Basking in Gravity
Basking in Gravity is an art/mindfulness project that combines elements of audiovisual installation and group performance with slow-and-low yin yoga and Zen-inspired "non-self improvement" meditation. It's a participatory experience and an opportunity to overcome false binaries as one of the fundamental forces of the universe guides our bodies home to the dirt.
In addition to upcoming events in Ypsilanti, MI and Berkeley, CA, Basking in Gravity takes place the second Sunday of each month at Healer, Indianapolis' top-ranking all-ages, DIY, immersive art and music venue.
Click here to join us for Basking in Gravity in Berkeley on November 15, 2024.
Basking in Gravity takes place in an immersive audiovisual environment that includes Daniel "Cosmic Chambo" Chamberlin's slow-moving organic video projections and a soundtrack – based on his long-running Inter-Dimensional Music FM broadcast - that builds from contemplative drone, devotional jazz, dub, and ambient music to a catharsis of cosmic metal. The audio is mixed live from the yoga mat, with the guiding principle "maximum volume yields maximum results."
Basking in Gravity | PlySpace, Muncie, IN (2019)
• Basking in Gravity is intended to be accessible to all bodies and skill levels: No experience required.
• Yin yoga is a sinking, cooling, non-striving practice: layers of comfortable, loose-fitting clothing recommended.
• We provide blocks and blankets, but please bring a yoga mat and/or cushion if you can.
• It's loud, but only for brief periods of time: Earplugs welcome, but not required.
• Basking in Gravity involves discussion of mortality, but is not intended as a "bad trip" experience.
• Go even deeper with this in-depth discussion of the concepts behind Basking in Gravity in an interview with Psychedelic Sangha.
You can also find more info on Basking in Gravity, archived Inter-Dimensional Music FM broadcasts, and other Cosmic Chambo Studio projects at danielchamberlin.com and in the Vøid Contemplation Tactics newsletter at cosmicchambo.substack.com. Contact cosmic dot chambo at gmail with questions.
Basking in Gravity at The Alembic, Berkeley, CA (2023) and Penn Forest Natural Burial Ground Pittsburgh, PA (2020)
Basking in Gravity is adaptable to a wide variety of spaces, from goat farms, DIY house galleries, and all-ages music venues to meditation centers and yoga studios.
Basking in Gravity's mobile configuration provides:
• Yoga blocks and blankets, but practitioners should bring their own yoga mats
• Laptop DJ setup, to connect with on-site soundsystem
• Short-throw projector and video player
• If extra projectors are available on site, we can make use of those with advance notice
An ideal setting could include:
• Low light to enable the video projections
• A good soundsystem that can handle relatively high volume and heavy bass
• Enough floor space to accommodate at least five adults lying on their backs, with room for social distancing as needed
• Basking in Gravity defers to hosting organizations, but we prefer a sliding scale admission charge from $10-20, with No One Turned Away For Lack Of Funds (NOTAFLOF)
Basking in Gravity: Dead Bird Blues | Healer, Indianapolis, IN (2021)
Previous Basking in Gravity sessions have taken place at Healer (Indianapolis, IN), The Alembic (Berkeley, CA), Coaxial Arts (Los Angeles, CA) Magick City (Brooklyn, NY), PlySpace (Muncie, IN), High Frequency Loft (Taos, NM), and Penn Forest Natural Burial Ground (Pittsburgh, PA).
Daniel Chamberlin is an artist, writer, and yoga teacher based in Muncie, Indiana. He was previously a resident of the Indianapolis Zen Center, and a medic (NREMT-B) with Marfa EMS. His writing has been published in URB, Arthur Magazine, LA Weekly, Aquarium Drunkard, and the anthology Sad Happens: A Celebration of Tears. His weekly Inter-Dimensional Music FM radio program can be heard on WQRT Indianapolis, and has been on the airwaves of Marfa Public Radio in Far West Texas since 2010.