Social Presencing Theater: The Art of Making a True Move is a journey into the origins, principles, and practices of an innovative social art form co-created by Arawana Hayashi and colleagues at the Presencing Institute. This embodiment practice deepens reflection and supports individual, team, organizational, and social transformation. This highly accessible book offers an introduction to newcomers and provides a deeper understanding of the work for experienced practitioners who wish to create powerful spaces for heart-based learning and action. The book contains practice instructions and stories highlighting the uses of Social Presencing Theater in companies, schools, and social projects.

This book is the 3rd product for PI Press, and has just been officially released today.

Documenting the diverse influences, roots, and underlying principles of Social Presencing Theater (SPT), the book offers a wealth of stories, reflections, and hands-on guidance to SPT practices. In addition, it provides an insight into the underlying principles of Arawana's teachings and her approach to this body of work. The book is now available for order through our brand-new Presencing Market.

 

 

About the Author 

 

Arawana Hayashi’s pioneering work as a choreographer, performer and educator is deeply sourced in collaborative improvisation. She currently heads the creation of Social Presencing Theater (SPT) for the Presencing Institute. Working with Otto Scharmer and colleagues at the Presencing Institute, she brings her background in the arts, meditation and social justice to creating “social presencing” that makes visible both current reality and emerging future possibilities.

 

 

 

Praise for the Book

 

“Arawana Hayashi is a master.  She has invented a form whereby people learn to use their bodies to explore, individually and collectively, what the intellect can never fully grasp. She has created a wonderful vehicle to guide the journey."

—Peter Senge, MIT & Center for Systems Awareness

  

“Arawana's clear and lighthearted storytelling invites us into new ways of being together—she explores how we can collaborate beyond words, become more present and aware of the world around us, and sense into the emerging future.”

—Eileen Fisher, founder, EILEEN FISHER, Inc.

  

“This book takes you on a remarkable journey into uncovering the link between embodiment, awareness and social systems. As Arawana describes her process using Social Presencing Theater, we experience how our own movements can be problematic, or hold the key to creativity and coherence of the whole.”

—Wendy Palmer, author of Leadership Embodiment 

  

“Making a True Move is a fierce and gentle contribution at a moment when we desperately need to reconnect with our own bodies and to make sense of the collective body, the human community. This book is both a treasure and a prayer.”

—Dr. Angel Acosta, Director of Fellowship, Garrison Institute

 

 “Making a True Move is an eloquent and inspiring affirmation of the power of art as spiritual practice and agent for social change. This profound and multi-layered book offers a balm for our turbulent world.”

—Meredith Monk, composer, performer, interdisciplinary artist

 

“Throughout Arawana’s graceful teachings are the qualities of inspiring, visioning, and guiding people through the movement of life—movement of learning, movement of change, movement of manifesting.”

— Larry Yang, author of Awakening  Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community

 

“It is not easy to write about a lived, embodied experience; but Arawana’s deep connection with spiritual roots and her long-standing dance practice enable her to share in a very expressive way the essentials of Social Presencing Theater.”

—Tho Ha Vinh, Director, Gross National Happiness Centre, Bhutan

 

“This outstanding and beautiful book presents Arawana’s experiences and wisdom in an inspiring and uplifting way.
—Steen Hildebrand, Professor, Aarhus University

 

Other SPT (and PI Press) Products

To serve our partners and global network, the Presencing Institute has launched a publication arm of its core not-for-profit business. Its objective is to present books and materials that share learnings, ideas and tools related to Theory U and presencing, and to make them available for a global audience. You can find more PI Press products, including the Social Presencing Theater Aesthetic Language Cards, on the Presencing Market.