Four Happy Days of Madcap Shivanauttery and Moments of BING

Oh, yes. In Portland, Oregon. At what’s basically the most punk rock yogified event that ever was.

Because really, where else are you going to find a duck AND unexpected transformational wonderfulness AND extreme goofing off AND The Clash?

Yes. It will be rocking. And slightly weird. No big surprises there.

What it is:

We start Monday, May 3rd (yes, 2010) at 5:00 pm.

We go until Friday, May 7th at noon (though you’re welcome to stay and have a lazy afternoon lunch with us if you like).

So it’s a work week. Almost. Except that what you’re working on is your patterns, your stucknesses, your wants, your dreams.

And not in a coach-ey “gee, let’s examine our stuff” sort of way, but using the body and the brain to deprogram the stuck so you can have the kind of relationship with yourself that’s actually … oh, maybe even kind of fun.*

* Or, at the very least, one that’s not always about struggle and stucknesses and fighting with yourself.

And we end on Friday so you have the weekend to recover. :)

What we’ll be working on:

Epiphanies and realizations

Deep visceral understandings of stuff we know already but haven’t been able to implement in real life

Mental and emotional coordination

Non-cheesy transformation

Bringing ideas into form

Meeting yourself where you are

Experiencing what it’s like to feel really, really, really safe. And supported.

Genius Fluent Self-ified techniques and practices

Being silly and joyful and dancing up a storm

Who it’s for:

Shivanauts! Or the Shivanautically-curious.

This means you either do Shiva Nata or you’ve tried it or you’re brave enough to throw yourself into a week of mad flailing around.

And of course, you’re one of my people. In other words, you approve of things like Dork Dancing and Metaphor Mouse and attending an event that’s co-taught by a duck.

As always, our goal in Shiva Nata is to mess up and do it badly. So you’re expected to suck at this, no matter what level you’re currently at. I’ll help you out with that part!

You do not need to be in great shape. You don’t have to know even slightly what you’re doing. You don’t have to be especially strong or flexible or athletic anything like that. But we are going to be moving. A lot.

What it’s for.

Untangling the stuckified patterns that cause scary paralysis and Not Moving Forward.

Accessing clarity, trust, sovereignty and restfulness, as well as the insights, superpowers and internal resources you need to figure out what’s next.

Epiphanies. Hot, buttered epiphanies.

What we’ll actually be doing. (What’s an average day like?)

Okay. Here’s a link to the schedule page, just so you have it (obviously you’ll get way more details about meals and such when you sign up).

Other stuff you might want to know:

• we’ll be doing Shiva Nata several times a day, but not for massive amounts at a time. There will be plenty of stretching and chilling out in shavasana and recovery time.
• we will be doing lots of writing exercises and journaling. Bring a couple notebooks!
• you get a long lunch and daily Introvert Recovery Time to not go crazy (or to hang out in Portland and do fun things).
• One bonus study hour each day — completely optional — is dedicated to the art of teaching Dance of Shiva (which is also good for your brain) and how to excel at it. So our week of fun can do double-duty as a teacher training if you want it to. Or not at all. It’s fine either way.

Lodging and food:

Lodging and food are not included in the program (except for our welcome dinner Monday and goodbye lunch on Friday, which are on us).

We have reserved rooms at the extremely awesome Kennedy School (more about that and other options on our Portland infos page), so if you go with that option, expect to pay about $115/night for a room with a King-sized bed (slightly less for a queen), and to be in walking distance of The Playground.

Or you can make your own arrangements. Stay somewhere fancy. Couch-surf. Whatever you like.

As far as food goes, Northeast Portland is pretty inexpensive. There are supermarkets and cafes and restaurants aplenty, all right by us. We’ll give you a map and recommendations. And Selma and I will always let you know where we’re going to eat when, if you want to join us.

Who gets to come?

Ten very lucky people.

I’m not doing formal applications for this one (first come first served means this page will probably be gone in a day or two) … BUT you’ll write me about why getting to come will be fun and scary and wonderful. Or why you want in.

“Should I namaste or should I go?” ♫

Sorry. Still making that joke.

I was going to write a special FAQ page (and still might), but realistically speaking, this is going to sell out in a couple days. So I might not. EDIT: I just mentioned this a few hours ago and three spots are already gone.

But the real reasons to come:

For the excellent music from the Playlist of Inappropriateness, of course.

For a week of laughing.

For people who will become friends for life and will adore you for you and your you-ness.

For really, really, really good pie. Yes, there will be pie.

Because everything in your world will be better after this week. And because making crazy-progress on some of your stuff plants seeds of good everywhere else in your life.

The small print. All of it.

p.s. I have to give fair warning and tell you that live events fill up crazy fast. If it doesn’t work out this time, I may do another later in the year but I don’t know for sure yet if or when. And if it doesn’t work out this time for us to play in person, of course I still adore you, as always.

All proceeds from this product (after paying my peoples) go directly to our pirate-ey Playground Fund — see the Playground Fun Brewing page for more details.

When you buy this, you’re not just getting something awesome (though you are!) — you’re being a helper mouse, and I love you for that. Thank you.