Call for Papers, Workshops, Presentations -- Confernence at Duke Univ.

[Guest guest]

I am thrilled to be on the Planning Committee of this Conference, and

cordially invite interested members of the listserv to submit

proposals and/or just attend! -- please see below for the Call for

Papers/Presentations. If you have questions about the Conference, you

can contact me at keval.khalsa.

 

Call for Papers/Presentations

Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being and Healing Conference

Duke University, March 19-22, 2009

 

http://www.duke.edu/web/threshold/index.html

 

http://www.duke.edu/web/threshold/call_for_papers.html

 

Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being and Healing Conference, March

19-22, 2009 is a collaborative project hosted by Duke University and

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty across disciplines

– Dance, Music, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Medicine, Theater

Studies, Communication Studies, Religion. The Conference is also

supported by The John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute, St. Joseph's

Historic Foundation, and the Rhine Research Center: An Integrative

Center for the Study of Consciousness. The Organizing Committee

announces the call for papers, panel proposals, lecture-demonstrations

and workshops. Proposals will be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary

committee for their content relevant to the overall program's thematic

intentions as well as for their practicality and suitability to an

educational symposium format.

 

The Conference Theme:

The complex interconnectedness of the mind, body and spirit has been

well studied and practiced by cultures throughout the world. Through

the long-standing practice of altered states of consciousness, many

cultures have developed sophisticated systems through which heightened

states of awareness may be achieved as a means of healing and

transcendence from the physical or material to the spiritual realms of

existence. Awareness of this interrelationship in the globalized world

we live in provides a step towards empowered and enlightened healing

of ourselves, our relationships, and our environment. The moment to

moment interplay between mind, body and spirit on both the personal

and social levels not only affect the quality of our lives, but also

our ability to synthesize ideas and knowledge, to develop our

intuition, to imagine and create, and to heal our selves and others.

The Across the Threshold Conference will bring together scholars and

practitioners from scientific, creative, and mystical disciplines to

explore and share transformative paths leading to integration of mind,

body and spirit.

 

The following questions may be helpful in developing the conference

theme: What are the diverse and exploratory modes of

interconnectedness between spirit, matter, and energy? What

mind/body/spirit practices " part the veil " , allowing us to alter our

perceptions/projections? How have different cultures shaped the way in

which communities perceive the connection between mind, body and

spirit and/or transformative practices concerned with that awareness?

How are dance, music, and other artistic forms employed in the

practice of altered states of consciousness? What is the role of the

human spirit in health, illness and healing?

 

Additional possible sub-topics related to the theme of

altered/heightened states of consciousness could include but are not

limited to cultural, ethnographic, creative, experiential and

theoretical studies pertaining to:

 

* altered or heightened state of consciousness as a psychological

phenomenon, hypnosis, dream states

* creativity (including dance, music, arts) and the heightened states

of consciousness, mystic or ecstatic experiences, rituals pertaining

to spirit possession, shamanistic and prophetic state of trance

* altered states related to rites of passage

* healing and therapy, yoga and meditation

* altered states caused by ingestation or abrupt withdrawal of

psychedelic drugs, sleep deprivation, hallucination

* mind control, torture, post traumatic stress disorders, altered

states caused in a variety of clinical conditions and/or treatments

 

2009 Conference Keynote Speaker and Performer:

Bradford Keeney, Ph.D., will lead a pre-conference workshop on

Thursday, March 19, 2009. His field studies on healing and shamanism

are chronicled in the critically acclaimed book series, Profiles of

Healing, an eleven-volume encyclopedia of the world's healing

practices. He is the author of Shaking Medicine: the Healing Power of

Ecstatic Movement. For more details, please refer to

http://shakingmedicine.com

 

South African dancer and choreographer Vincent Mantsoe will present a

solo performance on Saturday, March 21, 2009 as part of the

Conference. Mantsoe merges several movement influences into

" Afro-fusion " , drawing on traditional African dance forms with a

contemporary approach from modern, ballet and Asian forms such as Tai

Chi, Martial Art and traditional Balinese dance. For details please

refer to http://www.sekwaman.co.za

 

Deadline: All proposals must be received by September 15, 2008. For

submission form: http://threshold.aas.duke.edu/

 

Submission Guidelines:

 

Individual Papers should not exceed 20 minutes for presentation

including audio-visuals. Questions and discussions will be held at the

end of each session. Submit a 500 word abstract of the paper in

addition to a brief bibliography.

 

Panels consisting of three individual presenters may be proposed.

Panel chair will be the contact person who will submit a 250 word

description of the panel in addition to 500 word abstracts for the

three individual paper proposals—as described above—for each presenter.

 

Lecture-Demonstrations or Workshops may run up to 90 minutes. Submit a

500 word abstract describing the topic and organization of the

session. Also, clearly state the requirements for space, time,

audio-visual equipment, and/or appropriate attire for participants.

 

For all Proposals

See website for updates and other details www.duke.edu/web/threshold

 

Abstract submissions will only be accepted online. Proposals sent via

facsimile or snail mail will not be accepted.

 

Queries regarding the submissions may be addressed to the faculty

below in their respective disciplines:

 

Humanities and General:

Dr. Purnima Shah

pshah

 

Integrative Medicine and Medical Sciences:

Dr. Larry Burk

Phone/fax: 919-489-2811

burk0001