The aM All story was a 60th birthday ritual. It was photographed by Rebecca George in the wilds of the Shenandoah mountains.

The aM All ritual

The aM All ritual follows a three-act journey through the phases of life:

  • Dependence

  • Independence

  • Interdependence

Each phase is represented by a scene:

  • The River

  • The Hill

  • The Field

Let’s look at the intent, story and experience of each phase.

ACT ONE: The River

INTENT

The Sleep, numb, hiding, game-player, good boy, learning from others, going with the flow

  • Dependence

  • Go with the flow

  • Follow the flow of the river to learn from others

  • Numb yourself

STORY

  • Above the waterfall, follow the river

  • Above the waterfall, awaken to the call

  • Over the waterfall, answer the call

RIVER EXPERIENCE

THE RIVER

RIVER’S WAY

The white robe unfurls around me like a bed on the surface of the river. My face is wrapped in cloth, and I am asleep. The river carries my body.

THE CALL

Another me crawls onto a flat stone above the waterfall. Hand raised, this other me crouches and wordlessly calls. But I have no answer. There is nothing to do or say. I am asleep on the river.

THE FALL

My body spills over the waterfall. As I drop, my arms spread in angel hope to guide me. And I smack the granite. Hard. My finger breaks. I gulp the surface for air.

The cloth is gone from my face. I stand against the river. Clawing the granite, I climb and rise. In seconds, breathing hard, I clutch moss-covered stones in shallow water. I stand in the river. Awake above the fall.

1.     Fear of cold water; being shrouded

2.     Bumping against low bottom

3.     Embodying the experience

5.     Holding painful position of The Call = Focus on challenge of herald’s role

6.     Sliding down the waterfall = sprained finger, felt it pop. Made ritual feel real. Aching body = sensory experience + lingering sign of important event.

 

ACT TWO: THE HILL

INTENT

  • Independence

  • Go your own way

  • We find our own way for a more fulfilling experience

  • Take action

STORY

  • First steps. Find your legs/your way of being

  • The monster. Face your fears

  • The impasse. Let go of who you think you are. Accept what is. Welcome it.

HILL EXPERIENCE

  1. Let me embody the experience on my own

  2. Break through performance and production to embodying the experience

  3. Serendipity: Broken mask. Letting go of Dad. Letting go of carrying dad 45 years after his suicide.

 

ACT THREE: THE FIELD

INTENT

  • Evolve humanity

  • We release ourselves, give to others, and become one with all

  • Share with others

  • Be your true self

STORY

  • Arrive. Be here now.

  • Share. Give back what you learned on the river and hill

  • Be free. Be your true self. Let go of inhibitions. Dance and sing.

FIELD EXPERIENCE

1.     Balance art direction with performance and finally embodying the experience.

2.     Dance helped me embody experience, let go of perfection, trust RG to get needed photos

3.     No time to stay in ritual experience; resent; then realize the ritual is ongoing. Chop wood carry water.