Losing yourself

Over the course of the last decades the notion of the self has become questioned in western culture, either by modern sciences like neuro science, by philosophy or by something like the reception of Buddhism. These thoughts have been rather influential in recent intellectual discourses, either on the academic level or in conversations like ours.

But even if we put those epistemological considerations aside, there seems to be a desire in human beings to get rid of themselves, at least every now and then. One might think of drugs which have been consumed by people in all of history and all over the world. Or of festive events like carnival when people are collectively losing at least parts of their regular social identities. These are only two examples for the many activities people are engaged in, with the purpose to away from their everyday lives and selves. It's almost as if there is something unbearable around existence.

So let's focus a bit on this now. Questions which might be discussed are the following:

Do you easily lose yourself? Or do you want to, but have trouble doing so? Do you dislike it?
What about getting lost in The Flow?
What is the relation of Wu wei and the self?
What makes you get lost? Did you ever lose your sh*t in a way that you were completely lost, like in a nervous breakdown?
Do you lose yourself when you sleep? In dreams?
When you ever lost yourself, how did you find back?

The venue of this event will be announced later. We're still looking.

Please remember the ground rules of this group:

1. Refrain from interrupting until a group member has finished speaking, or having side-conversations during this time
2. Feel free to comment on the thoughts of others after they're finished (it's a discussion, after all, and it should feel organic), but try to refrain from diminishing their viewpoint, or trying to shift their opinions "debate-style"
3. Try to relax! You will hear some unfamiliar opinions and experiences- that's okay! Allow it to be expansive and thought-provoking, with an understanding that our differences can sometimes feel uncomfortable- that's just human.
4. Also let's remove the awkward from "awkward silences" because sometimes we just need a little bit of time to think before answering an unusual question.

We don't want to give short, factual answers, but also explain the "why" behind our answers. Participants are also encouraged to add their own questions freely. We encourage everyone to bring their unashamed and radical honesty- you never know what new thoughts you may inspire in others by being truly vulnerable and authentic.
New, and at first strange questions can lead to inspirational new ideas, radical honesty, and a real connection. Come ready to learn more about others, about yourself, and hopefully, reconnect to some meaningful aspects of being human through a new (to us, but really old) understanding of relationship to community.
Notes:

• If you can't come please sign off, so we know for how many people we should reserve a table

What to bring:

• Curiosity
• Honesty
• Respect
• Empathy
• An open mind
• An awareness of your boundaries

What not to bring:

• Prejudice
• Judgement