Danilo Correale

REVERIE - On the Liberation from Work

WHAT IS “REVERIE”?

Reverie, On the Liberation from Work is the latest step in the development of my previous projects on sleep and wakefulness in post-modernity (No More Sleep No More and others). In this iteration, I’ve collaborated with a New York-based hypnotherapist in drafting two guided hypnosis scripts aimed at relaxing the body and mind in preparation for a post-work society.

This speculative approach to “post-work imagery” found its legacy in further exploration of the idea of resistance to neoliberal temporal bullying. Tapping into  the realm of hypnosis—a subjective space where a deeper dialogue with the inner self is possible—could be seen as  a call to use “allmeans necessary” to escape the dystopic or totalitarian regimes of the present.The work is not intended as means  of escape from pragmatic discussions on self-organization and civil rights, but rather to establish a different narrative interaction with time and subjecthood in order to generate a deeper connection with our own selves, our roles as citizens and allies, and the role of art in our time.

Excerpts from “Reverie”

“Reverie, on the Liberation from Work” is a two-chapter guided hypnosis exercise aimed at deeply relaxing your body and mind in preparation for a future without work.Think of “Reverie” as a tool to help you visualize what a life free of work can be.

This hypnotic exercise will guide you on a peaceful journey of the mind to explore the realm where work is no longer needed, and where the dream of universal basic income has finally succeeded. Using this album in the privacy of your home, you can learn an age-old ritual that is helpful in becoming more alert, refreshed, and prepared to join collectively higher challenges.

You will need to relax and adjust your seating (following the simple, provided instructions), and my voice will go with you. You will become more aware of the path that leads to this future, letting all the anxieties connected to the propaganda of unemployment finally disappear. You will enjoy each step of the path that leads to this new present as a collective achievement. You will be not afraid, but rather content in automation. This is the occasion for you to recover your time and to begin to live for the pleasure of life.

Start to liberate your imagination and move towards spaces that could open up to you, once the need for work is eliminated. As you associate these feelings, this longed-for sense of freedom, with your anticipation of a post-work future, the vision for a new world will become second nature. Remember, it is YOUR nature. Breathe. Focus. Relax. Begin.

Take your headphones and listen intently.

TO GET A COPY OF REVERIE - SIGNED AND NUMBERED EDITION FOLLOW THIS LINK

REVERIE PURCHASE

COPIES WILL BE SENT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT WITH SOME DELAYS

A DIGITAL VERSION OF THE CONTENTS WILL BE SENT AS SOON AS PURCHASE ARE FINALIZED

SIDE A — DELIVERANCE - 21:20”

As you listen, meditate on the images that grace this device. Imagine a world where the moving-paper fantasy of “productivity”—a world we all secretly know is a fallacy—has finally come to an end. Work backwards from here. What do you want? What do you see? What would you do with others once this fantasy has finally and forever been eliminated? What worlds would open up for you, and for others?

SIDE B — TRANSITION - 21:20”

Knowing that our technique is one of subtraction, of “removal”, from a false world, let the space that opens up in your practice give you an indication of the world yet to come. What forms, what possibilities, do you see? Concentrate these imaginings on the image of the blue dot that we have provided for you. This vision will be your anchor as you move further along, step by step, to outline a sense of confidence and facilitate your desire to take action and demand the future you want to live in.