Brisbane's Birth Canal

Every time I visit Southbank I envisage this walkway in the photo above as the birth canal of the new Brisbane. On the day that Carnivale travels though it, will be the day a new Brisbane is born. Maybe 2011? I walked through Southbank today absolutly marvelling at the beauty. It seems to me that we have created this beautiful space and yet we dont know how to celebrate and utilise it fully. As astrology has opened up its changed my perception of space and public spaces in particular. I keep stumbling upon public spaces drying up for lack of magic, and enchantement!

White Fella's Dreaming

We, as in white Aussies do have a dreaming but we forgot it, left it behind , threw it out, rejected it in the rush to scientific enlightnment. The good news its returning via Jungian psychology (amongst other things)which has opened the door to mythology, alchemy and astrology. I have a dream of having conversations with blackfellas about indigenous dreaming and white fella dreaming: astrology.I think astrology has a huge contribution to make towards reconciliation. Such a important task for all of us.

Birth chart

I didn't really plan to launch this project to the last minute and so to do the chart was a revelation as it always is! The Sun is conjunct Mercury and Venus

and its right on the MC. Very simply put beauty, communication, and justice are key parts of the Carnivale. This tends to be the place of ones calling and vocation in the world. Alchemical Carnivale as a business and as a spirit. You can see the fiery full moon at the base symbolizing the connection to an ancient body of feminine knowledge that's reasserting itself in the modern world. And there Jupiter conjunct Uranus giving us the revolutionary push we all need and the quantum leap that I hope the Carnivale achieves and it's in the beautiful sensitive sign of Pisces. I have long thought that what Australia need is water both literally and metaphorically. The emotional and spiritual glue that binds us together. And there's also Neptune and Chiron conjunct in the brainy group sign Aquarius. There's lots more ....what it says to me is a real affirmation. That I have been able to birth something new and now its alive. The past few days have seen things begin to explode, meeting people, seeing opportunities just everywhere. So much that I have literally had to shut them out. Soooooo exciting. I hope you can join me.

Charts

Whilst I have about twenty years experience in youth work, counselling and training I am relativly new to Astrology. Astrology is like coming home for me a great gift. It forms the philosphy to alchemical carnivale. Till the end of the year I am doing astrological charts for half price 50$ a hour then it will be 100$. I do readings at a cafe. I plan to do a whole variety of workshops in the new year. I am especially interested in children of any age as the experience of watching my own boys, two teenagers and a two year old, through the astrological lense is just fascinating. Obviously a reading for young kids or babies is for the parents and gives words and imges to what parents are already experiencing. I draw especially from Jungian psychology of which I have a Masters. I dont do straight readings or interpretation, I have a conversation between the chart and the person and let it evolve or unfold. Astrology connects to Greek mythology which has been our most powerful religious impulse alongside Christianity. Sadly Christianity as it evolved followed by scientific rationality has attempted to bury Greek and all mythology, astrology, alchemy , and all the so called feminine arts and science. Its time to get our culture in order which means reclaiming and revisoning out collective cultural roots. I hope to contibute in my own small way.

Birds and a birth

The Mysterius Doctor Mercurius is the name of my Carny Colleauge who just sort of emerged out of reflecting on my astrological chart. Today at the West End Markets I felt that it was time to let him go public. As Liam my son handed out masks and business cards, I slowly took a few deep breaths and got into costume. So far I have a mask, a bag of tricks and a neckwear that featuers Crow feathers(made by Christy Morgan an amazing local jeweller). I feel a really deep connection with birds especially crows and as I got ready the birds in the trees above were just going wild in a great cacophony of sound as Luna Junction played on. Most people seeemed blissfully unaware that a new birth was being announced. I spoke briefly and people listened...my words were received, it it was a beginning. It was great to just face my own fears and begin. My intuition is so many of us are wanting to break out of old patterns and we just need an excuse. We are truly all in this together. Theres only one planet and unless we change our direction:fast, we will be in deep shit . We are already and its never too late too change. Imagine if we gave the same amount of energy to creativity, fun and celebration, to the life force we all share, as we do to a war? Maybe its time to wage carnivale not war! Thanks for those I spoke to...I love it when a plan comes together.

alchemical carnivale

The idea for Alchemical Carnivale really came together over the last 6 months though its been brewing for years perhaps decades. I define it really simply as Mask, myth, movement and music. First it involves people learning the basics of the psychological astrology.Why? I came to astrology kicking and screaming around 5 years ago and it was a complete shock and revelation to find a system of knowledge that I had totally ignored and yet is so beautiful and has the potential to heal so many of the big rifts in the western psyche. And it it is the language of communitty and creativity par excellence.
Out of that exploration I would encourafe people to create what I call a Carny colleague. For me thats the Mysterius Doctor Mercurius. He sort of just emerged for the first time at the West End Carnivale ealier this year. I realised that he was a part of me that I have never e been able to express. All of us have parts like this. By putting on a mask and costume it frees us to be more then we usually are. I am also interested in activities that are trance-forming. Chant and movement are two of these and by using music. This gets us into flow states. Ive been experimenting with this for years but never pulled all of it together with the astrological framework or philosophy. And finally to then go out and perform of party in small public spaces. This has the added effect of pulling the group together and reenchanting the public space. We just dont have a tradiiton of carnivale in australia so I want to create it in a new way. Once the framework fell into place I began to see unlimited possibilities and varieties of the basic model. So far i have yet to apply it. It will be an experiment and I am sure it will metamorphose as it goes and thats the fun part. I am especially targetting creative people, therapists and communnitty workers but really its open to anyone. I have just begun to put the word out so let me know if your interested and get involved.

Alchemical Carnivale

I promise , I promise I will write some more real soon, so stay posted! and come back and visit. If your in Brisbane I want to meet you!