Call of the Monk Seal
~ rituals of change in Nature's living temple ~
. . . 5Rhythms, Biodanza, Movement Medicine, Trance Dance, Ritual Theatre, Concerts, Sound Baths, Singing, Storytelling, Talking Circle, Fool Moon . . .
/ HRVATSKA VERZIJA U PRIPREMI /
The secret
in front of me
only the bravest
shall see
To those seeking the abyss
of water and time
the Star of the sea
brings bliss
The Monk seal's cave
is revealed
The Monk seal's dance
is remembered
The Monk seal's soul
is reawakened
in us
and the creature
called home
now
Brave = true to one's wild self. Etymology:: late 15th century: from French, from Italian bravo, 'bold', or Spanish bravo, 'courageous, untamed, savage', based on Latin barbarous.
We will explore human relationship with wilderness and Nature, from both an inner and outer perspective. Our 'spiritual guide' on this journey/swim/dive shall be the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), which comes as a representative of the myriad of endangered and extinct species, once living and prospering around us, but no longer so.
Our embodiment and voicing of its spirit, as well as other animal and plant spirits (all are welcome!), calling the creatures to come back to the Adriatic Sea and Land, and our eventual enactment of this "comeback" will give power to our intent: to bless and protect the seas, oceans and lands of Earth, to bless and protect Life.
We are called to do some serious work here. We are challenged to go beyond the apparently caring and the new agy, even beyond our own self-righteousness. We are here to strip ourselves to the bones. To raise difficult questions, and maybe, maybe, deep down find some answers.
Sometimes the "love" we think and talk about so much is too abstract to be real for our hearts, and a genuine gesture, a concrete effort is needed to make it vibrantly alive – to make it Love. We must cross the desert, climb the mountain, jump from the cliff, swim, dive, dance, drum, sing, tell stories, pray, hug…
We are here, in this lifetime, on this Earth, to experience "love for all beings", including mosquitos and humans, but we can only begin with one, two, three we can really relate to, and expand from there. The more we get to know God's creatures, the more we get to know the Goddess herself.
Then, when underneath all those lifeforms we catch a glimpse of the Source, the Star of the sea (Stella maris), the Soul of the world (Anima mundi), … , we unmistakably realize that all of our little souls are interconnected. What we do to others, other beings, we do to ourselves!
The Mediterranean monk seal truly is the Adriatic selkie, called Sea wo/man by natives (in many a variation: morski čovjek, morski čovik, morsko čeljade, morska žena, morska djevojka, morska divojka, đevojka…), and as such is a symbol of the wild soul, our own untamed, instinctual self. Because of its dual nature, and because it lives in the sea as well as on the shore, it connects the land of consciousness with the deep waters of the unconscious.
PEOPLE AND LAND OF LIMEJA:
The gathering shall take place from August 29th to September 2nd, in the countryside of Rovinj, on private land on the southern hillside of Lim Bay, surrounded by woods and sloping down towards the sea. For us humans this means 5 minutes of descent to the beach and 8 minutes of ascent to come back:)
We will meet in this Mediterranean oasis of raw wilderness, just barely cultivated by human hand, completely off-grid, with sunshine electricity and rainfall water, and enjoy conscious movement, sound making, meditation and ritual on a newly built dance floor, in a wooden pagoda, open to the surrounding landscape.
PROGRAM:
Tuesday, August 29th:
10:00 - 12:30 :: OPENING // Movement Medicine - Kaya Tamara Sertić (Croatia)
14:30 - 16:30 :: Storytelling - Horst and Jennifer Kornberger (Austria/Australia)
18:30 - 21:00 :: Biodanza - Nataša Kern (Slovenia)
Wednesday, August 30th:
10:00 - 12:30 :: Biodanza - Nataša Kern (Slovenia)
14:30 - 16:30 :: Intuitive Singing Workshop - Maria Keck (Slovenia/Hungary)
18:30 - 21:00 :: Trance Dance - Ana Penavić (Croatia)
21:30 - 23:30 :: Flamenco Concert - Maria Keck and Teo Mandžuka - Teo y la Mar (Slovenia)
Thursday, August 31st:
10:00 - 12:30 :: Ritual Theatre - facilitator/s to be announced
14:30 - 16:30 :: Gong Sound Bath - Vesna Kodžoman (Croatia)
19:30 - 22:00 :: Dance of the Monk Seal - Sora Neva (Limeja)
Friday, September 1st:
10:00 - 12:30 :: Biodanza - Jana Berčič (Slovenia)
14:30 - 16:30 :: Lecture/Talk - Goran Sušić (Croatia)
18:30 - 21:00 :: 5Rhythms - Lucija Glagolić Hora (Croatia)
21:00 - 23:00 :: Concert by the Fire - musician/s to be announced
Saturday, September 2nd:
10:00 - 12:30 :: 5Rhythms - Lucija Glagolić Hora (Croatia)
14:30 - 16:30 :: Talking Circle - all the participants
18:30 - 21:00 :: Biodanza - Jana Berčič (Slovenia) // CLOSING
Artworks and installations - Zlatica Mamuzić (Serbia)
~ The program is susceptible to change, at any time before or during the gathering.
PHOTOGRAPHING:
Participants are not allowed to take photos of the gathering, other people or themselves during the gathering. There will be an official photographer who will take photos of the workshops and other events that are part of the program. Selected photos will be used for the promotion of Limeja and the causes we stand for. Agreement to both of these terms is required in order to participate.
LANGUAGES:
The workshops will be led in English or Croatian. Translation from English to Croatian will be provided, or the other way around.
PRICES:
Prices for applications and payments until August 21st:
- 50 euro for one day
- 90 euro for two days
- 130 euro for three days
- 170 euro for four days
- 210 euro for five days.
Prices for applications and payments from August 22nd:
- 60 euro for one day
- 110 euro for two days
- 160 euro for three days
- 210 euro for four days
- 260 euro for five days.
For an application to be valid a payment of HALF PRICE has to be made.
All payment info can be found in the application form, on the link below.
You get a 10 euro DISCOUNT for each new* person you bring.
* New means 'new to our workshops'
A working team of 6 people will be formed.
Let us know if you wish to participate.
BOOK YOUR PLACE:
There are places for 40 participants.
ORGANIZER:
Udruga Ars.Polis - Anke Butorac 9, 52440 Poreč, Croatia, OIB (VAT): 80097360122
Ars.Polis (meaning city-state of the arts) is a non-governmental non-profit organization facilitating the art of living, promoting community and solidarity among people, as well as understanding and compassion for all beings, re-defining spirituality as "love of self, other and the planet" and fostering a sense of sanctity of the Earth, nature and natural cycles, the sanctity of Life…
Contact: Jana Žufić, e-mail: jana@ars.polis.hr, phone: +(385) 91 1860 514
RULES AND RESOURCES:
Limeja is a 'living temple', a nature preserve and sanctuary, a place of wild wisdom and wholehearted wonder. Here we practice care for the environment, commitment to the land and compassion for all creatures.
We don't flush shit into the sea; we use only natural cosmetics and cleaners; we don't eat animals' flesh, nor any food that costs suffering; we don't drink alcohol during the rituals and workshops; we don't take drugs; we maintain interior and exterior cleanliness. We don't want to create wastewaters or damage the soil, and we save the resources.
The land is completely off-grid. Solar power covers our electricity needs and rainfall provides us with a reasonable supply of water (which is collected and filtered, and is safe for everything BUT drinking). We have an outdoor kitchen and dining room, two outhouses with composting toilets, three showers and three washbasins for guests.
SHELTER AND FOOD:
Those who want to stay with us the whole time, to deeply experience Limeja, can do so by setting up their own tents and donating to our non-profit organization, Ars.Polis, which will help further the project and fund the programs we organize for the local community.
The others, who like more luxury than Robinson:), can stay in the nearby Naturist Campsite Valalta or Campsite Val Saline, as well as in one of the many hotels or countless apartments Rovinj has to offer. The city is only 5 minutes drive away.
Jenny will be our chef and will prepare three vegan and raw vegan meals a day, which will be optional to order. Who doesn't want to give it a try, to eat healthy and heartily for a week, can go eat something else elsewhere. There are plenty of restaurants and pizzerias in the area.
Participants can also bring their own vegan or vegetarian meals with them, but the kitchen itself cannot be used while Jenny and her assistants are using it. Meat of any kind is not allowed on the premises. "I ask that you respect Limeja as a cruelty-free sanctuary." – Sora Neva, keeper of the land.
FIRE WARNING:
The wood, the fireplace and the fire are off-limits! There will be one person responsible – namely, the firekeeper – and he/she shall be the only one allowed to light the fire in the hearth or add wood to it during the evening.
In summer there is a high risk of conflagration and it is strictly forbidden to light a fire in the open.