The Sensing Salon: Experiments in Entangled Existence ** 18-23 July 2022 @ PAF

The Sensing Salon expands existing ideas of art by recalling the healing arts; it is a studio for the practice of healing arts. Healing, as much as art, is a praxis. It is something to do and it does something: it restores. In our collaborative work, we explore healing as an art form, a praxis of sensing and making sense that includes studying, thinking, and restoring experiments that reach for the deepest level of our entangled existence.

This will be the fourth edition at PAF, through its iterations, the Sensing Salon has gathered momentum and a core group of interested and involved people. In 2019 when we last gathered, we began to experiment with a slightly new format which allowed us to deepen the study we had entered collectively while still welcoming new participants. Instead of teaching as many tools as we could in the 4 days, each year we share one tool only, every morning for the whole duration of the meeting, while in the afternoons we engage in collective study groups around a shared set of questions.

In the previous iteration, we focused on Reiki, while this year we will focus on Astrology. Artists and students of astrology Constantina Zavitsanos & Amalle Dublon will guide us through 4 sessions which will introduce us to their use of astrology as a practice of speculative planning. In the afternoons, Valentina Desideri and Denise Ferreira da Silva will propose 4 study group sessions in which Chiron will guide our study of four cardinal emotions (anger, shame, guilt, fear). We will use reading and healing tools available in the room as we image and discuss in light of contemporary ethical and political questions.

Provisory schedule:

18 July
Arrival day
21:00 Conversation and Introduction

19 July
10:00 - 12:00 - Astrology
14:00 - 18:00 - Study Group on Anger

20 July
10:00 - 12:00 - Astrology
14:00 - 18:00 - Study Group on Fear

21 July
10:00 - 12:00 - Astrology
14:00 - 18:00 - Study Group on Shame

22 July
10:00 - 12:00 - Astrology
14:00 - 18:00 - Study Group on Guilt

23 July
Departure day

The Sensing Salon will take place at PAF Performing Arts Forum from July 18th to 23rd 2022. PAF costs 20€ per person per night (or 18€ if you stay more than 5 nights) plus a 12€ membership fee valid for one year. Food will be most probably self-organised (ca 10-12€ pp/pd). We also ask an extra fee of 50€ to contribute to the buying of materials and our expenses.

To reserve your place please email: contactpaf@gmail.com

Valentina Desideri & Denise Ferreira da Silva