BEYOND THE ALTAR
Readings and conversation for artists, philosophers, magicians, witches, and heretics
BEYOND THE ALTAR RAN FROM SEPTEMBER 2022 TO JUNE 2023:
SEPTEMBER: THEORY
OCTOBER: QUEERNESS
NOVEMBER: PERCEIVING
DECEMBER: CURIOSITY
JANUARY: CONVERSATION
FEBRUARY: CRITICALITY
MARCH: PHILOSOPHY
APRIL: REALITY
MAY: SPECTACLE
JUNE: THE SUBLIME
SEPTEMBER: THEORY
OCTOBER: QUEERNESS
NOVEMBER: PERCEIVING
DECEMBER: CURIOSITY
JANUARY: CONVERSATION
FEBRUARY: CRITICALITY
MARCH: PHILOSOPHY
APRIL: REALITY
MAY: SPECTACLE
JUNE: THE SUBLIME
WHAT IT WAS ABOUT
Beyond the Altar was a discussion-based course series offered through Patreon and hosted on Discord that offered readings and discussions on art, culture, mysticism, philosophy, history, and politics. But this wasn't an academic space to theorize. It was a community space where we shared some theory, but also art, movies, memes, podcasts, and other media to understand how these complex ideas have shaped our daily lives. We read and discussed topics to understand social, cultural, and political patterns; and to ultimately recognize the present and enduring enchantment of our surrounding world. I believe grappling with some of the ideas in these theories and histories helps ground us in where and how that work shows up with impact in our world through the way we live.
The altar, in this context, locates the site of creativity and creation, of work according to will, of action; it is the artist and maker’s crucible, the forge; it is the site of inquiry, research, and interrogation; it is the database and the pen. It is meant to assume, and imply, we are all inherently creative people doing creative things whether or not we’re artists, writers, musicians; thinkers, teachers, philosophers; coders or engineers; witches or magicians; activists, abolitionists, and healers. We make things to shape the way people feel and change the world, and how we do so has explicit political implications and impact beyond our site of creation--beyond the altar. In this way, hopefully, the work we do inspires observation, analysis, synthesis, and critical thinking; all towards the end of engaging in deeper, more thoughtful observation and conversation.
The altar, in this context, locates the site of creativity and creation, of work according to will, of action; it is the artist and maker’s crucible, the forge; it is the site of inquiry, research, and interrogation; it is the database and the pen. It is meant to assume, and imply, we are all inherently creative people doing creative things whether or not we’re artists, writers, musicians; thinkers, teachers, philosophers; coders or engineers; witches or magicians; activists, abolitionists, and healers. We make things to shape the way people feel and change the world, and how we do so has explicit political implications and impact beyond our site of creation--beyond the altar. In this way, hopefully, the work we do inspires observation, analysis, synthesis, and critical thinking; all towards the end of engaging in deeper, more thoughtful observation and conversation.
THE PHILOSOPHY
Beyond the Altar began as a test run in November 2021 with Beyond the Altar: The Politics of Restorative Ancestor Practices, which I presented at the In the Roundhouse of the Ancestors online conference. For this lecture, I combined my experience of facilitating participatory college-level seminar classes with material from former courses I taught on reconnecting to ancestors, folk traditions, and ancestral practices to facilitate a group discussion on where and how that work shows up with impact in our world through the politics we live.
What we make, and what we do, is a reflection of the way we perceive the world and its various structures; how we confront, and are confronted by, our perceptions and challenges. Critical theory and philosophy help us contextualize our work and our place in the world through interrogating the “what”, “why”, and “how” we do what we do in it. It reveals the patterns throughout time that impact all corners of our histories, cultures, trends, and ways of thinking. The point is not to muse, ponder, and intellectually exercise our minds in the safety of our homes. The point is to take the wisdom of people who have brought these ideas to light and apply them out in the world, in everyday life, to put what we learn into practice; to be embedded materially towards the action that is grounded in and illuminated by what we learn. Many of the authors we’ll read might not have necessarily identified themselves as “theorists”, or may have not had the luxury. They were deeply immersed in the material conditions that drove them towards their revolutionary positions, declarations, and writings. But they knew the power of ideas as shared with others, and how to enact them to effect great change. And that is what I hope we can all do.
In the moments when we’re learning, sharing, and exchanging in theory, we use these resources as a point of departure to examine ideas across disciplinary boundaries, and to engage discussion that reflects how these ideas already shape the way we move and act and effect change in our world. I’ve brought this forward in a non-academic setting because I don’t believe it is the sole provenance of academia. I believe most of us are intellectually curious and seeking ways to express nuanced, complex ideas that strengthen our collaborative impact on it. Philosophy and theory are meant to be applied practically to our day to day; they lead to action, they inspire and motivate us to learn and change in creative ways; and I believe that through each of us, we have the power to share these ideas in our communities to further conversation, collaboration, and change.
What we make, and what we do, is a reflection of the way we perceive the world and its various structures; how we confront, and are confronted by, our perceptions and challenges. Critical theory and philosophy help us contextualize our work and our place in the world through interrogating the “what”, “why”, and “how” we do what we do in it. It reveals the patterns throughout time that impact all corners of our histories, cultures, trends, and ways of thinking. The point is not to muse, ponder, and intellectually exercise our minds in the safety of our homes. The point is to take the wisdom of people who have brought these ideas to light and apply them out in the world, in everyday life, to put what we learn into practice; to be embedded materially towards the action that is grounded in and illuminated by what we learn. Many of the authors we’ll read might not have necessarily identified themselves as “theorists”, or may have not had the luxury. They were deeply immersed in the material conditions that drove them towards their revolutionary positions, declarations, and writings. But they knew the power of ideas as shared with others, and how to enact them to effect great change. And that is what I hope we can all do.
In the moments when we’re learning, sharing, and exchanging in theory, we use these resources as a point of departure to examine ideas across disciplinary boundaries, and to engage discussion that reflects how these ideas already shape the way we move and act and effect change in our world. I’ve brought this forward in a non-academic setting because I don’t believe it is the sole provenance of academia. I believe most of us are intellectually curious and seeking ways to express nuanced, complex ideas that strengthen our collaborative impact on it. Philosophy and theory are meant to be applied practically to our day to day; they lead to action, they inspire and motivate us to learn and change in creative ways; and I believe that through each of us, we have the power to share these ideas in our communities to further conversation, collaboration, and change.