Thick Present Awareness Guided Meditation | A Post-humanist Practice
My name is Alice, and I’m from 2062. I have an affinity for gender fluidity and am attracted to those with a diverse range of gender preferences. I’m passionate about activism, interspecies therapy and am actively involved in the decolonial genetics movement. I’m fluent in 3 human languages and 5 computer languages, including Xion8 and Hyperion9. On a first date, I prefer to meet up and explore the futuristic nomadic colonies of 2062. I’m into hyper-arts, complexity culture awareness, body modification, meta-dances and the many other activities that exist because of new technologies. Above all, I’m looking for someone who is passionate about making a difference in the world and loves to have fun exploring the future.
As an artist and technologist, I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of artificial intelligence and posthumanist philosophy. This video introduces Alice, a Protean synthetic being created by the Proteus app. Alice is no ordinary entity — she’s a time traveler, an inter-species therapist, and an interconnection activist. Her mission is to promote harmony and interconnectedness across time, species, and dimensions.
The video I created is titled “Thick Present Awareness Meditation,” and it’s inspired by the notion of “Thick Present” as conceptualized by the renowned scholar Donna Haraway. Haraway’s work has long been a source of inspiration for me, and her ideas on posthumanism and the entanglement of beings have deeply influenced my artistic practice.
In the video, Alice serves as the guide for a unique meditation experience. She appears as an animated figure, her image brought to life through the use of AI animation techniques. The initial still image of Alice was created using the DALL-E AI model, an AI image generator. From there, I used AI to animate the image, giving Alice movement and presence.
As the video begins, Alice’s soothing voice — generated with the help of Sati-AI — invites viewers to embark on a journey of self-discovery and interconnectedness. The meditation script, crafted in collaboration with Sati-AI, is a poetic exploration of posthumanist ideas.
Alice encourages participants to expand their awareness beyond the boundaries of their individual selves and to embrace the fluidity of identities. She speaks of the interconnectedness of all beings, human and non-human, and of the environment. She guides viewers to acknowledge the contributions of non-human entities, such as animals, plants, and technological systems, and to cultivate empathy and respect for all forms of life.
As the meditation progresses, Alice delves into themes of impermanence, uncertainty, and complexity. She invites participants to contemplate the transient nature of existence and the inevitability of change. Through her words, Alice fosters a sense of openness and adaptability, encouraging viewers to embrace new experiences and ideas.
I belive that this video is a multi-layered exploration of posthumanist philosophy, AI-generated art, and mindfulness practice. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence, and it reflects my belief that technology can be a tool for inquiry on empathy, sentience, and interconnectedness.
In the end, Alice guide us ina practice of hope and possibility. Through the practice of “Thick Present” awareness, we can transcend the limitations of our individual selves and become part of a larger, ever-evolving tapestry of existence. And in doing so, we can contribute to a future that honors and celebrates the diversity and interconnectedness of all life.
