This year we continue to meet regularly at Cufos Community Centre in Muswell Hill. We changed the evening to the last Wednesday of the month instead of last Friday. Mary, Fiona, Olga, Nobby and Nicola came over, we made 38 dolls and we always meditated them at the end of the evening. There is another lovely band rehearsing next door so we still enjoy good music while working together on Wednesdays.
I love working at Cufos, a small cozy house beside Alipali. I admire so much the volunteers who work hard to make this little Community Centre alive, always trying to resolve lots of problems with plenty of good mood and patience.
Thank you so much everybody for another great year at Cufos.
Yesterday evening I went to the D&D event ‘What are we – of all genders – who work in performing arts going to do about sexual abuse in our industry?’ at Theatre Deli in London.
Many important issues were raised, in between them a man said that he stopped smoking some years ago and he asked us why did he take this decision? A beautiful comparison in a moment when we are looking for healthier relationships.
I always love to make my dolls listening to all the conversations going on around me. I feel confident that we are transforming our lives for the better.
I know the world become happier every time we meet.
A huge thank you to Sarah, Ben, Anabel and Phelim who opened the space once more so we could do the work we needed to do.
On Saturday 7th October I run a workshop at Camden Fun Palace based on New Diorama Theatre in London.
Julia, Jeanette, Aimee, Sujatha, Claire, Ellice, Billy, Lidia, Andrea, Grace, Miriam, Tim, Sophie, David, Jean, Alice, Sarah and children Nicola, Eve, Charlotte and two more came to the workshop. We made 21 dolls together, each doll was added on the string to play with their friends. Some of the dolls were finished and meditated, some of them I finished and meditated at home.
I was busy with people all the time, some of them started their dolls, then they run to another activity and then they came back to continue the work. There were so many interesting things going on! I was touched every time they came back, they really cared about their dolls.
I forgot to ask the dolls makers to write down their comments, I only asked for the two people who came first:
‘Making a doll with dreams + heart is an unique experience, very relaxing, a moment to myself to think about people and places dear to me’
‘It was a nice experience. I felt I was transferring my heartbeat to the doll I made’
We were in a huge room surrounded by all sorts of Art and Science activities, it was like a big colourful market, a lot of people of all ages came over and joined the activities from 11am to 4:30pm.
We were so happy to be part of this amazing event. First time Dreams and a Heart joined Fun Palaces, I definitely would love to come back next year.
With many thanks for Fun Palaces and New Diorama Theatre people who made everything happen, for all people who made dolls and for lovely Sarah who helped me to set up and run the event all day long, thank you all!
Last Wednesday 20th we went to the D&D event What Are We Going To Do About The Gap Between Commercial And Subsidised Theatre? at Onmibus Theatre in London.
Lesley, Diana and Depi came to my session, we made 5 dolls while we shared our life experiences and we meditated connecting our heartbeat.
Some comments:
‘How wonderful to be allowed to be still and in the moment!’
‘It was so unexpected, fulfilling and healing. I feel relaxed and a sort of beauty in my heart. Lovely conversation during stuffing the doll and how nice to share our stories. Really adored the experience’
Thank you Sarah and Anabel for holding the space once more, it was a very cosy evening.
I asked ‘How would you write down the sound of your heartbeat?’ to opera singers, composers, conductors, directors – people who have sounds at the heart of their lives.
‘How would you write down the sound of your heartbeat?’ I asked yesterday to opera singers, composers, conductors, directors, people with sounds and rhythm at the heart of their lives.
We spent this weekend at Tête à Tête and D&D event ‘How can we change Opera for the better’ at King’s Cross Academy Primary School in London.
Robert, Ian and Sarah came to my session, we made 12 and a half dolls in total, thank you very much!
‘Making the doll with Regina was a calm and individual activity. I enjoyed the feeling of the material and contact with her calm spirit, besos’
I brought different kind of dreams – the long continuous stories and the small quick images that pop up apparently not related with each other. It was nice as people had the option to choose their favourite kind of dream to work with.
I stayed on my own most of the time on Sunday and had the idea to ask everybody this question ‘How would you write down the sound of your heartbeat?’ People answered with some words, some drawings, poetry codes, music notes, scenes… beautiful answers from people who have sounds at the heart of their lives.
I am very grateful to the weather which allowed us to stay outdoors, it was perfect!
and thank you Bill to let us celebrate together 10 years of Tête à Tête The Opera Festival and thank you Sarah and Phelim for holding the space for us, a relaxed and amorous atmosphere throughout the weekend, thank you!
I opened each pillow Sia gave me, turned them inside out, took the core deep dreams, put them in the sun for many hours and washed the pillow cases which is the fabric I will sew some dolls. That’s what I always do.
The surface dreams- the first layer of the stuffing usually rough and stained- I throw them away, for hygienic purposes and also because we can consider them superficial dreams, we like the deepest ones.
They are in the window looking outside, they wonder about the world, they are ready to step out there.
I met Sia at the Lbtq D&D event last month. She promised me she would give me some pillows. We met yesterday evening and she gave me 6 pillows – hers, her sister’s, her best friend’s and her house mate’s- and 8 pillow cases.
She wrote:
‘Thank you for seeing beauty where other people see trash. Thank you for seeing potential where other people see nothing. Thank you for taking my hopes, nightmares, feverdreams, flights of imagination, naps and nights awake and giving them a new life, spinning our dreams into the kind of art that will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone who comes into contact with it. And thank you most of all for letting me be included! It makes me so happy’.
She came all the way down to meet me in Euston, thank You Sia!
