GSV 2020 Fall Virtual Conference
Resilience through Recounting
September 24 – 27, 2020
Register here
Greetings GSV Siblings,
This is not the conference I originally envisioned. Well, you know, life happens, and pandemics are a (thankfully, rare) fact of life.
As COVID-19 necessitated changes to how we do just about everything, I faced a familiar mix of resistance and excitement in planning for the fall conference. On bad days, I can’t face the challenges. On good days, I see so many fruitful possibilities.
I want this conference to be a space of sharing a similar mixed bag of experiences. We are full of so many stories. Some are about accomplishments. Some are about disappointments. Some are written on our bodies in scar tissue and wrinkles. Some soar up from our deepest spiritual center.
I don’t know what happens next; that is part of living in a story. Maybe you are eager for the end; maybe you want it to go on forever. Either way and at all points between, there is opportunity for recall, recounting, and resilience.
We tell our stories not just to record what happened, but to sing ourselves into being. And this is the story about the time we held our annual fall rituals online. Lean in. Listen. Share.
Our Conference Schedule
This is the schedule (below) in its pared down form. There is a more detailed and constantly updating version of the schedule at the link provided. There, you will find bios for all our presenters and more details about our workshops and presentations.
Mindful of best practices and advice for an online conference, I have endeavored to leave empty space on the schedule so that we don’t spend the weekend just teleconferencing. To the best of my ability, I have tried to schedule with the different time zones of attendees in mind.
I took note of feedback from the Spring Retreat Gathering to make sure small groups were part of this conference, both to honor our fall traditions and to provide more intimate virtual groupings to share in.
I have also worked to provide asynchronous content to facilitate different registers of engagement. Each day begins with a downloadable semi-guided meditation. You may sit with that at the usual early morning hour, or you can take advantage of that whenever you wish.
Similarly, I have set up several murals for the conference. One is linked at the bottom of this page and includes a more detailed conference schedule. That mural is “read only” but will contain links to other murals and content that you can interact with and add to. I chose this platform because it is relatively easy to use, with hopefully clear guides for how to add content and interact with the provided material. If you have questions about how to use it, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Take Care of Yourselves
Take breaks when you need to. Connect with others on your own platforms when you need to. Get up out of your chair and move around when you need to. Use the white spaces in the schedule as you need to. Drink lots of water. I know we aren’t at The Mountain, but we still need space for self-care.
I believe that stories heal and help us. But I also know that healing can take a lot out of us. And some stories, whew! You need a moment, right?
Additional information about Guardians, pop-up sessions, ways to connect, etc. will be shared on the fuller schedule mural link. That is a work in progress and will be continually updated throughout the conference. We will also email out connecting information for the Zoom sessions to the attendees. Enjoy!
Registration is now open. The GSV program fee is $50. In addition, a donation to The Mountain would be greatly appreciated due to their loss of income caused by coronavirus and subsequent cancellations.
Blessed be,
Jonny/Mothra, Convener, Fall 2020
Conference Schedule
Thursday, 9/24
7-9 pm EDT
Welcome and Heart Circle
9:30-11 pm EDT
Self-Pleasure
With Mahan-Kalpa Khalsa
Friday, 9/25
Early Morning
Downloadable Daily Meditation
11-12:15 pm EDT
Yoga
with David and Teddy Jones
Or
Enneagram Circle
with Tim Flood
2-3:15 pm EDT
Small Groups
4-5:15 pm EDT
Embody Your Inward Sage
Guided by Andrew Ramer
Or
Archangel Gabriel brings us Inspiration/Creativity/Boldness
With Pete Cossaboon
7-9 pm EDT
Telling Our Stories
Panelists: Jonny Gray, Greg Hummel, David Manning et al.
9:30-11 pm EDT
Lingam Puga
With Mahan-Kalpa Khalsa
Saturday, 9/26
Early Morning
Downloadable Daily Meditation
11-12:15 pm EDT
Small Groups
2-3:15 pm EDT
Keynote Address
Padraig O Tuama
4- 5:15 pm EDT
Introduction to Rainbow Awakening
With Damien Rowse
Or
Mindful Doodling
With Jeff Beacham
7-9 pm EDT
“Making Masks Fun Again!”
Online Variety Show and Masquerade
9:30-11 pm EDT
Open Zoom Room – To do with as we please
Sunday, 9/27
Early Morning
Downloadable Daily Meditation
10-11 am EDT
Small Groups
11:30-1 pm EDT
Closing Circle and Farewells