As modern day humans we create an excessive amount of sound waves. Rippling like waves, shattering the clear and clean service of still water. May it be our inner silence that is broken by our consistent thoughts. Social silence broken by u interrupted dialogue, or the environmental silence by construction and cars, artificial light and electromagnetic fields such as radio and WiFi frequencies disrupting the communicative ability of insects and bees. Generating ‘noise’ has almost become a default state for humans. And we are here today to explore how to open up to a more embodied an present way of listening. By creating more silence we create more space for ‘the other.’ Other creatures and beings to simply exist in their natural state. In that collective space we create, we can learn to become more conscious of our relationship with the environment by observing. In this case; the nature of Brienennoord island. But we can also ‘listen better’ by creating art. The word Silence here is more of a synonym for ‘harmony’. We will explore what its like to ‘harmonize’ through the act of observation, and (nature) art creation. In order to harmonize to anything or anyone, we need to feel and listen verry attentively. How can we listen better? We will give a few examples that empowered us to listen more embodied. From personal experience having more Silence, does not necessarily mean we listen better. Yet silence gives a lot of space to feel more. Listening can be done by making art. Its an act of creative dialogue. I An example is whenever I use a shaker as a creative ‘Medium’. (Explain experience of shaker) (Explain concept of a medium) -an other example (BORA?); how illustrating and painting can make us more aware of other dimensions. Different perspectives to relate ourselves to our environment and its inhabitants. This can also be done through photography; if we capture and present something in a specific way, our conscious relationship with it is influenced by it. How do we give more space to others in the environment? Birds? Trees? Who can we become more respectful, but especially more empathetic. We don’t want to ‘remove’ ourselves from nature, we want to relate and re-integrate ourselves for a more peaceful future with less friction. One way to do this is by respecting its spirits. (EXAMPLE LITTLE SPIRIT POSTER+ explanation of the wooden spirit as a medium) Rather you believe these spirits are real or not does not matter. Stories of spirits, an unseen world and spirit animals have always been a storytelling and visualization tool for humans. Humanizing nature and subtle energies is a great tool throughout history to relate and respect nature so we don’t ‘objectify’ the earth and its inhabitants as if they are some sort of resource. Humans created stories of spirits and gods in myths and folklore capturing and representing voices, movements and natural phenomenon that would have otherwise remained rather arbitrary (which they are obviously not). Today we invite you to open up to this fantastic spirited world present in the island and its inhabitants. Other examples of listening methods; (Residents give input) Interview. Performance. Meditation. Nature art/ installation. Poetry. Story writing. POV. Medium. Singing/ vocal synchronization (embodied listening)