Welcome to ‘Sharing silence’. This public meditation retreat is the first artistic production of my doctoral research at the Performing Arts Research Centre.
My interest is to explore formal sitting meditation as an artistic practice in its own right, as well as to understand how a public meditation retreat can contribute to this investigation. ‘Sharing silence’ rises questions about the artistic and social impact of opening a meditation retreat to a public space.
From 22nd to 31st October 2018, the stage of the entrance hall (Tori) of the Theatre Academy will host a ten-day silent retreat. The address is Haapaniemenkatu 6, Helsinki. The meditation space is for all interested people. You are welcome to join the meditation at any time of the day. Feel free to practice your meditation technique, to witness or rest. You can stay for as long as you want.
According to your needs, you can try different postures and places. If you feel like it, pay attention to your spatial relationship within the stage, with its objects and the other meditators. Before leaving, you can contribute to this artistic research by documenting your observations and feelings through writing and drawing in the ‘guest-book’.
If you wish to have a chat with me there are two opportunities for verbal sharing on the same stage: one before, and one after the ten-day public meditation retreat.
21st October, at 12:00: introductory meeting.
1st November, at 12:00: conclusion.
Retreat schedule: 22.10-31.10.2018
Here you are welcome to share silence. You can join the retreat schedule at any time, and the meditation stage is open all day long: feel free to visit the space also in other moments! However, the retreat schedule starts before the opening hours of the school, therefore the visitors will be allowed to join the retreat only from 8 am on – and in the weekend from 10 am.
| 4:00 am Morning wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 am Meditation 6:30-8:00 am Breakfast break/rest 8:00-9:00 am Meditation 9:10-10:00 am Meditation 10:10-11:00 am Meditation 11:00-12:00 noon Lunch break 12noon-1:00 pm Rest/walk out of the building 1:00-2:20 pm Meditation 2:30-3:30 pm Meditation 3:40-5:00 pm Meditation 5:00-6:00 pm Tea break/walk out of the building 6:00-7:00 pm Meditation 7:00-8:00 pm Rest/walk out of the building 8:00-9:00 pm Meditation 9:00-9:30 pm Rest 9:30 pm Sleep |
The school building is open at these hours:
Mon-Fri: 8am-10pm; & Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm
Stage design: Marianne Palojärvi
Light design: June Horton
Spiritual counselor: Henri Järvinen
On stage: Gabriele Goria
Retreat helpers: Maija Rissanen, Mirjami Heikkinen & Helena Romppanen
Sound: Kaj Wager
Camera: Jyrki Oksaharju
Photo: Evdokia Aseeva
Stage manager: Marja Zilcher
Producer: Aapo Juusti
Poster: Jaana Forsström
Special thanks: Julia Dahlberg, Outi Condit, Leena Rouhiainen, Kirsi Heimonen, Paula Kramer, Raffaele Goria, Konsta Pylkkö & Kalle Kaukonen
Warmly welcome!
Gabriele Goria
Gabriele Goria 
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