Journey into the East and the Element Air

Springbrook Mountain, QLD - April 2012

Where - Koonjewarre, Springbrook, Queensland. 
When  - 4pm Tuesday 10th April - 3pm Tuesday 17th 2012
Cost    - $2200.00 - a non refundable deposit of $250 is required to secure your space.(please call +62 6680 9899)

 

Animal Dreaming and the Australian Rainforest Conservation Society welcome you to Koonjewarre. Koonjewarre (pronounced koon-gee-warr-ee), a term used by the Kombumerri clan of the indigenous Yugambeh people translates to "Meeting place on high ground..."  perfectly describing  this unique accommodation centre or camp in the high country of Springbrook where the “Clouds touch the Earth”!

 A JOURNEY INTO THE EAST AND THE ELEMENT OF AIR

Each morning the sun rises in the east - the direction of the greatest light, and the light of wisdom and consciousness. As the Kookaburra chuckles, heralding a new day, the promise of a new beginning is realized by all. As the morning sun banishes the dark mysteries of night, birthing the new day, potential is ripe and opportunity is there for the taking. The east symbolically represents the energies generated by spring – the season of new growth and fertility. In the spring the countryside is dotted with baby animals, the air is warm and the fields are being sown. It is a time of balance and harmony, when light and dark stand equal. It is a time to celebrate life and what it means to be alive by playing musical instruments such as the didgeridoo, the flute, the panpipes and other wind instruments. The male in all things is recognized and the Goddess is in her maiden stage. Spring and its correspondences are masculine in nature, being dry, expansive and active, being represented by the topaz, yellow fluorite, quartz crystals, amethyst, citrine, tin and copper, by pansies, primroses, vervain, violets, yarrow, dill, wattle blossom and bracken fern, daffodils and lavender, and creatures such as the Palomino Horse, the Sunbird, the Eagle, Hawk and the Owl. By kernels, seeds, eggs and the yellow of the sun and the sky at dawn, the element of air, the intellect, the realm of thought and symbolic items such as the incense stick, smudge wand, the boomerang, the stone knife, the Woomera and the spear, the sword, the dagger and other phallic objects. It also governs the zodiac signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.

The energies of spring and the east, in the form of Eurus, the East Wind, bring with them the projective energies of change by invoking a desire to seek knowledge pertaining to abstract learning, breath work, inspirational arts, clear hearing and inner harmony through activities such as Zen Meditation and brainstorming. It encourages us to travel, to find inner peace and outer freedom prompting us to reveal hidden truths, to find lost things, to study herbalism, to develop psychic abilities, to undertake instruction of any kind, to enhance memory and to find personal illumination by remembering long lost dreams and acting upon them.

In accordance with the teachings of the Wheel of Life, during spring we find ourselves symbolically back in infancy, ready to start life over again with the innocence of childhood. The gifts of illumination and intuition are ours for the taking, and our path toward the north are governed by the spirits of the Air – the sylphs, zephyrs and faeries who inhabit the World of trees, flowers, winds, breezes and the mountains, the Goddess Aradia and the God Thoth. Sylphs are the Spirits of the air. They hold the highest level of vibration of the four elements. They live for eons, while never aging. They inhabit the peaks of mountains and are ruled Paralda, the king of the sylphs. Sylphs can assume human form, but only ever for short periods. They vary in size, often appearing human sized. They are volatile and changeable. The winds are their vehicle. They work through the gases and ethers of the Earth and are kindly toward humans. They are usually depicted as having wings, looking a lot like cherubs and fairies. Because of their connection to the element of air, which is associated with the mental aspect, one of their functions is to help humans receive inspiration. The sylphs are drawn to those who use their minds, particularly those practicing the creative and intuitive arts.

‘What’s in it for me, though?’ I hear you ask. Why should you attend this retreat with Scott?
Well ... not only will you begin the most powerful journey of self-realisation you’ve ever embarked on before, but like Scott, you will also discover and develop:

- A greater sense of clarity
- A richer imagination
- The ability to vision, dream and ‘see’
- Inner peace
- Inner knowing
- Your own powerful intuition and psychic ability and how to trust it
- The innate bond you share with the elements, in particular, the AIR element
- Meaningful direction
- A stronger sense of Life Purpose / Spiritual Purpose (Why am I here?)
- Healing – for you and others
- How to harness your ideas and bring them to fruition
- Your ability to face challenges and to overcome them with greater ease
- A stronger sense of magick, spirit and connection to the ‘other realms’; the realm of Faerie, Spirit and Nature

Issues such as global warming, habitat destruction, world poverty, war and dramatic geographic change are finding their way into our daily news reports; issues that were once brushed under the mat or overlooked by the media because they were deemed unpalatable or too negative for the everyday man and woman to comprehend. Suddenly, though, issues such as changing climate, fluctuating rainfall patterns, rising ocean temperatures, irregular ocean currents, diminishing global fish supplies are being shown on the evening news. Fear is beginning to creep into the hearts of many. Panic is beginning to spread … but why? Because apparently a ‘great change’ is upon us; the world as we know it is set to change - forever.

Surely, these predicted changes are nothing new, though? Surely, issues like global warming haven’t just crept up on us and taken us by surprise? Surely, there would have been signs? Someone would have noticed the changes before now ... surely?

Whatever the future holds, though, one thing's for sure: people are beginning to ‘wake up’ and remember things about the world and their place within it; things that have been hidden from them for many life-times.

The truth of the matter is the changes we're being told to fear have been predicted for centuries by tribal people the world over. Warnings of this impending time of ‘Great Change’ and its processes have been available to us since the dawn of the New World, archived for safe keeping in the Akashic Library of Ancient Knowledge. And for the past fifty years or so, humanity has been slowly (but surely) waking up. The veils between the Perceived World and the True World are beginning to fray, with the once coveted Sacred Knowledge slowly finding its way back into our ‘modern mind sets’. Long-forgotten wisdom is once again seeping into our previously suppressed memories, the significance of which is beginning to make sense thanks to the myths and legends of world’s ancient cultures.

Stories that help to explain the spiritual history of the planet, humanity and our relationship with the Universe are once again being shared. Distant memories of time spent in Lemuria and Atlantis, for example, are being recalled, with some remembrances even making their way into prime-time television programs and Hollywood movies. Details of Humanity’s past and future are being revealed; shared with us via the spiritual teachings and ‘knowings’ of the Ancients. Most amazingly, though, the triggers many of us need, the subtle inspiration we require to make us take notice, are manifesting in the form of animals; sacred white animals destined to herald Universal Rebirth.

Like a digital clock sounding a silent alarm, mysterious White Animals are appearing the world over; Sacred White Animals of Prophecy whose emergence literally triggers a subliminal response in the hearts of those who witness them; a response that forces even the most ignorant to stop in their tracks, hold their breath in awe ... and ask "Surely, that must mean something".

Well, guess what? It does.

The time has come for mankind to ‘remember’ who we are. The time has come for us to unite, to reconnect and to ‘walk as one’. During this powerful week-long retreat, the Vaults of Creation will be opened to you, offering sacred access to the knowledge stored within. You will essentially receive a 'free pass' to browse the halls of the Akashic Library of Ancient Knowledge, with permission to peruse your personal history, both spiritual and physical, to your heart's content. By journeying into the EAST via the element AIR, you will gradually return to the deep-core rhythms of Nature and your instinctual connection to the cycles of life. The space provided during this retreat will help you remember your personal truth and wisdom and how best to connect to the world around you. You will rebirth your emotional body and revive yourself physically by tapping into the knowledge of your own genetic memory and personal rhythm. In doing so you will remember the sacred bond you innately share with all things and, in doing so, you will ultimately find the knowledge to heal yourself and your family. You may even glean insight into how the rest of humanity may follow suit.

During this intensive seven day retreat:

During the retreat, we will take pleasure in:

- A Bonfire on the last night (a Surrender Fire) in to which we will throw prayers of gratitude, surrender and acceptance
- Morning Prayers of Smoke and Dream Sharing
- Readings and Energetic Healings using Sound (chimes, bells, etc)
- Drum Healing and Journey Work
- Traditional prayer circle to ‘Great Spirit’ one evening (incorporating the seven sacred prayers of THE WHITE BUFFALO WOMAN)
 

Apart from the daily program that will include smudging, drumming and activities that explore different forms of divination (flower reading,  cloud watching, psychometry, oracle cards, runes, etc), developing intuition, following signs, meditation, shamanic and energetic healing techniques, spiritual protection and other exciting things like crystal awareness, totemism and animal symbolism ... during this exciting retreat, attendees will also participate in four tailor-made 'micro-workshops' that will include:

- Making a Smudge Feather

- Making Prayer Flags
- Sewing your own Prayer Pouch (for sacred tobacco)
- A protective ‘God’s Eye’; a powerful symbol that psychically protects

We will also enjoy a magickal day that will include:

- The ancient Gondwana Rainforests of this beautiful ‘Australia World Heritage Area, including the towering Antarctic Beech Trees that grow on the Mountain; a cool-climate tree that grows on the mountain. Sit among their moss-covered roots and enjoy the Faerie-like energies of these gentle giants.
- Morning tea and an hour-long Vision Quest that will include smudging and drumming at the cottage studio and horetreat/me of celebrated inspirational artist, Sharon Mcleod
- A tour of Springbrook National Park’s most-loved waterfalls – Rainbow Falls, Twin Falls and Purling Brook Falls
- A visit to the peak of Springbrook Mountain and the ‘Best Of All Lookouts’. The lookout lives up to its name by providing a panoramic view across Mount Warning to Byron Bay and Coolangatta. Be sure to pack a woolly jumper, a scarf and a beanie ... it gets very cold up there!
- A late afternoon visit to Natural Bridge to witness its unique waterfall and then, as the sun goes down, a nocturnal visit to the secret GLOW WORM CAVES with our special guide, Sharon Mcleod (a long-time resident of Springbrook Mountain). We’ll all have to keep our fingers and toes crossed that the Glow Worms are there and that they put on a lovely show for us!

And on the Thursday, we will journey to Lennox Head where we will experience the greatest challenge of all: HAND GLIDING!  Byron Bay / Lennox Head Hang Gliding School specialise in Tandem Hang Gliding and it will be under their guidance that we will experience the thrill of flying with the birds, the angels and the elemental sylphs of the Air.

Although you may feel nervous before the flight, once you’re in the air - I am told - you will feel safe and comfortable within just a few seconds. The feeling of total freedom and surrender is just awesome. We may even be blessed to witness (and photograph) some Dolphins, Turtles and even the occasional Shark as we glide silently above them.

If you feel the need to break away from the retreat at any time, you can - particularly if you need time to wind down, integrate or reconnect with home. And if you'd like to take advantage of them in the process, don't forget that there are some amazing Walking Tracks on Springbrook Plateau. Find out more:

There are 26 kilometres of walking tracks in close proximity to Koonjewarre, ranging from the short 1km Twin Falls track, to a 4km circuit walk and a 17km extended circuit. Throughout Springbrook, waterfalls, rock pools, and glow worm caves are found in rainforest which displays tall trees, Antarctic Beech forest, ferns, palms, orchids, vines and mosses.

Magnificent cliffs and waterfalls, abundant fauna & bird life, and unparalleled views add to the splendour and tranquillity of this area.

Maps and information are available from Koonjewarre staff. We can also arrange visits to other Springbrook attractions such as The Springbrook Research Observatory.

Twin Falls Circuit - 3km return; allow 1.5 to 2 hours Commence this walk from Tallanbana picnic area, just 300 m from our gate. Follow the track in an anti-clockwise direction to take advantage of the interpretive signs which guide the walker through different forest types. Pass behind two waterfalls, through rock clefts and among towering palms and fern trees.

Purlingbrook Falls Circuit - 4km return; allow 2 to 3 hours Walkers pass through open eucalypt forest before descending into the gorge to view the falls from below. A steady climb through forest brings the walker back to the picnic area. Add another 2km for the Waringa Pool track, which leads downstream from the base of the falls.

Warrie Circuit - 17km circuit; allow 5 to 6 hours Commence your journey at Canyon Lookout. The longest and most interesting track on the plateau, the Warrie Circuit follows the base of the Canyon cliffs to Goomoolahra falls before extending into the mossy green depths of the rainforest.

The track goes to the Meeting of the Waters where all watercourses draining the canyon join, then climbs up the western edge of the gorge. Take a backpack with food and drink, first aid kit, camera and binoculars for a truly memorable day. Average fitness required.

Cancellation and Booking Policy

We understand that things come up last minute and can be out of your control, so when you register for any Animal Dreaming Workshop or Retreat, the following cancellation policy applies:

•    All deposits and payments are non-refundable.
•    The specified deposit is required to secure you registration and the full amount to be paid two weeks prior to the commencement date.
•    Cancellations are requested in writing.
•    Where the Event is cancelled, the registrant will be reimbursed their monies.

We reserve the right to cancel or postpone an event in case the number of attendees is too low for the event to be meaningful.