 Dates:
| Friday June 5th - Monday June 8th. 2009 – Queens Birthday long weekend. |
Registration:
Under no circumstances can places be reserved for Euphoria without a
deposit, see Registration form for details.
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About The Gathering:
Venturing deeper into the underworld Euphoria has moved from the Autumn season to the apprehension of winter somnolence and introspection heralded by the month of June (southern hemisphere).
Euphoria represents a re-emergence of the celebration of the light and dark
aspects of nature's bounty. Join us as we call the ancient gods and
goddesses with ritual, music and movement. Hear the wisdom of the Earth as
it is expressed today in workshops, circles and the joyous celebration of
like-minded people.
Due to the nature of the events that are offered at EUPHORIA, this festival is for adults only, infants under 2 years old are excepted, provided they are under the constant supervision of a parent and have their own cot to sleep in. Children are not permitted in ritual. Some rituals may contain
sexual elements, therefore, before considering attending EUPHORIA please carefully read all the information on this website, to assist in making an informed decision.
‘Euphoria' is a Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans/Inter-gender and Hetero friendly
Neopagan festival.
LOCATION: App 60 - 70 mins North of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The CAMPSITE is set amidst native bushland,. Details of the site location and how to find it will be sent to you on receipt of final payment. DORMITORY or CAMPING accommodation is available. Numbers are limited so book early.
WORKSHOPS presented at Euphoria are intended to enhance your experience of the rituals, and introduce skills which can benefit all forms of magical practice.
However, there will still be lots of time for socialising and networking. Workshops will for the most part focus on ideas and practices that directly relate to the skills and knowledge necessary to get the most out of the rituals
CATERING will consist of three delicious vegetarian meals each full day (supper of hearty soups and bread on Friday. Omnivorous feast Monday lunch.
MARKET space will be available on Sunday for you to buy and sell Pagan arts
and crafts.
To avoid disappointment book early and bring your sense of magick, play and
poetry!
If you would like to conduct a WORKSHOP or give a TALK please include
details with your registration.
To register please send a completed copy of the application form and
Disclaimer with a Cheque or money order to:
Vic. Pagan - P.O. BOX 366, Diamond Creek Vic. 3089 Australia
Book before February 10 to receive the early bird price see registration.
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Children:
EUPHORIA is an adults only event, Children under the age of 18 will not be
admitted.
Infants under 2 years old are excepted, provided they are under the constant
supervision of a parent and have their own cot to sleep in.
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Accomodation:
There are 2 accommodation options:
1. Dormitory style accommodation with bunk beds
2. Camp sites are also available.
There is a toilet and shower block adjacent to the cabins.
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Catering:
CATERING will consist of three delicious vegetarian meals each full day (supper of hearty soups and bread on Friday. Omnivorous feast Monday lunch. Teas and coffee are provided all day.
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What To Bring :
A sense of fun, ritual robes, drums and other musical instruments, chants,
songs and stories.
Warm clothes, a pillow, sheets and plenty of warm blankets for each person.
It can get very cold at night and warm during the day. Campers will need to
bring their own shelter.
B.Y.O. crockery and cutlery, as these are NOT provided by EUPHORIA.
To help make your stay more pleasant we advise everyone to bring insect
repellent and earplugs (beware of snorers and late night drumming).
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What To Take Home:
As earth-honouring folk we respect the beauty and health of our environment.
Therefore all rubbish generated during your stay must be taken home and
disposed of responsibly. We wish to leave the site in as good or better
condition than we found it.
We hope everyone can take home great memories, fresh insights, skills, new
contacts and as much magick as you need!
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Fire Safety:
An extreme degree of fire safety is necessary for the duration of the
festival. There will be a 'fire code of conduct' posted at the notice board.
This must be understood fully before the lighting of any fires, including
play fires such as fire sticks, chains, etc.
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Workshops, Rituals & Activities:
WORKSHOPS
There will also be various workshops and activities presented by those
attending EUPHORIA, many of these are designed to deepen your experience of
ritual at EUPHORIA and beyond. Some of the workshops that have been
presented at previous EUPHORIA gatherings are: drumming, body ochre
painting, magick, mask making, ritual etiquette, body magick, raising
energy, magical dance, chanting and more.
RITUAL PROGRAM:
Our aim will be to go straight into ‘high energy transformative’ ritual, therefore the Friday night opening ceremonies will lead into the first ritual for the weekend
The DANCE MACABRE, a transformative journey into the underworld with HEKATE.
This will be followed on Saturday night with a NEW RITUAL ‘THE DANCE OF THE SACRED MANDORLA’ – a ritual invokation and integration of the ‘Magical’ other.
Sunday night the ritual celebrations will be consummated on the final evening in the Dionysian abandon of “THE CAULDRON OF TRANCEFORMATION”!
RITUAL FOCUS:
Rituals -
In order to take fullest advantage of the energies invoked and evoked we are inviting all participants to practice the ritual discipline we have called EUPHORIC CELIBACY. This practice differs from other forms of celibacy in that it is intended to raise erotic/magical energy rather than suppress or discharge it. The practice is relatively straight forward: participants are encouraged to allow themselves to experience (if they so desire) energetic/sensual arousal to the greatest degree possible, but not to discharge it or suppress it. The intent is rather to become accustomed to experiencing higher energy potentials than normal – the practitioner ‘floats in a sea of energy, enjoying and allowing it, rather that trying to dam or release it’. This technique will be explained and explored more fully during festival workshops. EUPHORIC CELIBACY continues until the final ritual - “THE CAULDRON OF TRANCEFORMATION”!, when the energy may be utilised as the practitioners see fit.
Workshops –
Workshops will for the most part focus on ideas and practices that directly relate to the skills and knowledge necessary to get the most out of the rituals
Debriefing –
As has become usual over the past two years a great deal of attention will be given to debriefing as well as building and strengthening affinity-support–networking groups, during and after the festival.
HEKATES ALTAR
All participants are invited to bring an offering to the altar of HEKATE to
represent that which you would like empowered or made clearer over the
course of the weekend. It could be a part of yourself you wish to be
strengthened or a behaviour or habit you wish to banish. It could represent
your desire to deepen and explore an inner mystery, or simply to bring you a
better understanding of magic.
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What To Expect At Euphoria:
EUPHORIA SURVIVAL GUIDE
Only joking!!!!!! there is about a 100% chance that you will survive
Euphoria. This is merely a guide to getting the most out of your
experience.
The most important thing is to get there safely and with everything that you
will need, so please read the instructions carefully! Leave yourself enough
time to get there before the fun starts and PLEASE remember to take a map
with you. The Euphoria site is really easy to find, if you have the map!;
which will be provided when you make your final payment. Although it may
sound a great deal of fun driving through the country side at night saying
‘this road looks like it may be it’, it is (through personal experience) a
rather harrowing and stressful thing. Take your map with you; take a
contact ‘phone number with you.
When you arrive, you will be greeted by a committee member who will assign
you a cabin and show you where it is, as well as the dining room, the toilet
and shower blocks, Hecate’s altar and where the committee sleep (so you may
leave your chocolate offerings). Remember where these things are. Don’t
forget the chocolate!!..committee house!!! near the central campfire.
The central campfire is the place you will eventually meet everyone!!,
no-one bites (however, mosquito’s do, so take repellent), and it is a great
place to meet like-minded people!!!, it will certainly add to your
experience if you make friends!!, so hang out there as often as possible.
Please keep this area clean. Make sure you wash and put away cups after
having a coffee or tea there, and DO NOT leave cigarette butts lying around,
DO NOT throw them in the fire! Discard the (extinguished) butts in the
‘sacred butt receptacles’ that will be very generously provided. Offenders
will be made to wash all the cups or eat the cigarette butt!!..(this is
where your chocolate bribe will have come in handy).
There will be heaps of fun activities to fill your entire time. Workshops,
rituals, kitchen duty. Did I say kitchen duty?? Yep..this means that you
will be given one shift serving the food, cleaning up and helping with the
dishes. It doesn’t take long, you will not be alone and it means that the
caterer will not have to charge for the extra hours of work which means that
the costs will be kept down and you will be amazed at the bargain you are
getting for such a small amount of money. You may also be asked to lend a
hand with cleaning the shower area, some site cleaning, and ritual site
preparation. If you absolutely hate the idea of working in the kitchen you
may be able to roster yourself to take an extra turn at mopping the showers
and replacing the toilet rolls.
The workshops at Euphoria are designed to teach skills that will enhance
your experience of the rituals at Euphoria and afterwards. The workshops
for some of the rituals are compulsory if you wish to attend these rites.
You will obtain a better understanding of what the ritual is about and how
to attain the most from it. By attending these workshops, you can also
decide for yourself what rituals you feel comfortable taking part in. If
you feel uncomfortable taking part in a ritual or workshop, then you have
the absolute right not to participate. A ritual etiquette workshop will be
held; please attend this. When in ritual space, do not touch anybody
without their express permission, no matter how carried away you get. This
also applies to the real world. The ‘Code of Conduct’ gives full details
of this requirement . Do not photograph anyone without their permission.
Do not use anybody’s belongings without their permission.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED, so please do not bring drugs
to Euphoria; you won’t need them anyway.
Make sure you go wild and dress (or, indeed, undress) for the rituals!
Expect to see things you wouldn't normally see, especially as the weekend
progresses. Make use of the body paint, but PLEASE stay off carpeted area
whilst painted up. There isn’t very much carpet at Euphoria, so this
should be easy. Also, if the shower is in a mess after washing, please also
clean up after yourself. This goes for when you are not in body paint as
well. If you or your friends are not used to seeing nudity or oddly dressed
people, then prepare yourselves. (You may be one of them before long anyway,
but at least we warned you). If nudity, or same sex affection bothers you,
then don’t look.
You probably don’t need to be told this, but remember that this is bushland,
so watch out for bities, buzzies, critters and varmints!!!, take repellent.
Don’t touch the pretty mushrooms. Don’t walk barefoot and think it wont
hurt, ‘cos stones sometimes bite (not to mention ants, spiders and prickles.
Have as much fun as you can!!..sleep little and laugh lots! Make lot’s of
friends and learn heaps. Ask questions.
And that’s about it!, just use common sense and everything will go smoothly.
Feel free to ask anybody on the committee anything; that’s what they’re
there for. If you see or hear anything that causes you concern, please do
not hesitate to approach one of the committee. They are there to help
everyone have a rewarding time, but they are busy and don’t always see
everything that is going on.
And last, but definitely not least, - Enjoy Euphoria.
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Code Of Conduct:
In order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants it
is requested that all persons attending EUPHORIA must be aware of and agree
to comply with the following ‘Code of Conduct' :
All participants must conduct themselves with love, respect, and utmost
concern for safety, consentuality and NON-coerciveness. We expect ALL
participants to respect the spirit as well as the letter of this ‘Code of
Conduct'
People from many different paths and traditions will be attending the
gathering. Everyone is expected to be responsible for their own good
conduct and to behave in a considerate and caring manner towards others.
Religious, racial, sexual and gender vilification will not be tolerated at
EUPHORIA.
Taking photographs of rituals at EUPHORIA is NOT permitted. DO NOT take
photographs of any person at EUPHORIA without their permission. This
includes people in the background.
Sexual harassment, physical harassment, theft, vandalism and other harmful
conduct will not be tolerated. Offenders will be asked to leave the site
immediately and other action may follow. Everyone has the right to
experience the gathering free from such abuse; if you feel unsafe,
threatened or unsure or if you need someone to talk to or to ask questions
of, please see any of the gathering organisers (they will introduce
themselves at the opening rite).
Disruption of ritual procedure will not be tolerated, anyone doing so will
be asked to leave the ritual area immediately, in a quiet and orderly
manner. Failure to do so may result in eviction from EUPHORIA.
All participants have the right and the responsibility to leave any workshop
or ritual that they are not comfortable with. Organisers of rituals and
workshops will explain the correct procedure for leaving sacred space
appropriately.
All participants must attend the pre-ritual workshops, so that they can make
an informed decision as to their level of interaction with the rituals, the
energy and the other participants.
Drug and alchohol abuse will not be tolerated at Euphoria. Responsible
consumption of alcohol in a social context is acceptable, however,
attendance at any EUPHORIA rituals whilst under the influence of drugs
(other than medication, taken for health reasons) or alcohol (other than the
ritual sacrament) is forbidden, unless otherwise stated by the committee.
Everyone attending EUPHORIA must treat all others with the utmost respect!
Peoples attitude and actions must be immaculate, tolerant and respectful
towards each other. We must all allow and support ourselves and each other
in the expression of our sacred being, whatever form that may take, provided
that we at all times behave in a way that is LOVING, RESPECTFUL, SAFE,
CONSENSUAL and NON-COERCIVE.
ALL EUPHORIA rituals are clothing optional, this means each participant is
free to dress, or not dress to their own level of comfort.
Everyone present in rituals and workshops will be expected to observe due
respect for the activity. This means paying attention in workshops and
contributing to the energy of the rituals. This may mean being
energetically engaged with the ritual and the invokations, joining in the
chants, and contributing energy to the ritual in a positive manner, eg.
dancing, remaining focused on the intent, letting go of ego consciousness
and letting go to the energy of the rite and as far as is safely possible,
leaving behind the concerns of the mundane world.
All participants are expected to behave respectfully to others and to expect
to be treated respectfully by them. Know and respect your own boundaries,
make informed decisions about how and when you wish to challenge, or
maintain those boundaries.
All participants are expected to be careful to determine and respect each
others boundaries. Breaches of this ‘Code of Conduct' will not be
tolerated. If you wish to interact with others, be considerate of their
wishes, this applies especially when initiating physical contact.
During some rituals and workshops emotions can run high. Be aware that
others may not be experiencing these feelings in the same way you are. If
you wish to communicate your feelings to another, be considerate of their
wishes and feelings.
Respect the wishes of someone if they do not wish to interact. To initiate
interaction in a non-threatening way FIRST make eye contact, then if, and
only if you are welcomed, touch the other person's forearm; if you are
further welcomed proceed slowly, making your intentions clear and giving
them time to indicate their acceptance, or otherwise. If you are asked to
stop, whether verbally or non-verbally do so immediately. If an advance
meets with no response this should be taken to mean NO. If your interaction
is not specifically encouraged, DO NOT proceed. Offenders may be asked to
leave the ritual, and/or be banned from future events, serious breaches may
result in legal action being taken.
All participants have the right and the responsibility to resist any
attempts to pressure or coerce them into engaging in any activity which they
find unacceptable. The gathering staff will support participants in their
wishes to resist such behaviour. All participants have the right and the
responsibility to ensure that their boundaries are respected. If someone
seeks to interact with you and you do not wish it, you must let them know
immediately and clearly. If the unacceptable behaviour continues,
immediately seek the assistance of one of the organisers. Do not be afraid
that your objections to inappropriate actions will be disruptive to the
ritual; any disregard for your rights would be far more disruptive to the
flow of energy than your objections would be.
NO means NO, and YES means YES, there is no room for ambiguity here.
However, we MUST also recognise that people can change their minds and
retract permission to interact, and this too must be respected. It is our
intention that people in the ritual will be experiencing altered states of
consciousness, they may therefore be open and vulnerable. Giving mixed
signals, or playing bullshit games is dangerous and disrespectful to
everyone who attends the ritual, and will not be tolerated. Offenders may
be asked to leave the ritual, and/or be banned from future events.
All participants are expected to behave with tolerance towards others, if
you find the LOVING, RESPECTFUL, SAFE, CONSENSUAL and NON-COERCIVE actions
of others disturbing, look the other way, or leave the area.
Don't come to EUPHORIA if you are in anyway homophobic, or erotophobic, or
intolerant of others sexual, spiritual or cultural orientation, unless you
are willing to transcend these limitations. During ritual expect the
unexpected. Leave the Temple quietly and respectfully if you become too
uncomfortable to continue.
Be aware that the EUPHORIA rituals are magical operations and that the main
purpose is to create magick! Magick is an unpredictable force. Don't be
surprised if you react in ways which you did not expect, follow the energy,
while honouring yourself and others, and maintaining your integrity. Don't
be surprised if what you expected does not occur. Be prepared to experience
a personal journey of self discovery and transformation. Equally do not be
surprised if nothing happens, magick ritual is an art which follows its own
compulsions, therefore every person who attends EUPHORIA, must take full
responsibility for their presence at this event, for their actions, and for
their interactions with the energy and actions of the event, the activities
and the other participants.
Expect the unexpected!
Everyone who wishes to attend EUPHORIA must agree to abide by this ‘Code of
Conduct', attend the explanatory workshops prior to the rituals, and read
and sign the EUPHORIA disclaimer.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT MAY RESULT IN EVICTION FROM
EUPHORIA.
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Psychic Self Care :
Like all practices that move energy through the body and aura the workshops
and rituals of EUPHORIA may have the potential to shake loose memories and
trauma that have remained hidden in the subconscious for years, the
inability to deal with these issues is one of the major areas of risk with
magical practice. The best way to deal with these things is to face them
honestly and accept that they are a part of you that has been repressed and
to own them. Feelings of discomfort and fear can best be dealt with in the
short term by breathing deeply and slowly in a relaxed manner. Self
honesty, the ability to laugh at ourselves, a willingness to learn what
these repressed energies have to teach us, and taking the time to integrate
new experiences before attempting to move onto the next stage are longer
term strategies that can be cultivated by anyone. It is worth remembering
that these eruptions often take a symbolic form, therefore a good knowledge
of myth, occult correspondences and metaphor is extremely usefu, as are the
following books:
OWNING YOUR SHADOW. INNER WORK and WE, all 3 by Robert A. Johnson.
Also of great value is THE SHAMAN'S BODY by Arnold Mindell
There will be a retreat sanctuary provided for any who need quiet,
reflective or nurturing time- out. This space can be utilised for private
meditation or sharing healings.
BOOKINGS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED AND FILL EARLY TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION
SEE REGISTRATION FORM FOR DETAILS
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Contact Us :
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