Island Time, Buka, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea

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A 3.00 am alarm, 4.00 am taxi ride and 5.30 am flight saw Niki, I and 70 kg luggage on a QANTAS Link flight from Cairns to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Only problem being next flight was a domestic one with Air Niugini that came with a luggage allowance of 16kg per person and a huge bill for excess. Taking presents to her extended family in Buka was becoming an expensive occupation however, as she said, it didn’t add up to too much if she divided it by the 10 yrs since she had last seen everyone.


Buka & Bougainville Islands

We landed at our scheduled time and enjoyed the simplicity of Buka’s arrivals hall and Baggage Claim while waiting for our ride. A quick phone call to Aisha, Niki’s ‘sister’ brought reassurance that Nick, her husband, should not be too far away. Sure enough we were soon greeted with a warm smile and huge hug by a very well dressed Bougainville National. Niki had met Aisha during her time on Lahir Island where she worked as Operations Manager on the mine from 1994 until 2000. During this time Niki and Aisha had become close friends and just prior to her departure Niki had been initiated into Aisha’s clan.


Buka Arrivals Hall

Isa and Nick rent two rooms in main town Buka where they live with their family. This includes their six children aged 11 yrs to 2 ½ months, their 9 yr old niece who has pretty much been part of their immediate family since birth along with Aisha’s mother (Mama) and father (Papa) without whom two full-time working parents would probably not be able to consider such a large family. It is also perhaps good reason why they had organised a room in the guesthouse next door for Niki and I to stay for the night before we headed north up to Lemankoa and Aisha and Nick’s home village of Tanhum.

After introductions and distribution of gifts to immediate family we were taken on a walk around main town Buka to meet the rest of the extended clan that resided in the main settlement of Buka Island. This is where it came in very useful to learn that is was absolutely OK to refer to all extended family as aunty or uncle and be referred to as aunty or sister.


Ferries to Bougainville

Niki had a very emotional reunion with Papa, Aisha’s father. During her time on Lahir Island Papa had gone missing at sea. He had always told family never to concern themselves if he should be away for 2 – 3 weeks however after this length of time Aisha and Niki both had major concerns. Aisha had taken leave from Lahir to return to the village while Niki stayed on so that she had access to international communications. And, sure enough, Papa and his friend eventually turned up in Honiara, Solomon Islands after 44 days at sea living off, rainwater, the odd coconut they found floating in the ocean, raw fish and sea birds. Niki sent her credit card details to buy Papa a ticket home and shortly afterward was initiated into Aisha’s clan.


Niki & I in our Merry Blouses from Aunty

On return from our wanderings Aisha, a queen in her respective clan, as are her mother and first born daughter in this matriarchal society, filled us in on the basic program for our week with family. Tuesday would be spent shopping and travelling to Tanhum, Wednesday visiting old house and grandfather’s grave, Thursday was reserved as home-brewing day, Friday boat trip to Hiku Island and Saturday would be a Mu Mu, a traditional feast family gathering and celebration in our honour before returning to main town Buka on Sunday.

Niki took us out for supper across the road at the Kiva Resort, which we had been recommended was the best place in town only what we didn’t know was that it would be packed with the opening evening of a conference for health workers focused on rebranding of an organisation that opposed lateral violence in the community. It was interesting to observe what else was happening in a space where group of like-minded individuals had gathered to promote awareness of lateral violence and HIV problems within community when at the table next to us a middle aged man was doing his best to secure the attention of a young woman of an age that could easily have been his daughter.

This is where I observed ‘community in action’. While most of the conference attendees were dancing to the music of the Bamboo Band Aisha and her mother began to step in. Their glances and remarks were very subtle at first however when these went by unnoticed they soon became much more focused speaking directly to the young woman and explaining that this man had a wife and family at home and she would be better to spend her time elsewhere. Eventually the young woman got up and left and the scene passed unnoticed while the music and dancing continued.

It brought me back to a conversation I had shared early in the day with Nick, Aisha and Niki about how much the more traditional society of Buka had fallen away in the 10 yrs since Niki had left PNG. Aisha and Nick commented on a whole generation of youth from their mid-teens to mid-twenties that had little to no respect for their elders or traditional ways. And of a youth culture of alcohol and marijuana smoking had taken over clouding the minds of the next generation.

Perhaps this partially explained why there was such a high presence of NZ Police in Buka at the time. And it was certainly the reason why there was a cruising yacht moored off Bougainville and six Australians being held by the authorities for being caught smuggling in weapons to Bougainville as trade for marijuana. This was followed up by a newspaper report a few days later stating that 80% of Bougainville’s youth were dependent upon marijuana.


View from Nick & Aisha's house observed from the verandah of our guest house

The following day Niki and Aisha kindly took over the shopping duties which allowed my otherwise controlling self to surrender and trust that they were quite capable of organising our supplies for the week while I spent some time catching up on a few overdue blog entries. As it happened the girls did a great job and I enjoyed five hours completely undisturbed as I downloaded my experiences of the past 6 weeks into the written word so that I would again be completely empty and present for whatever my week on Buka Island had in store for me. It also showed me how much time I have been spending on email and internet during my time in Cairns and how best I might consider organising my time in future.


Buka main town market

Nick had managed to borrow a Landcruiser Troop Carrier from his workplace which meant that we; 7 adults and 7 children could travel in relative comfort to the north of the island, a 1 ½ to 2 hour journey that would have otherwise taken 2 to 3 hrs in Uncle’s truck. The kids had not taken long to get over their shyness and we had a fun journey arriving in Tanhum just after dark and just in time for feet washing, a custom to physically and energetically cleanse the visitor that I was to experience on several occasions over the coming week.


Journey to Tanhum


Foot Washing Ceremony

Everyone settled in and found their allocated space and I soon discovered that in a four bedroom house with 9 adults and 7 children I had been given a room all to myself. I quickly explained to Aisha that this was not necessary and shortly afterward found myself with two 9yr old roommates; Annyella and her cousin/sister Isaleen.

It was full moon when we arrived so after supper I decided to make the most of the occasion and lay down on the grass outside to listen over the generator for the sounds of the jungle while I soaked up some moonbeams. The tranquillity only lasted a minute or so until both Aisha and Nick were by my side to check that everything was OK as certainly such bizzare behaviour was not common practice by anyone who was well! Relieved that I hadn’t suddenly succumbed to sudden illness or been overcome by a bad spirit, which for them was a very really possibility in a culture steeped in sorcery and black magic, the children soon joined my game and we played with their fluorescent bracelets and the fireflies beneath the southern stars...

Community in Cairns

Although my first month in Carins was very much spent in isolation and hibernation the time since has been very much the opposite. Kay’s invitation to run an introductory and subsequent w/shops has not only kept me busy but also divided my time. This means that I have not yet managed to achieve all that I had set out to do however so long as I am able to get the Earthwalk Project Website up and running and learn to navigate my way between that, the Earthwalk blog and facebook I will be content to have achieved half. Once more having already written the content of my book I now realise that to edit it into shape in order to present it to a possible publisher I probably just needed to find another suitable space in which to spend another undisturbed month so that I may do so.

There is no right or wrong and definitely no regrets as there has been much learning in juggling Earthwalk with the practicalities of running workshops, keeping house and creating an income and for the first time in two years maintaining a bit of a social life. I guess I hadn’t realised quite how focused and all consuming my chosen path had become and I have enjoyed remembering how to once again let my hair down and have a party occasionally. As this began to happen I realised how important it was to connect with the very human side of myself by sharing friendship through establishing new and replenishing old relationships. If returning to that sense of community is part of our future then it is best I practice it through walking my talk.

Speaking of which I knew that my last few weeks in Cairns were going to be extra busy as not only did I have another T5T workshop scheduled but Niki Clape, an old friend from Perth who had done an overland trip with me in Africa 18 yrs ago, was coming to visit. She planned to share a few days in Cairns before taking me to Buka Island off Bougainville, PNG to visit with her second family. In addition Ian, my long term partner of the last 20 yrs, along with Rachel his new partner, were coming through Carins during their tour of Australia to introduce Rachel to the Stevo’s, and as I hadn’t seen Ian for 18 months and Rachel for about 4 yrs I was very much looking forward to catching up with both of them.

What surprised me was how many people thought it odd that I would choose to invite by last mate and his new mate to come and visit . . . especially when I felt it would be very odd not to! We shared an incredible journey together for 20 yrs of our lives, a journey that will always be part of who I am and I am pleased that Ian continues to be one of my nearest and dearest friends since our paths have parted. Once more I am very happy that he has found himself a wonderful woman who shares his passion for wildlife conservation in Zambia. They are a good looking couple and will make a great team and I hope that we remain good enough friends as I would like to share a journey into Central Africa to research one of the Earthwalk sites in the not too distant future!

Meanwhile back in Cairns my T5T w/shop was well attended with referred business from Federica along with a few new friends I had made along my way. What wasn’t part of the plan however was the accident that took place right outside the hall where I was teaching at about 8.30 that night. A car had hit something and that something happened to be someone, a +/- 20 yr old male who looked as though he was of African ethnic origins had been crossing the road on a child’s bicycle without lights or helmet when he had been hit by a passing car and catapulted across the windscreen and on to the median strip.

Fortunately Jill, one of my participants, was a registered nurse and together we were the first to respond. From what we could see we had an unconscious patient with a head injury, compound fractures and heavy bleeding. We managed to stabilise our patient as best we could until the ambulance and paramedics arrived but what surprised me was that instead of thanking us or our assistance and excusing us from the scene we along with one other from our group were recruited to help. It was an emergency situation and I can only imagine that our presence was in some way holding the space required for those that knew their stuff to do what they had to do.

It was an interesting space to be present and observe from. As I could see the scene from the perspective of the paramedics who were very much dealing with the 3D reality of a life and death situation while at the same time it was as though Jill and I were holding a space of still and calm among the chaos where we could be present for the spirit of the patient and those who were suffering from the shock of the accident. Together I felt that we made the whole by honouring and respecting both the physical and the spiritual aspects of the situation.

It also gave me reason to wonder if I needed to visit Carins Base Hospital for some reason as I now knew of two people in ICU. As a result I made a plan with Debra, who just so happens to be a mid-wife in Carins, to meet at the hospital on Monday evening which provided a perfect and effortless way to gain entry to ICU in order to visit with Cathy and her partner Kevin who had sat by her bed since her admission last Tuesday. She had been subject to three rounds of surgery to remove the dead tissue from a black head on her back that according to the doctors was the source of her blood poisoning and although still sedated was expected to be encouraged out of her coma the following day. Unfortunately our patient from the accident was not so lucky and had recently been transferred to Townsville Hospital for more specialised care.

Niki arrived next evening and by the following day was back with her T5T practice and ready to brave a mediation circle and Oneness Blessing which to my surprise she actually enjoyed. The next night we were out at the TaNKS for the opening night of the Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair (CIAF). A fantastic evening of art and culture from throughout Northern Queensland and the Torres Strait Islanders providing excellent song, music and dance and the most incredible Didgeridoo playing I have ever heard! We even managed to gain ourselves a front row perch next to the stage a few seats away from the Mayor of Queensland who had come to open the event. This prime location provided us an opportunity to chat with MC, David Hudson and meet William Burton, an Australian born and internationally renowned Didgeridoo Player.


David Hudson on Stage


Niki & William Burton

Friday night was a family affair shared with friends and neighbours, from new babies to grandmothers and with permission from Robert and Leanne’s their home provided me a space in time where my two worlds met and merged as one. We shared a seafood feast, new stories and old memories, Luke attended his first Didge lessons with Deb in the bathroom followed by a Oneness Blessing with Suzie in my bedroom. The evening just seemed to flow and I enjoyed being able to share the last hour of it talking to my old mate about his new life.

Saturday afternoon was spent looking at a possible vehicle for my Ozzie Earthwalk followed by an afternoon walk along the Esplanade with Niki and Guy. Little did we know CAIF has prepared an evening parade and in the moment Guy invited us out for an impromptu supper at his favourite Southern African Steakhouse. And our walk back to the car coincided perfectly with the evening fireworks display that we must have shared with a good percentage of Carins local and foreign population.

Two Months to Tango

Although I have never seriously committed myself to taking dance lessons of any description I, along with my mother and sisters, have always loved to dance and having two months in one space seemed like a perfect opportunity to change the program and learn something new . . . would it be long enough was the question???

First was to find the right teacher and classes to suit, I knew I wanted Latin dance but was not really sure which genus I preferred or which might best satisfy my desire. An hour on the internet left me with a few possibilities and some pokers in the fire to see which one might ignite and Argentine Tango was the one that came up trumps.

Elaina dey Electrah, an international teacher originating from Buenos Aires was scheduled to run an introductory beginners w/shop in Argentine Tango. I had a sense that Elaina has lived the majority of her life following her passion and took great pleasure in sharing her gifts. Basically it felt right and as a result I signed up and showed up at the RSL on the Esplanade the following Friday evening for my first lesson in Argentine Tango of which I really knew nothing about.

Into the unknown I felt like I was learning Spanish all over again only this time with my body instead of my mind. Those first few classes were very frustrating to say the least, balancing on the balls of bare feet while doing my best to maintain my own centre and following instead of leading was certainly against the grain of my more familiar way of being. I do not think I could have picked a more challenging way of changing my own blueprint if I had tried. Little had I realised half of the journey I was embarking upon by exposing myself to the learning of Argentine Tango!

What I gradually realised was that this particular dance was one of discovering what it was really like to have a full and healthy relationship with a partner. There was no pushing or pulling, no unconscious giving or taking of energy, each had to completely maintain their own centre and balance, be completely within their own power while maintaining a sense of absolute connection and oneness through a heart centre. Sounds simple however to remain absolutely alert to the subtle communications after two hours of sometimes quite repetitive practice with different partners did present some challenges!

Thankfully I managed to find a suitable pair of shoes with enough of a heel to dance in and Elaina was sensitive enough to know just when we needed to have some fun. As a result she would introduce a new adornment or step at exactly the right time, be it a molinete (windmill to the left or right), a boleo con cruzada en espiral (bolero with spiral cross) or a parada, barrida y passada con gancho (stop, sweep, pass over and hook). If my dancing wasn’t improving then at least my Spanish was benefiting from the revision!

Elaina reserved the back room at Vibe Bar on Lake Street where we gathered every Monday and Wednesday evening for lessons and practica. With time and practice we were all definitely improving and I particularly grew to appreciate Monday nights when I had the opportunity to dance with Gianni an Italian Tangero who lives, loves and breathes tango. His passion and dedication was contagious and he was the best at teaching me to listen and follow, telling me off on no uncertain terms whenever I made a mistake or didn’t follow his lead!

One of the highlights of my classes was joining a Sunday workshop on Elaina’s birthday. She had been invited to hold our class on the dance floor in the back garden of Charleston House, a friend’s hostel in Carins. It felt as though we had stepped out of Australia and into South America, the dance was Latin the most spoken languages were Italian and Spanish and our fare for the evening was traditional seafood paella cooked by Elaina’s long time friend from Spain and washed down with a fine glass of Spanish Red.

My lessons are all but over now however I do hope to get to one or two more Wednesday evening pratica’s before I leave Cairns. And with a little luck and good management Elaina assures me that I should be able to continue dancing in most of the main centres around Australia and throughout South America for the duration of my Earthwalk Project. I may not yet be quite up to the standard of Mr & Mrs Smith however I am certainly enjoying the journey!



Ole!

Women on Walkabout

It was time for our Munay-Ki weekend walkabout workshop through the Daintree Rainforest . . . our original plan had been to leave Cairns on Thursday afternoon however Cathy, an important member of our team, had come down with a sudden and very acute pain in her shoulder. And, in addition to her physical discomfort Cathy’s physio had for obvious reasons also recommended against the idea of travel.

Knowing how important this journey home through Kuku Yalanji, the land of her ancestors, was to Cathy we decided to postpone for a day and see how she felt on Friday morning. I also found it interesting that this sudden onset of illness coincided with the Munay-Ki and the chosen destination for our journey and wondered how interconnected the two might be and if it might be worthwhile for Cathy to consider coming as she was and addressing the cause along the way. Friday morning arrived with a very disappointed Cathy, she was still in an incredible amount of pain and remained unable to join us. (Perhaps she also knew what was best as on return we found her in Cairns Base Hospital where she had been unconscious for four days with a diagnosis of blood poisoning.)

Nevertheless Debra and I had made a commitment and thus decided we would continue with the journey as planned and wishing Cathy a speedy recovery invited her to join us in spirit which she must have done as we felt her presence on several occasions during the course of our journey. After a morning trip to Rusty’s Market for fresh supplies, we packed Robert’s car and headed north toward Port Douglas, Mossman and the Daintree National Park, that special space where the rainforest reaches all the way to the ocean.

It was exciting to embark on a physical and spiritual journey into unknown territory, where although we had a basic structure to the content that had to be covered during our weekend w/shop there were no fixed times or places that we had to be at any certain moment. We were free to weave our program through the sacred sites and natural landscapes of the Daintree, a World Heritage Site, as and when we were called . . . and so our journey began at the Daintree river crossing where we stopped by the water to ask the spirits of the Daintree Rainforest permission to enter.

With permission granted we made sure we were very present to our surroundings as we made our way along the winding road through the rainforest which before long blessed us with my first ever sighting of a wild Cassowary. A resident of Australia the Cassowary is an extraordinary land dwelling bird and, as far as I am aware, the Daintree is known as one of the last remaining habitats that support the majority of the estimated 1500 Cassowary remaining outside of captivity.



First stop was the ‘Blue Hole’ a sacred women’s site where men are requested not to enter. Perhaps if men knew that failure to respect this request may result in them becoming sterile they may tread with a little more caution. However as the Blue Hole has not yet been cordoned off as a sacred site, and the Aboriginal keepers are not permitted to post signs the local resorts continue to encourage all to visit. Much to the dismay of the Aboriginal people, both men and women seem to come and go as they please.

Once we were organised with everything we might need we stopped to ask permission to enter and perform ceremony, a common and very important courtesy I had learned over time that was becoming a vital component of the way I was learning to walk in the world. At first our reception was quite cold however as I continued to explain through my thoughts the purpose of our visit I felt a shift to curiosity that very soon turned into a warm, open and almost excited welcome.

And we certainly did feel as though we were being well taken care of. One couple were leaving just as we arrived and no one else came to visit during the entire time we were there. We offered our thanks, stripped off and submerged ourselves in the most beautiful sacred waters of the Blue Hole. It is suggested that the blue comes from the high mineral content of the waters of this little oasis in the middle of the rainforest where everything seemed to be in balance. There were birds and butterflies in abundance, a variety of fresh water fishes and the most curious terrapins I had ever encountered in the wild. After cleansing ourselves in the sweet waters, opening sacred space and asking permission from the ancestors of the land to join us I shared with Debra the four foundation rites of the Munay-Ki.



That evening we had been invited to Ron’s house on the road to Cow Bay. Ron is a regular participant in Debra’s Wednesday evening Meditation and Oneness Blessing Group who had invited us to stop by and share a night during our walkabout. He has a simple, symmetrical, self sufficient cement and brick home that he designed himself and had built in the middle of the rainforest. Our home for the night came complete with two very comfortable Zanzibar couches for which there was no better place for Deb to relax and integrate her day while Ron and I prepared our supper. We shared a special evening together exchanging stories and sharing information before I rolled out my very new second-hand swag on the walkway under the stars to be lulled to sleep by the sounds and smells of tropical north Queensland.

I was woken in the wee hours of the morning by raindrops however my cocoon was too cosy to consider budging so I just pulled the top of my swag over my head and trusted that the waterproofing would work! Woken a little later by the dawn chorus there was time for my morning yoga before taking a stroll along the beach. On return we shared a morning breathing meditation and then Ron cooked omelettes for he and Debra while I feasted on fresh strawberries and Black Zapote, an exotic and rather delicious fruit that when whipped with natural yogurt tasted just like chocolate mousse only without the side effects . . . yum!!!

On the road again and next stop was the beach beneath Thornton Peak where I had been guided to visit as part of my Earthwalk Project. There was no sign of the caves, and recommendations from the local guide and residents against venturing any further into this masculine mountain deterred us from probing further, however a stroll along the beach did reveal to me what may possibly be the source and inspiration of the Aboriginal dot paintings. Every time the tide went out the creative little crabs worked their magic and produced an ever changing mural of interesting and at times quite symmetrical dot paintings.


A Sandcrab's interpretation of the Earthwalk Butterfly

We spotted what looked like an old timer of the area sipping his beer and smoking a cigarette while watching the world go by just across the road from the car park. It did not take too long to decide that he would be a likely candidate to ask if there were any other sacred sites in the area and as a result we learnt a little local history and very soon discovered that just up the road were the bouncing stones. An Aboriginal Sacred Site that is no longer sign-posted, due to the number of visitors who, not knowing otherwise, had chosen to take stones home. We were shown a picture of the area and sent on our way with directions that the bouncing stones could easily be found a kliometre or two north after a few bends in the road and just beneath a stand of paper bark gums.

And there we found a highly magnetic area and a whole heap of shiny black stones that when dropped literally bounced off each other. We felt like a couple of kids rediscovering our childhood and the perfect place to share the Earthkeepers Rites. Only before we did and not really knowing why I asked Debra if she would mind giving me a Oneness Blessing. My intuition told me to receive this lying down and as I did I could feel that in addition to the Oneness Blessing I was receiving a transmission from the earth. Debra has also noticed a difference and not a lot was making sense so we chose not to dwell on it and rather be present in the moment and enjoy.

An afternoon drive in search of a suitable place to camp took us to the end of the 2 WD track beyond Cape Tribulation and then back to Noah’s beach were we were fortunate to find a free space to camp for the next couple nights. Time for tea and to set up camp, which simply meant raising a canvas shelter and rolling out our swags, before taking a walk along the beach and introducing Debra to the concept of sand-paintings and their benefits. A very useful tool to take our concerns out of our head, make the most of the opportunity to view them from other perceptual states of awareness and then release them to the universe/earth/elements to work their magic.

Camping in one space for two nights also allowed us a full day to focus on the work at hand and as neither of us wore a watch it was not difficult to allow our day to evolve completely outside of time. We rose with the sun, shared our morning yoga/T5T practice and meditation, ate when we were hungry, walked, worked and went swimming in the sea as and when we were called, and otherwise simply allowed ourselves to be. In so doing I realised that this would be a perfect way in which I could both share and fund my Earthwalk Journey with individuals and/or couples who may be interested with making their holiday vacation a journey with a difference. Perhaps time to think about purchasing a vehicle.

Just after sunset during our Fire Ceremony on the beach where the rainforest meets the reef I shared with Debra the Day Keepers and Wisdom Keepers Rites. A very special moment with the waves lapping on the shore and where the canopy opened to a night sky filled with stars, we were completely alone and at one with our environment. Then as an extra surprise, just before closing as we were holding space for the ancestors of the Daintree we were delighted not only by the incredible response from the land but also from the sea as two etheric whales joined us in the ethers. And within half an hour of closing our ceremony the waves had washed away all evidence of our beautiful day spent completely outside of time.

It was the last day of our journey and with the majority of our work done we were free to explore the upper reaches of the road beneath Thornton Peak before a return trip to the Blue Hole where Debra chose to receive her final two Munay-Ki Rites of Initiation those of the Starkeepers and the Creator. These final two rites anchor one safely to the time after the great change said to occur around 2012. They enable our physical body to evolve into homo luminous, the aging process slows down, our DNA is re-informed while the Creator-light within is awakened bringing forth a sense of stewardship for all creation. www.muany-ki.org



And there was no better way to celebrate a successful journey than a side trip to the infamous Daintree Ice cream Depot and a sighting of not one but three Cassowary beside the road on our journey back toward the Daintree River.


Red Ocre awaiting us at the Blue Hole

Meeting a few of the Whaledreamers Team

Soon after arriving in Australia I received an email from Gretta suggesting that I must watch the Whaledreamers DVD as not only was it an incredible film, she also felt that there was an Aboriginal Elder that I may be called to connect with. Well the first challenge was to find the DVD which surprisingly was unheard of by every rental and retail outlet I contacted. Eventually I managed to connect with Devi through the Whaledreamers website. www.whaledreamers.com where I paid my dues and awaited the arrival of Whaledreamers in the letterbox . . .

What amazed and surprised me was that after so much anticipation I managed to sob my way through almost the entirety of my first viewing, However what made the pain, sadness and tears different was that they really didn’t feel as though they were mine personally. It felt as though I was assisting to release the grief of this Ancient Land, the Aboriginal People and the Whales through my own physical and energetic body. I guess it was a situation similar to that of my first ever illumination process when an hour after beginning the process of clearing a little of my personal clutter I had managed to shed enough tears to fill every spring, river, lake and ocean on our living earth while feeling as though I was clearing the grief carried by the feminine psyche of the planet . . . talk about interconnection!

My second viewing was much different and I was able to experience more of the beauty of the Land, the Whales, the Whaledreaming and hear more clearly the plight of Australia’s Aboriginal People. As Whaledreamers obviously shares a common theme and dream as Earthwalk I felt inspired to contact Kim Kindersley and Julian Lennon to see if they would be interested in producing a 13 part documentary of the Earthwalk Project, I figured that there no harm in asking . . . After another email to Devi I discovered that both Kim and Julian were currently out of range. She had however been in touch with Bunna Lawrie and he was happy for her to share his telephone number with me.

I soon managed to meet Bunna albeit by phone and as it happened he was soon scheduled to fly through Cairns on his way up to Arnhem Land for the Garma Festival. www.garma.telstra.com He suggested that I should come too, however as much as I would have enjoyed sharing the journey, I had already made a commitment to facilitating my Munay-Ki Walkabout Workshop that weekend. He also suggested that I should get in touch with Arpanna or Dr Didge as he is known as he was evidently scheduling another Whale Journey in October and he may also know how I might get in touch with Kim.

There was no chance to catch Bunna on his way up however he said he would pass on my greetings to Sister Daisy and Elder Barramulla of the Yolnga, both whom I undersand are from Elcho Island of the North coast of Australia. When Bunna mentioned Sister Daisy’s name I had a resonation that I could only connect with my earlier guidance as perhaps the person I had to meet on an Island off the North Coast . . . I guess time will tell.

I have since had numerous email exchanges with Dr Didge and have learned much from his honesty and experience in relation to my current position and the vision that I am holding for the Earthwalk Project . . . having the vision is one thing . . . being able to manifest it in physical reality is another! Before approaching the likes of Kim to see if he would be interested in taking on such a project as Earthwalk it would be important to have sufficient funds to support the application. It did however amuse my curiosity that Kim, believed to be on assignment in Bali was due to meet with Dr Didge that very evening . . . chance or syncronicity???

Meanwhile Devi had dropped me another email to let me know that Kevin James and his partner Mel Dobra were due to travel to Carins the following week to launch their Chanting Heartsong CD, ONE. Kevin is the one responsible for the last soundtrack in the Whaledreamers film; Let Love Reign. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-P7Gp_AOdo If you enjoy Kevin’s music or are interested in learning more about this album you can always visit his website; www.kevinjamesheartsongs.com


And as it happened all my connections came to fruition in the space of 24 hours . . . A group of ladies I had met through my workshops joined me to attend an evening of chanting with Kevin and Mel at the Chrysalis Relaxation Centre. We shared a very special evening and I particularly appreciated how little spoken words Kevin and Mel used and rather let their song and music (sound and vibration) harmonise, balance and unite our circle through shared experience. During our chai break I took a moment to share a brief account of the Earthwalk Project with Kevin and when I invited him to provide an article on song and chanting for the new website he explained that he was just in the process of writing one and would be happy to contribute. :-)

Next morning I had some baking to do in preparation for my evening T5T workshop and made an extra cake to take to the airport for Bunna who was on his way back from the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land. Dr Didge had emailed to let me know that Bunna and Harry would be passing through about 11am if I wanted to meet them . . . not one to miss an opportunity I was about to head out the door when I realised I had left my phone at a friend’s place the night before . . . the very phone that contained Bunna’s number. I guess it was a good time to practice my tracking skills . . .

The funny thing was I saw Harry as soon as I arrived in the domestic departure lounge however not having a profile for him did not realise it until about ½ an hour later when a younger slimmer looking version of Bunna with his hair tied back, looking nothing like he did in the film, came up and introduced himself. Thank heavens for that, hugs all around and 30 mins to share time and space and what stories we could before the next flight.

I had brought an Aotearoa stone from NZ for Bunna and he had brought me a white whale stone from the land of the Whaledreamers . . . I only wish I had had enough time for Bunna to share the creation story that came with my stone . . . however as I was soon to discover we could well have another opportunity. In the short time we had together both Harry and Bunna mentioned that Dr Didge may be looking for a cook for his October Whale Journey and if I was interested I should get in touch . . . Interested? . . . I was indeed! I had not contemplated the possibility simply because my budget had already been stretched to the limit when I realised I would probably have to purchase a vehicle to follow the Earthwalk trail around Australia . . . however the opportunity of working my way on board was an opportunity to good to miss.

We said our goodbyes in anticipation of our next meeting and after an email to Dr Didge that evening I woke the next morning to a positive response so long as I could raise enough to contribute to my exchange . . . hmmm, first possibilities to come to mind was to help Dr Didge find 2 – 3 additional like-minded fare paying friends or ask if I could have his permission to offer my services during the journey . . . no go . . .

I do not often ask the universe for anything in fact the last time I did was a year ago when I needed a place to rest in Park City after my last masters classes with Fourwinds, a request that landed me on Toby’s floor which unbeknown to me was just where I needed to be. So I guess it was time to ask for help and two days later as I was sharing my evening walk through the Cane fields with Guy, a friend and neighbour, he was so excited about the possibility of communicating with Whales that he offered to sponsor my journey. At first I refused however after a day of procrastinating I realised that not only did I have to be able to give without having to receive I also had to get over my pride and learn to accept without having to give!

On that note I checked with Guy if his offer was genuine and when he said yes I gratefully and graciously accepted! So if all goes according to plan I may just find myself on the ocean in early October as assistant cook on a one week whale journey!

Slipping into the Comfort Zone

Having not really had a base for the past 2 yrs since stepping out of Africa, my conservation work and a 20 yr relationship I am very much enjoying my southern hemisphere winter retreat in the tropics. The hummingbird within is comfortable and very content perched in a pole house on edge of the rainforest where even when it rains it is warm. I can study the stars from the comfort of my bed and rolling onto my belly to greet each day I can see all the way to the sea. I have had enough work to pay my bills and made sufficient time to introduce the Earthwalk Project onto the public platform of 21st century social communications. However, as I take my first timid steps, I realise that this trainee pilot requires still some serious navigation lessons!

My Five Tibetan Exercise Rites, Core Stability and Energy Breathing workshop (www.T5T.com) went very well with a full group of eight and enough interest to organise another. I was surprised as I thought there would be more interest in the Munay-Ki, Energy and Conscious Living workshop (www.munay-ki.org) than the T5T however the ladies obviously knew what they needed more than I did and I wasn’t about to argue.

As I only have two ladies interested in the Munay-Ki I have decided to take them on a Munay-Ki Weekend Walkabout Workshop and weave the Rites and Teachings through the Sacred Sites of the Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland. Now as excited as I am about the prospect of this the most amusing thing has been observing the human side of myself that is getting so used to its new found comfort zone actually come up with reasons why not to do this. It does make me laugh when I have to remind myself that growth comes from stepping out of our comfort zone!

Speaking of comfort, physically I have had to source a little external assistance from Frank, who describes himself as a remedial massage therapist yet is much more, along with Nicole a Kinesiologist and Chiropractic, to help me with the stuck bits that Frank’s handiwork could not resolve. It seems as though the on-going saga of my left/right integration issue has a block I have not yet been able to shift. Perhaps it is still debris remaining from an Atlantean past life where I understand I was sliced and spliced with another creature and had a crystal implanted on the base of my skull, or maybe it is something else. Either way I am physically over it and well and truly ready to let the story go!

Emotionally it has been a time to practice patience and stillness in order to allow the Earthwalk Project to evolve in its own time rather than ‘making’ it happen in the way I have been used to managing projects in the past! I guess what it is really about is finding the balance between the two, between the left and right brain especially when my right (creative) brain, according to Nicole my Chiro, was energetically bulging gout the side of my head due to the overload from all the writing of late. She suggested taking up suduko however I opted for the house and garden duties instead.

Kevin also added a few useful wise words of wisdom during a recent skype conversation where he related my situation to that of running a marathon. He said that at the beginning the field is very full and what was suggested to him was to learn to run in the spaces as this requires little effort, eventually the field thins out and the way becomes clear. Interesting as relaying this message to you and relating it to the on a project rather than a personal level has given me an even greater insight to the wisdom within his words . . . this Earthwalk Project seems to be a journey that continues to begin again and again . . .

Gathering the information for the Earthwalk Project website has been a journey unto itself. Some months ago I realised that rather than re-invent the wheel by creating all the information myself it made far more sense to invite the ‘experts’ that I have had the privilege of meeting along my journey to share their wisdom and knowledge through the space I am holding for Earthwalk. That way by providing an article relative to their particular field of expertise for which they would receive full credit and link to their website, those that are called will be able to find them. Energetically this feels right as ideally I hope that the site will become a transit station or porthole where people can pass through and hopefully find a person or tool that will be able to assist them in their own ‘Earthwalk’.

Introduction to the World of Crystal Skulls

What is only a year seems like a lifetime ago now when I was visiting Israel, a fellow shaman I had been told I should meet in Arizona. During an incredible three days that we shared I was shown a vision that somehow connected my first energetic transmission, which was to become part of the Earthwalk Project, to the Crystal skulls . . . a subject in many ways very similar to blogging and facebook that I knew little to nothing about at the time.

A few months later I found myself on a recognisance journey to the Island of Socotra in the Sea of Aden where I was soon to be leading a group of adventurous tourists. It was at the beginning of my trek to Scand that I met a Yemeni Meteorologist and Mohammed, his guide. As we set out on our hike to the highest point of this extraordinary island which just so happens to be the meeting place of three tectonic plates we struck up a rather interesting conversation . . . Mohammed had recently escorted a group of European scientists in and around the island and in the process they had discovered a underground system of waterways with an ancient boat still moored beneath the land mass. According to Mohammed this the scientist had devised is somehow related to three ancient civilisation that supposedly emerged from this land as well as the crystal skulls . . .

Some months later a friend and collegue suggested that I should perhaps condsider watching the Indian Jones movie Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. However not one to be particularly interested in TV, nor much of a movie goer in the last couple years I filed the suggestion for later reference. So as you can imagine when I checked in for a 2 hr appointment with my dentist for a root canal last March I had to laugh when his assistant offered me the opportunity to watch a movie and out of a selection of no more than 6 DVD’s there was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull awaiting my attention!

My next foray for more first-hand information on the subject was in NZ and at the time connected me with Gretta. Coincidently in the space of one telephone conversation this became an invitation to join an international group who had gathered for a sacred journey to NZ part of which was to activate a crystal beneath Te Miringa Te Kakara, Temple of the Four Winds near Benneydale in the Central North Island of New Zealand. Later I was also called to join a group who had been called to gather at a site in Jerusalem (NZ) on the Wanganui River which as far as I am aware may have been the first Earthwalk Site . . . and this is where I met Satori, the stone skull which Gretta is the current custodian of.

It seemed as though the crystal skull connection was beginning to make itself known and after our recent experience with Lia channelling ‘Sounds of Sirius’ at my introductory w/shop I was quite looking forward to meeting her travelling companions. We made a plan to meet up for supper with the intention of sharing a ceremony for the healing of our Earth’s waters beforehand. Well, that may have been our intention however as I was becoming more familiar I was learning that what we might think may happen in ceremony is often quite irrelevant to what actually takes place if we allow . . . I was learning not to have any expectations but rather prepare the sacred space, show up and be present and allow space in time for magic to happen.

And magic indeed happened, Lia assembled her masculine and feminine travelling companions in the centre of a circle of what she explained were her rainbow 12 and of course I had to bring along my token rose quartz miniature that had been a gift from Gretta to accompany our ceremony. Lia’s channelling was not as intense as it had been during our workshop but rather more delicate and refined to which my energy body responded like a finely tuned receptor . . .And so it happened that the Earthwalk Project once again took the floor and I could feel my energy body downloading an enormous amount of information from Jomcata Mayab her masculine Skull that had shared space with one of the original thirteen skulls during a recent journey Lia had taken to Mexico.

We shared a very pleasant evening together and I loved listening and learning from Lia’s personal experiences of what it was like to walk in the world as a skull carrier. Hence I was delighted that Lia felt called to organise another ceremony with a few of her like minded and very gifted friends in Cairns the following week . . .

And so it was . . . Lia, Karen, Karen T, I and Jill (via skype in the US) came together in ceremony with the crystal skulls . . . and once again the theme of the ceremony was Earthwalk! . . . Incredible energy, incredible seeing, incredible women and thanks to the gifts of these amazing individuals the outline of my Australian walkabout was revealed. Although Toby had kindly provided what I imagine may be the grand finale to the Australian Adventure I now had a rough idea of where my walkabout may take me in preparation for the event . . .



Left to Right; Me, Lia, KarenT and Karen

And here is a summary from Jill

20 July 2010

Hi leanne,

Thank your for presences yesterday, as when you start to speak, I want to sing.... it was powerful for me in many ways....

I will try to put together what I can remember.... it started to take form on the northern coast of Australia... here it seem important to connect both with a point of the shore and a cliff line along the same shore... as far as names... I really cannot say... other then I can see that it is on the North West coast....

then I see a point in land and just to the west of this area... here is where I see four women... one Asian... I do not know if it a physical meeting or a etheric meeting... but she is important to your journey...

then I see a soft area... again on the shore... more south west.. there is a lot of sand dunes.. again.. there are rock I see of the shore.. they are soft in appearance..

there is a masculine guide present here... not indigenous... but of the land...

I then see a point inland... more mountainous here I see a strong indigenous presence... a song line....

then it is vague...

I did see just south of Brisbane a point off the coast again.. a women stand waiting to greet you.. knowledge to pass...

I did see a point just north of cairns... more forest again the ocean is visible... yet I see more of a cave.. it is vague here....

I do see a point near cook town....


and then this is all that I received....

And so it seems my little Ozzie walkabout is going to circumambulate this Ancient Land . . . which according to a recent conversation with Kevin will take on a journey in the same anticlockwise spiral as the wind blows stripping much of the land of its potential fertility . . . hmm . . . interesting . . .

I only wish I had more time to share with my new friends/family yet trust that that will all come in good time . . . patience!

For those who are curious to learn more about the crystal skull you may find a good place to begin is www.crystalinks.com/crystalskulls