Induction

Sheldon Solomon, bartender

What would you like?

A Pale Russian, please

Coffee liquor, vodka and…?

A dash of soy milk, thank you

Briefing. Along with the other workshop participants, I trained my personal Master of Scenarios. As training progressed, I recognised this being as a creature I had met within my childhood nightmares. How could this possibly be? I suppose that, unconsciously, I designed my Master of Scenarios based on my memory of that dream character. However, at the time, it felt like being reintroduced after many years.

Master of Scenarios:

(To the son)

Nice to see you again.

Music: "Nice to see you again"

A chromatic descent (E to D)

Master of Scenarios:

On our last day of orientation

We take one more journey up and down the mountain

The Golden Calf Elevator & Café

Your idealised ritual design laboratory

When you die, you will leave it behind

Your Master of Scenarios

This idealised facilitator you have trained

When you die, they will represent you in the Café

Before you die, however, there is work to do

We are committed to testing our hypothesis:

Changing the story can change the world

We therefore experiment with methods

Participants:

Methods

For ritual design and mythic hygiene

For re-considering our cosmology and morality

For trying on new and functional mythic narratives

For wrestling with the cosmos and free will

For transcending human nature

Master of Scenarios:

We find solace in our humility and agnosticism

We have no fucking clue what might work

As unique experiments of the cosmos

Our offerings may include bits of insight

Participants:

How might we reduce the horrors and suffering of our world?

How might we foster a more just and peaceful world?

Induction

Briefing. During the first day of the workshop, we were provided with detailed instructions about the Golden Calf technologies, which induce states of consciousness conducive to experimental mythic hygiene. That day was designed to help us decide whether (with informed consent) we would choose to use these tools. Days 2 through 6 each included Sinai Sessions using the Golden Calf technologies. Components included the “Chair” and two psychoactive compounds: Technicolor and VistaVision. These fanciful names were borrowed from motion picture technologies, but they hold up as metaphors for technologies of consciousness. 

Scenography (Sc.)

A procession to and from the bar and then to your chair

You receive two canisters: Technicolor and VistaVision

You approach your empty chair with anticipation and intention

You install the canisters into their receptacles

The technologies are activated

Music: “Calm the fuck down (Technicolor)” (Instrumental)

Sc.

Technicolor achieves a calm, intentional and anticipatory state

VistaVision is then introduced – and time, space and self disintegrate

Imagine television snow that fragments into ever smaller pieces

Music: “Take me as you will (VistaVision)”

This “sing-along” leads up to the VistaVision fragmentation

The ritual intends to establish an open and fearless mind

The style is "rock and roll surfing"

Surfing consciousness and cosmos

(Backing vocals by the band, in parentheses)

Master of Scenarios:

Ship’s log 

Here I am

(Take me as you will)

There is where, no here, nor there

(Take me as you will)

There is no place, no time, no space

(Take me as you will)

Everyone:

Take me as you will

Take me as you will

Take me as you will

Master of Scenarios:

There is no place, no time, no space

There is where, no here, nor there

Take me as you will

Sc.

The stage and screen are the elevator doors

We can see and feel the elevator rising

As we try on the possibility of transcending human nature

This recognition of possibility powers the elevator