in having the deepest, most meaningful and rich Mythic Adventures possible!
These shared experiences,  which ‘support the flow of gifts freely amongst one another’,  remind us of the true meaning & value of community and enliven us in ways that feel really, really good.
On these sorts of expeditions…and perhaps in life in general, It seems that when we balance tending to our inner journey equally to the outer adventure, both enliven the other.

Will we be dragged, kicking and screaming, like ignorant petulant children, refusing to embrace the realities of the journey that stretches before us?
or,
Will we take the time to prepare our Mystic Fires, enter the gates of Mythic Adventure consciously and thus be filled with the strength to venture forth – warmed by compassion’s imagination and the light of dawn light on our brows?

Together then, let us celebrate and support the inner journeys of each of our fellow Heros-Heroines, fools, priestesses, poets, shamans and mystic dandies…and see how good OUR COLLECTIVE Story can get.

…..

Notes:
Here’s an interesting breakdown of The Hero’s Journey step by step:

http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html

The Palenque 2012 Experience Designers Notebook presents tips, techniques and reflections on how to create your own inspiring social experiences from Professor Violet, one of SF’s most illustrious Puppeteering Mustachioed Dandy experience designers and proponents of CREATOR CULTURE.
In this ongoing series of posts i will sharing my love for experience design, relate behind-the-scenes observations on PALENQUE 2012 and explore what makes for awesome, inspiring, life-changing, wildly creative, participatory, surprising and TRANSFORMATIONAL experiences!

An introductory pocket guide on ‘generally being ones’ best’ at social gatherings.A compilation of tips, tools, thoughts and techniques gathered from guests at the latest ‘THE LEAGUE’ salon session at Mission Control, on a recent Dandylogical expedition by Professor Dandy.

On a recent chilly winters evening in the Mission District of San Francisco, THE LEAGUE brought together a splendid diversity of Dandies, Gentlefolk, Ladies, Bohemians, Dilettantes, Fops, Femmes Fatales, Muses and otherwise nattily dressed persons.
Mission Control, home to many excellent explorations in social evolution, hosted this scandalously spectacular event by and for those who make Mission Control possible: allies, volunteers, crew, and our very special guests. The dreamers, dancers, leaders, visionaries, and achievers who move the world towards sexy evolution, and this was their night.
Mission Controls’ very own ‘Co-Flounder’- Professor Dandy aka Barron Scott hosted a mercifully brief foray on the topic of SOCIAL EXCELLENCE and gathered suggestions from the excellently dressed guests present at the Salon.
The following notes are distilled directly from the guests comments.
This first volume addresses the following aspects of Social Excellence-
‘Self Presentation, Gifts and Engaging’
It is in this narrators humble opinion that many left feeling inspired by the wisdom freely shared amongst one another that night.
May the pursuit of SOCIAL EXCELLENCE lift and inspire all those who come in contact with its practice!

Qualities of ‘Social Excellence’ as defined by the Ladies and Gentlefolk of the salon-
Question:
What are the qualities of one that is ‘Socially Excellent’?
Answers:
GRACEFUL, POISED, STYLISH, DIGNIFIED, RESPECTFUL, LISTENING, PRESENT, EMPATHIC, MANNERED, CREATIVE and WITTY

On ‘Self Presentation’;
Question:
What are the various ways one might prepare oneself for entering into the social arena?
(Note that the ‘getting ready to go out ritual; is both an external and internal process of preparation!)
Answers:
Be well GROOMED and hygienic
Be CONFIDENT and TRUST YOURSELF.
ENJOY YOURSELF and remember to have fun.
BE AUTHENTIC and genuine
Remember good POSTURE.
BE RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE
When dressing, SHARE WHAT INSPIRES YOU WITH OTHERS
GIVE EFFORT IN HOW YOU DRESS
Need help or ideas on preparing for a certain outing? Do not be afraid to reach out and ask a friend for help!
DON’T FORGET HATS AND ACCESSORIES!

ON GIFTS;
Question:
‘What are some of the gifts one can you bring to any social occasion?’
(Note: by gifts, i mean anything that can be offered or shared with others at a social gathering. It is interesting to note that most of the ‘gifts’ suggested here are not tangible objects but rather, behaviors or qualities)
Answers:
COMPLIMENTS
SUPPORT
HUMILITY
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
ACCEPTANCE
A GENUINE EMBRACE
A SMILE
Mints, gum
Your CARD.
A quality drink to share.
CONSENSUAL ADVICE.
This topic of ‘offering advice’ was one that the guests were quite passionate about!
Specifically, those present felt that giving unsolicited advice or constructive criticism was frowned upon in general.
The general consensus was to ALWAYS make sure you have the express permission of those asking.
Finding ways in which one could offer up a thought or observation to another was of much discussion. Most present felt that advice should take the form of ‘sharing’ or ‘encouragement’ rather than direct, pointed commentary and avoid coming off as ‘opinionated or judgemental’

On ‘Engaging others’
Question:
What are some socially excellent ways one can engage others in a social setting?
Answers:
Treat others in the manner you would wish to be treated.
be sure to enjoy yourself and don’t try too hard.
Remember to LISTEN. Be sure to tune into what a group or individual might be saying before just baring in with your own discourse. ‘SPEAK from the LISTENING’ and not just from your EGO.
Always be sure to observe any agreements particular to that social setting. This may mean taking an extra moment when you arrive to find out what they may be.
Take effort to make a genuine connection.
Defy expectation.
When asking people questions, don’t interrogate them!
Always be sure to include others that may be present in a situation. This means being sensitive to those that may be feeling more awkward than you!
What can you do to help others feel included in a social situation that may appear feeling left out?

Confessions of an experience design addict
Want to know a secret about my origins as an experience designer?
I originally set out on my path as an event producer and creator of social experiments simply because i wanted more people to play with and better events that I, personally, could attend.
It was ultimately a selfish desire, my passion for serving community… a ‘selfish gift’ that served both mine and others needs.
Perhaps this rings a bell? Perhaps you recognize how your participation in serving community has served both yours and others needs?
You know what? THATS OK!
Because by taking an active role in raising the quality of experience for others and not just yourself, you contribute to a win-win real world scenario where-

‘…more for you is not less for me, but  more for you is more for me too!’
Charles Eisenstein- Sacred Economics

I’ve often wondered if perhaps this selfish desire to engage our world on a more first hand basis for the sake of increasing OUR OWN quality of personal experience is actually a component of evolution working through us without us even realizing it.

Palenque 2012: a social experiment in radical collaboration
We invite everyone participating in this upcoming Mythic Adventure to put on their experience design hats and join us in crafting the ultimate experience together!
More players on the playing field, more fun!
The root meaning of the word ‘community’, derived from the root ‘com munus’  means literally- ‘to share gifts freely amongst one another’,
People coming to together to share their gifts and in support of the conditions necessary for these gifts to be exchanged.
We’ve seen  THOUSANDS of people transform and move into a deeper level of awareness as a result of their participation in community and the willingness to share their gifts.
By ‘gifts’ i mean  creativity, enthusiasm, ideas, goodwill, resources, wisdom…things both tangible AND intangible.

So why all the fuss about Spring Equinox?
If you’ve studied anything the Maya Elders are actually saying right now, its all basically the same thing-
‘Prepare for the Dawn.’
Call me a pathological optimist, but i’m all about tuning into DAWN SPRING ENERGY right now.
I want to go into this new year tuned into the sparking energy of RENEWAL, INSPIRATION, RADIANCE, LUMINOSITY and TRUE WARMTH.
On March 20, we will observe the constellation of Orion rising on Spring Equinox in Palenque, Mexico and celebrate a DAWN of unique significance to the Maya people.
To tell you the truth, i don’t fully know WHY its significant, but luckily we’ll have all sorts of amazing educated experts tuning us into the whole dealio.
(Something about the resurrection of their spiritual leader buried in the Tomb of Inscriptions, a Corn God, lots of stuff about the stars being in alignment and such! )
To be clear, the Maya people hold no END TIMES prophecies nor predict the end of ANYTHING except one of their ‘long count’ calendars..and if they have ANY message about a  ‘return’ , its to that of a simpler way of life lived  in harmony with Nature and each other.
As much as i love watching epic disaster movies about the end of the world, i have to admit, i’m pretty tired of all this END OF THE WORLD nonsense.

Creator Culture on the RISE!
What happens when you get a movement of experience designers all collaborating?
You catalyze a Creator Culture- a culture which is currently  emerging all around us.
As it rises, so too does the invitation for everyone to become experience designing, culture building, tool sharing and creatively engaged players!
Creator Culture does not reject Consumer Culture, no;  it has the ability to digest and integrate old FINITE games (defined by winners and losers) into a NEW INFINITE GAME.
Creator Culture welcomes everyone into the play, encourages all of its players to become thouroughly engaged.
CREATOR CULTURE recognizes the latent seeds of renewal and goodness everywhere, in everything and in everyone!
When we are creatively engaged we are filled with a life affirming desire to connect to ,  purify and share those expressions and perceptions that fill us with delight, fill us with life.
We learn through direct playful experience, that which truly serves us and gratefully release that which no longer does.
I’ve witnessed  many people’s lives transform as a result of their direct experiences on the playing field of ‘The Infinite Game’, coming ever deeper into their authentic expression as beings.

And in closing…
Palenque 2012 is an artistic expression of our passion as experience designers for bringing people together in the presence of this ‘sparking fire’  to create, celebrate and evolve.
We invite you to join us, even if you cannot make it down to Palenque, in this dialogue.
We invite you to consider that YOU have more of a impact in the world around you and especially to those immediately close to you, than you realize.
We especially invite you to consider yourself the architect of your OWN incredible experiences and join us we move together as journey mates into the promise of a new year together.
As experience designers, let’s get dirty in the rich soil of direct experience…where practice tempers theory and we can share openly and freely  wisdom/ ideas/ visions/ dreams/ creativity and solutions.

Yes, there’s an apathy and fear that grips the world these days.
So let’s be brave and dare to witness the light that burns within us.
By engaging this fire that burns within or even by being willing to seek it out- we begin to glow,  alight and inspire others to do the same!
Every little gift, act, gesture, compliment, idea, smile and moment of support we share is an expression of that sparking fire, illuminating, inspiring, catalyzing- untold mythic adventure!
When we court our innate creativity, share our luminous gifts in whatever form they may take…we become conscious experience designers in this new CREATOR CULTURE.
We begin to see community as a lamp of luminous gifts, a vessel designed to hold CREATION FIRE.
We’ve all tasted it, this mighty ‘yes,and’  social phenomenon of sparking fire joining and illuminating .
Lets fan this good fire!
Lets step into this dawn, the one in which we simultaneously witness our selves, our communities and a CREATOR CULTURE… rising as the spring sun.

It is my informed perception  that it is through the engagement of creative community dedicated to the sharing of EACH of our unique gifts, that our culture may find ever deeper access to the well springs of renewal necessary to navigate these complex and challenging times.
…..

In this ongoing series of posts i will sharing my love for experience design, relate behind-the-scenes observations on PALENQUE 2012 and share very practical tips, tricks and stories on what makes for awesome, inspiring, life-changing, wildly creative, participatory, surprising and TRANSFORMATIONAL experiences!
Why settle for less, right?
‘Let the beauty we love be what we do’
- Rumi