The Strange [inner space-Katoomba-Sydney]

Well into the greenery of the Blue Mountains is Katoomba, a bustling hub of creativity and healing—we will continue at Jen'  beautiful "the inner space." In the evening, we will have a community meal together—the commercial kitchen at Sarah's Waratah Holistic Healing is ours for the evening. If you are able to, the Friday night (also held at "the inner space" in Katoomba) is an excellent preparation. If you are coming from out of town (or central Sydney) and wanting to make a weekend of it, book early, contact us, and we will try to help with accommodation.

Full Tuition $195 | Scholarship Rate $145
9:30am to 9:30pm AEST UTC +10

See also:
Wed Eve: Society City Wollongong
Thur Eve: Location to be determined Sydney
Fri Eve: the inner space Katoomba

The mis-shapen appears monstrous to the lens of a modernity that strives for standardization and worships the large and the "great." But the marginal energies and other-than-human- members of the Earth community, from platypus to octopus, from kangaroo to elephant, have something wondrous to contribute, their little "out of place" details. No less so in the human realm, and in the realm of imagination and myth—what some tribal peoples called the "Other World."

The indigenous perspective teaches: "What is ill in This World, can only be healed in the Other World, and what is ill in the Other World can only be healed in This World." A universal (though largely forgotten) language to bridge between the mundane and the sacred has bee the language of ritual.

Dagara Elders (ancestors) Malidoma and Sobonfu Somé brought the sophisticated ritual knowledge of the Dagara tribe from Burkina Fasso (West Africa) to share. Elders believed that the modern world would steamroller the tribal knowledge if it was not recognised that the tribal wisdom was worth keeping alive. Malidoma came to understand (as other indigenous teachers have as well), that every person can be said to have an "indigenous soul" inside.

Bring with you an "intention" for the day. In this way of working with myth (which can be called “story carrying”), an intention might be in the following format:

"IF I could hear some wisdom from the story about this issue, or challenge, or desire, in my life, I would be willing to hear it."

There is no “belief system” that you must adopt. It simply means showing up with an open mind and heart and participating to the best of your ability. You are already qualified simply by being human. That is our agreement together. There is a chance on this day to rediscover something of the old tribal and ancestral wisdom that is carried within all of us.

Our journey on this day will be to construct the kind of ritual meant to affirm this innate indigenousity alongside teachings about the Elements, a story, and a good deal of community meeting time. (Bring your Own Lunch, Tea breaks provided for).

In the evening we will have a community meal, bring your contributions, and please label ingredients for allergies. It is a guarantee that the people attending will be good, the story will be good, and the food will be good, and the location will be good. You are welcome, just as you are, be yourself.

Attending a story evening before the full day is recommended (but not required).

Guide for the evening is Randy Jones, author of "Medicine Without an Expiry Date: Indigenous Remedy for Modern Trouble," introduction by [Ancestor] Elder and Diviner, Malidoma Somé, PhD. Find full information at https://wildgenius.guide

Joining us will be special guest Tony Alferez, long time colleague and ritual leader.