The 5th Living Together Gathering was held from the 8th to the 12th of April, 2010 at Ewingsdale Hall, Byron Bay, NSW, Australia

A wonderful Set Up Team came together on THURSDAY the 8th and FRIDAY the 9th to raise Sustainability Research Institute’s exquisite Big Dome, another marquis, the Rainbow Peace Dove Flags and the Rainbow Peace Archway… Beautiful!

On the Friday evening, APRIL 9th, we had our SUNSET OPENING CEREMONY in the BIG DOME.  Proceedings began with a moving WELCOME to COUNTRY by Local Traditional Custodian Lois Cook, a Ngangbal / Ngybul woman and key representative of the educational organization ‘Aboriginal Cultural Concepts’. Lois Cook.   We then joined together in a Collective Attunement and Consecration of the Gathering - with Katharine Dawn.  Then, the igniting music of “CORAZON” (The Heart) - Flamenco Music complements of Temple Byron’s Paul Margolin and Meg Walker - made even the stars dance!

SATURDAY the 10th

10 - 11am : OPEN SPACE wherein participants added items to the pre-organized Program and Contributors introduced their respective offerings

11:00 - 11:30 SUSTAINABLE LIVING : THE MAJOR GROWTH INDUSTRY OF THE21ST CENTURY A Prophesy by Robin Harrison

The ‘not for profit’ prophet brilliantly elucidated THE POSSIBLE - in insightful;prose and ebullient poetry

11:30am - 12:30pm SCIENCE OF LIFE Dynamic Multi-media Presentation by Professor Robert Pope of the Science Art Institute, Uki, NSW.

12:30 - 1:30 INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES - LIVING FOR A WHOLE WORLD Presentation by Dudley Leggett, followed by Open Discussion on the historical development of Intentional communities and the opportunity now for living in a whole new way that is affordable, abundant and provides the social/cultural environment that is best for human and planetary evolution.

2:30 - 3:00 ZONE ONE - BUY LOCAL Presentation by Sephanie Seckold

ZONE ONE - BUY LOCAL is a public promotion campaign, created for the sole purpose of promoting local enterprise, to enable the general public to identify regional produce and locally owned businesses in order to support them.ZONE ONE - BUY LOCAL is a region wide initiative to identify, promote and support locally-owned enterprise. The intent of the initiative is to secure a stable, sustainable, abundant regional economy. All independently owned local businesses and manufacturers may display the ZONE ONE - BUY LOCAL logo - a recognizable mark of identification for locally owned businesses and products. By choosing to do so, businesses are able to benefit from that market advantage as well as declaring one’s support of other local enterprises. The term “zone one” takes its’ name from the Permaculture concept that the things one uses most often should be obtained from the closest possible source.

3:00 - 4pm SHOWCASE SUSTAINABLE SETTLEMENTS IN GERMANY Presentation by Gabi Bohnet

Architect and Sustainability Consultant Gabi Bohnet presented the Freiburg Model - a very inspiring showcase for both sustainable design and democratic process for urban community development. [Freiburg’s council and residents successfully co-planned and co-created two new urban villages — featuring car-free living, new standards for energy and water savings, priority to owner-co-operatives instead of investors and the creation of a renewable energy economy for the city.]

3 - 4pm MAYAN MOVEMENT Workshop facilitated by Even Dawnsong

Based on Mayan Knowledge as presented in the 13 Moon Peace Movement, Even’s profound and joyously energetic workshop guided participants in exploring the 20 mayan tribes and 13 articulations [the glyphs and tones of the Tzolkin / Mayan Count of Days] through movement.

Website: www.mindheartmedia.com

4:15 - 5:15pm ABORIGINAL ORIGIN OF HOMO SAPIENS AND EARTH CULTURE : Presentation by Steven Strong

Mullumbimby high school teacher Steven Strong presented the findings of his 20 years of controversial research, stirring up a re-writing of world archaeological history. With his son and colleague Evan, Steven has assembled facts from archaeological finds, explorers’ accounts, genetics information, traditional Australian Aboriginal mythology and many more sources to develop one coherent and controversial theory to prove what the Elders insist is true: to wit - Aboriginal people exported civilization to the world-at-large.

Check his informative website — www.forgottenorigin.com

5:30 - 6:30pm WILL OF THE PEOPLE PROJECT Workshop by Ricardo Johansson

Will of the People Project - a Byron Shire initiative offers an online tool for transparent and democratic self-governance (in contrast to the current “top-down and increasingly (and alarmingly) unaccountable transnational corporate rulership of the world) to enable a community to responsibly organize, select a fair and honorable decision-making process, and start formally integrating with like communities around the world - where “People” - not corporate profits - come first.

Website www.willofthepeopleproject.net

5:30 - 6:30pm SYNCHRONIC ORDER OF NATURAL TIME Mayan Calendar Workshop facilitated by Even Dawnsong

Based on Mayan Knowledge as presented in the 13 Moon Peace Movement, Even’s insightful workshop presented the ‘Treasure Time Map’ - a perpetual all round almanac poster that she has created as the basis for a fun and interactive way of learning the dynamics of the mayan calendar and dreamspell synchronometer.

5:30 - 7:00 EVENING YOGA and SADHANA PRACTICE facilitated by Joseph WAP Norton

This Group Yoga and Sadhana Morning Practice included guided Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana and Samadhi Pracice.

8pm - 10pm THE GLOBAL CONTEXT : THE GRASSROOTS TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD - Multi-media Interactive Presentation and Discussion facilitated by Katharine Dawn and Narada Das

The rise of global civil society; the visioning of a peaceful, just and sustainable world; the documentation of the significance and impact of local community projects and the networking of all this were presented through imagery, film, passion and insight evoking lively interactive discussion.

SUNDAY the 11th

9 - 10am MORNING YOGA and SADHANA PRACTICE facilitated by Joseph WAP Norton

10 - 11am : OPEN SPACE - as above.

11:15am - 12:15pm A SUSTAINABLE WAY FORWARD - HOW CAN WE ALL - BUSINESS, RESIDENTS and GOVERNMENT BEST MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER? Thought-provoking Presentation by Dudley Leggett

Focused on how to work together to meet the great challenges we are facing. Advocating that only as a whole community united can we have the strength, the intelligence, compassion and knowledge to find and demonstrate to the world, the way to harmony and prosperity for all.

11:00 - 2 3 ATTUNEMENT USUI REIKI LEVEL 1 and REIKI GROUP HEALINGS Facilitated by Supi - on his Birthday !  :)

Supi facilitated the Usui Reiki Level One Attunement for interested individuals throughout the late morning and early afternoon, initiating people into this “effective healing technique for self and others through attunement to Reiki energy”. After Attunements, new and old Reiki Practitioners provided Group Healings.

11:00am - 3:00pm INSPIRING REMEDIAL BODYWORK Presentation and Bodywork by Uta Weidemeier

Uta’s Presentation on preventative energetic medicine and the activating of personal healing abilities profoundly addressed the importance of looking after the body now - if one wants to experience a pain-free, joyful retirement. After the Presentation, Uta offerered her “Inspiring Remedial Bodywork” — “Physical bodywork combined with shamanic energy-work is a great way to be sure the body functions well, the way you want.”

websites: www.thisisgoodforus.com www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/therapist/22068

1:30 - 3:30 COMMUNITY PLANNING OUR FUTURE TOGETHER

This Community Open Space Session began with a BRIEF ADDRESS by a Panel of Speakers including Steven Strong, Ricardo Johansson, Robin Harrison, Even Dawnsong, Dudley Leggett, Katharine Dawn, Shamana / Margeaux Marshall and Kellie Gough (representative of Transition Byron Shire).  This was followed by Open Floor Questions and Comments, SMALL GROUP WORK / TABLE DISCUSSIONS at various ISSUE STATIONS: color=”#0ae0a0″>Local Food Self-Reliance; Grassroots Political Empowerment; Community Co-operation: business, producers / residents; regional councils; Appropriate Tourism; Resilient Economy: Co-operatives, LETS and Basic Self Reliance; Resilient Transport; Community Values as Design Criteria; Arts for the Renewal of the World; Community Care; Self-unfolding Education; E-Communication; Community-Determined Housing. The session finished with REPORT BACK and FUTURE PLANNING

6 - 7:30 EVENING YOGA and SADHANA PRACTICE facilitated by Joseph WAP Norton

7:00pm - The WORLD PEACE CONCERT was truly AWESOME!

Opening Ceremony Katharine Dawn

The Peace Choir

Amir, Shai, Avishai — who offered scintillating traditional Jewish chants and poignant tales about the Sulha experience, a grassroots initiative uniting Palestinians and Israelis

Andy Holm

Tarshito & Narada Das

Evolove

Gina Lakosta and Chris

Even Dawnsong

Through-out the concert, an inspiring back drop of Katharine Dawn’s film imagery was provided and in between acts some potent PEACE film clips were shared - Michael Weatherhead’s ‘Return to Gaza’ feature film trailer, Katharine Dawn’s ‘Peace is the Way’ short film, as well as other Peace clips from around the world

MONDAY the 12th in the Big Dome

In the Daylight! THE BIG PACK UP!!!

ALSO AVAILABLE throughout the GATHERING, we enjoyed :

FIRST AID with Sharon Boyd, a fully qualified kinesiologist , body therapist and yoga teacher

UNDERSTANDING the URANIUM ISSUE
Information Stall - with T-shirts, etc
By Marg Shamana / aka Margeaux Marshall — “I desire to engage with those who love the earth — those who do the work that needs to be done. To save the earth for the future. it is essential for communities to gather and to empower the collective belief that we can make a difference.”

SACRED GEOMETRY STALL
Stall by Anjuli and Zac featuring the works of Jiva and Juliet Carter — exquisite geometrical designs and information on “Reconnecting the Human Bio-circuitry through ceremony and sacred geometry.