The Fertile Void Presents Community Heartwash: Lullabies and Longing

The Community Heart Wash is a response to these challenging and chaotic times. We all need ways to make space for the range of our emotions, internally, and in community, and find ways of coming closer to internal and communal coherence in order to feel our agency and hope in these times. We are inspired by the quote by Belgian chemist Ilya Prigogine: “When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order.” The Fertile Void hopes to foster these islands of coherence within each of us individually, and as groups that come together to stand firmly in this sea of chaos, with clarity about what is important…like trees whose root systems meet each other underground and provide support to one another.

FOR THIS EVENT: Pajamas are encouraged! Please bring a mat, blanket, pad, etc. to lie on, a pillow and/or blanket if you desire, water, and a beverage of your choice...wine, tea, hot cocoa, etc. in a spill-proof container to enjoy. Refreshments will all be "bring your own." Pre-show dinner is available at Ashby Eatery next door to the venue.

This Community Heartwash is different every time and bridges musical performance, interactive stroytelling, and guided meditations, weaving in delights of the senses to bring you into your body and connect with the larger collective body. For this iteration, we invite you to bring the longings of your heart and rest as the Soltice ushers in the beginning of inward-turning Winter, and let The Fertile Void sing you lullanbies and lull you with other-worldly stories so that you may come out the other side sparkling anew.

The Fertile Void Project began in 2011, playing between the boundaries of performance, sound healing, and ceremonial journey work, and includes a story-web podcast of the same name. The musical iteration is, at its core, Carrie Rose Katz on vocals, shruti box, ukelele, percussion and other sound-making objects, and Beth Vandervennet on cello and loop pedals. Rose and Beth have been performing together since 1996, formerly in the band Rosin Coven, "the Bay Area's Premiere Pagan Lounge Ensemble". The Fertile Void expands over time, rotating in various musicians so that our sound evolves to attune to the feel of a gathering. Our intention is to blur the line between performers and audience, inviting people into the liminal realms where creativity is sparked, to traverse the range of human emotions, leaving people feeling soothed, renewed, and inspired.

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Rose is a somatic, expressive arts, and ketamine psychotherapist and psychedelic integration guide in Berkeley, CA. She finds a major overlap between the therapy process, working with non-ordinary states of consciousness, and the realms of music, art, and theater, all of which invite seeing the self and the world through new eyes. Creating community and sharing in these experiences is her current passion. She has created these kinds of gatherings with Rosin Coven, in her work as a psychedelic guide, and Dreamhive Collective.

Beth is a member of the Oakland Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, Marin Symphony, and former Principal Cellist in Vallejo and Stockton Symphonies. She bathes herself in a wonderful variety of music making: From Orchestral masterpieces to Squid Inc. Strings mashups, previously from original Pagan Lounge sounds of Rosin Coven, to traditional chamber music of the grand masters, and Dreamhive Collective gatherings. Beth is a committed teaching artist, program director, and community team player throughout Oakland & Berkeley. In the past as manager of the Oakland Symphony’s MUSE (Music for Excellence program) and currently Associate Director at Berkeley’s Crowden School, Beth is committed to being a creative Arts Advocate for music, making our lives a richer place to be.

Our current incarnation includes the lush vocals of Sonya Brewer and Lieva Whitbeck, and this performance will feature Oscar Westesson on upright bass.

PARKING: there are numerous free spots available in the parking lot connected to the venue, and street parking.