Author: Regina

   

       
   

 

We spent the last three days in another amazing D&D event ‘What are we going to do about Theatre and the Performing Arts?’ at Triton Square New Diorama Theatre in London.

I was impressed by the access provision. For example, there were several spots where we could run our sessions and each one was named after a musical instrument. My session was at the spot called piano. There was a box of music called audio beacon in each spot of the room to help people with impaired vision to find us. For that reason for the first time we had a lovely classic piano music during the whole weekend while making the dolls, we loved it.

Marit, Angela, Lloyd, Imwen, Sarah, Nabilah, Laurence, Tara, Jim, Amado, Rachel, Sia, Sophie, Natasha, Patricia, Christopher, Claire, Sophie, Chloe, Marissa, Rosalind, Ray, Nola, Sara, Tim, Evaristo, Ellis, Yuyu and Craig came to my session. We put dreams and hearts into the dolls and when each doll was finished we meditated with our attention on our heartbeat.

We always start with a small amount of dreams and every part of the doll’s body is full of dreams – hands, feet, head, neck, legs, arms, chest… every single one.

We made 34 dolls in total (3+4= 7)

I was happy to release Dreams and a Heart first book. It is a limited edition of only 50 books. I payed £7 for each one, it was a beautiful coincidence as 7 is an important number for the project. I asked everybody to pay what they want and if they payed more than £7 the money would help the project keep going. Almost all of them payed £10!

Some comments:

‘It was great to have a session where you could rest and let your mind rest. We often rush from place to place and our bodies are still but our minds are not. Thank you’

‘A precious quiet moment in a busy room. A conversation with a woman I had never met before but who showed me the most beautiful tiny books she has made. I put a heart in a doll while this was going on, a wonderfully spent half an hour’

‘An hour, a doll, an experience of deep relaxation. Happy Happy. Joy Joy’

‘When meditating I actually saw a heart, it must be because of the inspiring people I just met and the energy of all those unique human beings in this room’

‘A beautiful project led by a beautiful person, very therapeutic’

‘I feel honoured to add my doll to this worldwide collective. Thank you Regina for continuing this project’

‘It reminded me of sewing with my mum as a child! Lovely’

‘Such a beautiful project and so much contained in the quiet, slow task. Thank you’

‘Thank you Regina for this beautiful, contemplative, calming, hope filled project. I had a wonderful time letting the world pass by and concentrating on making a heart filled figure’

‘A peaceful, relaxing activity, quite hard to do properly at first but then easier as the doll began to take shape. The whole thing very special, leading naturally into meditation at the end. I am delighted to contribute to the project’

All the dolls are sewed with red thread. A Chinese girl told me that in their tradition the red thread is a lucky connection that ties us together. That’s exactly what I feel every time we make dolls and every time we meet at D&D.

Thank you so much everybody who made dolls, who bought the books, lovely Jennifer who brought me five pillows full of dreams, a huge thank you for all the amazing people who helped the event and of course dearest Sarah, Ben, Anabel, Nick, Lee and Phelim, thank you!

 

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.

These are their answers:

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’