HELENE

Dharma Techno?

Hmmmm, I never listen to techno, is it for me?

Actually, I didn’t ask myself this question when I booked the Sound Silence and Dance event of November 2015. The few words that put me on the path of the retreat were: ‘meditation’ - sometimes I meditated; ‘dance’ - I dance as often as I can; and ‘silence’ - an interesting new experience, to be quiet.

I lived an extraordinary few days and met (in silence….yes it is possible) great people. The daily teachings by Denis were rich, honest and were a real support during this adventure of silence and meditation. It was afterwards that I learned about SP23, Spiral Tribe and their remarkable story, and I met some wonderful people, full of warmth and kindness.

I must confess here….I never listen to techno. I listen to electro, sometimes experimental, but my ears have difficulties with dub, jungle, hardtek etc. Yet I didn’t leave the dance floor when Seb 69DB was mixing. It was hypnotic, ecstatic and full of love. When I didn’t feel aligned with the sound, I came back to the meditation in the midst of it all. I lived an unforgettable moment.

So yes, for those of us for whom the world of raves is unknown and who don’t listen to techno, the Dharma Techno retreats are also for us!

In any case, I’m participating in the April 2016 retreat!

LoVe

HAPPY

A wonderful experience that gives a whole new realm of meaning to ‘Out of your head!’; and ‘mindfulness’ rather than ‘mindlessness’; and still having an amazing party! And quite a different kind of comedown, perhaps even more pervasive and certainly more pleasurable.. For me it meant finally finding a context in which meditation can truly work, utilising it in that oh so familiar party space and exploring the forms of connection between people that exist there. Looking forward to further adventures. Thanks to all.

DEBBIE

What an amazing experience this was! It was such a pleasure to have this opportunity to share the silent world of meditation with my techno friends, and the enriching world of techno music with my meditator friends!

DENIS

What the Dharma Techno project represents for me...

It was in July 2014 that i met Debbie. And she told me her story. A lover of techno music, and of meditation, she felt spiritually nourished in these 2 aspects of her life but could not see how to unite these worlds which seemed so different. It was thus that we imagined the concept of Sound Silence and Dance, a retreat of several days in silence with, towards the end, a techno live-set played by 69DB, who would also particpated in the retreat and so mix on a good vibe, his improvisation emerging from the silence.

I was sure that both the ravers and established meditators, who were interested and adventurous enough to participate in the project, would benefit equally from the experience. The concept is simple enough: the 

experience of meditation shows us that the practice of silent awareness sharpens the senses, makes us more sensitive and in contact with ourselves and what surrounds us. The ideal context which enables us to get into a trance-like state without the use of drugs.

I was therefore sure enough of myself to launch the project. And the results have surpassed all my hopes. From the first retreat, the enthusiasm, the curiosity and the courage were such that i think i can say that nobody missed even one session of meditation. Even though the majority of participants had never meditated before (let alone participate in a retreat), the quality of silence in the meditation hall was perceptible. Each person gave themselves completely to the exploration of their own inner world. It was touching to see so much good will and frankness.

And it was only at the end of the retreat, in listening to the feedback from everyone, that i understood that the spirit of what we are starting corresponds to the spirit of the origins of the techno movement: a real 

desire for freedom and human connection. Some shared, with a certain emotion, their gratitude for the founders of Spiral Tribe, who once again have opened a path towards revolution. An interior revolution this time, which has acquired a maturity thanks to the experience from the past. But the essence remains the same, and it corresponds exactly to the essence of all spiritual paths: a quest to find an ultimate freedom with less reliance on the material world, independant of the context in which we live without denying that context. An inner freedom, the strength to be fair and respectful of our deepest values, the capacity just 'to be'.

DEBBIE/ FEENIX13

For the last twelve years I have practiced silent meditation. And for the last twenty‐five years I have worked as a video artist and designer in the rave scene. It was through going to raves that I first got interested in meditation. Dancing for hours in front of the speaker stacks can stimulate those all important moments of connectedness. While dancing, everything slots into place and one can get glimpses of an underlying truth that normally remains tantalisingly out of reach.

Last summer I met Denis from the association Dharma Nature (www.dharmanature.org). We both share a love of meditation and dance music. We discussed how Techno music, often in combination with chemicals, can open the door to unexplored inner worlds and spirituality. There has been a lot written about the connection between the psychedelic experience and meditation, but much less is known about the connection between pure meditation and pure dance music. We feel that there is some interesting, and as yet unexplored, common ground between the two. The inspiration for Sound, Silence and Dance, came from these discussions.

We want to explore, in a drug‐free environment, the different qualities of silence and sound, to develop our sensitivity and quality of listening, and to introduce silent meditation to ravers and non ravers alike. The form would be a four day retreat with guided and silent meditation sessions, and an evening of live Techno music from the renowned 69DB. Are you interested in joining our exploration?”