Jonathan Dickau
Jonathan has been seeking for most of his life, to discover and explore pathways to the extraordinary, which unite the realm of the Magical and the Miraculous with the knowledge of Science and Mathematics. A true Renaissance man, Jonathan is a Composer, Musician, Engineer, Producer, Writer, Physicist, and Philosopher. Active in the Taoist Community, and a Unitarian Universalist, he was a member of the Church of All Worlds, and is a priest in the Order of Melchizedek. He is currently on the Executive Committee of the Center for Symbolic Studies. Jonathan is the chief technical wizard at Diverse Productions in Poughkeepsie, NY, a small recording studio and multimedia house, and a Vocal Coach for several promising new artists. He is also a nagual Seer/Sorceror, who has studied the emanations of the Eagle in great detail.
Jonathan has been a teacher of the movement arts for more than 15 years, having taught Tai Ji and leading numerous movement workshops, including Moving With Energy which he taught at previous Starwoods. He credits much of his familiarity with this subject to Tai Ji Master Al Chungliang Huang, with whom he studied and whose infectious teaching style he attempts to emulate. Jonathan has been speaking publicly for almost as many years on other subjects including Science, Spirituality, and the Creative Arts, for a audiences at Conferences and Festivals, and elsewhere. He is still working on a book which will explore the secret teachings of the ancients, and the deep connections of these teachings with what is known to modern Science
Body of Energy
The Ancients viewed Energy as an essential component of the Self. Modern Science has
shown that all matter is comprised of energy, but many scientists view living things as though they were mechanisms, or collections of lifeless chemicals. Do you? In this workshop, Jonathan explores the matter-energy equivalence, and talks about the ways we can experience energy for ourselves. He relates some of the topics of Quantum Mechanics to Taoist and Yogic energy practices, and beliefs and teachings of various cultures (ancient and modern) regarding energy. We will discuss the scientific description of energy, and its relation to the material world, but no prior knowledge of Science is required.
This workshop includes some exercises for raising energy, and will attempt to give an overview of energy practices. We will focus on the range of practices available to us, and how we can utilize various techniques to have more energy in our lives, to be able to move energy and to transmute one form of energy into another, and also how to create calm or dispel bad vibes. There will be an overview of the energy centers, and the character of energies flowing in each. Participants will learn how they can use energetic practices to aid their ability to cope with adversity, how they can bring energy to bear during ritual observances, and how to ground themselves. There will also be some discussion of both healing practices and movement techniques involving energy.
Coming of Age: Can we make dreams of a Golden Age real?
Is the coming age going to bring a new dawn for humanity? Will humans be able to evolve to an extent where the long-term survival of the planet becomes possible? This workshop is about the progression of individuals and cultures through the developmental stages leading to maturity, but it goes beyond what is taught in classes on Developmental Psych and Sociology, and explores the Evolutionary Spiral itself. In a world where it has become increasingly difficult to have meaningful loving relationships, and ever easier to be the slaves to our own machines, we can learn much from the life lessons of Aphrodite and Hephaestos. They are among the elder deities who desire to lift us up to the level where we can all become gods and goddesses. We each have that potential, but with great power comes great responsibility. Those who have gone are ready to teach us if we are adult enough to use our power wisely. Jonathan explains how ritual can open doors to new experiences for groups or individuals, what we can learn from elder beings, and what we need to know to allow this to happen safely
The Five Elements and Four Directions: Ancient Truths in Modern Times
The Alchemical Elements and Four Directions are persistent themes across many cultures, since Ancient Times. Scientists claim that a view of reality with only 4 or 5 elements is far too simplistic, yet Science affirms an order of the universe which is in perfect agreement with the conceptual framework this ancient belief system suggests. It is almost as though time travelers or ancient scientists left seeds of meaning for us, in these metaphors. Jonathan offers a unique perspective on the Elemental Archetypes which shows how they form the basis for Identity and correspond to the Natural Forces described by Science. People too can be examples of a particular Elemental Archetype, or they can blend the alchemical elements, forming a unique combination of personalities, or flavors. Alchemists have always been interested in Transmutation, but the secret meaning is that what is being transformed is ourselves. Jonathan will explore both Western and Eastern concepts of Alchemy, to highlight all aspects of that transformation process. The Five Elements and Four Directions are as meaningful now as ever, and they have plenty to teach us.
