How many of us would open up and talk to a complete stranger? How about taking that a notch crazier and be blindfolded before you talk? Sounds fun? Give it a shot at ‘Blindfolded Conversations Under The Trees’ this Sunday at Cubbon Park. Organised by InkWeaver, a platform that explores poetry, storytelling, music, spoken word, writing and music – all under the trees, literally, the event is a one-of-a-kind space for you to be yourself.
Facilitator Janet Orlene, who is also a slam poet, environmentalist and chocoholic and goes by the InkWeaver tag herself, explains that the gathering will change the way people make first impressions of one another without physical appearances coming into play.
As a facilitator, we’ve found that this has worked before, she adds. “Somehow, a person is a lot more open talking to a stranger rather than someone they know. Without sight, you don’t know the other person’s reaction. Personally, I would feel less judged by the other person if we both had our eyes closed.” Janet points out that they will talk about topics that are rarely discussed. “From people’s opinions on freedom, Kashmir to the environment – these are issues that affect us all.”
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The forum hopes to offer a space of emotional and physical safety. “These are two things we are constantly wary about when we walk around. We want people to understand that it is offered by a lot of people. We also want people to discuss and not hold anything back. A country that holds everything back is one that is not expressing any of its feelings. We don’t want people to be mute spectators anymore and reveal what they really feel about things around them.”
The end result, Janet affirms, is just to get people to talk to one another. “We also don’t want people to judge others. Most of us know what it feels like to be judged all our lives and to hold our voice because we are in constant fear of being judged. This is a space where we can be ourselves.”
Part of the ‘Under The Trees’ series organised by InkWeaver, the event aims to get people to explore the space under the trees. “Most of our series is also therapeutic, though it’s not voiced out loud. From poetry and spoken word to music and storytelling, we find healing through expression. This is another space for people to express themselves.”
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So what can people expect? Janet says: “You’re meeting a whole bunch of people you’ve never met before. The first thing people ask me after a session is how do I meet such awesome people? It’s not about meeting awesome people; it’s about finding the awesome in whoever you meet.”
Gather right next to Coffee Day Square near UB City facing Cubbon Park at 3 p.m. Fee is Rs. 100.
Prior registration mandatory online on the form available on InkWeaver’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/InkWeaver.in