Living Library

Photo credit: Pat Shallenberger

Gestalt practice is experiential. People learn by doing in addition to reading or watching. The Living Library offers live experiences that bring archival material into practice, so what is posted in two dimensions can be tried in real time, felt in the body, and carried into daily life.

The Living Library hosts gatherings, including practice circles with instruction and exploration, “Discover the Library” tours that show how to use the archive well, and themed sessions that explore core material such as living and dying, dreams, somatic work, and open seat. We also offer occasional view-and-discuss events using historical videos, along with conversations with teachers across the lineage.

Programs are primarily for Members (sign up here), with occasional public events. Most meetings are online, and some are hybrid. Recordings from selected events are available below, offering another way to participate in the Living Library by watching, listening, and engaging with the material at one’s own pace.