My Blog

Evolver Spore Monthly: Thoughts for Food, Wed.Oct.21

sobey — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:29:01 GMT

Putting this months Evolver Spore event on this Wednesday at the Main Artery. For more about Evolver go to http://www.evolver.net

Djing in the Dojo

sobey — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:27:01 GMT

@ the Masquerade Ball Work Less Party 11pm-1am

Entheos Conference & Keynote Information/ Open Space Technology Format

sobey — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:59:22 GMT

Re: jun 19-21 2009 - entheos 3 - Conference Entheos Conference takes place on the Saturday when most of the attendees are settled in. It will serve as a nexus point for the gathered to connectivate and discover each others gifts, share ideas and skills. The conference offers an opportunity to mobilize our cooperation and optimism for the future in this 2012 inspirational period. Unlike previous years the presenters at the conference are not pre-selected but come from the gathered participants who may or may not arrive with a prepared topic for focus. To inspire ideas to examine we will feature a keynote speaker, Jeet K aka the Mazeguider,co-founder of Tribal Harmonix who will share a seminar called The New Festival & Transformational Culture. The New Festival & Transformational Culture. Conference Opening Keynote Presentation by Jeet K the Mazeguider Sat.10am-Noon The Festival has been a consistent and vital part of human culture since our beginnings. They have been a call to step outside of everyday life, to connect with the mythic and celebrate communally the affirmation of life. Now, after centuries of puritanism and repression, the ecstatic tradition has re-emerged into culture at a pivotal time of global challenges and enormous shifts. A new festival culture has bloomed throughout the west coast and dotting the world. The new festivals have become confluence points for exchange and inspiration, community-building and collaboration, a place where the cutting-edge memes and thought of our time find a meeting ground to inform and inspire each other. These parties have become a practice space for the intentionally co-created world--the TAZ or temporary autonomous zone, a model of the future coming into being. The New Festival & Transformational Culture articulates exactly how this culture embodies the way towards an evolved, liberated and promising future. Jeet-kei Leung aka Mazeguider shares insights from involvement with the culture since its origins and opens the doorways to understanding this vital, new, and yet ancient, phenomena blossoming once again in our midst. Open Space Technology (Sat.Noon-1pm Orientation/ Schedule Design Session) Using a format called Open Space Technology(OST) Entheos Conference will be a self-organizing display of our co-creative intelligence and creativity. After the seminar at 10am on Saturday participants will be given an understanding of this method and an opportunity to give an introduction to what people are interested in leading as a discussion or offering as a workshop or ceremony. A few people have pre-planned workshops like rent tent womens mysteries,mythic swordplay, poi-spinning, African dance & drumming that are going to occur. In addition a special summer solstice ceremony will be planned stemming from this schedule design session.Aside from these we will be taking inspiration from the opening conference seminar to collectively answer the question: "What does the Entheos (spirit within) of our community network wish to bring into the present and future to represent transformational culture?" The rest of the days conference activities will stem from this hour so please be present if you wish to announce an offering or hear directly what will be offered by people in attendance. This is also an opportunity to meet as a community and set our course for the rest of the gathering. Consider it as intentionalizing your entheogenic journey. Special guest workshop presenters this year from the Kootneys include: Marilyn Hatfield and Tree Forest from the Slocan Valley doing an Aftican Dance and Drumming workshop. [www.soundserious.net] Entheos Conference Coordinator: Sobey Wing Sobey Wing, co-founder of Tribal Harmonix, organizer with Earthdance Vancouver & Earthdance Network Group Manager has been involved with Entheos Conference each year. His yearly Council of Entheos has been an opportunity for building bridges between various communities who attend Entheos Festival and allowing dialogue about issues which relate to our various networks. His hand in creating conferences and workshops for gatherings includes Gathering of the Tribes, Burning Man, Reconvergence of the Tribes, The Whole Integration Gatherings,Intention retreats, Shambhala Festival, The Great Turning Unconference,and the past 2 Entheos Conferences. Sobey will be soon be launching the Vancouver Evolver Spore, a community meet-up, creative salon and hub of ecological activation and social inspiration in conjunction with the Evolver Network worldwide. [www.tribalharmonix.org] [www.earthdancenetwork.com] [www.earthdance.ca] [www.evolver.net]

The Great Turning Unconference,Sat.May 23 (East Vancouver)

sobey — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:46:53 GMT

Last night I went to the prep meeting for the action circle facilitators for this upcoming event. Looking forward to what's in store. I would love to see lots of people out for this as it's aim is more than inspiring talks but moving into actual actions taken as local community linked with action circles spreading around the world. S. Tap into the Global Mindshift and get ready to Be The Change you want to see in the world. The Great Turning: an unconference to be the change saturday may 23 9:30am to 7:30pm – dinner at 5:30 maritime labour centre 1880 Triumph St – Victoria & Hastings Come mix it up with over 30 passionate community leaders and change agents, including: Andrea Reimer, Vanc. Deputy Mayor, Wilderness Committee: Homelessness, Dignity and Empowerment Arran Stephens, Nature’s Path: The Compassionate Diet Betty Krawczyk, Eco-Granny: The Extended Family Regroups Bruce Sanguin, Cdn Memorial United: Spirituality for an Ecological Age Carmen Mills, Car Free Vancouver: Going Car-Free Conrad Schmidt, Work Less Party: Working Less Devon Page, EcoJustice: Defending Our Wildlife Irwin Oostindie, W2: Community Media Arts: Inner City Change Making Jackie Larkin, Toxic Free Canada: We All Live Downstream Joanna Kerr, Oxfam Canada: Climate Change and Women Kevin Millsip, Check Your Head: Green Jobs for a Real Economy Little Woo, Tribal Harmonix: Alchemy of Change Matt Hern, Purple Thistle: Bottom Up Urbanism Maureen Jack-LaCroix, BTC Earth Alliance: The Great Turning Tzeporah Berman, PowerUp: Climate Crisis and Being the Change And many more – see www.bethechangecircles.org for full list and bios. Featuring intimate “circle talks” with featured speakers, plus healthy food, stimulating conversation, a cash bar, short videos of global change agents, live performances, and Great Turning Celebration afterparty by Tribal Harmonix. Registration is $48 for the full day. Tasty organic bio-regional vegan/ vegetarian lunch $7, dinner $11. For details and to register and reserve meals online visit http://www.bethechangecircles.org or email carmen@bethechangecircles.org

Earthdance Vancouver Hosts 2nd Monthly Global Synchronized Meditation,Sat.May 16, followed by dancing

sobey — Fri, 15 May 2009 05:11:41 GMT

In April of this year Earthdance International began a series of global synchronized meditations over ED Net on the Earthdance Community Network website with an inaugural event in San Francisco. This month the meditation will be live broadcast online from East Vancouver's Dharmalab situated near Hastings and Commercial Drive beginning at sunset hour of 8pm Pacific time. Hosting it will be the Tribal Harmonix community who have been doing the Earthdance Vancouver events for many years. We welcome all people around the world to tune in and share in this synchronized meditation with our live web broadcast here on ED TV. As the sunsets we will have a brief introduction by DIY Dharma to share about their approach to meditation inspired by the work of Noah Levine. A peer-led Buddhist meditation group for geeks, freaks, queers, rebels, outcasts, stream-enterers and their friends. The one hour live broadcast will include meditation, some singing bowls and a global Unity blessing by Surya between 8-9pm Pacific time. For the live broadcast stream online go to http://www.earthdancenetwork.com After sunset will begin an evening of music and dancing to spread the peace prayerfield wide featuring the sounds of Elfina, Mazeguider,dj Ash, Annexai and more TBA. Let us dance for the healing of Mother Earth coming from a place of peace within ourselves. We give honor and respect to the Coast Salish First Nations, original stewards of this land. This is an all ages event This is a conscious co-creative Temporary Autonomous Zone A booze alternative environment A boundary respecting safe space Dharmalab is at 1814 Pandora Street in the Republic of East Vancouver,BC, Canada By donation, $5-10. http://www.earthdancenetwork.com Earthdance International's ED TV online http://www.earthdance.ca Earthdance Vancouver http://www.tribalharmonix.org Tribal Harmonix http://diydharma.org/about-us DIY Dharma http://www.myspace.com/elisejenemusic Surya Sounds http://www.myspace.com/elfinaluk Elfina http://www.myspace.com/mazeguider Mazeguider http://www.djash.ca Dj Ash (Vibhuti Lounge, Sonic Temple)

Permaculture and Taoist Sex Practices on Tribe.net

sobey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:36:37 GMT

are two tribes that still seem to thrive constantly on tribe.net I have noticed as their moderator. Interesting huh? I tend many tribes and it's sad to see the traffic whither after nurturing most of them for so long, seeing so many people join and no longer around. Ah, the nomadic tribes of cyberia.

The Divine Invasion Tour Comes to Vancouver (Bluetech CD release, joined by Shen and Welder), Flora'lia

sobey — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:41:10 GMT

Wednesday Liberation Front presents a celebration of Flora'lia in honor of the flower goddess Flora with “The Divine Invasion Tour” Featuring live sets by: Bluetech, Shen, and Welder [www.myspace.com] Bluetech [www.myspace.com] Shen [www.myspace.com] Welder "Finally it is here- the eagerly awaited third Bluetech album on Aleph Zero- The Divine Invasion. Three years in the making, The Divine Invasion offers an irresistible mix of spacey dubby beats, dreamy atmospheres and unique compositions. The same irresistible mix that made the New York Times label Bluetech as 'one of the best ambient artists' following the release of his previous album- Sines and Singularities. In The Divine Invasion, Bluetech, a master of downtempo electronica, goes deeper and farther into new uncharted territories. From his distinct mellow oceanic ambience, emerge playful complex sound games and subtle yet sweeping currents of emotion, amalgamating into wordless songs. Bluetech is a master in the art of creating danceable music full of ambience and ambient music that makes you dance, as The Divine Invasion perfectly proves. " @ Lotus Sound Lounge 455 Abbott Early show Doors at 8pm Trunk sale with Mahadevi Designs [www.mahadevidesign.com] Kelsey's Creations [kelseyscreations.net] Thug Fairy Headbands [www.thugfairy.com] Pirated [www.tessarand.com] 8:30pm Shen 10pm Bluetech 11:30pm Welder Stay tuned for ticket sale information Tickets will be $20/door $15/advance + $2 service charge @ Highlife Records

Earthdance Community Network Online Launch! The time has come!

sobey — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:01:01 GMT

Dear Friends ~ As you know, Earthdance unites hundreds of groups around the world with a synchronized Prayer for Peace at events sharing the universal language of music and dance. Until now, Earthdance has been an annual event taking place in September each year in association with the International Day of Peace (21st of Sept). Now, with the advent of the Earthdance Network , we will bringing our community together year round with monthly and even daily peace meditations. and many ways to share, communicate and interact! Also, the Network will offer Earthdance TV programming for and from the Earthdance community. Please join the network and see what it has to offer in terms of news, feature stories, event listings, discussions, blogs, shared photos, videos and music and a socially responsible marketplace. We even have Live Chat and new features, such as multilingual translation coming. We look forward to your participation and ideas on improving and building EDNet! Thanks for joining at: www.earthdancenetwork.com and don't forget to... GIVE PEACE A DANCE!!! In Peace, Chris Deckker, Abby Lewis, Michael Gosney, Sobey Wing and the Earthdance Network staff About Earthdance and the Prayer for Peace Earthdance, the Global Dance Festival for Peace has grown to become the world's largest simultaneous music and dance event. Founded in 1996, with 22 cities and 18 countries participating, Earthdance has grown to over 300 locations in 60 countries, with locations ranging from the club-lands of New York to the rainforests of Brazil. Every year, in alignment with the International Day of Peace, over 200,000 people unite in dance with hundreds of thousands more joining online in support of global peace, sustainable culture and humanitarian aims. The defining moment of each Earthdance event is a synchronized link-up, when every event around the world plays "The Prayer for Peace" track at exactly the same time. www.earthdance.org www.earthdancenetwork.com http://www.earthdancenetwork.com/profile/SobeyWing

From digital sprawl to an alogorithm of collective awakening of consciousness

sobey — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:15:17 GMT

I think I've managed to link my blog on here with Facebook now so I can bridge those two networks which share some similiar people. I've felt constrained to post to tribe as my central blog location due to the technical difficulties, the huge decline in people who used this site before. It's slowly picking up but it's nowhere near what it was before. Here on tribe I long ago began this project of separating my social network according to geographical regions to make it easier to locate people on my homepage. A window to my constellation relations orange dot accounted for. As someone who has been with tribe.net since its beginning in 2003 this marks my 6th year with it. Before that I was exploring other attempts at a pan-tribal online community based on the post-rave Gathering of the Tribes conferences that occured in LA before tribe.net began. I watched each fail. Then came Friendster and I saw Burners piling onto that early social networking platform and I was able to really continue connecting with connections I had with people I had met at those conferences. It was on Friendster that I heard a bulletin message sound out that tribe.net was the place for our community to roost. I signed on immediately liking the name and the feel immediately. I quickly was able to befriend all of those connections again. Then I decided to draw more people here. As an Earthdance organizer I sent out an invite to every promoter on Earthdances website. One amazing thing that occurred was i connected with Calgary's Earthdance promoters in the Techno Collective. They has in turn invited their networks onto here which formerly were on Alberta's Subtutious raver website. I also invited people from the Tribal Harmonix community in Vancouver who had also been forming online community initially through a website called Navigator Online and then the Tribal Harmonix webstie. Meanwhile the San Franscisco presence on tribe soared making this site the freak magnet it has become. From 2004-2007 a great converging of communities was achieved on tribe.net. It was the place to promote things but not to the same degree any more. As a tool for organizing in my own personal experience I found it a challenge. Despite the numbers of people frequenting the site there wasn't really a way to guarantee people were keeping tabs and e-mail remained more reliable. Only on such sites we forget what peoples e-mails are or never know in the first place. 6 years later I see that most of this site is about promotion, a bulletin board and more people here have gone over to Facebook. Still there is amazing content in the discussion forums (tribes) which continues to perculate amidst a graveyard of dead tribes that no one goes on anymore it seems. There are still some blog writers (THANKFULLY) though I see more people getting into Facebook status updates and notes now from this web community I've come to know. I also note a decline in discussions on forums, maybe because things are so spread all over the place. As a futurism I think that perhaps we are still at an adolescent stage with our use of the medium, that its potentials are still unfolding. Perhaps one possible adult level of use will be when we can show up at an event and have a better sense of where each other is at in advance, more ways to support our collective dreams. Maybe we will also be able to synchronize those collective dreams easier too not let them get lost in the sprawl but find an algorithm that takes us towards our highest destiny as a circle of humanity. Watching the Inauguration of Obama on CNN/Facebook I caught a taste of this. That kind of play by play sharing across distances excites me in relation to real time events. I think we have a grand opportunity to go beyond what we've been doing with these mediums by merging our relationship with the biosphere and the noosphere. Let's not stagnate or be held back by any medium we use even as technology advances. I think of Battlestar Galactica and how they consciously chose lower grade technology after their most advanced technology became their worst enemy. Right now completing the circuit of social networking includes potlucks, face to face meetings, conferences and workshops. Most of all it includes the element of curiousity, to see the evolution. Keep refreshing the view!

Once Upon A Time on Tribe.net and Facebook...

sobey — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 07:12:41 GMT

<<<<<<From Scorpio's astrology horoscope of the day on Tarot.com>>>>>>>> Saturday, Dec 13th, 2008 -- Normally, when you think of the distant future, you do it in vague generalities. Today, however, the meticulous Cancer Moon encourages you to fill in as much detail as possible, even if it's only a work of fiction. Let your imagination be your tour guide, even if you have no plans to leave home. Thinking might truly be the best way to travel. <<Cue Burial station on Lastfm.com...>> In Vancouver BC the snow lands and sticks coating the city again in a sheathe of white. Some have made it out to various gatherings which I sense through the Facebook. Around the socialites are pockets of nestling hermits, couples and friends watching films, having sex, crafting Christmas gifts, looking for work, making a snack…On Tribe.net the Burners are readying for Evolution and patiently waiting for the system to stabilize long enough for them to get a quick blog out to all their peeps about where they are at on a deep soul level. Here we keep the council fire, the heart circles and the medicine ceremony benefits burning brightly against the pitch black of nothingness circling our core. No longer satisfied with the Zeitgeist addendum of civilization and its crumbling funeral pire being soundtracked by ambient metal music,Apocalyptica and Doom style X Box games. The Hulk on X Box with crunching guitars and opera vocals. Slavery dulled by digital sonic catharsis. No longer able to fall deeper another year into a suicide pact with the Bush Administration puppet masters preparing their Obama agendas. The call has sounded though and it’s been heard. An e-mail arrives at the Venus Project. A series of conferences is conceived then forgotten then remembered by someone else… <<<<<<<To the sounds of abstract hip hop>>>>>>> he observes the status updates on Facebook, the occasional Twitter, the Myspace profiles of his amassing number of social networks all over the world. He hears their footsteps, their yawns, their snores, their sex cries, their sleep talk and senses the search for passionate aliveness which beats cynicism into the ground with the fervor of a contact improvisation jam in full tilt. <<<<<<<Meanwhile>>>>>>>>>>> on Contact Improvisation tribe on tribe.net. A message posted: ….the US Presidential Inauguration! Announcing the Capital Inauguration Jam on Martin Luther King Day, Monday January 19, 2009. We are hosting a day of classes and jams in our nation's capital, the day before we swear in our new president. Come celebrate Bush's last day in office with a day of dancing! <<<<<Flash of the last dance of the people of Zion in Matrix Revolutions>>>>. Slow motion movement of ecstatic dancers leaping high off the ground of their being and giving all that they are feeling in preparation for some bad times ahead. <<<Flash into>>>... final planning session for Intention X at 45 West Studio's on a Sunday after a day of tribal winterchill gingerbread formations and Temple ov Intention lighting and decor design and building. The cold studio is a busy blur of movement as the pods prepare in earnest, cellphones are texting and calling in reinforcements to ensure the most pertinent opportune tribe members are not left uninvited. .............)()()()()()()()()())()() I pass the creative fire baton to another reader/writer who can add to the future history tale we are unconsciously bringing into realization. A short blip of words or a paragraph will do….()())()()()()()()()()(........................

In Person Registration Today for Intention X,Dec.4th

sobey — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:30:27 GMT

The basic overview of this years event: The 10th anniversary of Intention is December 31st to January 4, 2009 happening in the middle of a forest in Maple Ridge on the outskirts of Vancouver BC. This year New Year's falls on Wednesday night. We will instead of having a celebration that night be sharing in a community meditation. The following night of the 1st we will hold a celebration after a day of workshops and activities. On Friday the 2nd we will again have daytime workshops leading into the Temple ov Intention which normally falls on the final night. We will also be bringing in a shuttle bus for that night for one night only guests to join us. On the final night of Saturday the 3rd we will have our Caberet of Intention followed by the Fishbowl party which prioritizes dj's who have not played in front of an audience before. In person registration will be held Thursday Dec.4th @ 45 West (45 W.Hastings/Abbot, alley entrance) with a chance for people to connect in with what's being prepared so far for the retreat. After this there will still be a means for people to register via paypal on www.tribalharmonix.org/intention depending on remaining capacity. To get more informed please tune into the phorum on www.tribalharmonix.org for Intention X and join the e-mail list by subscribing to: 1. send an e-mail to [intention-request@lists.tribalharmonix.org] with "subscribe" in the subject line 2. OR you can go to the webpage: [http://lists.tribalharmonix.org/listinfo.cgi/intention-tribalharmonix.org] and enter your e-mail address

My original account on tribe is now restored!

sobey — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:45:05 GMT

Big ups to tribe.net for re-setting my password and allowing me the opportunity to reclaim my original account I have had here since 2003 or so which has been inaccessable for months due to bugs in the system. My apologies to those who messaged me here while this account was down. I am returning messages from my Inbox now. I created another profile more recently but it just wasn't the same and started getting bug ridden too. Now I can reply to messages again it seems. While I was off my tribe regimen I spent more time on Facebook where my network has soared. You can also find me there under Sobey Wing should you wish to add me there. But really, it's good to be back.

Albert Hoffman RIP (January 11, 1906 – April 29, 2008)

sobey — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:01:38 GMT

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/lsd-inventor-al.html Albert Hoffman dies of heart attack, age 102. Best known for synthesizing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) Here is an excerpt from the journal written by Alex Grey on his portrait of Albert Hofmann 'St. Albert and The LSD Revelation Revolution' (attatched image) 'In my portrait of Dr. Hofmann, the eye of transcendental spirit in the upper left hand corner of the painting releases spiralic streams of primordial rainbow spheres of potential, one of which becomes a compassionate alchemical angel, whose tears drip down to anoint or 'create' the LSD molecule that the doctor holds in his hands, and a demon, here identified with Nazi power tugs or pushes at it. LSD opens a visionary gateway to the heart, as shown by the spiral of fractally infinitizing eyes resembling the stripey eye-spheres of the molecule, swirling into the center of the chest. On St. Albert's shoulder blade is a portrait of Paracelsus, the Alchemist of Basel, 500 years ago, who is credited with founding modern Chemistry, yet his alchemical goal was to discover the Philosopher's Stone. Alchemy was the art and science of the transmutation of the elements, like turning lead into gold and the identification of the soul of the alchemist with the chemical transformations as a metaphor of their journey ti enlightenment. Modern Chemistry took the psyche and mystery out of the material weighed and measured world, reducing the world to a heap of atoms. LSD brought psyche back, front and center to the chemical material world. That is partly why I believe that LSD is the Philosopher's Stone, the discovery of which, also in the town of Basel, is the result of an alchemical process put in motion by the great Paracelsus. In the portrait, I painted a lot of LSD personalities and symbolism in the aura of Dr. Hofmann. Some of these people were Dr Hofmann's friends, like Aldous Huxley, Gordon Wasson, Maria Sabina and Richard Evans Schultes. Each of these people had a special connection to psychedelics. Huxley wrote fearlessly about the psychedelic experience in The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell, which also talks about Visionary states and works of art.'

Update from Int'l Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers,2008

sobey — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:36:53 GMT

Last year I along with other Iboga Therapy House staff journeyed to South Dakota for the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers Council. It was an experience I will never forget with ceremonies held from different indigenous traditions and a presence given by the combined grandmothers that was undeniably potent yet warm. It is from this gathering that I came up with an internal mantra: "Grandmother yourself." Bellow is an update on the next council that is set to happen in Gabon, Africa. The Iboga Therapy House was intent on going but are instead focusing on a move to more affordable quarters for sessions. We greatly appreciate any referrals from our networks as we lack in the marketing department. Read on and please let us direct our healing love to Grandmother Bernadette and her people in Gabon. International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers —Update, Spring 2008 Hello Allies and Friends of the Grandmothers Council, Gabon Update "We need to keep hope alive." Julieta Casimiro, Mazatec Elder We want to thank you all for staying firm while we hold the tension of unknowing about our final plans for the Sixth International Grandmothers Council in Gabon. Many forces are at work, which we need to overcome with the strength of our prayers and the integrity of our actions. Torrential rains in Gabon have almost completely blocked phone and website lines and inhibited the planning and building essential to the Council. We just found out that Bernadette’s heart is in a very delicate state. She needs to take shots every day to breathe properly. Coinciding with this, the wife of the Gabonese President died suddenly. Understandably, this has sent the country into a spin. Since the Gabonese president has committed to making the arrival of the Grandmothers Council a national event, much of the planning will have to be limited. To minimize the impact on the Gabonese people, we can only bring a core group of people along with the Grandmothers. For these reasons, we will not be bringing participants to Gabon as we had hoped. But we will continue. The Grandmothers possess incredible endurance and fortitude. We are continually awed by the force of their hope and the forward motion of their prayer. Now more than ever we need to send prayers to Bernadette, to her Omyene people and to all of the peoples of Africa, who are suffering mightily from centuries of oppression. Please join us from your home places in prayer and ceremony to hold firm to the vision of peace beyond boundaries that the Grandmothers Council carries. They are just humble women, following through with their visions and uniting together. We all need to join together across space and time to give hands and hearts to this vision, held by so many of us around the globe. It starts with each of us. It will be followed through with each of us. And all of us will rejoice in its fulfillment. Upcoming Events July 17-26, 2008: Grandmothers Council in Spain - All thirteen Grandmothers will be gathering for teachings and ceremonies in Borga and Barcelona, Spain. They will be praying for the waters of the world and celebrating the release of the Spanish translation of their book. For information see the website at www.consejo13abuelas.es and contact Marianna Leger at Arboleda de Gaia arboledadegaia@yahoo.es October 5-12, 2008: Grandmothers Speak – All thirteen Grandmothers of the Council will be featured in a gathering in upstate New York, sponsored by the Women’s Gathering of Groton and Cornell University. We will be sending out more information as the program develops. Contact Sidney Moonchild at: sidney_moonchild@yahoo.com for information. October 13, 2008: Heartbeat for Peace (October 10-13, 2008) - On the fourth day of a four-day event, and on the fourth anniversary of their founding as an Alliance, the Grandmothers will participate with Eli Painted Crow and Turtle Women Rising in a Drum Gathering for Peace on the Ellipse in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. The Grandmothers Council will come together to sing to the Earth Mother, in order to create peace. For as women we know that "We cannot demand Peace; we can only become it. We cannot fight for Peace; we can only live it." For more information see www.turtlewomenrising.org. August, 2009- The 7th International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers at the home place of Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim in Oregon. August or September, 2009- Omega Institute Retreat. The Grandmothers Council has been invited to a five-day retreat at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. “Women, be courageous. Never doubt this task, but take it in your hands.” — Maria Alice Campos Freire, A Madrinha of the Santo Daime Church, Mapia Thank you for keeping this prayer alive! Much love to you and all you hold precious — Jyoti and Ann info@grandmotherscouncil.com Please continue to check the Grandmothers website for further updates: www.grandmotherscouncil.com

604eigner

sobey — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:28:52 GMT

So I've been back just over a week in Vancouver, haven't made it back to the Sunshine Coast yet. Yes, there's some of that culture shock that comes with being here after just settling into the lifestyle in the Philippines. I've been out to Dubforms, Beats Without Borders, Burn BC nights and felt that good feeling of being surrounded by familiar faces, getting juicy hugs, and dancing to a fine selection of sounds I've been missing since January. Outside of those settings I've lucked into a house sit lasting another week right off of Commercial Drive and am set to move full time to the city into Main Artery in South Vancouver. I am busy cranking out resumes and job hunting and appreciate any leads that come my way. Willing to do a wide range of things until I am more settled in and can begin focusing more towards "career" path type things. I am getting more the sense that now is a time for me to work towards working more for myself as much as I love joining other amazing projects happening. Moving back to Vancouver is a kinda big deal for me. I've done 5 years on the Sunshine Coast, which is said to be when you get to be considered somewhat more officially a resident and not just a transient part of that population. I've had a rewarding time overall living there and expect to continue a relationship with it but feel that I need to be tapped in more in the city at this time in life. Being split between two places for so long has been a bit exhausting tho fulfilling. I am ready to see what happens when I allow myself to sink into one place for a while. To my Vancouver friends who don't get out into nature enough, if you ever need company for a hike or outdoor adventure I am going to try to do this once a week at least. Let's visit some power spots, do some planetary healing, or just get with the forest beings and tune in. Since being away I've thought a lot about bamboo clothing business ideas with Philippine grown bamboo. Most of the textiles I know of for bamboo are made in China and there's some doubt as to the true ecological impact of the bamboo softening agents they use to speed the process. I also have been thinking of the reality that air travel for shipping and travel in general may be drastically reduced in the future as peak oil prices continue to climb. The emphasis on local products and services seems more important now. But I really feel drawn to the vision of a bamboo revolution out of the Philippines and will keep looking into this. I've noted interest from many people I've talked to about this idea. Look forward to connectivating with my home tribe more in this spring season. It's been good to be away from the community and reflect on it from a distance. I feel renewed in my relationship to it.

New Moon in the land of the Nilad

sobey — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:32:22 GMT

Manila is the capitol of the Philippines. Home to over 14 million people. It is considered a Gamma Global City and once the Paris of Asia. The Malay aristocracy here once called it Seludong/Selurung but it became known by its Tagalog inhabitants as Maynilad referring to the Nilad flowers of the mangroves found here from which its modern name Manila is derived. It's New Moon in Aries and I rendezvous in Green Hills to meet up with crew to bounce over to Warehouse 135 on Yakal, in Makati. Manila sunset washes gold over the humid air. From a balcony in a building in Pasig City, setting intention for connection with Bathala, the Great Spirit, the highest good of all. Reviews the areas in life needing transformation and release. Invoking the right livelihood path and the divine laws of abundance. All to be activated by a last set of dances before returning to Lotusland. In Green Hills at a ninth story suite overlooking San Juan City they fortify with some healthy food and drink after some acro-yoga flying exercises and inner dance session. Looking on with a smile, it has been a beautiful experience exchanging cultural forms with the Inner Dancers which number a small core of 20 in Manila and spread into the Visaya's to Mindinao's Mt.Apo, the largest volcano in Ma'i. The Inner Dancers are intiates into an emergence of healing dances that were brought through a portal at Kalipay, an outpost of Lemuria found off of Palawan. In a yet defined but well considered realm where spirit is let free to guide the bodies movements there is evidence from the Babaylan (shaman) observers that the pre-colonial divine feminine forces of the Philippines are being rebirthed. Its catalyst is a soft spoken man named Pi who refers to the Philippines by its pre-colonial ancient name of Ma'i. Carpooling over the highways which are less full with the long weekend traffic out of town. They soon arrive at the club and meet the owner,formerly of Big Fish productions. They've brought some of the likes of Sasha Digweed, Carl Cox,Juan Atkins and Doc Martin out to play.Tonight's its Asia's greatest export dj to date, Singapore's OnewithAldrin promising a night of tribal tech house. Ponders the arrival of the dubstep, psy sounds and even downtempo and IDM to Manila. Their rave scene got absorbed into club land years ago. No underground to speak of save for a purely organic jam band oriented scene and alternative and nu jazz vocalists and bands. Presenting the club owner a Seedpod map then hitting the dancefloor to assume the formation of Tribal Harmonix in his light body. The fusion of Inner Dance and Tribal Harmonix infusion coupled with Burning Man fire invocation brings his vision into jungle scenes of Luzon and the Aeta tribe indigenous to this region along with many other tribes. Feels their spear dances move arms joining with the womper ekstasis doof-step of his leftcoast Green Samurai Clan. Soulforces united. Photo Image: Arrow Fishermen (most probably Aeta), Pasig River, Manila, 1898:

The Litany Against Fear

sobey — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:09:32 GMT

The litany against fear In the Dune novel, the Bene Gesserit used the following chanted words to reduce their fear. "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." More on the Bene Gesserit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bene_Gesserit

(Un)expected

sobey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:28:00 GMT

I've spent a week in Palawan recently and visited the jungle in Sabang where I walked the Monkey Trail. Beautiful place. I am now back in Manila, a town of many surprises. I find myself suddenly preparing for an impromptu performance this week at a fashion art gallery with some local artists. A fun excuse to express what this country has been doing to me using body language.

The Magickal Nature of the Philippines

sobey — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:56:16 GMT

It's been about 23 days into my time in the Philippines and each day has brought surprises. I've spent the majority of the time thus far on Cebu which is the middle island of the country, known for its industry, its agriculture and for its festivals. It's the place also where the Portugese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived bringing Christianity and colonialism under the soverignty of Spain and the place where he was also slain by the Visayan chieftan of Mactan, Lapu Lapu. When I arrived the Sinulog celebrations were coming to a finish, an annual series of festivals which commemorate that period of the arrival of colonialism and Christianity. The way that the Philippines practices Christianity has its unique characteristics. Originally the spiritual practices of the region were animistic, with regions like Mindinao already practising Islam brought over by Arabs. In both cases animism remains a part of the culture particularly in the rural areas. The elderly people have passed on a legacy of folklore that includes mention of faeries, elves, mermaids,vampires (aswangs) and nature spirits. At Mount Banahaw on Luzon I did a pilgrimage in 2000 to this sacred mountain and witnessed Christian beliefs and animistic beliefs coinciding with holy sites there named after holy cities and saints, including religious tasks to purify the soul found in the natural setting there. An example was Jacobs Ladder, wherein the pilgrim descends an chain ladder into a fissure of water in the mountain and submerses themselves 3 times. In an eating area known as Jerusalem I saw several paintings of faeries, looking strikingly European adorning the structures. I was told to ask one of the old women there about it but she only replied, "ask me another time." On that same mountain was also a spiritual cult leader known as Suprema, who led a cloister nun convent of sorts, followers of Christ but with motifs that again depicted many faeries. I met Suprema who put me up for the night in the convent and told me that the mountain was a sacred place which needed to be respected. She had an otherworldly quality to her that I'll never forget. Another example of the intermingling of animistic and Christian beliefs was at the home of my parents in Alegria, Cebu, a small fishing village in the southern province. When they hired a Christian well digger to produce water for the property he suggested that there be sacrifices made to the spirits of the land. My parents, practicing Catholics, went along with it. My mother is no stranger to such practices. They had already done such a thing when they had an old Narra tree cleared to make space for their house close to the waterfront. Several chickens were slaughtered as sacrifice in both cases. The well after 3 months of drilling deep into the ground still produced nothing but salty water and the well digger said to my mother that there was a mermaid holding the pipe preventing them from reaching good water which he suggested required bringing in a spiritualist to make an offering to aleviate this situation. This signaled the termination of his credibility in my parents eyes and his contract. I was later to learn that the property on which my parents house resides has a history of being haunted. Our elder relatives describe giant ghost dogs the size of bears that have been known to appear. When the house was first being built and had no doors or windows my mother would sleep inside with the house caretakers in the other room. Once the caretakers saw a womens figure in a white gown passing through the house thought to be my mother initially and then revealed as a ghostly apparition. Another common folklore found throughout my times visiting the Philippines has been the notion of haunted trees, particularly older Balete trees, remanants of the jungle ecology that has larger been removed from the Philippines by overdevelopment over the past 60 or more years. I recall being told a story once of my Lolo (grandfather), now diseased who was playing hide and go seek as a child and who went missing for many hours. He was found in a trance by an old tree where he had been hiding and needed to be brought out of it by special means. It is customary according to the older generations to show respect around these aged forest grandparents and to always utter "tabi po" (excuse me elder) when passing them or urinating near them. When i first heard this concept I was a teenager visiting the country and on an excursion to a mountain spring with family. By the spring was a balete tree. During the course of being there my cousins and I got rambunctious and made a lot of noise playing and splashing around the tree in the spring and I made the error of picking a beautiful orchid growing off the side of the mountain. Shortly afterwards a series of mishaps occurred with a minor accident and some things going missing. Whether related or not it drove home to me then the importance of being more grounded and serene around old trees and to this day I show this reverence around old growth varieties of trees everywhere I encounter them. I have come across a book before whose title escapes me that details the animistic and folklore surrounding the Philippines. Many are legends with jungle creatures who animate moral lessons and many magical beings associated with sacred groves and ocean sites protected by mermaids are seen as ecological guardians. It is an interesting phenomenon that sacred areas are also precious ecosystems that benefit from scaring away the wrong kind of people who might bring harm to it. I remember hearing in Manila that the colleges there were haunted due to building on sacred sites. Only some have been preserved which remain in the city park. I visited it once and felt such a strong contrast to the insanity of the city. I feel a call to learn more about the pre-colonial nature of the Philippines and write this mainly to hold in my memory how I've been gathering a sense of the mystical nature of the islands here in my own lifetime. I hope to research deeper and come in contact with the elderly folk who still retain the ability to see faeries and nature spirits. What are dismissed as superstitions seem also to carry with them a fear of the unknown that causes people to turn away from going deeper into their mysteries. I hope that as a people however that filipino's will recognize the richness of their cultural make up which includes it's indigenous roots and native folk beliefs. The attatched photo is a balete tree, quite like the one that Luke goes into in the Empire Strikes Back.

First Week in the Philippines/Upcoming Mercury Retrograde

sobey — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:55:24 GMT

My travels began on the 20th of January and a brief layover in Hong Kong with enough time for a nourishing visit with my dear friend Maggie Blue who is stationed there with her husband Hoi Chiu. Walking about reminded me of the anime film Tekonkonkreet and Maggie planted some ideas about collaborations there that could be very interesting to persue. It's been just under a week of being in the Philippines. The humid heat is a relief from westcoast winter tho there's been quite a bit of rainfall too. Since arrival here I've experienced a lot of exposure to the culture of the Southern region of Cebu touring through towns with a governor sponsored tour. Each town we'd visit would be welcomed by children waving flags and performing cultural dances for us. My sister and I got tired of all the fanfare by the end of the first day and bailed out in exchange for some peace and quiet. Cebu is heavy on the Catholism and most of the festivals and dances depict the native culture (pretty much extinct) surrendering happily to Christianity. Only in one part of Cebu was there resistance by Lapu Lapu who was the slayer of the Conquistador Magellan. In a lot of areas the towns are named after Spanish influences or misunderstandings in the communication between a native and a Spanish soldier about the name of the area. A town might be named after a tree or an action, like "dipping" because that's what was happening when the conversation occurred. As a result the older names are lost in time. Through all of the culture shock I am trying to appreciate the beauty I see that's very real and timeless here. The innocence and playfulness is especially endearing to me that I find in the vast majority of people. I have to let go of a lot of attatchments to be present here including my sense of personal identity. I see it as a chance to create space for more to enter. In a way I've been waiting to unhinge from my "westcoast tribal identity" as much as it's something I appreciate and this is that opportunity. This upcoming Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius is a chance to reflect on friendships in our lives. I feel like that is a welcome thing to focus on as too often it seems like there's no time to do this. The number of friends in my life is not represented by the number in my network. I do like to have the seed of friendship to nurture in great number it's true. True friendship is a precious thing that is hard to quantify but that I want to investigate if only to be a better friend to those I truly care about. It's time to be on the move again but I want to leave off with my contact number for my text friendly kin to reach me at: (we're 16 hours ahead of the westcoast timezone) 0917 435 0980

Going away Soiree @ Shakti, Thurs.Jan.17

sobey — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 01:50:42 GMT

Tagging in on Spaceman Spliff and Kintropy's BeLeaf night at Shakti Lounge, my sister Winter Bamboo and I will be sharing our best hugs on Thurs.Jan.17. It's not easy stepping away from such juicy community, luscious love, work and play. The reason for this journey centers around family, land, and a sense of destiny. My parents have offered me a small piece of property adjacent to their retirement home on Cebu Island, in the central region of the Philippines known as the Visaya's. Right now in Cebu City a big preparation is beginning for the annual fiesta of Sinulug which re-enacts the time of the Conquistadors from Spain taking the islands as their own and the beginning of colonization. A pageant of dancers, mostly children are made to look like their ancestors, painted all over (pintados) wearing grass skirts and holding shields and spears. This is my tribal roots laid bare. I am looking at being away for about 3 months and am going to be limited with internet access. All signs have been showing me that this is a time in life to step back and not work so much on projects outside of myself. My south node in Cancer heads towards North Node Capricorn. In the meantime I'm packing in final shifts at Shakti Lounge and the Iboga Therapy House and look forward to squishing as many people as my heart can let in. It gets a little watery sometimes but don't be fooled by murkiness. There's a sparkler for each of you hiding beneath the surface of any darkness. Thurs.Jan.17,2008 8pm-1am 1340 Commercial Drive Shakti Lounge

Natal Chart of Tribal Harmonix

sobey — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:16:55 GMT

Horoscope for Tribal Harmonix, born on 9 March 2001 (the first official Tribal Harmonix event which took place at Intermission space as a fundraiser for a pod of people to go to Los Angeles for the Gathering of the Tribes. The following info is from www.astro.com with Tribal Harmonix personified as a being. I think a more specific interpretation for it as the community time spirit it is would be beneficial. Check it out anyways... Sun in Pisces, Moon in Virgo • Ascendant in Libra, Venus in the Sixth House • Sun in the Fifth House • Venus in the Sixth House • Venus Opposition Ascendant • Saturn in the Eighth House • Moon in the Eleventh House The report was generated with the following birth data, born on 9 March 2001 at 9:00 pm in Vancouver, British Columbia (CAN). Your sun sign is Pisces. This is the sign in which the Sun is in your birth chart. Your Ascendant is in Libra, and your Moon is in Virgo. Sun in Pisces, Moon in Virgo Your astrological positions combine keen intuition and good critical faculties, which give you a healthy balance of mind. You are a capable individual, receptive to educational and cultural influences. You are at home with everything that is unsubstantial, intangible, and vague, and yet you find ways to make these things practical. You can successfully combine insight with concrete fact. The affectionate and emotional sides of your individuality, however, are readily called forth. Because of your pliancy, compassion, and understanding, your own affairs rarely have priority over the affairs of others. In love you seek a reciprocal understanding and sympathy. The key to a harmonious existence lies in maintaining an equilibrium of intuition and common sense. Ascendant in Libra, Venus in the Sixth House At the time of your birth the zodiacal sign of Libra was ascending in the horizon. Its ruler Venus is located in the sixth house. This denotes a life in which the native adopts an attitude which is courteous, kind, and affectionate. People with Libra Ascendant are basically motivated by feeling and emotion rather than intellectuality. Your life will demonstrate your keenness of observation, and a tendency to effect comparisons largely of an aesthetic nature. You will not display too much energy in your actions and, therefore, there is a tendency toward following routine and the lines of the least resistance. You are a sympathetic person who seeks the approval of others and is also very adaptable. Your intuition is remarkable and you derive sensual gratification from engaging in social intercourse, by loving all social aspects of life. If you do not control this tendency to be so involved in human relationships, you may become too attached and over dependent. Some restlessness, changeability and lack of persistence is noted in your life. Your main feature is that of constantly favoring the fusing of two things or people together. Unfortunately, this involvement with harmonizing and adjusting people to one another, tends to make the native a little unrealistic and lacking in action. You will be, however, easy going and congenial, socially oriented and preoccupied with adornments, clothing, social conventions, standards, and aesthetics. In love, if you cause the relationship to be a serious one, you will find that the affair is the consequence of your own interest in flattering yourself rather than to satisfy any profound emotion. Professionally, you will be inclined to activities which require a high degree of culture and even artistic knowledge. You should enjoy good health, but you are prone to suffer from illnesses resulting from overindulgence in pleasures and eating. There is some indication of benefits gained through servants and other people under you. This position makes you an individual for whom work is a pleasure or, rather, one who derives a sense of pleasure from work. Sun in the Fifth House The Sun was found in the fifth house at the time of your birth. This is a very significant location for the Sun. There seems to be a progressive and gradual expansion of your feelings, especially the generative ones, throughout the years. Your life is oriented towards success in matters of enterprises, businesses, speculations, and society and pleasurable activities. Your love life promises to be very rich and will list many rewarding emotional attachments. In love you conduct yourself with dignity and certain poise. Your pride is very sensitive in matters connected with your emotional nature. You are easily injured if your possessiveness and majesty in love is threatened. You can be very magnanimous and forgiving with the object of your love, and you will extend many positive qualities along with natural protection and strength. Venus in the Sixth House Venus was found in your sixth house at the time of your birth. You can regard yourself as a lucky individual. Your health throughout life has been either very good or you have had the capability of quickly recovering from illness. In dealing with others within your work environment, you may also obtain an increase in income. Your attitude to work is that it is a pleasurable thing to do. You are not a hard working individual; on the contrary, there is something of laziness in you. Destiny may put you into positions where you will work under the direction of extremely kind and attractive superiors. A love relationship could start due to this interaction. Venus Opposition Ascendant Venus opposition the Ascendant indicates that you are drawn to refined and sophisticated people. You are well-mannered, and generally people have a good opinion of you. You make concessions if it seems necessary to maintain harmonious relations. Although you appear self-confident and assured it is difficult for you to stand alone. You work hard, although subtly, to make sure that people feel warmly toward you. You hope no one sees your negative qualities and discovers how insecure you really are. Your best publicity agents are your friends, who freely extol your virtues when anyone asks them. On the surface you are docile, gentle, and charming, but underneath you conspire and scheme to make a better life for yourself through the people you deal with. Saturn in the Eighth House Saturn was found in the eighth house at the time of birth. Because of the restraining influence of this planet, matters concerning legacies, inheritance, and the financial dealings of your partner or associates could be severely limited and may be frustrated by what seems to be harsh fate. Psychologically you are rather serious in connection with sexual affairs. You approach sex with caution, rationality and planning. Excess reason and thought in this direction may create some frustration in sexual matters. Moon in the Eleventh House The Moon was found in the eleventh house at the time of your birth. You should be an individual with many friends and acquaintances, both from within and without your home and domestic circle. You are a person who can make friends in the highest social categories as well as with persons of an inferior status. This position may also increase the possibilities of having a satisfactory family life and a very congenial domestic aspect with the potentiality of easily fraternizing with other people. Astrological Data used for Short Report - Personal Portrait for Tribal Harmonix (female) born on 9 March 2001 local time 9:00 pm in Vancouver, BC (CAN) U.T. 05+00 123w07, 49n16 sid. time 07:59:18 Planetary positions planet sign degree motion Sun Pisces 19°41'08 in house 5 direct Moon Virgo 26°25'25 in house 11 direct Mercury Aquarius 22°15'08 in house 4 direct Venus Aries 17°42'06 in house 6 stationary (R) Mars Sagittarius 11°34'43 in house 2 direct Jupiter Gemini 4°14'59 in house 8 direct Saturn Taurus 25°49'17 in house 8 direct Uranus Aquarius 22°26'05 in house 4 direct Neptune Aquarius 7°46'52 in house 4 direct Pluto Sagittarius 15°15'42 in house 2 direct True Node Cancer 13°08'14 in house 9 retrograde House positions (Placidus) Ascendant Libra 21°34'20 2nd House Scorpio 18°11'44 3rd House Sagittarius 20°44'07 Imum Coeli Capricorn 27°44'31 5th House Pisces 2°04'18 6th House Pisces 29°51'21 Descendant Aries 21°34'20 8th House Taurus 18°11'44 9th House Gemini 20°44'07 Medium Coeli Cancer 27°44'31 11th House Virgo 2°04'18 12th House Virgo 29°51'21 Major aspects Sun Opposition Moon 6°44 Sun Sextile Saturn 6°08 Sun Square Pluto 4°25 Sun Quincunx Ascendant 1°53 Moon Trine Jupiter 7°50 Moon Trine Saturn 0°36 Mercury Sextile Venus 4°33 Mercury Square Saturn 3°34 Mercury Conjunction Uranus 0°11 Mercury Trine Ascendant 0°41 Venus Sextile Uranus 4°44 Venus Trine Pluto 2°26 Venus Opposition Ascendant 3°52 Mars Sextile Neptune 3°48 Mars Conjunction Pluto 3°41 Jupiter Trine Neptune 3°32 Saturn Square Uranus 3°23 Uranus Trine Ascendant 0°52

checkin in

sobey — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:31:23 GMT

Around this time of year I like to reach out to my friends and let them know I'm here if you're feeling the bite of December and feeling a little low. I see halo's around the darkness. Keep rising above.

Iboga Therapy House in the News

sobey — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:26:31 GMT

http://www.straight.com/article-115404/the-quest-for-the-ultimate-cure-for-addiction

" Time Spirit" Graphic Needed

sobey — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:05:36 GMT

I am doing an article called "Time Spirit of Tribal Harmonix". If anyone has a pre-existing image that suits that title I can put it up with my article with your credits on it. Thanks!