stone soup (why gather together?)

I came to this swamp. Out of the forest. Alone. Weary. Hungry. Homeless.

I saw lights. I smelled smoke and animals. I felt and held hope.

I arrived at a closed door. I took a deep breath. I knocked. A face. My empty hands. Silence. A door closed in my face.

I came upon another door. I took a deep breath. I knocked. A face. My empty hands. I begged. A door closed on my body.

I dragged myself to the last door. I took a deep breath. I knocked. A face. My empty hands. I cried. A door closes. I turn my back.

I have nothing. I am nothing. I am alone. I still am. I have me.

I sit down in the dark. Alone. I build a fire. Alone. I go to the well. Alone. There is water. Warm water will do. I have me and I have a fire and I have warm water.

I place my pot of water in the fire. I sit down before the fire. I feel warmth. I look into the fire. I disappear into its flames. Cracks and pops. Crickets. My tapping foot. My humming throat. A stepping foot. A body from behind. Bends over the fire. Opens their hands. A potato falls, plunk, into the pot.

They sit down before the fire. Feel warmth. We look toward one another, into the flames. Cracks and pops. Crickets. My tapping foot. Their humming voice. A stepping foot. A body from behind. Bends over the fire. Opens their hands. A carrot, plunk, falls into the pot.

They sit down before the fire. Feel warmth. Three bodies around the fire, look into the flames. The smell of sugar and dirt blows before the smoke and cracks and pops. Crickets. Tapping feet. Humming throats. A whistle. A stepping foot. A body from behind. Bends over the fire. Opens their hands. A stone, plunk, falls into our soup.

They sit down before the fire. Feel warmth. They pull from a pocket, two spoons. Back to back spoons clink, make, keep, meet the beat of my tapping foot holds space for a humming throat melody dances with a whistle.

xx we got this

You are invited to share in Stone Soup, safer space for healing through creativity. Where does one begin? Let us feed each other. Let us feed ourselves. Let us come together first, with and through this one simple and essential act.

Stone Soup functions under the premise of first sharing in a communal meal followed by individuals utilizing the space for their own creative practice while also sharing their skills and wisdom with the community. Individuals are always welcome to maintain their own practice alongside the communal-creative-practice, when or if they do not wish take part (introvert-safer-space).

HEARTH VALUES

• enter with the intention of exploring your own creative being

• enter with the intention of maintaining peace in the community

• understand that if conflict arises, mediation will take place, with the goal of maintaining the communal safer space

please send a message if you are interested in initiating a stone soup gathering or if you have questions

∆reflections

1.2.19 The first incarnation of Hearth was rad. It was a slow swelling wave, cooperative, communal, patient. The perfect beginning for a life-experiment-practice.

sink into this space - feel all the walls dissolving - reality grows

visitors-guests-participants ∆a musician-not-musician-kind-new-friend ∆a fierce-student-teacher-comrade ∆an honest-humble-warrior ∆a wise-graceful-giggle ∆a resistance-summoner-writer ∆an eloquent—sharp-eye ∆a rebel-incognito ∆a bubbling-singing-spring ∆a rad-dog-named-lava

soup 10 mouths fed with (7€) big butternut squash, sour apple, sweet apple, big celery nob, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

Evolution is slow, it takes time, it does not waste time, it can not be sped up without compromising design-balance-harmony.

Gravity can be felt and built.

Improvisation has 3 possible moves. 1. play with the other 2. play against the other 3. do nothing.

we need

an acoustic piano, help learning German in a creative-engaging way, money

things upsidogi discovered

my dancing shadow when created by colored-shifting-light is RAD and bizarre

8.2.19 Round two. Concentrated. Cycles revealed. Wisdom arrived.

this blooming orchid - can’t be willed or forced to open - nature is slow mo - hips walking upright - clicking beat hearts align wind - shifts water flows down

visitors-guests-participants ∆an inquisitive-nose ∆a honest-ally ∆a sprinting-through-the-thicket-of-the-mind ∆a sun-seeking-summoner ∆a smile-felt-a-ripple ∆a sharp-undertone ∆blues-and-metal

stone soup 4 mouths fed with (5€) 1/2 white cabbage, 2 carrots, black vinegar, turmeric, sumac, 3 dried chilies, brown sugar, needed more salt *gifted parsley root (our first stone soup!)

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

The only constant is the individual.

emergent events - emergent beats - emergent patterns - emergent rhythms

The Blues the blues the blues

we need

a small sail boat, a bike

things upsidogi discovered

stay still and a wondrous world will wash up on my shores

15.2.19

open blinds to sun - window to sounds outside in - they dance with us - slow mo nomad witch - sits still inside boxed in - energy awaits

visitors-guests-participants ∆a rock-of-strength-and-courage ∆a whisper-seeking-language ∆a truthful-tired-warrior

soup 4 mouths fed with (6€) a huge sweet potato, parsnip, 2 apples, 3 onions, garlic, can of white beans, caraway, thyme, balsamic vinegar, chili, salt

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

Inaction (a choice to not participate) employed as the action of resistance.

The individual’s voice is not respected by our current society. Accessibility to learning a language must be secured (vocal, musical, visual, technological) as simply having a voice is not enough to be listened to.

Architecture dictates our movements and molds our relationships.

we need

a safe-secure-space

things upsidogi discovered

dont need permission - to use this body - set free possibilities

5.3.19

trees reach tall roots crawl - deep universe of soil - wise secret seekers

visitors-guests-participants ∆an open-heart-home ∆a painted-smiling-piper ∆a fiery-song-bird ∆a warm-rock-greets-the-sea ∆a giggling-alpine-roamer ∆a serious-sharp-witch ∆a breath-of-fresh-air

soup 9 mouths fed with donated demeter soli veggies from Brandenburg- potatoes, parsnip, carrots, onions, garlic, can of white beans, sumac, chili, turmeric, salt

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

contribution verses donation - what are we responsible for…

when sharing-offering our creativity to ‘others-the public-an audience’ do we give-take-converse?

how can we come-create-together through-with-the-knowledge-of-fear

we need

a structure - stepping stones - to continue clearing a pathway

things upsidogi discovered

the fierce sapling of - courage pushes through dead leaves - first leap of blind faith

trees reach tall roots crawl - deep universe of soil - wise secret seekers

19.3.19

set the stage with objects - expectation’s stone crumbles - human enters right

or wrong don’t matter - to sniffing dog stop smells licks - experience>know.

visitors-guests-participants ∆an open-heart-home ∆stytch ∆upsidogi

soup 3 mouths fed with donated demeter soli veggies from Brandenburg

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

when something is so complex, where-how does one enter-begin to understand?

using what this-society throws away, engaging with what-who this-society ignores

still (always?) - how can we come-create-together through-with-the-knowledge-of-fear

we need

still (always?) a structure - stepping stones - to continue clearing a pathway - bodies to join us

things upsidogi discovered

one way to help feel safe. a blanket comfort>soft-close-warm-secure-full-body-contact

2.4.19

i asked-intended to summon courage…

i gathered 3 branches, 3 different ways of budding-blooming

upsi summons pink - and neon green of spring buds - pushing through the bark - birthing parts are paired - with pain of pushing through to - new way of being

visitors-guests-participants ∆an open-heart-observer ∆upsidogi ∆stytch ∆a thoughtful-truth-sharer ∆a humble-supportive-songbird ∆an inquisitive-spider

stone soup donated demeter soli veggies from Brandenburg, gifted carrots, celery, zucchini, onion AND kiwi and banana, we even had stone-fruit-salad!

3 discussed ideas-perspectives

the conscious tool of practicing with the intention of NOT producing good-beautiful-productive results… how it can free us and nurture a safe space for growth

avatars! who-what we present ourselves as and how the employment of building an avatar can empower-free-stimulate the creator and also bind-suffocate-blind the creator

we feel ready to move out of suffering. we have learned from the suffering. we have created because of the suffering. suffering is not the only fountain of inspiration. it is time to build the new, it is time for joy. ∆how the joy dance with - its excitement chemicals - can summon courage - to come together - a throbbing body shifting - activating peace

we need

to organize

things upsidogi discovered

again i learn-remember, i exist as an in-between dweller. i find myself again and again, living NOT marginalized, but rather intentionally occupying the middle-ground which holds the potential to divide or to connect. i am a weaver.

upsidogi discovered

one way to help feel safe. a blanket comfort>soft-close-warm-secure-full-body-contact