Jonathan Dickau

Jonathan Dickau 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 what we know from 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 teacher in the Order of Melchizedek. He is also a nagual Seer/Sorceror, who has studied the emanations of the Eagle in great detail. He has been serving 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 currently working with Folk legend Pete Seeger, to create a 3-CD set to accompany the book "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?".

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 several 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 various subjects including Science, Spirituality, and the Creative Arts, for a audiences at Conferences and Festivals, and elsewhere. He has also written about these topics extensively. He is still working on a book which explores the secret teachings of the ancients, and the deep connections of these teachings with what is known to modern Science.

Totality of Being - the first seven steps

To experience the Totality of Being is the ultimate experience, but it is decidedly difficult. Can we even know how much of us there is to explore? Jonathan shares his outlook on the steps Spirit took to evolve and discover itself, and how we can learn to discover our own totality by following the same steps. He shows how this formula arose from the very roots of time, and that it is a pattern which repeats itself endlessly throughout the universe. Some figures from Sacred Geometry will be used to demonstrate how orderly complexity can emerge from a progression of simple forms, creating the vocabulary of concepts and formulas that lead to Fractals, chaotic forms which are almost endlessly complex. Jonathan will also discuss the borders of chaos and the limits of complexity, which appear to emphasize the emergence of meaningful realities like the universe where we reside. A variety of colorful diagrams will be used, in this workshop, to show concepts visually. Jonathan will also share his experiences Seeing the Emanations of the Eagle, and relate how the universe of form in the invisible worlds unfolds the universal pattern that gives rise to both natural law and the archetypes of identity. These Emanations are discussed and explained, so that aspiring Seer/Sorcerors can develop their own yardsticks.

Moving with Energy

All matter is made of energy. In fact, it is energy, but can we actually experience this? In this repeat of a popular workshop from previous Starwoods, Jonathan leads participants in gentle stretching and slow dance-like movements, which awaken the centers and pathways of energy, and allow the individual to direct his or her own energy to create motion. When movement comes from the flow of life-energy, and we are in tune with that flow, it brings greater vitality to both the physical and energetic bodies. We'll explore what it means to feel the energetic component of the Self, and tap into that. With a little bit of Tai Ji, some Chi Gung, some breathing exercises, a bit of meridian self-massage, and a couple of Casteneda's Magical Passes, we will raise energy, and create motion and form. This workshop is not about learning a particular form, but rather about evolving forms naturally by unfolding our energies. Jonathan will also discuss how we can bring a little of that same energy into our everyday lives, by incorporating subtlety into our gestures that allows our everyday activity to flow with effortless ease and grace.

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 close 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.