ABOUT
WHY
Did you also experience this feeling of repulsion on your way to school? Did some part of you also feel that what the authorities were proposing to be “normal” didn’t meet your nature of being?
Looking at a global level Leo grew up with a strong Weltschmerz. Not understanding why people are starving while on a global level there was more than enough food available. Not understanding why humanity is destroying the living system that we are part of while it is so obvious that this will eventually lead to the destruction of our own species. On the other hand Leo was struggling on a very personal level. Experiencing mobbing, fear and depression combined with a high level of ambitiousness to fit into the surrounding norm.
As a mechanical engineering student at one of the hardest universities of Germany this mix resulted in psychosomatic illness. Leo was experiencing strong attacks of dizziness and nausea to an extend that he could’t participate in meetings anymore. His own body-mind system denied any further participation in the norm. The walk to the doctor would profoundly change his path of life. A careful check of Leo entire body resulted in: nothing. No single abnormality. But when the doctor heard what Leo was studying he smiled with relief and said "There you go. That's the cause! I have many of your kind at my office."
Leo was stunned. About the doctors clarity of the situation paired with his impotency to actually help. About the premise of self destruction in order to succeed in university. And about how well established the profits of that destruction on a collective level were. He realized that the cause of his personal symptoms is the same as the cause of the collective symptoms. And that not as the doctor suggested his field of study is the cause, but the underlying narrative.
The cause is a narrative that informs every technology we invent. Every relationship we are building. And every feeling we have. It is the narrative of separateness (Charles Eisenstein). Since then Leo dedicated his life to a personal and collective transformation to a new and yet ancient story. The story of inter-being (Tich Naht Hanh).
HOW
The idea of inter-beingness can be found in various ancient wisdom traditions. But also contemporary western science like quantum physics, biology, neuroscience, psychology and systems theory are suggesting the same idea nowadays. What is new is the challenge to live the story of inter-being on a global level. As a global humanity. As one organism called humanity. It has never been as urgent as today as we are facing our extinction. But it also has never been as possible as today as we are inter-connected as never before.
In order to transform we need to access our collective memory. The paradox is that a big portion of it lies in the our individual body-mind system. Each individual is a memory carrier interconnected with the collective. Therefor all transformation efforts need to be viewed holistically. As Charles Eisenstein suggests our first steps towards the story of inter-being are to learn to trust and follow our deep desires again. To end the war within. And to constantly ask ourself “What is it like to be you?” when we are facing a problem or a conflict.
Leos work is influenced by various methods that he experienced during his transformation journey. He chooses the parts that he experienced as helpful and in weaves them to unique expressions of art or workshops. The common thread is that they all deal with the access of our individual and collective memory.
Trauma integration work (Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, Holotropic Breathing, Phsychoanalysis), Mindfulness Training (Compassion and Concentration Meditation), Movement based expression practices (Physical Impro Theater, Contact Improvisation, Gaga, Butho, Authentic Movement, Body Mind Centering) , Other artistic expression (Plastic Arts, Writing, Video Art), Leadership Training (Theory U, Social Prescensing Theater, Collective Leadership, Dragon Dreaming), Supported by theoretical frameworks (Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology, Quantum physics).
WHAT
In order to process and support his own transformation process Leo created different artistic relics. Experimenting with photography and writing in his younger ages he moved to plastic art. Later he discovered the means of movement based expression like dance and theater. And the medium of film and audio. His works are often incomplete. Excerpts of his artistic expression that were initially not made to be shared but to support his own process. Sharing these relics through Transformation:Arts Leo hopes to inspire other individuals in their own process of transformation. And to deepen the sense of being part of a field of change. You can find more about this in the section "Art".
Besides that Leo facilitates spaces of transformation. He serves as a coach and organizational developer for Leadership³ in organizational and leadership training setups. Through Transformation:Arts he offers more experimental setups that focus stronger on our playful and artistic desires. Always with an emphasize on self exploration and expression. His workshops are an invitation to physically explore the borders of our normality to unleash each and everyones unique yet collective potential. You can find more about this in the section "Workshops".
CREDITS
Thanks to the Creative Commons Licencing System and the many people contributing to this idea this website can blossom with beautiful images. My deep gratitude towards that!
If not listed here or no one is indicated next to the image the image is contributed by wix.com.
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