18. 06. 2025 - 22. 06. 2025
Description
Karma Masks: making and using a mask of a personality from one of your past-lives
About the workshop:
Following the research into past life personalities from the two previous workshops Beasts at the Threshold and KarmaDrama, this third modular workshop offers the opportunity to create a mask of a personality from a previous life you have researched. This work is deep and dramatic, and offers the opportunity to embody this personality of a past life in a mask. This work then extends to using psychodramatic action methods and KarmaDrama processes to bring the mask alive and see through its eyes, and also see it from the outside. This enables a dialogue to open between you in your present life, and the personality you inhabited in a past life.
Preparing the design: research methods will be explored through Destiny learning and other past-life karma processes to unveil a personality. This work will generate an image for the design. You will be invited to draw this image and a number of different ways.
Making masks: designing in plastercine, to create three dimensional life size model. This will be covered with gumstrip and masking tape. Colouring with chalk pastels and other materials.
Mask using: using drama processes and ritual structures, the masks will be embodied through action methods.
This work will be ethically contained and managed with boundaries and support structures, including briefing and debriefing processes with the large group, smaller sub groups and one to one sessions.
About the facilitator:
Mike Chase established The Mask Studio in the mid 90’s and developed masks for training,
education, performance and therapy. He has taught in these fields internationally for 35
years. He was the Artistic Director of The Mask Academy and the Glasshouse Arts Centre,
Stourbridge for 14 years. He has contributed to the Biographical Counselling training over 20
years as an external trainer, and has conducted self-development workshops around the
world over the past 30 years. For 14 years he created the Hero’s Journey programme for
students at the Glasshouse College using masks and psychodrama.
For the last 9 years Mike has been working within a therapeutic community prison HMP Grendon using psychodrama and group psychotherapy. He is currently the clinical lead as therapy manager on a wing with violent men with learning disabilities. His book Mask was published by Hawthorn Press in 2017, and he is in the process of getting his next book Why Did You Kill Me? published. Mike has a diploma in psychodrama, psychotherapy and an M.Ed. in educational research and is a fully insured member of UKCP, undergoes supervision and abides by the UKCP Ethics for Practice. Mike is currently on the faculty of the Mental Health Seminar at Emerson College, looking at mental health in the light of anthroposophy.
About the place:
The workshop will take place in the Open Space, Czech Republic. Open Space is a non-for-profit educational & cultural centre located 15 minutes from Prague airport and 25 min from Prague in the quaint village of Trpoměchy near Slaný. Originally built as a gymnasium in 1920’s by Sokol, a fraternal organisation promoting the old-Greek ideal of a bodily, moral and spiritual whole, the recently reconstructed building offers a large workspace, kitchen, sauna and cozy attic bedrooms.
full board (3 meals a day, snacks, coffee/tea)
dormitory/hostel-style lodging in shared rooms with 2-4 people in one room and shared bathrooms,
The dates:
Wednesday 18th June 2025 from 5pm till Sunday 22nd June 2025 2 pm.
Cost:
€ 320 / £ 275
The price includes accommodation & meals.
Information & queries:
Contact the organizer: Pavel Bednar, tel: +420602322947, [email protected]
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Feedback from participants:
Fifty out of ten! Absolutely perfect. Fantastic attitude, understanding, care, kindness and
humour. I felt absolutely safe and able to open up. Mike was always available and sincerely
interested in us. (Prague, planets workshop)
Mike led with such a grace and elegance that sometimes I just stared in amazement. The
human touch and kindness of his approach is admirable. (Prague, planet workshop)
