* Coming Feb. 26th, 2025 *
What is it?
"Stories are the foundation of every culture. Our big stories - our myths and fairytales, our epics and dystopias - are the foundational stories a people tell of themselves, to each other, to describe, understand, and celebrate their existence in the world and their place in the web of life. They are the stories that become archetypes; that inspire, shape, inform, propel, and co-create the cultural expressions of a people. Stories like these are packed like seeds with human wisdom that only emerges more and more fully over time, growing the culture.
It is clear from our present extractive, exploitative, consumer culture that our modern stories of endless consumption and competition have come to their conclusion. Now, we are in need of new human stories, a new set of mythologies that could be the foundations for an ecologically integrated, reciprocal, and generative future human civilization. And WE need to write them!"
Who is it for?
This course is for anyone - writers, creators, futurists, educators, ecologically-sensitive types who want to shake off the spell of the reductive consumer/capitalist fantasy and start creating and telling stories about new ways of being human in the world. Come together with others who want to imagine-into-being the great stories of love, struggle, triumph, and loss that will form the foundational lessons for an ecozoic future society. No experience necessary!
Cassandra Wells, Ph.D.
Cassandra Wells is a running coach, theorist of the body, and ecozoic futurist, working broadly in the field of physical and ecological education. She currently coaches and teaches at the University of Toronto, and supports the programming efforts at Programs in Earth Literacies. Her work centres on the theory and practice of body-based methods for teaching and learning in order to begin dismantling the internalized structures of modernity, and to open a space for a more intimate and integrated experience of the world.
Jon Toews
Creative Director, Writer, Designer, Composer, Musician, Teacher, Jon has a significant collection of creative hats he has employed for many clients and projects over his 30 year career as a creative professional. Jon is currently teaching at OCADU in the Faculty of Design.
Stories for a Future Civilization
What will we do together?
Stories have certain basic components, which we will play with using purpose-built Story Cards, to create our myths. Starting with the basic rules of speculative fiction writing, the basic rules of a living universe, and the basic powers of your own human body, we will practice guided writing exercise using the Story Cards to explore and experiment with new, ecologically embedded human futures. In a short time, we will begin to imagine and build the settings, characters and actions - the stories that could become the myths of the next human civilization, and write them into being.
How does it work?
Either as a group or independently, we will draw a card from each category and use them (with guidelines from the facilitators) to build a new story or scenario about how humanity evolves. Each story endeavors to incorporate the catalysts, overcome challenges, evolve with values and principles, and innovate with artifacts. The speculative futures cards can add an element of unpredictability or creativity, but it is through independent and collective group writing exercises that the myths really come alive.
Program Outline
Session 1 (Feb 26): Introduction and Foundations
Session 2 (March 5): Expanding Concepts and Story Building
Session 3 (March 12): Integrating Complexity and Story Development
Session 4 (March 19): Refining Concepts and Expanding World-Building
Session 5 (March 26): Story Refinement and Ongoing Exploration
Program Name: Stories for a Future Civilization
Facilitators: Jon Toews & Cassandra Wells
Dates: 5 Wednesdays: Feb 26, Mar 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2025.
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 pm PST | 7:00 - 9:00 pm EST
Cost:
$99.00
Please do not let cost deter you from attending.
Ask us about our funding for programs.
Location: On-line: Streaming Video via Zoom
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