2020 Program, Schedule, & Presenters
(Scroll down for program descriptions and presenter bios!)
7:30 – 9:30pm EDT / 4:30pm – 6:30pm PDT
Let’s find out who’s here and what we have to offer each other!
We’ll spend much of the time meeting new folks and deepening existing relationships. This is a quick, fun, easy way to meet lots of people, get a sense of the diversity of the group, and explore opening up to each other.
During this time, we’ll set up our CONNECTION PODS – these small groups will meet daily at a time of their own choosing for connection and support.
We’ll also share the nuts and bolts of how we’ll be building community together over the next 5 days.
*We ask that all participants attend this opening session, to co-create the field of group connection and understanding.
These small groups meet daily so that people can share experiences and support each other. Pods choose their own time to meet, outside of regular programming, and they will meet via a phone or video connection created by pod members.
Pods will be set up during the Opening Circle.
If you end up without a pod and want one, please contact us at info@cfnc.us for support.
1:00 – 1:25pm EDT / 10:00 – 10:25am PDT
We’ll spend some time feeling and thinking into what aspect of our lives, relationships, or our broader world we would like to focus on changing during our time with our Creative Change Groups!
1:25 – 3:00pm EDT / 10:25am – 12:00pm PDT
ZEGG Forum is a powerful process for communities to deepen relationships and promote transparency and understanding. We’ll give an introduction to Forum, then break out and hold small group Forums.
**Everyone who has not been to a ZEGG Forum before is strongly requested to attend this session. Please read the Forum Intro sheet and the Guidelines for Participating in Online ZEGG Forums beforehand.
ZEGG FORUM IN SMALL GROUPS – Facilitated by the Forum Team
Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday
Forum was developed in a free love / radical activist community called ZEGG, as a way to handle the complexities of love / money / power / relationships in a group of committed co-creators, and as an invitation to personal and collective transformation.
The goal of Forum is to reveal what is alive but not known to all. The community sits in a circle, forming a stage for one person at a time to stand and show what is true for them. Facilitators may assist the person (or “presenter”) to reveal themselves more deeply. Afterward, community members may offer reflections, or “mirrors,” on what they saw.
One of the gifts of ZEGG Forum is that it allows us a space to appreciate every perspective without taking it on as “truth.” Allowing all voices to surface and be known can lead to a profound and unexpected integration within a community. We tend to think that events leading to painful experiences and conflicts are bad, because they feel bad in the moment. However, when we open ourselves and compassionately witness what is happening for everyone, these experiences can be gateways to greater closeness, understanding, and love. When conflict emerges, whether or not we are in a formal Forum space, we can choose to listen in this way. This deep listening sustains and nurtures community life and relationships.
7:30 – 9:30pm EDT / 4:30pm – 6:30pm PDT
Enjoy playful and deeply fulfilling connections with old friends and delightful new people. Be gently guided in heart-centered exchanges that are nurturing and often energizing, filled with the blessings of deep presence and universal love. We share undulatory breath practices, sacred presence, and chakra merging, all with boundaries and respect. Sensual, though not sexual, intimate and deeply moving, designed to see the divinity in each other. (Triads or poly groups welcome and committed partners may stay together). Pleasure heals! LoveJourneyTantra.com
1:00 – 3:00pm EDT / 10:00am – 12:00pm PDT
Each of you will get to experience a unique small group method I encountered years ago in my restorative circles masters program – that after doing regularly for two months… I wondered: how have i lived without this!
It’s oriented toward taking action regarding a project or interest… like a conference you’re organizing, an article you’re writing, a family reunion, curing your insomnia, finding soul mates, learning a language… sky’s the limit.
It’s great at catalyzing satisfying, creative, effective change and follow througj unlike any other process I’ve used. In how each small group is structured, there emerges a sparking of creative solutions and strategies that surprise me every time… opening access to ideas and ah-ha’s inside me and the others that were previously hidden.
You can take what you learn here and create it in your life in any realm or community… work, family, friends, and more.
9:00pm – 9:30pm EDT / ?pm – 6:30pm PDT
Touch and sensuality are a core part of the embodied experience that so many of us are missing these days. Yet there are many beautiful ways we can explore and experience sensuality even at a distance from each other.
In the Saturday evening late social, or “Sensual Space”, we open up the possibility of virtual sensual and sexual connection in the flexible breakout rooms. In this introduction, Sarah will explain the guidelines and etiquette for the rooms, and get us warmed up with some sweet guided self-touch and partner explorations.
**This session will not involve genital touch or nudity – all are encouraged to attend, and anyone wishing to be sensual or sexual in the social rooms is strongly requested to attend.
**This introduction will overlap and flow into the beginning of the Saturday evening late social Sensual Space. This is a space to lounge together after spending the day connecting and growing together – a great place to practice communication and share affection in a relaxed and sex positive atmosphere.
In this social, there will be some hosted and themed breakout rooms with sensual or sexual themes. There will also be breakout rooms that are designated as non-sensual spaces, so that everyone who wants to attend can find a space where they feel comfortable.
1:00 – 3:00pm EDT / 10:00am – 12:00pm PDT
Description Coming Soon.
7:30 – 9:30pm EDT / 4:30pm – 6:30pm PDT
Join us in keeping our emotions in motion for optimum health and wellness. In this nourishing offering, you’ll experience bite-size practices and ritual in small and large group to aid in holding any heartbreak. These are practices you can also share with others and bring into your daily life.
“The reality is that you will not grieve forever. You will not “get over” the loss of a loved one (part of yourself, or old way of being); you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again, but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same. Nor would you want to.” ~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross & David Kessler from their book, On Grief & Grieving (Dr. Kubler-Ross’ last book)
We welcome, and are lucky to have Kristin Masters with us. For nearly twenty years, Kristin has been a leader in diversity issues and social change, and believes that we can heal the hurts we’ve suffered in our domination society. Kristin is a long time trainer and facilitator in three bodies of work: Non-Violent Communication (NVC), anti-oppression/liberation work, and the Work That Reconnects (Joanna Macy’s work), incorporating empowerment, mourning and action. She has a multitude of special interests within those, and is known as a highly skilled, warm and engaging facilitator
1:00 – 3:00pm EDT / 10:00am – 12:00pm PDT
Dancing freedom is a free form, authentic movement practice. Integrating elemental waves of music and magic, we give body to our prayers.
The process is lightly facilitated, mainly self directed, a recipe for community coherence and human rewilding, welcoming to all.
7:30 – 8:00pm EDT / 4:30pm – 5:00pm PDT
We’ll take the time to check in about the goals we set earlier in the week, including any progress we’ve made, any support we need, and any next steps or resources we’d like to share with our small group.
2:20 – 3:00pm EDT / 11:20am – 12:00pm PDT
As our time together comes to a close, we will connect, reflect, tie up loose ends, and prepare to transition back to life as usual. What gifts will we bring with us from our New Culture Infusion? How we will they blossom in our future lives?
We’ll gather in flexible breakout rooms to socialize and connect. Everyone will be able to move around the rooms and choose who they wish to hang out with. If it’s your mealtime, bring a meal and have dinner with friends! Or feel free to suggest a themed room, or have a private connection with someone you want to get to know better.
9:30pm – Late EDT / 6:30pm – Not-So-Late PDT
Every evening we’ll have a social gathering in flexible breakout rooms. Everyone will be able to move around the rooms and choose who they wish to hang out with. Community members can create and lead themed breakout rooms – the possibilities include authentic relating games, playful improv games, shared meal-time, dance & movement, “Ask Me Anything,” and anything you’re willing to lead or request!
Evalena Rose
Evalena Rose, M.A. has taught Neo-tantra 24 years and is a skillful coach in intimacy and communication skills. In 1997, she founded LoveJourney: The Healing Path of Tantra fostering a compassionate community practicing erotic arts. She has helped people heal emotionally and spiritually through MetaTherapy, energetic healing, and channeled readings for 40 years. Evalena has extensively studied body-centered therapies, relationship skills, alternative healing, soul retrieval, and recovery from abuse & addiction. She does sessions in Asheville, NC and by video chat or phone world-wide. LoveJourneyTantra.com & EvalenaRose.com
Indigo Dawn
Dr. Johnny Lake
Dr. Johnny Lake (www.drjohnnylake.org) is an international consultant, trainer and speaker certified in programs respecting leadership, diversity, community-building, cross-cultural communication and interactions skills, equity and ethics for youth and adults. He consults with government, professional and educational agencies and organizations. Dr. Lake is an Assistant Professor of Education. He is an Administrator on Special Assignment with the Eugene 4J school district and an advocate for needs of at-risk youth and provides teacher training institutes and student learning and leadership opportunities. Dr. Lake is an internationally recognized writer and storyteller. Dr. Johnny Lake holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Willamette University. He has a Masters in educational leadership and administration and received his Ph.D. in educational leadership, policy, management and organization. Dr. Lake is a former chairman of the State of Oregon Commission on Black Affairs.
Dr. Lake’s scholarship has focused on teaching and learning around issues of leadership, diversity, race and culture, personal and organizational growth, cultural competency, and communication. Dr. Lake assists individuals, schools and traditional institutions to gain critical knowledge and skills, as well as developing effective methods and strategies to bring about growth and progress, and to build and support productive relationships.
Kristin Masters
Sarah Taub
Sarah Taub, Ph.D., is a cultural activist whose passion is creating events where people transform. She teaches the skills of peaceful, sustainable community – self-awareness, honesty, clear boundaries – and facilitates group processes of many sorts, including consensus decision-making, business meetings and retreats, ZEGG Forum (www.zegg-forum.org/), and conflict resolution sessions.
Sarah co-founded the first cohousing community in Washington, DC, and for the past 10 years has lived at Chrysalis, a small urban intentional community in Arlington, VA whose mission is to support activists and healers (www.chrysalis-va.org). Since 2004, she has been a major organizer of Network for a New Culture’s East Coast Summer Camp (www.nfnc.org, www.cfnc.us) and other events aimed at creating a culture based on awareness, compassion, and freedom rather than on fear and judgment. Since 2011, she has been the financial and programs manager for Abrams Creek Center (www.abramscreekcenter.com), a retreat center and community in the mountains of West Virginia.
Sarah’s current koan: only when you let go of urgency can you be truly effective.
Sheya Grace Wind
Sheya’s primary offering is transformational heartistry. Bringing together all her years of initiation, decivilizing, and more trainings and tribes than can be named here. She is a dancing freedom and breath-wave practitioner as well as a next culture trainer, Also a wild grandma. And a visionary artist. She loves being a weaver of village. Currently her favorite activity is synergising and making up fresh language and practices for the new world. Her supershero love powers include grace, creating, clarity, and possibility.
Shana Deane
Wonder-full to be here doing this with you all! Background details and suchness: Long time co-organizer of Network for New Culture Summer Camp West. Teaching and leading workshops and courses in compassionate communication and conflict resolution — via the lens of Marshall Rosenberg’s nonviolent communication model and Dominic Barter’s Brazilian Restorative Circles. New York City Occupy movement: part of team offering mediations, communication trainings and healing circles. Red Tent holder at Romemu in NYC. Private practice: mediator, counselor and end-of-life doula. Honing in ever closer to one of my aspirations… being shameless. Student of aliveness, beauty & spirit. fierce seeker of truth. life and death doula.
Latest mantra that accompanies me: Proceed as if you matter. Live like you’re dying.