This is one of the many ritual “modules” that Frank created for his performances.
We are going on a journey to Lila. Lila is an inner island. On Lila there is no isolation or competition or fear. But to get to Lila, we have to let go of our personalities and fears and inhibitions. We have to pass through the transition that is death, through rebirth, through losing our old personalities in the form of our clothes, then going playfully through all the stages of evolution until we are reborn on the island of Lila in the bodies of babies who will grow up slowly into teenage Lilans, and then will do rituals of play. Death is not something to fear. It does not hurt. It is not an end.
But this journey is only for heroes…only because heroes are the only people crazy enough to make this journey. Heroes think that only by risking, they will find the hidden treasures and the hidden meanings of Life. Heroes actually think taking risks and going beyond limits is fun! Sane people do not think like this.
We will now divide the ritual community into those of you who think of yourselves as heroes and those of you who think you are sane. The heroes should sit in the middle of the ritual space, and those of you who are sane should sit against the walls. The heroes will actively take this journey both for themselves and for the sane people. As heroes, you will go on an adventure of risk and vulnerability. As heroes, you will be stripped of your old personality and approach death in nudity and vulnerability. You will have personal guides who will move you into death in a soft and gentle way, into the floating reality of between lives. You will then experience the evolution of life.
Those of you who are too sane to be heroes, please sit against the walls. You are now the watchers…which may be much more risky. As the watchers, you should just watch. Please do not talk.
Now, you heroes, lie down on the mat and close your eyes. Lila is an inner island, warm and green. The people are playful. They know no isolation, no fear, no violence. Lila is cut off from our world by death…so, to reach Lila we have to die. Death in itself is not painful, it is not an end. It is a transition. Soon the guide of death will come to help you through the transition.
Now those who are along the walls make soft sounds, gentle noises to help the death process. The guides should gently lift the heroes/spirits into a sitting position. The guides should hold the heroes/spirits and rock them. Melt into one another as you rock. When the heroes/spirits are melted, both the heroes/spirits and the guides should stand up. Because we are now beyond time, there is no reason to rush. To prepare the hero for death, the guide will take the old personality in the form of clothes from the hero, slowly undressing the hero and then will lie him back down.
Now Death is approaching…quietly, gently. It is like a soft, warm blanket. It will slowly cover you. It will start at your toes and travel up your body like caresses. When it reaches the top of your head you will be in an in-between state where you will not have either your old body or old personality. Enjoy floating. Some of you are floating in a cozy dimension. Explore that bodiless state. Do not try to get up because there is no up. The floating is the womb of life, all life, all matter. You are all life, all matter.
Now, keeping your eyes closed, roll in slow motion towards the center of the room, stopping only when you are surrounded by a web of warm soft skin.
You are now parts of a huge rock. Act, sound, move, and relate as parts of the huge rock. Most people think the inorganic is not aware. We now know different.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now parts of a single-cell organism. Act, sound, move, and relate as parts of a single-cell organism.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
The single-cell is now dividing. You are now cells in a multi-cell organism. Act, sound, move, and relate as cells in a multi-cell organism.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are sea weed. Act, sound, move, and relate as sea weed.
Open your eyes.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are snails. Act, sound, move, and relate as snails.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are a school of fish. Act, sound, move, and relate as a school of fish.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are dolphins. Act, sound, move, and relate as dolphins.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are jellyfish. Act, sound, move, and relate as jellyfish.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are frogs. Act, sound, move, and relate as frogs.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are snakes. Act, sound, move, and relate as snakes.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are ants. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as ants.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are mice. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as mice.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are birds. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as birds.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are vegetarian dinosaurs. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as vegetarian dinosaurs.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are kittens. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as kittens.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are chimps. Be, act, sound, move, and relate as chimps.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
Close your eyes.
You are newborns on Lila.
On Lila, there is only one family. All are brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. You are in a playpen. Act and sound and be newborns.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now six months old.
But even at six months old, you will notice the difference from the old life. There is no violence or competition on Lila. Act and sound and be six months old. Open your eyes. What cute babies!
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now one year olds and the differences are more obvious. Be and sound and act and relate as one year olds on Lila. But stay in the playpen of the mat.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now two year olds. Not the terrible twos you vaguely remember but the fun, playful twos of Lila. Be and act and sound and relate as two year olds.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now five year olds. Act and be and relate as five year olds.
Time freezes.
Time flows by.
You are now sixteen years old and it is time for the ritual of eroplay and becoming a full member of the Lilan community. You will always be sixteen years old on Lila even after this dream has faded. Now for the ritual. We will now do the eroplay ritual of Gestures.
The text of this was published in the book, “Frankly Speaking: A Collection of Essays, Writings & Rants” by Frank Moore, published by Inter-Relations in 2014.
