Origin/Application:
This term was coined by members of Colorado's front range trance community, now known as
Onetribe, to define the joint efforts toward community productions involving various
art forms. What started as gatherings for the enjoyment of trance and techno music has now evolved into full productions
involving paintings displayed on walls, computer animated atmospheres, themed set designs for indoor/outdoor events, and
various performances by a modern dance troupe. Syntropic was born as the conceptual theme that would drive the collaborative direction of this community with newfound semi-monthly events or "experiments" initially taking place in Denver's artistic hub, The Mercury Cafe. Along with the promotion of the arts, these events promote a message of awareness about the need for a collective paradigm shift.
Post-Civ Theme:
The belief is that in this age, we are quickly approaching a complete reformation. In preparation, there is a great
need for attention toward the sculpting of a new societal structure. The approach must be intelligent and innovative, but
this does not necessarily imply that it be composed of entirely new methods. A combination of the old (perhaps ancient)
and the new, might be the most effective approach. What should be understood is that this new direction is not a matter of
resistance to the current structure. It is a matter of a re-direction of efforts and a re-focusing of intentions. In this
particular case, a post-civilization theme is applied to the Syntropic idea as a way to approach the coming revolution from
the perspective of a blank canvas. The idea of "revolution through conscious (or consciousness) evolution" stems from the
need for a complete paradigm shift in order for a new age of conceptualization to occur. After realizing that our society's current structure is self-destructive, we now turn to the development of a new structure that looks for the creation and implementation of new ideas, concepts and symbols. Art and creative expression can be seen and used as the vehicle through which the memes driving the new revolution begin to manifest and grow. Throughout history, revolution has always seen its presence first in the arts. Here, the idea is that approach to this paradigm shift should be "syntropic" in nature. In this way, a co-operative movement becomes the fundamental principle for the utilization of expression and communication through the arts. Strength will be found in the organization of methods which reflect the universal nature of arrangement as it is expressed through the human form. Respectively, all natural systems must be considered and incorporated into the new vision in order for sustainability and propogation to occur. First, we must detach from the current system that causes friction by attempting to control these natural systems. We should recognize that the current system's rules don't restrict us, and can't confine us without our conscious (or unconscious) consent. Once this is realized, we have unbound potential for discovery. Collective consensus can then arise out of the rediscovery of collective expression. Through this, new methodologies may be developed outlining a direction for the co-operative movement. With a Syntropic approach, we can only hope to create a complete support-system where functionality is not only based on symbiosis of all its parts, but where reinforcement is innate to the interdependency of the system.
The application of this theme or the manifestaion into "movement" is merely metaphorical at this stage. These ideas
drive the need for experimentation. We had been given the opportunity to explore Syntropic events at The Mercury Cafe in
Denver, Colorado. With a bit of theory and imagination we are trying to develop a platform for collectve expression. The atmosphere created for the Syntropic events at the Mercury Cafe was a combination of the "post-civilization" theme and the current "space/garden" theme already exists at the Cafe. When put together, we decided to place ourselves in an ancient garden on some unknown planet. In this environment, we have a reverence for the past, a curiousity for the unknown, a respect for the divine, and a playground for creativity. This theme is currently translated into 3 main elements including:
The Garden:
The Garden is where this entire event takes place. It is both sacred and symbolic of fertility. It is a
representation of an ancient alien society that existed, most likely on a foreign planet. The garden is believed to contain remnants of this society, possibly from our anscestry. The ruins are characterized by eroded stone cut into abstract forms suggesting their architecturally extraterrestrial origin. Architecturally unidentifiable, these ruins are overgrown with vegetation, and mark the peak of this previous civilization.
The Columns:
Along with these ruins, the garden contains the introduction of new architectural elements. These represent the "foundation" of our new society. The columns are somewhat reminicent of Greek architecture, but only figuratively. The reason is to draw the connection to refined civilization marking the onset of a new age.
The Moongate (or Arch):
The arch can be seen as a symbol or sort of an icon for the Syntropic events as it represents the gateway from the
deteriorating age built on disfunctional ideals and old patterns into the realm of new possibilities. With this new
beginning comes new concepts, new symbols, new forms of expression and new methods of communication. The moongate contains four main character elements:
The Gate itself
The Moongate - is a stone gateway, similar to a moongate, that marks the entrance to the garden. It is the barrier between the superficial world (illusion), that we currently reside in, and a space beyond unbound by contstraints. No longer restricted by laws that limit the potential of our civilization, we have the opporunity to reclaim the knowledge and understanding of our ancestors and develop a new paradigm through which we can redefine our values, symbols, intentions, and community.
The Totems - inlay both sides of the pillars that support the bridge of the gate. Each of the two pillars respresent either the masculine or feminine aspects of the whole. Depicted within these totems are abstractions of the seven chakras. The chakras were used because these symbols not only transcend dogma of certain belief systems, but also mark the most essential energy centers in the human vehicle. They are the medium through which communication with external energy occurs and the foundation for understanding our place within the cosmos' energetic network.
The Vines - reach from each of the two pillars toward the center to unite the masculine in feminine. They reach up toward the keystone symbolizing the connection between worlds and the desire for divinity. The distance between worlds is bridged as the human form reaches up to the "heavens" in hopes of union with the source of knowledge from which it came.
The Keystone - holds the center ring of the Flower of Life. Even though through this new revolution the institution of new symbols is necessary for the new paradigm, this is where the use of a powerful, ancient symbol reflects reverence on the knowledge and harmony that our ancestors once carried. The keystone unites the masculine and feminine with reference to the divine symbolizing perfect balance and completion.
For information on the next scheduled Syntropic event (no longer at the Mercury Cafe), please visit our events page.