Staying strong, together.

Will you join me?

Sending love your way,

A.A.

The Performer and the Self

Some of you may be aware that my work as curandero came about as a byproduct of my performance art research. Regardless of the ways in which I am compelled to advertise my practice, I've always seen my sessions as performance art, which is no different than the way shamans refer to their healing work. In Spanish "artes curanderas" or "artes curativas" are common ways to refer to it.

Bottom line: I never went into the healing arts as my primary goal in life. My performative work took me there and I'm really grateful for that.

I am grateful because performance art tends to be perceived as a passive, somewhat incomprehensible experience, where the role of the viewer is merely reflexive. Of course, that is not always the case. Marina Abramović's "The Artist is Present" was as much of a hit as the hugs Amma provides gets hundreds of people in line to experience a moment of healing bliss.

In my practice, we both become active participants of the healing process. If you've come to see me, one of the very first things you've probably heard me say is "in order to calm your mind you need to work." And we work, together. But we only engage in this 'task' until all efforts become second nature, and that's when healing happens. When we are not thinking about it anymore.

That is exactly the point of convergence between the healing arts and the performing arts. The place where magic happens.

The development of my healing practice happened in tandem as my performance art research evolved. And the energy of AMARU has been at the core of that process of investigation. For me, Amaru equals the Sanskrit word Kundalini and that has become my anchor for developing a tantric healing approach for men. In theory, Tantrism is not a homosexual practice, let's not forget that. In order to bring balance to that equation, I have incorporated Leather (what could be more 'masculine' and homo-erotic than that?) as a gateway to access the subconscious, which lies at the root of much of our sources of distress.

So, if any of you are following my performative work in video, I ask you to look at my character as it is: a personal representation of AMARU, that is to say, the way in which my shadow manifests. It is a performance born from confronting parts of my psyche I do not rationally understand, a force that I have come to embrace as part of who I am. As Will Compertz, Arts Editor for BBC News, recently said “Truth is the point of art, not perfection.“

My character appears in the INTRO and EP. 1 & 2 of the Vimeo-on-demand series BLOOMERS produced by ASOBI NY. I serve as a bridge between the characters in the series and the poetry of Walt Whitman, and my role is imaginary as much as it is real. Like any shaman, Amaru travels in-between worlds.

If you are curious about the ways in which desire can be transformed--a core principle of Tantric philosophy--I encourage you to follow this independent production 100% made in NYC.

It is being made thinking of you.

As you can see in the poster for EP. 2, AMARU is seen guarding Manhatta from the coronavirus. Ha!

All the best to you in-this-already-crazy new lunar year.

AA

Happy Thanksgiving!

A special discount for you as a thank you for letting me part of your life.

Please get in touch.

All the best,

A.