Golden Elixir is another name for one’s fundamental nature. . . . There is no other Golden Elixir outside one’s fundamental nature. Every human being has this Golden Elixir complete in himself: it is entirely realized in everybody. It is neither more in a sage, nor less in an ordinary person. It is the seed of the Immortals and the Buddhas, the root of the worthies and the sages.

Liu Yiming (1734-1821)

From: http://www.goldenelixir.com/

Amphlett was lead singer with Australian band the Divinyls during the 1980s. I saw the Divinyls once, during their heyday, at a ZZZ Joint effort at the University of Queensland Refec, around 1983. I was an art college student at the time and I mostly remember a crazy alcohol-fueled night. Amphlett was sexually threatening and seemed slightly mad as she stalked the stage in her school uniform brandishing her trademark fluoro stick. After that I never really thought much about her other than like every other Australian of that era I knew the Divinyls hits Science fiction and All the boys in town etc. Unsurprisingly, she lived the rock n’ roll lifestyle to the best of her ability, drinking, doing drugs and behaving badly for most of the next 20 years.

What really struck me about her story was her uncompromising and self-centred belief in the Divinyls and her own, and lead guitarist and partner Mark McEntee’s, talent. This belief was fatal to anyone that got in the way and ultimately to her own health and sanity. Even today, while acknowledging that some of her behaviour was bad she refuses to apologise for anything ‘ever’. That’s quite a statement. It becomes very clear that driving ambition and passion are not necessarily a positive quality and will not lead to a happy life. Ironically, for a seemingly strong, aggressive female her relationship with the effeminate and cold McEntee was codependent, flawed, painful and from this perspective appears, more than a little sad. 

Finally and predictably Chrissy Amphlett succumbed to alcoholism and on Christmas day 1996  she had a semi-religious experience during a drunken meltdown in which she perceived good and evil angels battling for her soul. Apparently the good won out providing the catalyst for her to give up drinking. Subsequently, with the help of AA and her husband, musician Charley Drayton, Amphlett succeeded and has been on the wagon ever since. 

When the Divinyls finally stopped playing and touring Amphlett deeply in debt and broken successfully took on the role of Judy Garland in The Boy from Oz. Unbeknownst to her co stars and the public she had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. With typical single minded strength of will she had performed while battling the debilitating symptoms and the psychological impact of the diagnosis. Amphlett is a survivor if nothing else.

I think what I find most shocking is that despite the havoc that was wrought on her life and those around her by ‘rock n’ roll’ Amphlett is still enamoured by the culture, but I guess she knows little else. These days she appears to be more than comfortable playing the part of legendary rock chick with the classic shaggy and eye-obscuring hair do and subscribes to the view that her contribution to Australian rock culture makes it all worth it.  I can’t say I admire Chrissy Amphlett, her story is one of excess and misplaced determination and a case study in what complete subscription to this life style can do. However, she is very, very honest in telling her life story and that takes courage.

Is there a rock n’ roll story where the protagonist isn’t driven, addicted and finally has their dark night of the soul?  Young wannabes take note! Buuut it’s an entertaining read if you’re looking for something to kill a few hours!

Take a look at this excerpt from an interview with Andrew Denton.

Waiting for the Dalai Lama

We heard him before he walked into the small lecture theatre. He was wired and muttering in Tibetan, maybe something like, ‘Where am I again’. We, the staff and past students of the Buddhist Studies in India program (maybe 50 0r 60 0f us) and a few members of the local Tibetan community, were standing in anticipation and respect. He seemed frail, and was helped to his seat by the Vice Chancellor, which brought tears to my eyes.  Tibetan stuff always has that effect on me. He saluted us with the anjali mudra then sat quietly rearranging his robe hrmphing and peering myopically around. We waited expectantly. He had just arrived from Melbourne and his plane had been delayed. I imagine this often happens and he barely has time to get his bearings. How does he cope with his punishing speaking schedule and the endlessly expectant audiences waiting for his words of wisdom? His monk’s standard issue brown leather lace ups made him seem particularly vulnerable, or maybe I was just star struck and romanticising.

A blurry picture of the Dalai Lama at UTAS

After words from the academics, he took the podium and proceeded to speak about how important it is that universal ethical values, unaligned to religion, be taught in schools.  He perceives this as something lacking and urged us to begin research in the area. Young people need to understand that ‘happiness cannot be found on the internet’. For an hour he ranged over a number of topics including the importance of religious harmony in which he cited the Indian democracy as an example (not so sure about this - maybe a prudent comment!). He gave anecdotes about people he has met around the world and the loneliness and isolation he finds. The importance of love and compassion in overcoming fear and anger which have disastrous effects on one’s immune system. He seemed to move from topic to topic in a random kind of way but always at the heart of his words were the concepts of community, compassion and humanity.

Finally he asked for our questions, for which we were quite unprepared and was apparent in the quality of the questions asked . He gave short shrift to queries like ‘What can we do to help Tasmania’s environment’ his response was that India and China’s problems are far greater. He dismissed a broad question about philosophy as not being clearly defined. I really just wanted to personally thank him for initiating the TBSIEP, but didn’t have the courage to speak up. 

It was over too soon and he left, we all came out feeling inspired and uplifted and for my part a little sad. There is no doubt that this man is charismatic and deeply compassionate in a practical and commonsense way. He is also the consummate diplomat. His talk was rather disjointed and it’s often difficult to understand his accent but despite this his charisma and compassionate intention have a positive effect. What he said was nothing new but it is always good to hear messages of hope and occasionally he came out with a real gem  which had me nodding in agreement. His fundamental  likeability and humour shone through.

I wonder if this was his farewell speech to UTAS, how much longer  can he continue to travel the world? He commented that it was time for people of his age group to say ‘Bye, bye’ and let the younger generation take over.  It will be very sad when he can no longer be a globally roaming advocate for peace, love and harmony.

The Dalai Lama's monks performing in Australia

Why Hobart? Four years ago I went on an exchange program through the University of Tasmania to Sarnath in India to study at the Tibetan Institute of Higher Studies. The program was set up at the DLs request to facilitate cultural exchange between Tibetan and Western students. This was an amazing experience and something I will never forget. The kindness and beauty of the Tibetans that I met was just inspiring. 

To coincide with the DLs visit to Australia there’s going to be an event to celebrate ten years of the program, which I’ll be attending. No idea what this will be like but I’ll be catching up with friends from my time in India and also attending the DLs public talk. 

The DL is 74 now and the pace that he sets is amazing but he can’t keep travelling indefinitely. The opportunity to be around him is something not to be missed if you get the chance.

‘30 countries in 30 days man’  

‘it’s never been done before’

‘it isn’t  high risk, we’ll be leveraging off the work of others…’

‘come on man, why can’t you understand’

‘it’s all about residual earnings’

This is so depressing this guy KNOWS exactly how the system works but the other one is more sceptical is raising concerns to no avail. All that youthful energy and enthusiasm.

They’re drinking and I can hear that one is either pissing or pouring his drink onto the driveway below, gawd!  The conversation degenerates into WTFs and insults all round. Are these guys refugees from schoolies? They sound like they’re 17 but could be 35 year old toolies for all I know.

‘Can you pour me a shot of vodka’

There’s another guy inside and maybe they’re gay.

‘I’m not OUT man, he was OUT last night and that’s what scares me’.

It’s all accompanied by banging and the general loudness of males who’ve had too much to drink. Their voices have that  ’bored with life’ drawl that seems to be common amongst twenty somethings and teenagers. Nasaly and slightly posh. The words  ’like’ and ‘man’ are ubiquitous. Spoken too quickly their words run into each other and  imply a ‘don’t give a F’ and ‘too cool for school’ attitude.

‘We’re waaaasted!’

‘Treeeent you’re not having any more dude, we’ll have a break’

‘I’m not drunk’

‘I love Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise is hilarious. I love Robert Downey jnr’

‘The universe it talking to us man’

‘There’s no RISK we’re in the same band’… [Oh they're a band and  30 countries in 30 days makes sense now].

They’ve gone inside and I can’t hear anymore. it’s a mystery to me who lives next door. Since the couple with the wifi number plate moved out 2 months ago the unit has been rented by a middle aged Polish woman called Gresna, whom I met  briefly but have barely seen since. No one seems to actually sleep there. But now and again people turn up for an hour or so. I’ve seen one of these boys/men once and he’s what I’d call a swoopie, that is he has a large swoop of straightened blonde streaked hair across his forehead and a slight bouffant at the crown, super low cut skinny black jeans and a mobile stuck to his ear. Way too camp when you think about it, but they all look like that now. Too much emphasis on the hair I think.

No one ever stays long in the unit next door.

the blue painted houses of the Greek isles, the blue doors and window trims of adobe houses in Taos, New Mexico, the palest birds egg blue of a porcelain cup, the blue of travel. Blue is everywhere; royal blue, duck egg blue, sky blue, marine blue, airforce blue, sea blue, midnight blue, cerulean blue.

My Chinese horoscope and Fengshui chart for 2009 predicted that pale blue is THE colour for me this year. To enhance my water element and give me insight, foresight and to arouse feelings of harmony and friendship. So I pulled out a, never worn, aquamarine ring given to me by a friend many years ago. The ring from Mexico has a strange silver acanthus leaf  setting which I always thought unappealing. Now, with this ring circling the middle finger of my left hand I’m overjoyed everytime I look at it, this is the colour of the water at the edge of a tropical ocean the sand bleached and shifting below. A colour in which to be released and absorbed into the liquid crystal clarity and purity of life. ‘The blues’ where does that come from? Blue is optimistic happy uplifting cool and calm. Fantasies of coral atols and ancient ceramics aaah…

Siva blue: Penang Hill, Malaysia

Tropical blue seas: Moreton Island, Queensland Australia

Persian wall tiles: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Mary’s story is quite extreme, and her naivety is shocking, but the power of the transcendent experience is laid bare in her very candid account of seven years in India, under the thrall of various gurus and godmen.

Mary Garden’s interest in yoga began in the early 1970s in New Zealand when she discovered and moved into a small ashram on the outskirts of Auckland. It was here that she had a number of spiritually charged experiences which motivated her to find a guru in India. Initially, she planned to visit the Sivananda ashram in Rishikesh but a chance meeting with a devotee of Sai Baba, the week before she was due to leave, was enough for her to change plans and seek out this so-called ‘Godman’ instead.

Mary’s subsequent experiences with Sai Baba, Swami Balyogi Premvarni, and finally Bhagwan Rajneesh (Osho) present a cautionary tale for anyone intending to go to India on this kind of mission. Or indeed anyone on the spiritual path. Mary’s blissful experiences provide the powerful motivating factor that move her into the orbit of charismatic yet ultimately dangerous yogis. Her decisions are made with little or no planning; she has had a taste of ecstasy and wants more regardless of the consequences. However, it is the abuse of the power inherent in the guru disciple relationship that brings her unstuck and perilously close to mental and physical self destruction.

Even though the events of this book took place over 30 years ago the message is still relevant and very clear. Take care when following a guru or self proclaimed godman, trust your intuition, take responsibility for your own life and most importantly question everything.

This is a good captivating read. The style  is clear and very honest. Mary Garden now lives in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia and writes for a living. She is still interested in alternative lifestyles but has abandoned the search for a guru.

Further reading

‘Gurumania’ The spirit of things

‘Can meditation be bad for you?’ Mary Garden

‘The trouble with gurus’ Mary Garden

Tuesday – Coming out of the bubble

Well yesterday afternoon went well but I hardly slept last night, three hours at the most. Believe it or not, I feel over stimulated by meditation which is a bit crazy considering there has been so little external stimulus and the objective has been to achieve a calm and peaceful state. But I’m at the point where I just feel like I want to keep meditating because my mind is primed for it, if that makes sense?

It is still raining and the first meditations of the day are pretty good, and I quickly tune in to the stillness. The final music meditation of the retreat is on Sahasrara the crown cakra and I feel it very strongly. In fact I find I am envisioning flames coming out of the top of my head! We do 30 minutes of mantra meditation directly after this and it’s also fantastic I’m feeling very charged with spiritual energy.

The silence comes to an end quite unexpectedly in the early afternoon. The instructor rings the Tibetan singing bowl and tells us that we can now speak. Well… there was silence… I don’t think anyone wanted to break it. But of course gradually the chatter begins and then there was no stopping us. Lots of hugs all round and I promptly burst into tears. I felt so overwhelmed and emotional and I really don’t know why. I still feel like I’m in my own little bubble and I think it’s going to take awhile to come back to earth.

The debriefing/discussion session is revealing. Everyone recounts their experiences and some surprising things come out. The woman that I thought was aggressive was going through nicotine withdrawal!!! Several people hadn’t known when they arrived that the retreat was silent but went with it anyway. There were other instances of ‘toaster rage’ so I wasn’t the only one. Many had had quite profound experiences but we were all pretty much unanimous that it was fantastic. Needless to say when my turn comes around I manage a few words and burst into tears again.

So what did I really get out of this experience other than the satisfaction of surviving the five days?

• For at least a week afterwards I am absolutely full of positive energy and feel fantastic physically and emotionally. 
• There was no standout experience but a gradual accumulation of a connection to the divine in a way impossible to articulate. 
• I’m filled with renewed aspiration to practice meditation more consistently.

Post script

If you’ve been practicing yoga and meditation for some time and feel ready for this kind of experience I highly recommend it. Even if you are new to yoga and meditation it can be a truly great experience.

Two months on and I incorporate more meditation into my yoga practice and for longer periods. I have experienced some moments of real clarity which I think were definitely prompted by clearing the mental clutter. The retreat also taught me to sit comfortably and this has helped immeasurably. I actually think that now I could attempt a ten day Vipassana retreat :) 

This is a really good value day if you’re into yoga or would like to get into yoga. Come with a friend and do as little or as much as you would like. This year there are 3 studios running concurrently so there’s plenty to choose from – 23 sessions in fact. A number of schools have information stands so you can chat to practitioners and find out all about their particular brand of yoga. There’s food, yoga stuff for sale, a chai tent with live music and a good vibe.

If you want to do one of the 9:00 sessions I recommend getting there at 8:30 because it might take a few minutes to register and find out where to go. 

Facts

Where: The Old Museum building cnr Gregory Tce and Bowen Bridge Rd, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

When: Sunday 7 June, 8:30 - 6:00

How much: $30 [includes entry to all classes and workshops]

Website: http://www.yogafest.com.au/YogaFest/Welcome.html