Hello Leader,
May the New Year bring you happiness, peace, and prosperity. Wishing you a joyous 2022!
As we enter a new year, I am filled with gratitude.
2021 has been another extraordinary breakthrough year for us as we transitioned our signature events to virtual engagements due to the pandemic. Whether from participants in smaller strategy events of 12-20 people or in large events of 100-250 people, the feedback from our clients was consistent – e.g., "I have never participated in a workshop as engaging, creative and applicably relevant as this one."
What enabled us to create this impact?
This delivery pivot is very much a product of the high velocity shapeshifting design, the co-creation on a digitized canvas, and applicable knowhow we implement that enables us, even in large events, to engage every voice.
2021 also marked the launch of Portals of Perception, a non-profit legacy endeavor and my focus for the coming decade. It is my way of gratefully giving back and of paying forward to coming generations.
A Moment of Gratitude and New Year's Greetings
Here are a few of the recent videos the Portal’s team produced:
Life Speaking - a song
Although there have been many special moments throughout the year, when we heard this song by Aud Wilken, a singer/songwriter and frequent guest in Portals conversations, we knew we wanted to share it as a heartfelt acknowledgement to our friends around the world. So in collaboration with Aud, we created this video to accompany the song and to add an extra bit of warmth and brightness to the season. Also on the same page you will find my video conversation with Aud about the story of this song. Enjoy!
The Poetry of Transformation
Art is central to the Portal’s inquiry about these times of evolutionary change. By its very nature, art often can act as a transformative forerunner for societal change as the creative spark seeks, through us, infinite forms of translation and expression.
At Portals we're awestruck by artists, musicians, and thinkers of all types. We're also always looking for that aspect of the creative process that applies to, and can manifest through, each of us, which might be described as the act of creating one's own life, or one's future self.
In The Poetry of Transformation, I bring you the brightness of two poets, Holly Thomasand and Libby Wagner, engaging in one of their favorite subjects: the process of how even the slightest, and subtlest, inspiration can become an evocative poem. This is a fascinating five-part conversation.
Art as an Evolving Conversation
There is something about the creative process that puts us at the edge of what we know and understand, demanding that we listen a bit harder, let go a bit more, think a lot less - all as an act of giving life and form to the original impulse that moved us.
In this inquiry we ask the question: What is essence art? And what differentiates “alive” art from “dead” art? Explore my conversation on this topic with Rita Lampen and Aud Wilken.
This new year will bring opportunities and challenges. These will invite each one of us to show up fully, to step into our creative power without holding back and to bless the world with our ideas and inspiration. I wish for you all that you wish for yourself and more.
Blessings,
Aviv
© Aviv Shahar