David Sauvage
David Sauvage | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | filmmaker, performance artist, empath |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Notable work | Healing Heals the Healer Too,[1] The Simplest Meditation in the World,[2] |
| Website | https://www.empath.nyc/ |
David Sauvage is an American activist, performance artist, filmmaker, and self-described empath.[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Sauvage was born in Los Angeles, California in a Jewish family. His mother worked as a lawyer and his father, Pierre Sauvage, made historical documentaries.[5] Sauvage attended Harvard Westlake School and Columbia University, where he earned a BA, and UCLA, where he graduated with a MBA.[6][7]
Career
[edit]While in business school, Sauvage directed Carissa, a documentary about Carissa Phelps who overcame abandonment and prostitution as a child to attend UCLA.[8][6][9] The film received multiple awards and was licensed to Current TV.[7] Sauvage produced Soundcheck, a film about musician Bill Laswell.[7] He worked as a director for commercials, including Bon Appetit. In 2011, he joined the Occupy Wall Street movement, where he sought to communicate some of the protesters' demands and raise additional funds.[6] He co-founded Occupy.com, which served as a news aggregator about the movement's developments.[10]
Life as an empath
[edit]In 2015, during a period of depression, Sauvage had a transformative experience with the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca.[11][5] The episode encouraged him to follow his "authentic self" and taught him that emotion was rooted in the body.[5] Subsequently, he cultivated an ability to feel the emotions that others are experiencing.[5][11] According to Sauvage, the basis for empathy is emotional self awareness, which is not cultivated in current culture.[12]
In 2018, Sauvage presented EMPATH, a one-man show at TheatreLab, where he gave live presentations of his ability to feel others' emotions.[13][14] The performance started by Sauvage explaining how he acquired the ability.[15] Next, when reading an audience member, would begin by releasing any pre-existing emotions before physically responding to the emotions he was sensing.[11] Sauvage says his read of the other person is instantaneous, and 75% of those he interacts with say his reading was meaningful and non-generic.[11]
In 2019, Sauvage launched the Empath shop, a pop-up store in the East Village. Visitors received free counseling, discussion sessions, and learned about empathy.[16]
Sauvage serves as a consultant to businesses and philanthropists who want to align their strategies with their feelings.[5] Sauvage works with individuals and approximately 80% of his clients are female.[5] He teaches fellow empaths through a class called School for Empaths.[3][11][17]
Sauvage has led group meditation sessions to accompany the publication of his companion book, The Simplest Meditation in the World.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Healing Heals the Healer Too". goodreads. September 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
- ^ a b Mcvey, Kurt (November 2022). "Poetry and Performance Before Art Basel". White Hot Magazine. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Way of the Empath with David Sauvage". thecentersf.com. July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ Jordan, Ken (April 5, 2019). "David Sauvage – An Empath's Self-Discovery". evolver.net. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Godwin, Richard (24 Jun 2017). "'It's a superpower': meet the empaths paid to read your mind". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 Jun 2017.
- ^ a b c TANKERSLEY, JIM (October 23, 2011). "Occupy Wall Street's Marketing Crisis: What Would an OWS Brand Look Like?". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
- ^ a b c "David Sauvage". brooklynbrainery.com. Brooklyn Brainery. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ^ White, Tom. "Meet the Filmmakers: David Sauvage--'Carissa'". documentary.org. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (August 21, 2008). "Documentary explores UCLA alumna's past as a child prostitute". Jewish Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ HARKINSON, JOSH (April 2, 2012). "Huffington Post for the Occupy Crowd". Mother Jones. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Pauly, Alexandra (May 2, 2018). "FEELING WITH EMPATH DAVID SAUVAGE". Untitled Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ^ Manning-Schaffel, Vivian (May 29, 2018). "What is empathy and how do you cultivate it?". NBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
- ^ "#50: Articulate Empathic Truth with David Sauvage". lisabl.com. November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- ^ BWW News Desk (October 15, 2018). "Theaterlab Presents David Sauvage's EMPATH". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ Bartholomew, James (December 8, 2018). "Encounter With an "Empath"". All About Solow. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ^ Spadea, Bill (Jun 26, 2019). "Local News: East Village Empathy Pop up". Chasing News. New York. Retrieved Jun 26, 2020.
- ^ Ewens, Hannah (November 17, 2017). "Who Feels for the People Who Feel for Everyone Else?". Vice. Retrieved November 17, 2017.