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ABOUT THE JOINING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
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Staff Holder
I seem
to attract things to me, both wanted and unwanted, and this is what happened
to me with the staff. I'm not
entirely sure which category the staff fell into, but it's been an
interesting ride so far.
I am
very into the Joining and what it could mean as a social instrument. However, I have discovered that is not a
particularly easy thing to hold the energy of this event. Nevertheless, it's worth the effort. I'm looking forward to the 2008 Joining
and meeting you there.
President
Yep, I'm the President as well. How did that happen? Well, I'm not quite sure. I think they voted me in when I was out
of the room. No, that was last
year. This year they voted me while
I was actually in the room. That was
a nice change.
In any case, I'm really happy to do
it. I love being around people who look
at what they are and what they might become, and then do something about
it. It's a beautiful thing.
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Basket Holder
My name is Lorraine Givney.
I have attended two Joining festivals and have felt each as a blissful
celebration of life in an environment supportive of rich growth and
individual authenticity. The real value in this, I find, is that each time
I live this reality it becomes more natural to embody this way of being in
my day-to-day life. As I feel passionate about self-actualisation, I feel
very honoured to have this opportunity to serve The Joining community as
the next festival is conceived and nurtured to its emergence at the 2008
Spring equinox.
The women’s basket sits on an altar in my Brisbane home,
surrounded by representations of masculine and feminine energies and the
interplay of the two. For me, this year is about gaining deeper
understanding of these energies.
As I journey further into my knowing of
these, the separation between the two is diminishing. There is, taking
place, a melding towards a mutually supportive, glorious and divine
oneness.
You are, by osmosis, traveling with me on
this journey; each in your own way. We can sense the feminine in each
other. We can choose to be aware of the energies, labeled masculine and
feminine, and the interactions in all levels and types of cultures; from
global to the inner cultures of individuals. My observations, studies,
explorations and experiences of these are providing many opportunities for
my learning and thereby, for my transcendence of divisive beliefs. I trust
that this inner work by the holder of the feminine energy will be evidenced
in the essence of The 08 Joining.
I feel very blessed to have the support of
the committee as well as that of second and third circle. I have found The
Joining community to include many amazing, conscious, inspirational,
skilled and talented people. If we have not met, please feel free to make
your self known to me as a friend, support person, mentor, witness etc.
Your support, ideas, assistance and participation are very much
appreciated.
As The 08 Joining approaches I invite you
to feel and luxuriate in the love and untamed feminine radiance of our
delightful community.
My sense of it is enticingly glorious…
Lorraine
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Committee Member
I have been on an incredible journey for several years,
where I have been discovering who I really am and I have been
reconnecting with myself and spirit.
I have met some fantastic people along the way, who have been
truly inspirational - they have been my guides, teachers and now they are
my friends.
I found out about The Joining after spending a weekend last
year at the Being Woman weekend.
That weekend was a huge weekend of empowerment, deep inner work
and wonderful, joyous connections with beautiful women who are also on a
similar journey. After that
weekend, I couldn’t wait to go to The Joining and meet more like minded
people and was amazed that there were actually men out there doing the
same thing as us women! So with
some trepidation, I experienced my first Joining last year and it was the
most brilliant weekend of my life. I laughed, I cried, I processed, I
connected, I opened my heart and I met the most beautiful, special people
a person could hope to meet and I made life long friends in the process.
So, how did I end up on the Joining committee? Hmmmm I’m not
really sure, it just happened.
Time, place, the intention and question was put out for another
female to join the committee and I just simply said yes, no questions,
just dived on. I thought about it
afterwards and was a bit like OMG what have I done, what have I got
myself into? I was working on a
new principal of stepping into my courage, which is actually about
stepping into my fear or the unknown and being involved on a committee like
this, it is certainly that. I see
it as a great opportunity to learn and grow as an individual and to grow
and connect within a beautiful team.
I am really very excited and feel extremely blessed to being a
part of the Joining committee and the Joining community.
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Marketing
Peter escaped the corporate jungle at the
tender age of 33 after a stellar career in media, managing radio stations
from age 23. He was also a Marketing
Manager for a media network during this period.
He became an entrepreneur in 1993 and
devised and launched the world’s first dedicated green and conscious radio
network, Planet Radio in 1997. On
April 1st 2009 it will have been operating for 12 years. It is now 100% musically dedicated to
independent and emerging musicians.
Peter now operates Planet Media which has branched into a whole
range of green and conscious media services, production and marketing –
with the epithet “re-imagining the world”
Peter became fully aware of the call of
his spiritual journey just after the end of his marriage in 2002. After attending several Chulaquai Quodoushka
Spiritual Sexuality workshops that year he realised his true calling was to
become the sexiest man alive and he has been working on that calling ever
since. Peter believes that practice
makes perfect and so is likely to flirt a lot with you if you are of the
feminine gender. Its
all part of a very serious research, so please go along with him to the
absolute “edge”. Who knows what
might happen!
But seriously (is there such a thing!!!)
Peter will take men into a place where they will be able to flirt with
total abandon. Men will learn to
dance their energy in ways that are totally irresistible, joyful, respectful,
amorous, sizzling and blissful.
Peter makes it a point to practise every
day…….all day….and some nights…..all night!
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Marketing,
Secretary
Ooops, an
acute writer's block struck me as soon as I thought about writing something
about "Who Am I?" Isn't this the ultimate life question we keep
searching for answers for our whole life? Ah well, maybe I can give a
momentary impression of myself at this moment in time.
I am
41, work as a counsellor in Brisbane
and share a house in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, on a beautiful
property bordering the Obi-Obi creek. In my previous life I lived in the Netherlands (yes, in infamous Amsterdam) and
worked in the development and promotion of solar energy. The first 32
years of my life I mainly lived from my head, until my body, soul and
spirit had enough of being ignored and started speaking up for
themselves. It led me into a very interesting and long journey
(literally) that landed me on the other side of the world, and that will indoubtedly continue a fair bit more. I've come to
realize that my spiritual connection mainly is through experiencing and
being nature, and that therefor without nature,
I can not thrive. In my work as a counsellor, I teach courses in
mindfulness meditation, to help people become more self-aware and in
charge of their lives. I'm still searching for workable ways to work with
clients on a soul and spiritual level as well.
My
connection with The Joining was instant, when I first wandered into the
gathering while it was in full swing on a sunny Sunday 1 1/2 years ago. I
felt at ease, inspired and connected straight away, like coming home to
my 'tribe', although I
knew hardly anyone. I am still utterly ignorant and puzzled
about this whole masculine/feminine thing, probably because I have lived
mainly from my masculine side most of my life (particularly when I want
to 'get things done') and still do not consider myself feminine at all.
Nevertheless, I am hoping my contribution to the Joining Committee will be
a mixture of some feminine things like process and relationship focus,
some gentleness and beauty (you see, I am learning a bit about this
feminine/masculine business!) and some masculine things like structure,
focus and clarity.
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Genesis Co-ordinator,
Treasurer
To experience my life of learning I’ve picked fruit, been in
the air force, worked on the oil rigs, sold advertising, been a druggie and
alcoholic, gone to university, knocked around much of Australia, lived for years
on rebirthing communities, had bones broken, been married twice, and have
two extraordinary kids.
I’ve fasted and cleansed, prayed and meditated; been
initiated, challenged, and dragged kicking and screaming into a semblance
of consciousness by those who cared enough about me to kick my arse when I
needed it, which was so often that I found it hurt less if I did it for
myself.
As a result I studied and taught Aikido, learnt yoga, became a
counselor, a rebirther, a body/energy worker and
a social artist. I have also trained in strong circle work, and have been
at the cutting edge of the development of western men’s inner work.
I am currently studying Tantra and am in a shamanic
apprenticeship of the Twisted Hairs tradition of the Sweet Medicine Sundance
Metis. I am also the founder/visionary and coordinator of THE JOINING, a
festival of the coming together of women and men, and a director of
GENESIS, an organization whose mission is to support the development of
sustainable culture and ecology, and the relationship between these two.
I work as a Gardener and as a Soul Polisher.
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