This weekly clubnight at Bristol’s first alcohol-free venue The Arc aims to build a community around a shared seeking of inner connection, a love of dancing, great music, and the possibility of meeting one another in a space free from alcohol and other intoxicants.

Starting Friday September 11th, you can join us every Friday for '…and the self is lost', a sober clubnight halfway between an ecstatic dance and a traditional night out.

The event will be lightly cloaked in the possibility of moving beyond our usual sense of being a separate self — something known in Buddhism as “non-self” (anattā), but expressed in many different ways across mystical traditions. As we become absorbed in the music and more in touch with our bodies, our minds can grow quieter, and the illusions that keep us feeling separate may soften and fade — gradually revealing a deeper connection with all of Life.

This first week we will have a set from Ryan:

Ryan began DJing in 2010, before getting involved with promoting D&B, Jungle, and Dubstep raves in Portsmouth & Southampton.

By 2014 he had discovered a taste for Techno and House and had the privilege of playing to crowds at Egg, Ministry of Sound's Baby Box, and Pacha.

Leaving the UK, he performed for audiences in Australia and New Zealand, plus opening the beach party for Full Moon Phillippines.

Followed by a set from the host, The Paradoxta:

Like a doctor — only with less training, fewer tools, and faith in mind, body and soul as an indivisible unity — The Paradoxta seeks to facilitate healing. The music he serves has first moved and empowered him, drawing him into a deeper understanding of himself. His selections are therefore rooted in sounds that have repeatedly helped him resolve the paradox of I-vs.-the-world: the sense of being a separate self, a wave disconnected from the Ocean.

He**** believes it is the role of music to bend and beckon us back into the shape that lets beauty pour in through the cracks — a shape in which there is no longer a listener apart from the music being heard. There is only the music.

Timings:
Doors 7pm
Ryan 7:30-9pm
The Paradoxta 9-10:30pm
End of Night: 11pm

Since returning to the UK, he's stepped into intentional and sober spaces too, offering a dynamic & cross-genre experience.

Open-genre DJing (expect to be surprised…)
Affordable tickets (£3-£7)
Low/no alcohol bar selling a beautiful range of craft beers, functional drinks, and hot drinks
Time before and after to hang out, chat and make friends
Opportunities to contribute to the night and the community

Every Friday, 7–11pm

Music from 7:30–10:30pm

The Arc, Broad Street, Bristol city centre, BS1 2HG

To stay updated, follow us on Instagram:

instagram.com/andtheselfislost

Or join the mailing list:

tinyurl.com/2y4kt8fe 

Find out more about The Arc:

thearcbristol.com

This night will ultimately become whatever we make of it together — so please consider sharing this message with anyone who might be interested in coming along and helping us build a beautiful, thriving community.