The Waters of Life [Healesville-Melbourne]

Nestled against the forest of the Yarra valley on the outskirts of Healesville is the historic Badger Creek Old School, creating a sanctuary for the work of community on this Friday evening—and if you wish, a deeper dive on Saturday as a continuance.

See also:
Wed Eve: Branches & Vine Centre Melbourne
Thur Eve: Second Story Melbourne
Sat Full Day Training: Badger Old School Healesville

The Water of Life has been found (or rather found to be missing, and then refound) in many cultures, in many times, encoded in the deep imagery of myth and ritual. Water can go missing in times of extreme heat and fire—we aren't the first to experience this, and the heat that gets "too hot" is not only scientific, but also metaphoric, with anger, rage and conflict that all people encounter at one point or another.

It is said that if the Elders are not there to provide some cooling water, the youth of the village will burn it down just to feel the warmth of community. Too much heat is not the only current problem: we are also facing a seeming shortage of Eldership—or at least Eldership in the positions of power. Instead we see a lot of "oldership" by default.

In traditional cultures, youth and Elders are supposed to form a dynamic partnership to both renew tradition and to update the traditional for what could make meaning today. The language of initiation in ritual and myth is a robust emotional, spiritual, embodied, and intellectual intelligence that the world needs today.

This evening is a journey into indigenous wisdom through the lens of an old myth told to the people while the rhythm of the drum calls to the elements. Join this evening to meet fellow travellers seeking and practicing the old indigenous arts of community with song, story and dance.

You won't find the "moral of the story" these evenings and events——there is a hidden doorway into the great wealth of the "store-house" of the story, individual to each listener, yet magnified magnificently through participation in the old ritual of a "two-way-listening" around the hearth with good people.

Bring with you an "intention" for this evening—in this way of working with the story, that means to say "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." It simply means showing up with an open mind and heart. That is our agreement together for the evening, participating with an open heart and mind. If we can hold back that modern urge to rush and "get-it-all" for just one evening, we can discover the wealth hidden in the tale together. This old way of conversation with the story has been called "story-carrying." If we can offer our honesty to that conversation, we will find that the myth is generous enough to help each person in the room with a "next-best-step."

And you are welcome to join the full day long immersion on Saturday in Healesville, just over an hour from Melbourne CBD.

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 more discussion at https://wildgenius.guide