Saturday, May 28th, 2-4pm
Free, Donations welcomed

This is a two-part workshop.

1) The seminar will be a discussion group with the aim of conducting a conversation and reading of Freud’s text: “The Economic Problem of Masochism”. It is recommended to read the text ahead of time at least once, and come with thoughtful questions, wide-ranging or specific. The goal of the seminar will be to provide a portal to critique without centralized institutions or models that impose a binary–of teacher/ student, patient/analyst, etc.– offering a discussion with an orientation towards a need to revisit the relevance of self-annihiliation and evasion, in life and work, at once theoretical and practical. How does self-sabotage intervene against the quest to advance in life and achievements? Is the latter the former in another guise? The text provided is an offering, what it’s content brings up can be put on the table and introduced to others through speech. (60 min)

2) Speaking can be limiting in this exploration–the latter half of the workshop will involve guided movement techniques to emphasize the relevance of the somatic states in our moving bodies, what gets stuck from moving around or not moving around. The focus will be noticing compression and tension and hierarchies of movement. The attempt will be to bring some awareness to the present to help quiet racing or repetitive thoughts, by paying attention to the body, bound up as it is with the mind’s ways. Lastly, if you have personal techniques for quieting the mind please list them and bring the paper with you. I will create an email list and circulate them to all participants for tactics to use in daily life that bring ease and space without pharmaceuticals or vices. (60 min)

Text is available here:
https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/engl-594-fall2013/files/2013/08/FreudTheEconomicProblemofMasochism.pdf