The Portal Wound
Photographed by Zac Zenza
Emotionally and spiritually, the most significant things that happen to us are double-edged. The happiest experience can hold tremendous darkness on the other side of its coin, when its brightest moment passes, leaving only the memory. That pain however, can be beautiful and instructive of one's own strength and ability to endure, to heal. This piece attempts to embody the metabolic processing of an emotional and spiritual ordeal in life. Through a consciously undertaken physical ordeal, the physical pain serves as an emblem and channel of release for emotional and mental pain, which creates blockage or paralysis. Through a process of surrender and acceptance, this... "raw material" is effectively transmuted into strength, wisdom and possibility for new growth. An act of letting go. A blood-rite for purification. A Portal towards the New…
. The Aftermath .
Photos by Luis Solarat
. RITUAL ARC .
The disembodied voice speaks the words first. [read below]
It comes from an aspect of the Self that functions as a guide and wisdom-giver to the aspect of self in the thick of it.
Be it higher Self, intuition, or simply a deeper layer of consciousness. The label matters not.
The voice holds the space and guides the ritual in energy and intention.
The gong sets the pace and marks the intervals.
The needles go in, one by one.
Each element they represent is honoured, deeply felt, and reflected upon.
An interim moment passes. There is a longing to speed up the process, to free the self quickly from all the needles and all the elements they represent, to tear them out at once in a frenzy of release and be done with it.
But life does not work this way.
The process unfolds mindfully, step by step.
The embodied voice now guides the way, in full presence. The live gong sounds more intense.
Each needle comes out, one by one.
Each element it represents is paid its blood tribute, leaving a permanent mark on the skin, a powerful reminder.
When the physical is altered, there is truly no returning to the same place.
A liberation and a commemoration of all that was endured and achieved.
Finally, the passage through the portal becomes possible.
The ritual closes as I walk out of the hall.
Co-performed with Venus Raven, at Modern Panic IX, London 2018. Lighting design by Patricia Polo.
Concept, performance and all original sound by Alice Karveli.
One for sorrow
One for Joy
One for the Self you try to destroy
One for pleasure
One for its lack
One for mistakes you cannot track back…
to Source
One for the dream and
One for the nightmare
One for the scream and
One for the song
One for longing
One for loss
One for the blessing
and one for its curse
One for chaos
One for form
One for the Wholeness that gets torn
And one for the way and the wait…
to be reborn.
Early Concept design.