Academy of Art, Creativity, and Consciousness

Under the direction of renowned spiritual artist Dana Lynne Andersen, the Academy of Art, Creativity and Consciousness is being established at Ananda Assisi. The purpose of the Academy is to use all of the arts as instruments for awakening higher consciousness in the individual and transmitting that consciousness into society.

This year’s courses include painting, sculpture, theatre, music, dance and poetry and are open to all levels of experience. No artistic experience or talent is required. For those who wish to discover and express their creative nature, weekend introductions offer a playful yet profound experience. All of these programs are useful tools for those in teaching, healing, counseling and art education professions.

Dana Lynne Andersen is known in the United States and in India as one of the foremost spiritual artists of our times. She has distinguished herself in the realms of painting, writing and playwriting, book illustration, and as a curator of art exhibits. Her paintings have been exhibited on three continents, and some of them have been chosen by Swami Kriyananda as covers for his book. She is the founder of “Awakening Arts”, an international network of artists committed to the creation of art that is inspiring and transformative, and is known as a loving and inspiring teacher. Dana received her bachelor’s degree cum laude in philosophy, and her Master’s Degree in the Study of Consciousness from John F. Kennedy University. For more information, please visit AwakeningArts.com.

Art, Creativity and Consciousness

Society is moving out of the Information Age, dominated by ‘left brain’ analytic modes of thinking. The future demands our ‘whole brain’, integrating the holistic, visual & symbolic, synchronistic and intuitive modalities of our ‘right brain’. Learn how to activate the power of your imagination and intuition. A synergy of techniques, including meditation, drawing, improvisation and visualization teach us to expand beyond the boundaries of our habitual awareness.

This is NOT just for artists—but for everyone who is interested in using the 'whole minds' to experience a whole new world of possibility.

Dana offers these insights about the place of art in our times:

The Divine Romance
Cultivating Devotion through Art & Creativity

29 June - 1 July 2012 (in English with Italian translation)
10-12 August 2012 (in English with Italian translation) (A deposit of € 50.00 is required to confirm your reservation.)

Yogananda called our relationship with God “A Divine Romance”. When we cultivate our sense of connection and intimacy with God, we find we can flow in a beautiful ‘dance’ with the Divine. From whirling dervishes to the detailed painting of illuminated texts, the arts have been used throughout the centuries as tools to cultivate this tender and sweet inner communion. In this course, we will use movement and Mandala, poetry and pastels, chanting, sacred music and dance as vehicles for deepening our devotion.

Supplemental Fee: € 75.00 ( four-day course - Materials included )
Supplemental Fee: € 50.00 ( weekend course - Materials included )

Free Your Creative Spirit

18-20 May 2012 (in English with Italian translation)
14-16 September 2012 (in English with Italian translation)

Creativity is the language of the soul: It opens our hearts and lifts our spirit. When we get in touch with the inexhaustible source of inspiration, we become naturally creative in all spheres of life.

In this workshop you will awaken the artist inside you, and use your innate creativity as a powerful tool for personal and spiritual growth. Simple and fun exercises remove the blocks to the free flowing of your creative spirit. No artistic talent or experience is necessary! Workshops include painting, pastel, chalk, collage, guided visualization, meditative movement, dance, and singing.

Art: The Powers of Creation: Light, Color and Sound

When we learn the basic principles that govern energy-flow, our health and the harmony of our lives can be greatly improved. Everything has an underlying vibrational reality and we can recalibrate to the Divine Blueprint of radiant health, crystal clarity and abundance through specific use of light, color, sound and shape. Discover how the powers that created the universe - light, sound and color - can recreate your life. Your experiential journey will penetrate the material world to harmonize the underlying energies and vibrational patterns.

This thoroughly enjoyable workshop takes you on a journey over the bridge between art and healing, between the physical and the astral worlds.

Supplemental Fee: € 50.00 ( weekend course - Materials included )
Supplemental Fee: € 100.00 ( five-day course - Materials included )

Chakras: A Creative Adventure Into The Seven Inner Realms

1-6 July 2012 (in English with Italian translation)
16-21 September 2012 (in English with Italian translation)

This extraordinary workshop makes the eight-fold path of yoga a vibrantly creative adventure in self-awareness. Learn how the discoveries of contemporary science and psychology and the ancient 8-fold path of Yoga dovetail to illumine a universal map of the soul’s journey. Then bring that knowledge into your life through playful, yet profound, creative processes. Each session focuses on one of the Chakras, using painting, sculpture, movement, theatre, yoga, music, meditation, chanting & affirmation to explore the seven inner realms.

No artistic talent or ability is required. This adventure in self-discovery inspires an expansive sense of freedom and limitless possibilities.

Painting from the Heart and Soul

29 July - 3 August 2012 (in English with Italian translation) (A deposit of € 50.00 is required to confirm your reservation.)
26-31 August 2012 (in English with Italian translation) (A deposit of € 50.00 is required to confirm your reservation.)

For artists and non-artists alike. This full-immersion painting workshop gives you the freedom to express your inner Self without self-criticism.

Rhythms of the Universe: Awakening through Art, Music and Movement

In spiritual traditions throughout the world we find that the creation and dissolution of the universe occurs through sound; from ‘in the beginning was the word’ to the rhythmic dance of Lord Shiva. Fundamental to our existence, Sound and music, rhythm and movement can heal the body and awaken higher consciousness as we attune to the rhythm of the universe. In this highly experiential course you will be guided in moving meditations, dance, improvisational movement to the rhythms of mantras and sacred music, followed by the ‘dance’ of color and rhythm in drawing and painting. You will discover a fluidity of moving and Being, an openness of heart, an expansion of identity & perception. This year’s course includes a session with Paramjyoti.

Mandala: the Sacred Art of Centering Your Self

19-24 August 2012 (in Italian or English, with translation) (A deposit of € 50.00 is required to confirm your reservation.)

Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle", signifying the primordial shape that represents wholeness, completeness and unity. In many cultures, and throughout time, the Mandala has been used as a template for sacred art because it represents the centering of the self in alignment with the cosmos. Carl Jung used the Mandala as a powerful therapeutic tool, a way of accessing more profound levels of our being. In this week we will explore many varieties of this sacred form, including principles of sacred geometry, the Yantra and the labyrinth. In hands on creative play, each participant will be guided in a process of inwardly centering deep within themselves, while outwardly creating their own unique Mandala. We will also together create a meditative labyrinth, using the template from the Chartres cathedral.

Opening Your Heart through Art

25-27 May 2012 (in English with Italian translation)
3-5 August 2012 (in English with Italian translation) (A deposit of € 50.00 is required to confirm your reservation.)

Christ says that to enter the kingdom of God we must become as little children. How do we do this? Understanding our blocks and constrictions is rarely sufficient to remove them. In this course we will use art and creativity to 'become as little children'. We will play with clay, paint and pastel- focusing on the process, not the product. Through this creative process we can reach beyond the mind to touch the heart directly. Immersed in a liberating flow of creativity we will experience the childlike heart, open and trusting. We will also work with breath and movement, music and chanting to cleanse our energy and uplift our emotions. Discover the power of Art to heal, open and uplift your heart!

Art and Meditation

The modalities of Art can serve as a powerful vehicle for deepening our spiritual practice. In the practice of art, we learn many skills that aid our spiritual path, such as the ability to be fully present in the moment, to relinquish attachment and to ‘surrender the fruits of our actions.’ In the flow of creativity we experience calm intuitive perception and childlike joy, awakening inner perceptions that help us to ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ within. We learn to refine our raw emotions into purified feelings, cultivating our capacity for attunement and strengthening our ability to serve as pure channels for Divine Creativity. Combining paint, clay and pastels with breath, asana & affirmation, you will discover how Art can be a sacred practice.

Art, Rebirth and Transformation

At Eastertide, as spring blossoms burst forth from barren branches, our souls rejoice in the miracle of rebirth. During this holy week, take a journey of transformation; letting go that which is old and dead, and opening to what is new and alive. Working with creative modalities such as clay, collage, drawing, sacred song, movement and dance you will discover a vibrant new life waiting to blossom in your own heart.

Practicum - An Artistic Journey for Self Discovery and Transformation

A carefully guided inner journey using creative process for personal transformation. This course serves as a practicum for the “Transformative Arts Certificate” and is open only to students enrolled in the Academy of Art, Creativity and Consciousness.

The “Transformative Arts Certificate” Level One is open to all the students as a supported, committed journey of personal healing, self discovery and spiritual growth. Level Two enables the practitioner to teach creative process. Graduates can facilitate groups, serve as a ‘Creativity Coach’ or to integrate creative process facilitation into their professional practices. This course is especially useful for teachers, therapists, healers, doctors & nurses.

For more information about the “Transformative Arts Program” of the Academy of Art, Creativity please write to Dana Lynne Andersen, dana@awakeningarts.com.

NEW! Collage! Imagery to heal and reveal

Images and symbols can exert a powerful influence. Just as plants grow toward the light of the sun, we grow toward the positive images set before us. When we work with images we access our intuitive intelligence and the inner wisdom that can guide our lives. In this course we will make our own ‘tarot cards’ of collage images. We will work with them to discover their hidden messages and to increase the magnetism of our intentions.

NEW! Clarify Your Vision & ‘Imagineer’ Your Future

It’s time to DREAM BIG—for yourself and for the world. Journey from scattered desires to focused vision and discover the synergy between what the world needs and what you are here to give. Learn how to increase the coherency of your vision and the magnetism of your intention. This ‘creative vision quest’ integrates inspirational presentation, discussion, journaling and a unique creative process designed to widen the aperture of inspiration and revelation. Reach beyond the parameters of ordinary awareness to seed the field of the future.

NEW! Art: Plein Air Painting, with guest teacher Marco Paolati

3-8 June 2012 (in Italian or English, with translation. With German translation.)

Being in nature, moving consciously, painting, and meditating in wonderful landscapes rich with living colors will refill your body, heart and soul with energy, harmony and joy.
In this workshop you will paint with water colors in many different ways. Water is transparency and flow. You will learn to measure and frame your landscape detail, beginning with a water colored pencil drawing and free color work exercises. Connecting with the mighty source we merge in a flow of colors and you will find your own intuitive and individual style of painting.

Painting is a spiritual act and our hands can be channels for God’s beautiful creation as we combine meditation, intuition, and plein air painting. We will work in the open air around Ananda and in some holy places of St. Francis.

You will experience:

Marco Paolati is a professional artist who lives in Berlin. His mother is Italian, his father German. He has studied art in academies both in Italy and Germany. He has shown his works in exhibitions in Germany and Italy, won numerous awards, has a permanent gallery in Berlin, and also works as a organic vegetarian cook. In his paintings, he uses light and color to transmit a positive and divine power. He has been visiting Ananda and Assisi since 1993.

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Intensive, with guest teacher Paramjyoti

In this Seminar, movement and dance are used as a spiritual practice. We will tune into our intuition and thus open ourselves to “in the moment” inspiration that simply allows “the dance” to happen. Fundamental elements are incorporated such as live music, singing together, silent and guided meditation, “Power Dances”* and exercises that heighten physical, psychological and spiritual awarness. Together these carefully crafted exercises gently open the gates to your own individual dance of the heart. Participation in the workshop requires no talent, training or previous experience whatsoever.

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Technique and “Mantra Choreography” with guest teacher Paramjyoti

Just as in Hatha Yoga, aligning movement, breath and the mind are essential to Sacred Dance. In this course we will engage in basic movement technique to coordinate breath with movement and bring us into presence. Through learning an elementary movement vocabulary and studying movement patterns, we will develop our ability to dance within a group choreography. Dancing together in harmony, following a sacred Mantra (simple spiritual song), can become a very profound experience. The dance becomes a prayer in movement, amplified as it is shared by the group.

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance and Dance Concert with guest teacher Paramjyoti

A simple, heart opening introduction to Sacred Dance. We begin in a circle, singing together simple devotional songs from different sacred traditions. . In this way, we will create space for the dance to happen in our hearts as well as within our circle. Simple exercises and instructions support our experience of the sacred presence. Together we will dedicate ourselves to the dances of the heart. The workshop is accompagnied by live music. Participation of the workshop requires no talent, training or previous experience whatsoever.

NEW! Art: Quantum Creativity

In this era of exponential change we cannot know what the world will be like in even a few years. As we enter the Quantum Era in the Age of Energy, there is one fundamental skill at the core…creativity. In this unique and dynamic course you will learn how to activate your innate creative capacities and apply them in all areas of life—from business and enterprise to the art of living.

NEW! Art: The Powers of Creation; Kirtan Intensive

An immersion in the bliss of chanting and a practical apprenticeship in the art of Kirtan. Learn the skills that will help you to enjoy a regular chanting practice and develop the confidence to participate in—or even lead—group kirtans. Learn how to play the harmonium and kirtals (cymbals), how to sing freely from the heart, and how to harmonize with the group. You’ll learn the basic principles of sound and music; rhythm, harmony & resonance, and discover how sound and vibration can be used to transform your consciousness. This in-depth intensive will cover sanskrit pronunciation, the power of mantras, the symbolism of Hindu deities, stories and myths (including their relation to the chakra system and human evolution), and most importantly how to experience the heart opening devotion of Bhakti Yoga. Informative classes, one-on-one guidance, small group practice sessions and enchanting candlelight kirtans will have you floating on a sea of devotional bliss.

Canticle of Ecstasy!
A play on the life of St. Francis with music by Swami Kriyananda.

Join us this summer as we bring St. Francis to life! August 18 & 20 the Academy will present an inspiring theatrical performance dramatizing the extraordinary story of St. Francis – Yogananda’s patron saint. Last year the audience was visibly moved by the poignant moments of spiritual transformation depicted in riveting performances by Antoine Musitelli as Francis, and a supporting cast played by residents of Ananda Assisi. Written and directed by Dana Lynne Andersen, the play is a part of the new Academy of Art, Creativity and Consciousness. This spectacular production will be a highlight of summer at Ananda – don’t miss it!

This energetic and creative production expresses the ideals of “Awakening arts”, highlighting the natural unfoldment of inborn creativity inside of each individual. To know more about the process, take a look at this article written about last year’s play.

“Behind the Scenes”

An article about “Canticle of Ecstasy” performed August 2010 by Mihai Huber

Ananda is a worldwide spiritual community founded by Swami Kriyananda and based on the universal Yoga principles taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. Ananda Europa, now in its 30th year, is in Italy, in the wonderful region of Umbria, near Assisi the birthplace of Saint Francis. Members of the community were engaged by Dana Lynne Andersen, artist, playwright and director, in the project of putting up a play based on the life of Saint Francis. One of the main ideas behind the play was to try to spread the wonderful message of simplicity and love of the great saint through theatre, and to remind people of the basic spiritual values of life from which we have distanced ourselves in all the rush and difficulties of daily existence. People from the nearest cities came to see the play and gave a wonderful feedback at the end.

This was a very courageous project for the community. The play was to be an expression of 'awakening art', a new approach to the arts that is at the core of the emerging Academy. The process of creation focuses not merely on the production and consumption of art, but on the awakening and healing of the soul through our inborn creativity and receptivity. The Arts, such as theater, can awaken and heal the artists' soul by triggering their creativity; and it can do this for the audience by touching the chords of their receptivity.

The performance of the play was only the final result of this inner process of unfolding of creativity, which brought personal transformation to the majority of the people involved. In Taoist philosophy it is said, "The way is the goal". The same is valid here: the goal of the art is not necessarily the final product, but more the path towards it, a path that gives life to the creative process. Art itself becomes only a proper medium for the expression of creativity that is an intrinsic part of each human being, whether or not they are aware of it. It is not only confined to the world of artists. By paraphrasing a Buddhist saying, we could add: "there is no way to creativity, creativity is the way". We cannot prepare ourselves, or study to become creative; we just have to start being it, flowing with it, because we all have that power inside of us.

One special aspect of acting in this play had to do with the text. Usually the actors have to learn their lines by heart and reproduce them exactly during the rehearsals and performances. The approach was different this time: the text of the script represented only a guide line for the actors which were free to change its form, sometimes even its content, according to what their intuition and feeling was telling them to do given the specific context of each scene. The director gave a lot of freedom here to the actors who could in this way better express their unique nature and their special creativity. The idea behind this unique approach is that 'awakening art' focuses no longer on the form, but on the energy and movement. The text represents the form and is like a base framework that has to be modified, extended or deepened by the creative power of the actor. This new approach also took away the huge pressure that actors usually have regarding the exactness in the reproduction of their lines: this time they had only to remember the meaning of the line and could improvise the words to some extent, giving to the lines the special colour of their unique nature. This lack of tension regarding the memorization of the lines gave way to a lot of lightness and joy during the rehearsals.

There were various difficulties in the creation of this event. Participants in the play could work only in their free time, so rehearsals, set creation and costume design had to be reduced to a minimum of time. Apart from the director of the play, Dana Andersen, and the lead actor, Antoine Musitelli, all the others were beginners without any knowledge of how to act or produce a play. Moreover, the play was performed in Italian, a language that the director, being American, did not speak. In fact, the entire project seemed to be from the onset a very courageous one, almost impossible to do. Dana Lynne Andersen, nevertheless, managed to help people discover their own creative potential, and the play was a great success despite the difficulties of a short rehearsal period and low budget. In the end it worked, because doing art in this fluid and open way creates an enthusiasm that is contagious and breaks every barrier. The audience could witness only the final result, not the incredible amount of joyous creative energy behind it- but perhaps they could feel it.

Since the budget was low, set creation and costume design had to be improvised from the few materials available. Instead of becoming an obstacle, this was once again a challenge for the creativity of the people involved. The set crew had a lot of fun creating the sets and props- we could say - out of nothing. Even here the director had an important role: she showed the set designers how to abandon themselves to the flow of creativity and how to be able to create things using the power of this flow. In the end, sets that are extremely difficult to design, for example the castle of the duke of Perugia, or the chapel of San Damiano, materialized for the performance. Seemingly from nothing, we ended up with an abundance of set objects. The subtle effects between the lights and objects enhanced the beauty of the set and gave it a mysterious touch.

Another important element of the play was the music. The concept of awakening arts involves all the various forms of Arts. Music is one of the most important modalities because it is the most direct and pure form of vibration, strongly connected to the astral realms of our soul. In fact, in her painting courses, Dana Lynne Andersen uses music as the first input for triggering and stimulating the process of creativity in her course participants. Music was a constant part of this theatre event, with live music before the play and during the intermission. Most of the music was written by Swami Kriyananda, the founder of the Ananda community, who has written extensively on the power of music to effect consciousness. Music accompanied almost all the scenes and emphasized certain crucial moments of the play. Music was also used when passing from one scene to another in order to fill up the inevitable gaps. The style of the music was mostly medieval and renaissance helping the audience to imagine themselves more easily in those times. Apart from instrumental music, there were also various choir pieces throughout the play, lending the production a touch of a musical. These moments when the actors were singing together were especially beautiful because they gave a certain lightness and merriness to the dramatic life story of Saint Francis.

The play and all the effort behind the scenes also strengthened and increased the bond between the community members involved. All of us- whether actors, musicians or costume designers, enjoyed sharing this experience together. Even if there were sometimes difficult moments, there was an increasing joy of working together to create the event, a joy that culminated with the two nights of performance. Up until the last day, because of the lack of time, the play could not be refined completely, so there were certain small gaps and little errors here and there. Amazingly, the incredible flow of energy, triggered by the creativity and enthusiasm of the community members involved, helped to correct all inadequacies in the two nights of performance. All went incredibly well and the play was a great success. In the end, we all experienced an irrepressible energy flow.

An especially interesting aspect of this theatre event was the inner transformation that took place inside some of the actors. One actor, in particular, entered so deeply in his character that he impressively changed inside: from being a person that could be called "in the clouds", he became noticeably more present and available.

As an actor in this play I am grateful to have shared this beautiful experience and recommend all of you to join in such projects. So many of us are not aware of the creative potential that lies inside of us and when this potential is awakened, a deep inner transformation starts. As a result, life changes somehow: everything becomes easier, more playful and more joyous. The inner child that has been suppressed for so long time awakens and wants to play, and this is maybe one of the most beautiful moment in our life. We should always let that child play, no matter what the others think about it, because it's probably the most authentic and hence spiritual part of us.

Academy of Art, Creativity & Consciousness

Art, Creativity and Consciousness

Dana offers these insights about the place of art in our times:

The Divine Romance
Cultivating Devotion through Art & Creativity

Free Your Creative Spirit

Art: The Powers of Creation: Light, Color and Sound

Chakras: A Creative Adventure Into The Seven Inner Realms

Painting from the Heart and Soul

Rhythms of the Universe: Awakening through Art, Music and Movement

Mandala: the Sacred Art of Centering Your Self

Opening Your Heart through Art

Art and Meditation

Art, Rebirth and Transformation

Practicum - An Artistic Journey for Self Discovery and Transformation

NEW! Collage! Imagery to heal and reveal

NEW! Clarify Your Vision & ‘Imagineer’ Your Future

NEW! Art: Plein Air Painting, with guest teacher Marco Paolati

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Intensive, with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Technique and “Mantra Choreography” with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance and Dance Concert with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Quantum Creativity

NEW! Art: The Powers of Creation; Kirtan Intensive

Canticle of Ecstasy!
A play on the life of St. Francis with music by Swami Kriyananda.

“Behind the Scenes”

For information and reservations:
info@ananda.it Tel: +39 0742-81.36.20 Fax: +39 0742-81.35.36

Academy of Art, Creativity & Consciousness

Art, Creativity and Consciousness

Dana offers these insights about the place of art in our times:

The Divine RomanceCultivating Devotion through Art & Creativity

Free Your Creative Spirit

Art: The Powers of Creation: Light, Color and Sound

Chakras: A Creative Adventure Into The Seven Inner Realms

Painting from the Heart and Soul

Rhythms of the Universe: Awakening through Art, Music and Movement

Mandala: the Sacred Art of Centering Your Self

Opening Your Heart through Art

Art and Meditation

Art, Rebirth and Transformation

Practicum - An Artistic Journey for Self Discovery and Transformation

NEW! Collage! Imagery to heal and reveal

NEW! Clarify Your Vision & ‘Imagineer’ Your Future

NEW! Art: Plein Air Painting, with guest teacher Marco Paolati

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Intensive, with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance Technique and “Mantra Choreography” with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Sacred Dance and Dance Concert with guest teacher Paramjyoti

NEW! Art: Quantum Creativity

NEW! Art: The Powers of Creation; Kirtan Intensive

Canticle of Ecstasy!A play on the life of St. Francis with music by Swami Kriyananda.

“Behind the Scenes”

For information and reservations:info@ananda.it Tel: +39 0742-81.36.20 Fax: +39 0742-81.35.36

The Divine Romance
Cultivating Devotion through Art & Creativity

Canticle of Ecstasy!
A play on the life of St. Francis with music by Swami Kriyananda.

For information and reservations:
info@ananda.it Tel: +39 0742-81.36.20 Fax: +39 0742-81.35.36