HNo tree, it is said, can grow to heaven, unless its roots reach down to hell. – Carl Gustav Jung
Project Axis Mundi is my lifelong project which is constantly evolving since 2001.
My aim is to use a holistic approach to create a new framework for my interdisciplinary work.
I’m a storyteller, playwright, and movement expert. I have been in the performing arts field throughout my professional career and I still continue to work in this field. My approach to dramatic art naturally always includes sociological, political and psychological work. It is not possible otherwise. It is not a coincidence that I encountered the phenomenon of trauma on this path, because it is impossible to separate trauma, especially interpersonal trauma, from the socio-political context.
Dramatic art can be a source of personal and collective renewal and restoration by creating significant changes in emotions; As Aristotle explained, this is “catharsis”.
The trainings I received on the nervous system and trauma from experts such as Dr.Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Stephen Porges and Betsy Polatin made me understand that human memory is actually a sensory and emotional experience and these experiences are embodied. That’s why I started working more with the body’s memory and nervous system in my creative processes and teachings…
Dramatic art can be a source of individual and collective renewal and repair by creating significant changes in emotions; As Aristotle explained, this is “catharsis“. The trauma-informed approach helped me revisit the concept of “catharsis” both socially and in creative processes.
I had the opportunity to work with teachers who were experienced not only in neuroscience but also in some ancient practices such as yoga, Gurdjieff Movements,
Consapevolezza Corporea Dinamica (Dynamic Body Awareness created byanthropologist and artist Martino Nicoletti), sacred dances, Latihan. I have also studied methods closer to us, such as Feldenkreis, Alexander, Bartenieff, and Linklater.
All these experiences embodied a global approach to my own work.
The methodology I use is evident in my current practice of movement training. As a trauma-informed movement expert, I combine these ancient practices with newer movement practices. By moving you begin to become aware of a quiet and creative point within you; At the same time, by remaining silent and still, you begin to become aware of the blockages within you. My dialectical methods balance mobilization and immobilization by adapting elements of these teachings. With these studies, a trauma-informed, safe cathartic treatment can be realized and original creativity can manifest itself.
So I call my work Project Axis Mundi.
Axis Mundi as a metaphysical axis is a tree symbol found in every ancient belief system or mythology. It is a symbol representing the center of the world where the heaven (sky) connects with the earth. As the celestial pole and geographic pole, it expresses a point of connection between sky and earth where the four compass directions meet. An axis where everything unites and intersects.
In Altaic Shamanism, anyone or anything suspended on the axis between heaven and earth becomes a repository of potential knowledge. With all the representations, this symbol perfectly describes great interest and a holistic approach to seeking knowledge.
I love synthesizing various fields such as dramatic art, myths, rituals, neuroscience, yoga, kinesiology, and movement and creating something new.
I continue to learn and share…
