An Encounter with Your Most Desired Friend

Introduction to the Workshop

This workshop is part of the Narrative Lab, which aims to consciously design life, explore vision, and take responsibility for one’s own experiences.

A key aspect of the Narrative Lab is the joy of inviting beloved souls into your life. These can be historical figures—creators, heroes, artists, saints, revolutionaries, iconic characters—or even fictional characters, real people in your life, divine beings, or invented beings. The possibilities are endless.

Understanding the Challenge

One challenge in this process of shared life design is that when we invoke a certain person, others may not feel their presence as we do, even if they are well-known figures. It can be even trickier because we may not always be clear about what our hearts truly long for. What exactly do we resonate with in these models?

This workshop opens a path for us to be specific and clear about the qualities we desire in our beloved ones. This clarity makes it easier to integrate these qualities into our lives. Additionally, it invites specialized forms of materially expressing these qualities, making them present and stable in our immediate field. Words, even carefully chosen ones, can be relatively powerless.

Designing Your Ideal Encounter

Choosing Your Space

For this process, each participant will choose a space, design a setting, and create a body or costume (or a presence architecture) for these qualities to manifest. Each participant will design their ideal encounter with their most desired friend—someone they long for and wish to connect with.

One other person will act as a witness, assistant, or even a channel. The secret intention is that we all learn how to be the best friends for one another.

Step 1: Introduction (15 min)

Begin by choosing pairs. We will form two sets of pairs, ideally through random selection. Each participant will need a witness, but the pairing will not be reciprocal.

Step 2: Finding Your Sacred Space (40 min)

Look around the property and scan it with your heart. Find the place that feels most sacred and calls to you in the purest, most intimate way.

Prepare the space and design your encounter with your most desired friend. Think about three people you truly admire, love, and respect. They can be masters from the past, present, or future—cultural icons, creators, geniuses, divine figures, mythological characters, or even fictional beings.

You will not communicate their names. Instead, enter firmly into the exact quality of their presence. Identify the most important quality your heart longs for in them. Do you wish to be like them, or do you want them close to you? What is it that you seek?

After identifying three qualities belonging to these three individuals, create their presence in the sacred spot you found. Make an installation, arrange objects, or create a costume. This spontaneous architecture of presence should evoke those qualities as powerfully as possible. It can be simple and improvised, but follow your feelings and the subtle calling of materials.

Remember, you will invite your witness to inhabit this space. Try to create it so that someone would ideally fit inside. Follow the inspiration of the space and the objects that call to you.

You will describe the nature of the architecture of presence to your witness. Briefly explain the qualities, but aim to show the presence without needing explanations. Ideally, the qualities should be immediately evident through the expressive power of the installation.

Consider that this place and the installation might remain active and useful later.

Step 3: The Desired Encounter (40 min)

Two Sessions of 20 Minutes Each

Invite your witness to the prepared space. Encourage them to inhabit the architecture of your desired friend. Present the qualities of their presence briefly (5 min).

For the next 15 minutes, enter the event of the desired encounter. Spend this time with your most beloved friend as if they are right in front of you. Do what you most long for. You may wish to speak to them, ask questions, or simply stay silent. You might want to give them a gift or just touch them. Whatever feels most adequate, desired, or needed is valid.

Clarify for your witness how they are invited to respond. They can choose total silence and stillness, or they might feel inspired to engage in conversation, respond through objects, actions, singing, or dancing.

Step 4: Discussion and Sharing

After the encounters, gather for a discussion. Share your feelings, ideas, and experiences. This is an opportunity to reflect on what you have learned and how these encounters have impacted you.

Conclusion

This workshop is a unique opportunity to explore the depths of your desires and connections with beloved figures. By consciously designing these encounters, you can gain insights into your own heart and the qualities you seek in friendships.

Remember, the journey of self-discovery is ongoing. Each encounter can lead to new revelations and deeper connections with yourself and others. Embrace the process and enjoy the experience of inviting your most desired friend into your life.

This workshop is not just about creating a moment; it’s about fostering a deeper understanding of what we truly value in our relationships. By engaging with our most desired friends, we can learn to embody those qualities and share them with the world.