The beginning:

In July 2025 I had the good fortune to be able to attend a Deep Listening® Immersion in Nordingrå, Sweden, facilitated by Björn Erikkson, Kristin Norderval and Patrick Dallard. As part of the experience we attended to our dreams and in the days after the end of the Immersion the following dream came to me.

The dream:

“I am in a busy throng of people moving between a building and out onto a marsh. Voices talk excitedly and there is a sense of happy anticipation as things (blankets, cushions, instruments, objects) are brought out onto the marsh to create a circle space of gathering.
I realise that I am part of G.L.I.D.E. – the Great Listening In Dreams Ensemble (This name is a dream pun/nod to Cornelius Cardew, whose work The Great Learning I was researching yesterday.)
We are on tour and this is the latest space for our GLIDE gathering. I hesitate between heading inside but turn and walk purposefully toward the circle on the marsh, as we begin to prepare for our evening’s activities.”

The non-dreaming world:

I immediately started to imagine what a GLIDE Gathering might be like and quickly realised that GLIDE needed to exist – and so now it does! So far just in my imagination, but there will be an inaugural Gathering in November, and I will be offering two Deep Listening Sound Journeys under the GLIDE banner in November and December.

Here is the GLIDE manifesto as I see it now, although it will undoubtedly develop and change as other people become involved and collaborate.

G.L.I.D.E. Manifesto

  • GLIDE is a space of play, interrogation and contemplation
  • GLIDE enjoys Sounding, Moving and Dreaming engaging the Voice, the Body and any pertinent form of Technology in its expression
  • GLIDE takes the practice of Deep Listening as a guiding frame of reference, whilst being open to all forms of development
  • A GLIDE gathering first establishes connection and from that connected place, explores improvisation, composition, text scores, sonic meditation and other expressions
  • GLIDE aims to fold into each other the role of Performer and Audience. In the words of Pauline Oliveros, Give Sound / Receive Sound
  • GLIDE is a space of L.O.J (Lift Off Judgment) and B.O.W.F.U (Be OK With Fucking Up)
  • GLIDE is a balance of opposites – sounding and silence, moving and stillness, focused enquiry and global awareness
  • GLIDE is open to all, regardless of experience
  • Dreaming in all forms is to be encouraged but is not a prerequisite for GLIDE engagement
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