Next workshop : January 24-26, 2024
Play matters because people matter.
-Jill Violet
Welcome!!!
Ready to let go of expectations and…
stumble into imaginative inquiry, playful presence, and profound connection with yourself and the world around you?
Like many mysteries in life, a journey into Clown may not be what you think it is - not about tricks, gags or routines, or even being happy!
In the simplest way, Clown is a state of being - open, curious and full of wonder – more than something that we do.
Clown invites us to encounter ourselves and each other without the constraint of performing as we do in life. The whole experience can be quite paradoxical - it may feel a little like turning ourselves upside-down, inside-out… or both!
And why would we want to do that?! If You are curious, read on!
What happens in a Clown workshop?
Our task becomes equal parts play and reflection as our journey unfolds!
And what, exactly, is play? Isn’t that what children do?
What if play could mean letting go of expectations and finding joy in the present moment, re-connecting to your aliveness, and bringing imagination and intuition to bear in the most natural ways as you share yourself authentically in community?
In workshops, we come together as a community of explorers to apply joyful inquiry, deep listening, presence and other enlivening practices to our discoveries. We play, reflect, then play more, attuning to the spaces between us, ever guided by what we do not know.
Why should I take a workshop?
This is a rich question, which it may be best not to answer too quickly. It has been answered in many ways!
Reports from the field offer valuable perspective. On the other side of workshops, we have heard tell of awakened creative flow, exciting synchronicities, positive life changes like breakthroughs in relationships and upswings in health, a brighter sense of purpose and more joy.
Some people sum it up by saying, simply, that they feel more alive - and present!
Your experience is likely to unfold its “benefits” over time. Your experience will say it best.
Please also visit the Testimonials page on this site to read more.
Is Clown right for me?
If you are called to this adventure, we encourage you to trust that there will be something waiting for you ~ like a gift waiting to be opened ~ in your experience.
Your gift might feel quietly personal, obvious, subtle, long-awaited or surprisingly fresh... Again, your experience will say it best.
We suggest that you trust your instincts to guide you. Is the timing right for you? Do you feel called to the experience? If you’re at the door, and you’d like to see for yourself what happens when the door opens, we hope you’ll join us for a workshop!
Am I right for Clown?
Are you feeling unsure, bewildered, hesitating, shy? (Or possibly confident, ingenious and naturally funny... etc?) Please don’t try to fix – or change – a thing!
Something unusual about the journey into Clown is that it invites us to dance with our authentic selves. This means that the only real question you need to ask yourself is whether you are willing to show up and see what happens on this journey!.
Where do I start?
When it comes to the Clown’s journey, the expression “beginner’s mind” is very apt. Since presence is not something we ever perfect, there are truly no levels to Clown!
Thus, please follow your intuition as you explore workshop options and trust yourself to start with the right workshop for you. You may also reach out to us. We’ll do our best to help you think it through!
Have more questions?
Please reach out to Sarah directly at hello@spontaneouswisdom.net / 917-596-3218
join a workshop:
A list of open workshops can be found below. The list is updated regularly. These workshops are open for all.
host a workshop:
If you would like to host a workshop for your business / organization / group, you may contact Sarah directly at hello@spontaneouswisdom.net / 917-596-3218.
Wondering whether a workshop would be appropriate for you or your business?
Please reach out to Sarah directly at hello@spontaneouswisdom.net / 917-596-3218
Curious? We hope you’ll join us!
ALONG COMES I
with Sarah French
"Then we love a human being, not our dream, but a human being with flaws."
-Anaïs Nin
How, if at all, can we play our selves, in a world that seems to demand such serious attention?
What happens to our self, or selves, when we open to the beauty of forgetting, the wonder of being lost or the inspiration of giving up?
What do our contradictory selves have to teach us? What can we learn by talking to ourselves & how, if at all, is it possible to break our own rules?
EMPTINESS AND THE CLOWN
with Sarah French and Vivian Gladwell
“There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may to make a silence, we cannot.”
-John Cage, Silence: Lectures and Writings
This course aims to explore the clown’s relationship to emptiness.
We will play with silence and stillness, spaciousness, invisibility, and our yearning for certainty.
What happens when we resist the temptation to be busy, meaningful, or purposeful?
WEARING OURSELVES LIGHTLY
with Sarah French
"We only play when we are in the fullest sense of the word human, and we are only fully human when we play."
-Friedrich Schiller
Clowning is an invitation to enjoy the poetry of being human.
This approach to Clown is not about tricks, gags or routines. It drops us into the here and now, where listening and presence guide us through doors of imagination and self-discovery.
The results can be affirming and liberating!
SPONTANEOUS WISDOM
with Sarah French
“Play matters because people matter. It reminds us of our interdependence and gives us a chance to really see other people and, in turn, to be really and truly seen."
-Jill Violet
Clown is a state of playfulness that invites us to let go into listening and presence.
In this workshop, for therapists and wellness practitioners, we’ll explore the healing dimensions of Clown.
What is the role of authenticity, vulnerability and irreverence in our work as therapists? Are we playful enough?