Spiritual Masters and the Clown

Spiritual Masters and the Clown

Many spiritual masters have one thing in common: a great sense of humour. Some of them (Christ included) have been dubbed Holy Fools. Indeed, it has been the role of Sacred Clowns in different traditions to shake up the status quo whenever things got too dogmatic or serious.

Join us for a week in the company of Rumi, Rabia, Hafiz, the Buddha, Uzume, Jesus and more to take our spiritual questing a little more lightly, to laugh at ourselves in the many mirrors of what it is to be human. Click here for a conversation with Vivian Gladwell and Ashley Ramsden concerning this course.

Vivian and Ashley began teaching the skills of their different crafts ( clowning and storytelling) back in the eighties; together they will bring you over 70 years of their experience,  mistakes, momentary epiphanies and mutual madness.

Site Icon

The cost of this course is £520 – a small number of places are available for bursaries from Emerson, please email the registrar. If you are ready to apply please click here or the booking link.

To book meals and accommodation please contact our bookings team.

Zoom Insight Sessions

Are you curious about clowning?  Would you like an opportunity to meet the course leaders and learn more?  We are offering online ‘insight’ sessions which will give you the chance to do just that.  To register, select a date and time from the options below:
Monday 13th January 2025 at 7pm GMT / 8pm CET
Saturday 18th January 2025 at 2pm GMT / 3pm CET

Event Details:
9 Mar 2025 - 15 Mar 2025
Sunday - Saturday
19:30 Start
12:30 End 

Accommodation and meals:
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
25
26
27
28
30
1
3
5
10
11
12
14
15
17
18
19
20
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
Holistic Baby and Childcare
new
29 Nov 2024 - 2 Dec 2024    
00:00
This entry is for students on the Holistic Baby and Childcare course to book accommodation and meals only. If you require more details about the...
The Dance of Earth and Mercury
new
4 Dec 2024 - 5 Dec 2024    
10:00 - 17:00
Mercury, winged-sandalled messenger god, mediator between heaven and earth, and patron of the alchemical arts, healers, practitioners of sacred number, geometry and cosmology!  Smallest and swiftest...
Craft of the Story teller 3/4
new
6 Dec 2024 - 8 Dec 2024    
06:15 - 12:45
with Roi Gal-Or Folktales:Fri 27th - Sun 29th Sept 2024 Wonder Tales: 1st - Sun 3rd Nov 2024 Mythology Fri 6th - Sun 8th Dec 2024...
Wild and Natural Festive Wreath Making Workshop
You are warmly invited to join Janine, our gardener here at Emerson College, for a few hours of creative expression through wreath making.  Using a...
Medicine Woman, Medicine Ways - On Becoming the Medicine Woman Within 3 of 7
An Experiential Training/Apprenticeship into the Roots of HoldingHealing Spaces First year consists of 7 meetings from October 2024 to September 2025 Times:Emerson ~ Saturday 10am-5.30pm...
Grief Tending Gatherings
new
7 Dec 2024    
14:00 - 19:00
“We live in a culture that has lost its way, living in a state of profound amnesia and anesthesia. Grief is the antidote, the healing...
Wild and Natural Festive Wreath Making Workshop
You are warmly invited to join Janine, our gardener here at Emerson College, for a few hours of creative expression through wreath making.  Using a...
Winter Painting Retreat
new
9 Dec 2024 - 12 Dec 2024    
10:00 - 16:00
Catching the Spirit:  Shaping the Fleeting Moment by exploring accident and intention Four days to step out of everyday life and into the immersive, colourful world...
Bring Your Stories to Life 4/4
new
13 Dec 2024 - 15 Dec 2024    
06:15 - 12:45
you hear a calling to honour your journey and celebrate the real stuff life and all good stories are made of, you are warmly invited...
Folk Ikons - Winter
new
16 Dec 2024 - 18 Dec 2024    
09:30 - 12:30
Join us at SAOG Studios this Winter solstice-time, where, under the gentle guidance of artist/illustrator Vija Docherty, we will draw inspiration from various folk painting...
Yuletide Songs and Storytelling
new
21 Dec 2024    
18:00 - 20:00
Join us for a festive evening of song, poetry and storytelling... in the cosy setting of Emerson's cafe. This will be an enchanting evening of...
Events on 29 Nov 2024
Holistic Baby and Childcare
29 Nov 24
Forest Row
Events on 30 Nov 2024
Holistic Baby and Childcare
29 Nov 24
Forest Row
Events on 1 Dec 2024
Holistic Baby and Childcare
29 Nov 24
Forest Row
Events on 2 Dec 2024
Holistic Baby and Childcare
29 Nov 24
Forest Row
Events on 4 Dec 2024
The Dance of Earth and Mercury
4 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 5 Dec 2024
The Dance of Earth and Mercury
4 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 6 Dec 2024
Events on 9 Dec 2024
Winter Painting Retreat
9 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 10 Dec 2024
Winter Painting Retreat
9 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 11 Dec 2024
Winter Painting Retreat
9 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 12 Dec 2024
Winter Painting Retreat
9 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 13 Dec 2024
Events on 14 Dec 2024
Events on 15 Dec 2024
Events on 16 Dec 2024
Folk Ikons - Winter
16 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 17 Dec 2024
Folk Ikons - Winter
16 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 18 Dec 2024
Folk Ikons - Winter
16 Dec 24
Forest Row
Events on 21 Dec 2024
Yuletide Songs and Storytelling
21 Dec 24
Forest Row
Detailed Timings:

This course runs 9 - 14 March 2025, timings as follows: Sunday - 19:30 - 21:00 Monday - Wednesday - 9:00 - 12:30 / 14:30 - 18:00 Thursday - 9:00 - 12:30 / 14:30 - 16:00 / 19:30 - 21:00 Friday - 9:00 - 12:30

Venue:

Emerson College
Emerson College, Hartfield Road

Scroll to Top