Round Table

Round Table is a discussion night here at Petit Portál. Nothing is off the table, with weekly topics (this weeks' below!) ranging in theme from spirituality, to kink, to science, to art-- and everything in between; that we explore respectfully through our shared and differing viewpoints. Come, having explored the week's topic, or ready to! This (five-week) season of Round Table is hosted and mediated by Ash Sanders! With event space host, Li Michelle.

This week's topic: Existential Kink

Sure, you've heard of kink...but have you heard of existential kink? In our first community discussion this season (yay! yes!) with writer and creative Ash Sanders, we'll be discussing the idea that we might (gasp!) enjoy all the bad, difficult, damnable and disgusting things we claim to despise about ourselves and the world -- and how integrating what Jung calls the Shadow (or what Freud called psychic masochism and Lacan called jouissance) might actually help us to be whole, happy people much more than any positive affirmation could. We'll dig in, discuss, and even do a short existential kink meditation!

You can read the preface, prologue and the Introduction to the Shadow here.

If you'd like, you can also watch this video of her discussing the book, or practice an existential kink meditation here.

About Ash:

Ash Sanders is a journalist, audio producer, and creative who writes about place, environment, religion and mental health. She's also an erstwhile climate organizer and performance artist who creates circles for processing public or political grief. As a young weirdo trapped at BYU and looking for her people, she started a weekly discussion night on art, politics, and psychology that turned how she saw the whole world on its head and introduced her to the fellow seekers and loveable freaks of Provo. Since then, you can find her organizing salons and elaborate theme parties here in Utah or in her other home in Brooklyn. Oh, and rest assured: she'll never miss an opportunity for an around-the-room question. :)