Olio Hudson Valley: Consciousness and Inanimate Objects

​​Think Olio is an ongoing experiment in alternative adult learning to encourage curiosity, creative living, and face-to-face conversation.

​​We design Olios with professors, artists, and therapists to help you skip the small talk and make interesting, meaningful connections.

​In this Olio, we explore our perception of aliveness and our tendency towards disconnection using our relationship to the everyday objects we are surrounded by. Activities include a guided reflection exercise, discussion, journaling, reading an excerpt by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and dropping into our creative imaginations.

​This was designed by Em Chiappinelli, an impact measurement steward, who transitioned into consciousness exploration, delving into Buddhist insight meditation and diverse spiritual practices. Through a decade-long journey, they've synthesized teachings from various traditions to create Dismantling Deadness, a platform dedicated to fostering conscious connections and addressing societal divides. Em's work encompasses breathwork facilitation, ancestral connection studies, and land-based initiatives, all aimed at unraveling the layers of disconnection in our world.

​*Event artwork by Liz Ainslie

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​​About the Olio Experience:

​​Olios are a shared exploration of the arts and humanities in living rooms around the world. An Olio is a space that celebrates the wisdom of each individual and our collective genius. Without a central facilitator, Olios thrive on group participation and every gathering is unique.

​​This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) Olio, signifying the absence of a central teacher. As a group, we will follow the lesson plan to facilitate our conversations and activities.