Program

 

Perception of plants, playing with our own routines

If we move around with attention and open our senses, we start to play with our own routines nd the world shows itself in new colours. Our worldview starts to grow, where once there was only green, suddenly good acquaintances grow, who we are happy to meet again. When we are fully in the moment it is easier to breathe, to regain energy and to feel with nature.

In this workshop we will do exercises to attention and the perception of ourselves and plants and we will talk about it together.

Max. 20 participants, 2-3h

 

the symbolic language of nature

A winding branch, a bumblebee inside a flower, a split stone; there are uncountable symbols in nature, but only very few catch our attention. During this evening we will practise to become more attentive for these symbols and to playfully apply them to ourselves and our lives.

It is not about a set system of symbols, but the search for individual and spontaneous symbols.

In this workshop participants will be sent out with a little exercise and an inspiration to start their own nature-symbol-walk. At the end we will come back together.

 

Max. 15 participants, 1,5-2h

 

Action and Demonstration First Aid

A practical workshop in which we build our own eyewashes to rinse pepperspray and try them out, we learn how to apply a pressure bandage, how to carry injured people and much more

ca 2h

 

Making Tinctures

Since ancient times tinctures are used as a possibility to conserve the precious constituents of different herbs and to make them usable. These concentratet plant extractions, potions and essences have been used as medicine ever since and can be used in many different ways.

Here you will get an introduction into the making of several (freshly collected) plant extracts and can mix a tincture yourself.

Materials (jars, alcohol, oil) will be provided

 

DIY, Unabhängigkeit und weg von der industriellen Medizin (wenn möglich)

I want to give you the possibility to make your own ointments, from mycosis pedis to healing cremes. I will bring all necessary materials (from sheabutter, lanolin to containers, thermomether, etc) If you have containers which you want to fill with your cosmetics, you’ re welcome to bring them, but it’s not a condition to participate. I will quickly explain the characteristics of the ingredients and I will explain how to cook an ointment. Come join and take your own ointment home at the end of the workshop. The ingredients are mostly ecologically produced and/or fairtrade. The ointments can also be produced vegan. Also I will bring essential oils and homemade tinctures, which can also be used in the ointments. Suggested donation: 3-6 €

DIY, independence and away from industrial medicine (if possible)

Introduction to the basics of Shiatsu
roots

shiatsu means thumb pressure and is a form of body work, based on the traditional chinese or japanese philosophy. Yin and Yang, the 5 elements, the system of meridians (energy lines that flow through the body) as well as aspects of western methods form it’s frame. Through it’s holistic approach the human is always looked at in its wholeness and in connections to it’s environment and supportet accordingly.

Reference to society

We live in a society, in which it’s often hard to have a good relation to one’s self, to notice one’s own deep needs and to give them room. Imbalance in the way of living has an effect on the mental, physical and emotional condition. Established blockades restrict our mobility, cause malaise and pain. When we start to search for the reason of these symptoms, we can discover what we have to change to strengthen the inner balance. The more realtion we have to ourselves, the better we feel ourselves, the more free we express and move, the less we accept situations that aren’t good for us. Shiatsu can add to our resilience to deal with the cahllenges of our world.

Treatment

Treatment happens on the floor on a mat in comfortable clothing and generally in silence. By pressure of thumb, heel of hand, ellbow or even the knees and feets, rotations, stretches, mobilisations and other techniques your system gets stimulated to find balance.

In the indroctury-workshop you get to know basic techniques of treatment and exercises for balncing your own energy-system. Aswell you’ll learn about principles, functionality and the philosophical approach of Shiatsu.

For the workshop we’ll need mats and pillows.

Für den Workshop brauchen wir Matten und Kissen.

Safer/Braver Space for people with jewish backgroun
(only open for people with jewish background)
Braver/Safer Space for people that identify as jewish ans/or grew up with jewish reference persons/families. It can be about questions of internalised oppression/antisemitism and yiddishness (or however you call it in your being jewish), jewish culture/beliefs/history and us as individuals in political work and radical herbalism, about getting to know each other and networking…

We decide together what’s important to us in the moment.

Possible topics: Are we out? Do we hide? How does our relation to being jewish our political work and vice versa? How do we live the trauma of shoa and other jewish antisemitic experiences in us and our political work? Where are the links to other oppressions and privileges (skin colour, physical ability, gender identity and many more). This space will not be open for people that have no jewish history und wants to become a safer/braver space with the possibilites to reflect from many different jewish perspectives.

The preparing person is female socialised, trans*, white, anarchist influences, ashkenazi jewisj, lives in the Diaspora, well educated, … , … I speak german/english and french an can imagine being part in a mixed language discussion.

Duration: ca 2h

 

Oppression and mental health

We will reflect on our own and in the group which effects oppression and power systems have on our mental health. It is not only about the analysis of our lives and collective processes considering structural oppression and mental health, but also about very practical things. Hopefully we will find some more clarity and (re)dicover the complexity, why our mental health is also inkes to oppression and, positively, to collective liberation. In this workshop, we will also, collectiviely, politically think about first steps considering the places we live in, to change something about our situation and to have more ressources for moments in which it’s mentally difficult for us.
This workshop is especially for people that are affected by oppression. It is also possible to create several groups for groups such as FLTIQ*/POC/etc.

The workshop uses some materials of the Icarus Project http://theicarusproject.net/resources/publications/

The preparing person is female socialised, trans*, white, anarchist influences, ashkenazi jewisj, lives in the Diaspora, well educated, … , … I speak german/english and french an can imagine being part in a mixed language discussion.

duration ca. 4-5h, for ca.12 Persons

Dragon Dreaming as a wholictis process
(probably cancelled)

Introduction to environmental psychology

explanation will follow

Being mentally ill or neurodiverse as an activist
Exchange and strategies to validate our own possibilities and ways of doing activism, to take our needs seriously, to fight back against discrimination, to stick together and change things!
Topics: Self care, community care, How can neurotypical/ healthy people help?, critique of psychiatry, goals/demands, exchange of ideas.“

Multiplicity (Dissociative Identity (Dis)Order / multiple personality) a consequence of trauma – by someone who is multiple themselves
„A short overview what multiplicity is and what common consequences of trauma are. We will try to talk and act in an empowered way about these experiences and ways of being that are often seen as sick and false. We’ll also talk about everyday life as a multiple and what friends and community/ies can do, because awareness and understanding are important, especially in political/feminist scenes so that everyone can participate and learn from each other.
This workshop can be heavy/upsetting/triggering – we will take care to be mindful about that and make it as little triggering as possible, so that as many people as possible can participate.“

 

Workshop about (im)possibilities of psychiatry, diagnoses and others.

Mental illsness can be found almost everywhere: in the media and in the social environment and at the same time they’re almost invisible. Everything but obvious, diverse and often unpredictable

The sick numbers are rising, just like the sales of all imaginable and unimaginable pharmaceuticals.

Many diagnoses and capitaist practices can be criticised. But what do I do if I just can’t cope? If my surroundings cannot give me the necessary support anymore or it is just not steady enough? Is it really helpful to get “professional help”? Will I not be pathologized and manipulated? And what does this “pathologized” mean? Many questions, few clear answers. But one thing is certain: To find a good therapist is more difficult than to find a good dealer.

We can find especially also in the “left scene” many people with experience in psychiatry and therapy, with good experiences and terrible ones.

Aim of this presentation is to criticise without demonising and to praise without glorifying. There will be a short historical overview, experiences, information about coercive measures, information for those close to people that are affectes, criticism will be presented and criticised again. It is about getting an overview without too much academic BlaBla and is an attempt to fight against stigmatising and prejudice against affected people.

I am affected myself (neurodivers), experienced in psychiatry, trans-masculin, white, german passport, middle class, without university degree.

Afterwards, if necessary we want to have space for people that feel affected by mental illness, pathologizing or psychiatrization. To exchange and empower. Of course people without official diagnoses are welcome.

We wish for respect. Leave your dominant speaking habits at home. For questions write to what_is_it (at) riseup (dot) net

 

Acroyoga: play, laugh and blossom
Join Emelia and Eva for two hours to root into your body, open your leaves and help each other to reach the sky’s sunshine. The games and play of Acroyoga invite us to be silly, relax and connect with each other. From there we can build trust to support the trunks and branches of other people. Get outside your comfort zone and see how you can photosynthesize upside down!

We will give options for all stems, roots, sizes and skill sets. Bring a yoga mat if you have one.
Pro*feminism and critical masculinities

In this workshop we want to talk about feminism, patriarchy and masculinities – with a personal, biographic approach as well as theoretical perspectives. It shall provide space to examine our personal involvement in patriarchal structures, to deal with feminist theories related to that involvement and general social issues and to think about possibilities for participating in feminist struggles.

Depending on the needs of the participants the workshop can be extended over the next days. But new people can always join. We will work a lot in little groups, so it may be possbile to build an english-speaking group.

 Reading unofficial pictures

In classical and „social“ media, on the streets: everywhere we are confronted with a flood of pictures, that usually suggest to reproduce the ever-same pictures in our heads. Personal, in-depth and reflecting stories – pictures that don’t fit in known patterns – are easily drowned. Sharing Unofficial Pictures is a still young platform anchored in Leipzig that wants to stimulate exchange about personal issues, ideas, problems, wishes through photography and film. We want to empower people with different backgrounds to appropriate techniques to read, produce, share and publish their personal/political pictures.

In this „reading workshop“ with one of us we can talk about our projects and books that were created in our last workshops. Afterwards there could also be a general reflection about the power of images. And if some people are interested we could meet again to start organize a longer workshops for the production of personal projects.

The plan: 30min quick chat and getting-to-know, 30 min looking at books and reading pictures on one’s own, 30-60min exchange.

The books (most probably): – Die Jasmin-Flucht – und in der mitte klebt überall die scham – dazwischen mittendrin – Mohammed’s Story (en) – wider den gefühlsstau

The person preparing the workshop has male socialization, is white, has studied photojournalism, has 4 years of experience in self-organization of project and living spaces and a therefor privileged experience of living from welfare subsidies …

I could imagine to translate between English, German and Italian.

Duration: 1.5h-2h, 3-15 people

Mahloquet and adultism

In many situations children are treated as unequal by adults. This form of power dynamics is called adultism. Aim of this workshop is to fundamentally challenge every kind of normality in relationships with children and to reflect about when unneccessary exercise of power is happening. What are my alternatives, and which societal links are in place? The base for this is a reflection about our own childhood. As a possibility to create an acknlowledging space for conversation, the position, manner of hearing and speaking Mahloquet will be presented and put into practice.

6 hours, 15-18 participants