Light and dark, reason and emotion, them and us.
We are taught to break things down into simpler pieces in order to understand them. To identify, classify, and assess; advancing knowledge with rational enquiry.
If an approach works well in one area of life, it is tempting to apply it to all of life. Life is not tidy though. Contrast is good, without it we could be worse than blind wandering in a landscape where pitfalls are undetectable. However a dependence on forcing a separation between “self” and “other” is dangerous. We can build the “other” up into a big scary monster and either ridicule it, or over amplify serious concerns and shelve it as too difficult to confront. Both approaches fail to engage with the mystery and real experience. They blind us to things all human being share that can be found when people choose to meet in peace, even if that peace can be uncomfortable at first.
Festivals in the UK are shared events, with customs from across the whole globe crashing into ancient traditions and modern customs. Each person has their own collection of preferences, but does anyone have a claim to the right way to do things?
And yet we all have the ability to recognise what is right, and what is less than good. How can we help each other develop that? This is something everyone can contribute to.
Quartz will be in the Riverside tap this weekend, telling stories and taking time to reflect on them. We will be out in the cold and dark (seriously, bring warm clothes! We will actually be out back – there will be some lights though) because sometimes it is in the dark that you most appreciate a light.
The stories have been carefully selected, and the intention is to explore mystery and the thinning of worlds rather than shock or relish in plasticised horror. There will be things to do with your fingers while your mind wanders, and of course the fine ales of the tap. A selection of non alcoholic options are available.
