The Vision Quest Journey: Sweat Lodge Weekend

A copy of the email written by the Vision Quest guide Kurt, of the 7 Sun's Men's Journey Group. These words have been inspired from the Sweat Lodge weekend we have just undertaken as part of our preparation for Vision Quest.

"Men,
First of all it is great to see all of you gathered together. It gives us the sense of what it's going to be like up on the Hill. The camaraderie, the chanting, beginning to touch on that depth of heart. I feel like everyone is getting the general principles of doing "Business". I realise that it really is something that is very foreign to our culture - the notion of a gathering of men with a clear intention that doesn't have a physical outcome. When we go up the mountain, one of the things we strive for is to leave it exactly the way that we found it. And in so doing it is a chance to let the mountain change us rather than us changing the mountain. It is what Uncle Max describes as "letting the land talk to us." When you go out with Uncle he gives you new eyes to see with. He opens you to what his eyes see. He is the lore of the land that speaks to you.

With Vision Quest, it is the ancient protocols and ceremony which helps to open us to allow the ancestors to whisper in our ears through the flight of birds, the movement of the wind, the stillness of all of Creation just at the right moment in the ceremony, and as Ragnar pointed out, the blue, ultra blueness of the sky. All of this is the Grandmother's, the Grandfather's response to seeing their Men do the Business. Uncle Jeff 'Two Wolves' explained it to me this way: "Quest came to us in the time when we stopped being able to speak to the animals. Before then we didn't need Quest. We were in it all the time. Quest helped us to reconnect with our four legged relations again."

And as always, it is one of the greatest inspirations for me to see the men 'taking up the mantle' of the Business. Many many thanks to Jeremy and Stu for pouring the lodges for this weekend. It is hard to understand the affect on your whole being of holding a ceremony like this for 20 or so men. It is challenging, and in every way worth it. I see how this ceremony is now carved in these men's hearts. And that, of course, is where the real ceremony is held, in the heart. Please remember this always - as your doing prayer ties, as your saying goodbye to loved ones before heading up the mountain, as we're driving together to the mountain, as your setting your circle, and while you are out there. This ceremony is held in your heart. Ultimately, no one can tell you what Quest is, what it should be. Know simply that it is yours, it is for you. A gift from your Mother, your Father. "A Vision that is your own." And all that comes with it, the suffering, the pain, the lamenting, the exaltation - all of that is a gift.

This brings me to an important point which Richmond brought forward - Crying for Vision. Every year there are pieces of the puzzle which different men bring back to my attention and this is one of them this year. John always spoke of this, Crying for Vision, and because I didn't really understand it, I have never really spoken of it to the men. But in that morning lodge, I believe we began that process of Crying for Vision. For me it was the experience of seeing the affect of my actions upon my loved ones and lamenting what I have done. It wasn't getting tangled in guilt and shame, but allowing my body to feel that and to release it through the tears. And what really struck me is that, now that we have officially said the big Sorry to the Indigenous people of this land, the warrior's task is to really feel that Sorry, to really cry out that Sorry. Again, this is the way we can reconnect with all of our Relations, this is the way we can 'heal the Sacred Hoop.'

So I encourage you to see those moments in the next few weeks when you may feel the urge to cry. Find a way to begin the lamentation, to begin Crying for your Vision.

Much love and strength for the journey getting there,
Kurt"

Let's Face the Music and Dance!

So I have a confession to make I am a dancer. Yep that’s right, bring on the beats, movement and sweat. But what is the official definition of a dancer? Do I have the right to put this label on myself?

From the world dictionary:
Dancer: 1. ( intr ) to move the feet and body rhythmically, esp. in time to music

So how did this come about? This dancing component of my life?
Was it Lionel Ritchie’s inspirational song Dancing on a Ceiling?
Was it the dodgy Dance instructor from my High School days?
Was it the electric-boogaloo of 1984?

Well in all honestly a little bit of all of that has played a role, but it has taken 5rhythms dancing devised by Gabrielle Roth for my true inner kinesthetic intelligence to really emerge out and grace the dance floor. 5Rhythms dancing takes a dancer through 5 rhythms of music that are utilised to inspire the dancer to embrace 5 rhythms that occur in life, nature and the universe. The 5rhythms journey encompasses music that encapsulates firstly music that represents Flow, then Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and finishes up with Stillness. And as the band the Dirty projectors would sing, “Stillness is a move!” So you walk onto the dance floor, which is sacred space, and you let go of your ego and self-consciousness and dance. Dance for the sake of dance. Dance to shake off the day. Dance to put rhythm and energy into your life. Dance for therapy. Dance for love. Dance with/to Spirit. Dance for sadness. Dance to let go. Dance to embrace. Dance to get your groove on!

Here are some poignant words about the power of dance from the mystic OSHO’s book, “Joy-The Happiness That Comes from Within.”
If people can dance a little more, sing a little more, be a little crazier, their energy will be flowing more and their problems will by and by disappear.
Hence, I insist so much on dance. Dance to orgasm; let the whole energy become dance, and suddenly you will see that you don’t have any head-the energy stuck in the head is moving all around, creating beautiful patterns, pictures, movement. And when you dance there comes a moment when your body is no longer a rigid thing, it becomes flexible flowing. When you dance there comes a moment when your boundary is no longer so clear; you melt and merge with the cosmos, the boundaries are mixing.
Watch a dancer-you will see that he/she has become an energy phenomenon, no longer in a fixed form, and becoming more alive, more and more alive. But only if you dance yourself will you know what really happens. The head inside disappears; again you are a child. Then you don’t create any problems.
Live, dance, eat, sleep, do things as totally as possible. And remember again and again: Whenever you catch yourself creating any problem, slip out of it, immediately. Once you get into the problem then a solution will be needed. And even if you find a solution, out of that solution a thousand and one problems will arise again. Once you miss the first step you are in the trap.
Whenever you see that now you are slipping into a problem, catch hold of yourself-run, jump, dance, but don’t get into the problem. Do something immediately so that the energy that was creating the problems becomes fluid, unfrozen, melts, goes back to the cosmos.


I am very grateful that a dear friend of mine instructed me to walk on to the 5rhythms dance floor. It has been profound. I am noticing the rhythms in my day-to-day life. I am gaining more and more courage with every pirouette and shuffle. I am also lucky enough to be creating beautiful connections with other members of the 5rhythms community. Beautiful people who all have their own beautiful dances that inspire a special illumined movement through my life.

Hope to see you on a dance floor somewhere!

Blue Red Yellow Affirmation.

A Vision Quest Begins.

A couple of weekends ago I began my seven month men’s journey with the purpose of being ready to undertake a Vision Quest. For those unfamiliar with the term ‘Vision Quest’, it has been a ritual of initiation used by indigenous cultures to enhance another stage of one’s life journey. The ‘Vision Quest’ model used by the ‘Seven Sun’s Men’s Journey’ experience will be a four day, three night affair, where the Quester will walk to his spot on the mountain, create a sacred circle of about seven steps in diameter, light a scared fire and sit, tend the fire and survive without food, water and sleep for the duration. In preparation for the quest, each month has a theme of learning and experience that takes the Quester through different archetypes of man: The Warrior, The Green Man (Ecological), The Blue Man (Sacred), The Lover and The King.

My dear friend Jeremy would probably grumble at my attempt to process this journey or even advertise it any way. In his words, “You’re going up the mountain, that’s all you need to know!”

Despite of this, I write this to hopefully inspire others to take this step out of the boundaries of physical and metaphysical endurance we set for ourselves in our daily survival.
Bill Plotkin, author of Soulcraft describes the vision quest as a wilderness fast. This may add an extra dimension to what is to be undertaken. For me what becomes apparent from this label is that you are letting go of the attachment and security that food, shelter, comfort etc offers. The purpose of this letting go is to allow new things to take their place. The vision quest is aptly named as for many ‘Sitters’ an altered state of consciousness creates a hypersensitive state where a song from a bird, a drop of dew or the light from the moon could allow a profound shift in thinking or a message to assist the sitter in their life when they come back down from the mountain.

Plotkin in ‘SoulCraft’ describes that during various archetypal stages of life that we progress through, we experience and we learn. However sometimes life throws us a challenge that we feel we don’t have the capacity to process. Some people buy a Porsche, get a divorce, get a haircut, see a therapist, go on holiday, quit their job or quit their life to find meaning and/or excitement. They seek answers to big questions such as, “Why me?”,”Who am I?”, “What now?”, “What is my purpose?”

For me the questions came thick and fast when my father passed on. In the raw state of witnessing the transition of a life force from this earthly domain, I was confronted with questioning my own life. Was it the life that I really wanted to be living?

Was I fulfilling my purpose?

Was I fulfilling anything?

Or was I just on autopilot? (Wake, eat, commute, work, commute, eat, Sleep, repeat.)

So I pushed the reset button on my life. I wanted adventure, I wanted to uncover mysteries and I wanted wonder and magic again in my life. From that moment of realisation I noticed the synchronicity of the word Pilgrim coming often into my existence. A pilgrimage is a healing journey. I didn’t have the funds or energy to walk the Camino but with an intention of starting a pilgrimage, I put one step forward into the abyss and became a pilgrim in our modern world. You wouldn’t know it from looking at me I don’t wear a symbol or wave a flag. I just began to live with purpose and mindfulness. With this intention the magic began...

It was amazing to see the theme of 'Quest' emerging in the film "Eat, Pray, Love". I will share this with you to inspire your own journeys of discovering and remembering of who you are.
“…I’ve come to believe that there exists in the universe something I call “The Physics of The Quest” – a force of nature governed by laws as real as the laws gravity or momentum. And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this: “If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared – most of all – to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself….then truth will not be withheld from you.” Or so I’ve come to believe.”
Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray Love

So yes, I have begun a focussed Vision Quest journey, but I have noticed that really, just by giving myself an intention of opening up my world to learn for myself, my communities and my planet, I am finding myself meeting amazing people, having amazing adventures and having my mind and heart expanded on many occasion. One step at a time, “Three eyes smiling”, “Three eyes opened”!

Let the wonder and magic continue.

It started with just one step.

Why Teach Science?

An ex-student of mine whom is presently undertaking teacher training studies asked me if I could present my thoughts regarding the question, 'Why Teach Science?'.


Ever since I could remember I always wanted to find out more about this world that I was living in. A real moment that blew me away and is still etched in my memory was getting to see Halley’s comet when I was just ten years of age. Halley’s comet visits earth’s night sky once every seventy-six years. Trying to think back to this moment all I can recall is that it sparked a great sense of wonder. Wonder that there was something moving, journeying and happening ‘out’ of this world!

I recently went to see as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival, a special screening of the film, ‘Hubble 3D’. I studied the Hubble space telescope for a High School Physics project and have always had a strong bond to this marvel of space technology. The film was beautiful. Being able to be transported into a galaxy nursery with actual pictures from ten billion light years away was awe-inspiring. These days, cosmology and the thoughts of Stephen Hawking and Thomas Berry are maintaining and extending my interest and wonder of all things universal. So my first sense of wonder has come from space, but my first sense of care has come from the earth, in particular the Amazon Rainforest.

In the nineteen eighties, as a primary school student I think my compassionate being was awoken by the vision of the Amazon rainforest on fire. I remember clearly the message being communicated by an Amazonian Indian who travelled to the western world telling us about his plight. He conveyed how the devastation was affecting his tribe and how it would ultimately affect the planet. This disaster scenario quickly raised my inquisitive nature to find out how the rainforest was being affected and how one rainforest could affect the whole planet. The development of roads and slash and burn farming techniques were eating into the lush and biodiversity rich rainforest. With basic primary school science knowledge I learnt how letting light under the Rainforest’s canopy affected the sensitive balance of all the living and non-living things. And so it was my first taste of ecology.

From this brief reflection of my inquiring mind, three branches of science are commented on, astronomy, cosmology and ecology. Fast-forwarding a few years from my early scientific experiences, life finds me enrolled in university studying an environmental science degree and a teaching degree. I am inspired to find out more about the world in which I inhabit and also the ways in which knowledge and awareness can be transferred to an audience, in this case secondary school students.

Pressing the fast forward button again I am in my first ever science classroom as a teacher. So it begins, ‘Welcome to the wonderful world of science!’ I opened my first class with this line, as I truly believe that science can create wonder for how the world works and how knowledge can assist in unlocking the mysteries of human existence and progress.

I love words. It was only after a quarter of a century in this world that I discovered another ‘ology’, etymology. Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time. So I looked up where did the word ‘Science’ originated? and what did it actually mean?

A very old use of the word comes from the Latin language and the word is displayed and used as, ‘Scientia’, meaning the search for knowledge. This discovery made me feel good. It made me feel that what I had studied and what I was going to teach had a history and had an admirable purpose aligned with it; to instil a yearning for the discovery of knowledge about the world.

So why teach science to children?

What particular knowledge will be helpful or useful through the discoveries made by undertaking science based studies?

Fast-forwarding my teaching career and additional postgraduate studies my relationship to the discipline of science has somewhat changed. Schools, school boards, departments of education, some parents and many bureaucrats would like a number associated with the knowledge acquired and the time spent in a classroom, and for the sake of this heuristic journey, more specifically the science classroom. I believe that the most valuable aspect of teaching science is awakening a sense of wonder to a student and through this wonder, engaging them into deeper inquiry.

“Why is the sky blue?”

“Why are some leaves green?”

“What came first? The chicken? Or the egg?”

The power of the questioning, the wonder associated with this is what gives real value to the science topic. Through my own deepening inquiry of questions associated with existence, phenomenon and many other metaphysical aspects of life, another discipline of inquiry that is consuming much of my time and effort is ‘Philosophy’. Yes science is the search for knowledge, but what knowledge?

Is the knowledge deep enough?

And how is this knowledge used?

Recently I had the pleasure of working with many politicians, scientists and professors to discuss and create positive actions in the shadow of a climate-changing world. The insight gained was one of their fear, fear of not wanting to stray too far from the safe realm of the science topic and their own disciplines and niches. The realm clearly identified by a numbers, graphs and figures. The phenomenon of climate change is interdisciplinary. It has firm associations with sustainability that is another interdisciplinary topic of inquiry that endeavours to understand the environmental, social, cultural, economic and political needs of current and future generations of inhabitants of earth. Many scientists will not engage with a sustainability debate. They will argue the science, the graph showing the increasing pollution rate, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere and the rate of extinction of various species, but will be reticent to engage with a discussion on how this will affect people on many levels and how this information can help create empowerment of the individual. In this instance science fails, it hides amongst its facts, figures and processes and doesn’t dare come from behind its veil of security and jargon.

For the reasons of this reflection it is also of value to discuss the methodological process associated with scientific inquiry. Following instructions, gathering data, making conclusions, repeating, elucidating and innovating. All this can play a major role in the development of a student who is learning to follow instructions, follow process, gather data and then repeat the process, but what cannot be measured still exists. The realm of quantum theory has and will continue to stretch the boundaries of the traditional structures of the science discipline. Does science offer a total worldview?

My opinion is that the answer is no. It does not offer a total worldview, but it does offer a portal to begin, to start, to enter it and also develop a language to describe it at a basic level. Scientific literacy allows a relationship to occur between the phenomenon and the observer. Although some would say that the scientific language used is limited with its descriptions it however certainly provides a valuable perspective that can provide insight and discernment.

Teaching science is a must. Teaching it well is another story. This is just a small glimpse of my science learning and teaching experiences. I am very grateful for the scientists around the world who are peering into telescopes and microscopes and unlocking mysteries about how our world works. I am also very grateful for the teachers and masters who fed my inquisitive nature about the planet and the universe. I value the role that science education has played as part of the greater role of existence in our world.

Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Training

I recently attended a training workshop for the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream workshop. The following words are inspired by the intentions from the Symposium structure.

The Power of Intention, The Power of a Dream.

We are here to feel, to connect and to be.
Welcome to your journey.
We hear you.

There is something not right.
You know this.
You know that there is a different reality to choose.
Focussing to the now, outer and inner crises abound.

We have awoken.
We fully sense disparity between a now and the Now we want.

We are One.
One Universe.
We are part of the web of life.
Causes. Effects.
A fundamental of our being, cause and effect.
Causes create effects. Effects have causes.

Change, creation, opportunity and possibility.
We can go anywhere.
We are bound by nothing, nothing but infinity.
What would you choose?

Own your destiny.
The destiny you want.

Connect, bring forth, create and celebrate…


---
Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium.

Training for Community Leaders and Facilitators.

Mt Moreton, Belgrave Heights, Victoria, Australia

September 2010

www.awakeningthedreamer.org

My Friend Arne Naess

In 2002 I read a simple online description about ‘Deep Ecology’. I was preparing a science unit on ecology for high school students and stumbled upon this philosophy that was to place a fork in the road and have me take the road less travelled.

Coincidence?

Fate?

Destiny?

Einstein would say there is no such thing as a coincidence. Maybe it was just the right place and the right time. To the people I describe this experience of my first encounter of deep ecology and recount how I was reading the words as if they were personally written for my soul, a few have remarked that it was simply that I was ready to experience those ideas and thoughts. My early teacher training provided me with many insights regarding human social and psychological development. A definite stand out theory was Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. Maybe it just was the developmental moment for me to experience those words and to develop my existentialist intelligence. From Howard Gardner himself,

“…there exists a multitude of intelligences, quite independent of each other; that each intelligence has its own strengths and constraints; that the mind is far from unencumbered at birth; and that it is unexpectedly difficult to teach things that go against early 'naive' theories of that challenge the natural lines of force within an intelligence and its matching domains.” (Gardner 1993: xxiii)

Deep ecology for me just made very good sense.

Deep Ecology gives permission for a human to connect to nature on a multitude of levels, transcending a shallow, light green experience of life, to the dark green depths of existence created by deep inquiry, deep experience and deep questioning.

Many environmentalists would say the disconnect between the Self and the environment along with our lifestyle choices is directly relating to the global environmental crisis that is currently being experienced. For myself I was awakened to the system, I was given a total world view vision, I was a part of nature, not just physically but spiritually through the wisdom that was unlocked through the ideas bestowed by the wonders from Deep Ecology and its founder Arne Naess.

From that moment I became a new container in the world and I was half full. I needed more. That was the day I formed a friendship with Arne Naess and his Deep Ecological wonderings. Just like any good friendship there have been challenges and obstacles along our journey together, but that has made the friendship an adventure and a journey of growth.

From additional inquiry I have also discovered another of Naess’ terms, Ecosophy, “a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium” that human beings can comprehend by expanding their narrow concept of self to embrace the entire planetary ecosystem. (Grimes 2009)

Arne Naess transitioned from this earthly realm in 2009 at the age of 96. I am writing this to capture the reasons and feelings that Naess allowed me to remember from within myself. Why?

Why do we get up in the morning?

I write this with hope and optimism that maybe somebody else will be ready to remember their own special wonderings about their own place in the universe and their place on this earth. Why?

Naess helped me to develop a will to live and to develop my own ecosophy. I write this that my experience and relationship with Arne Naess is captured for prosperity, for my own record and as a mark of respect for our friendship. Why?

I write this for the planet. I am increasingly taking notice of the patterns that are occurring in my life. One of these reoccurring patterns is the notion of new thinking; This calling for a new way of thinking to assist the quality of life for everything and for all from earth and beyond; New thinking that inspires creativity and love, instead of the thinking that has lead humanity down the path of destruction and fear.

Considering Arne Naess.

Naess, the philosopher, priest, mountaineer, researcher, environmentalist, elf and author.

During a lecture somewhere in Oslo, Naess stopped after an hour and picked a leaf from a potted plant. He then tells the audience, “You could spend a whole lifetime contemplating this”, “It is enough. Thank You”. (Naess, 1983)

This is the beauty in which lies the being of Naess. Sure enough there is the wise and classic professor, but then there is also the enlightened one, the mystic, the man who can see truth in a leaf. He is inspired by the simple and has a love of ‘small’.

In the text, ‘The Ecology of Wisdom’, a compilation of his works, it is documented that he describes himself using a classical Greek term, zetetic, ‘one who seeks truth and knowledge but does not claim it’. I like the use of this term, zetetic. The word really gives the sense of a constant humbleness. Humbleness amongst the profundity that Naess must have accumulated over the years researching and building on from some of the great minds of thinking in their own right such as Wittgenstein, Spinoza, Heidegger and Ghandi.

From his younger days, Naess describes that a pivotal ‘awakening’ moment in his life was when he saw ‘true nature’ during a moment at the seaside. There were flounders swimming around his feet and then-and-there he felt a shift, he felt a developed awareness of being part of a vast world of living beings.

In Naess’ book, ‘Life’s Philosophy: Reason and feeling in a deeper world’, that by the way topped his home country of Norway’s best seller list, in the foreword written by Bill McKibben, Naess is described with the following words and descriptors,

‘He is a troublemaker, but the kind of troublemaker everyone wants to have around - He challenges orthodoxies with an elfin irreverence.’
(Naess 2002, p.xxiv)

Another of the Deep Ecological books that Naess had written for is titled, ‘Thinking like a mountain.’ Much of Naess’ wisdom from life was obtained from time spent in his hut, Tvergastein. This activity in the mountains of Norway, living the free-air-life (friluftsliv) inspired Naess and inspired the deep ecology movement. Naess traverses the boundaries of Buddhist philosophy by stating how ‘Thinking like a mountain’, allows for one to immediately connect with the enormity and wonder of life, to connect to the forces that created such a magnanimous icon such as a mountain. An icon of nature that inspires one to embrace a vast breadth of perspective of life just like that experienced when peering to the world from a summit somewhere on top of the world.

This is just a glimpse, a snippet, and a blip of the man Arne Naess. He has inspired me greatly to take on my own philosophical journey and develop my own ecosophy. I am very grateful for his time on this planet. I am also sure the planet is grateful for his activism in protecting beautiful and vital parts of nature. Hopefully these few words will spark your own heuristic adventure of Self and the wonder that is happening now on this planet.

Think, feel, act. Simple in means, rich in ends.






References Used:

Gardner, Howard (1983; 1993) Frames of Mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, New York: Basic Books.

Grimes, William (2009), Arne Naess, Norwegian Philosopher, dies at 96, New York Times, Jan. 14
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/world/europe/15naess.html


Naess, A. 2002, Life’s philosophy: Reason and feeling in a deeper world, University of Georgia Press, Athens

Naess, A. 2008, Ecology of Wisdom, Counterpoint Press, Berkeley