Chemical Shaman we will miss you

[incognito]

havent spoken to Denis for a yr and a half, since i moved back home. Harsh words where spoken on my behalf, back then.

damn. i was in a horrific headspace, though its no excuse.

I did/do love the guy immensely, he knew that. He was there for me when i was at my worst. Always would call to check on me, offer me some of his wisdom or some smart ass quip to take my mind of my situation

Unfortunately i was easily triggered, and i dont think it would have mattered if it was Eckhartt Tole or Jebus.H.Christ himself having a joke i would have taken it extremely seriously. I should have said this to him myself.

This is the first time in my life, where someone u have loved, but had a falling out with has died. It sucks.

I KNOW denis would be sitting back going "its okay Jono man, i know u where fucked up, and not urself, cmere and get this Nang into yer" (who could ever forget that moment) and any ill feeling was foolishly kept by me and my own insecuritys.

I will never forget Denis, as long as i live. I mis him talking up my chai (only one who ever did) or sipping on a longy of Coopers sparkling ale with me when hed rocked up to my place after a long drive. I miss his wit and his deep compassion for all living things. I miss the wrestless. I even miss him picking on my mum! I miss his hugs.

I remeber i had a rubix cube, all messed up, and denis asked me if ive ever solved it.. :"nope", i replied, had it for 12 yrs or somethin. Then, i shit u not, in about 40 seconds or much less, he just did it. solved it. bang.

I will never forget the card trick where he made u think of a girls name. Then pulled a card out of the deck with the name on it. Fucking amazing.

However Denis and I have talked at lengths in the past of this fleeting moment that is life, and our shared assurity of realitys beyond this one,ones we will transcend to. Its there i hope, we shall meet again.

I cannot make it to the memorial for D, financialy. I will however, remember him for the rest of my life, and relive old tales with people i talk with about the only Majik man ive ever met.

[Green Chemist]

Really sad to hear about this. Even though I never met the guy personally, I really loved his posts. Some of them were so cool. Thanks all who put his pics up so we could see him in real. The world really needs more people like him. RIP Chemical Shaman.

[RonnySimulacrum]

I love so may things about this guy, i do not even know where to start, but the fact that he hit on my girlfriend of 10 year every time he could always made me happy.

I have some nice pics of Denis and i will post the soon.

Welcome to wonderland Denis – and we will be seeing you there in time

[sharxx101]

I think moving the meet to next week the 19th, instead of having a meet the week after aswell. This is a special meet to celebrate the life of CS. Would be a good idea, anyone else agree with this?

[RonnySimulacrum]

i was going to suggest it but have been to flat out and wish it to come for your end sharxx101 just keep in mind there will be some non plant heads people there too, but that would not have bothers CS, well how we are would not have bother him so lets just be ourselves

I think there will be well over 50 people on the day, i will bring some tables and rugs and stuff.

Lets make this special

Edited September 12, 2010 by RonnySimulacrum

[sharxx101]

i was going to suggest it but have been to flat out and wish it to come for your end sharxx101 – just keep in mind there will be some non plant heads people there too, but that would not have bothers CS, well how we are would not have bother him so lets just be ourselves

I think there will be well over 50 people on the day, i will bring some tables and rugs and stuff.

Lets make this special

 

I agree Ronny, I think it would be best for us to cancell the meet on the 26th and bring ir forward to the 19th for a special meet for our brother. I will update the melborune meet thread

[indigo264nm]

Thanks for the information Torsten.. and also great quote you found Faustus.

[JDanger]

Never got to meet they guy, but he sounded worth meeting to put it mildly.

He sure had me laughing with some of his contributions here and the misuse of others accounts foolishly left logged in and unattended.

I hope he died happy.

 

Thanks for linking that, Morg. I joined the forums after CS was an active member but had the pleasure of meeting him in person on a few admittedly outrageous occasions. I wish I knew him better; reading over his old posts completes more of the masterpiece that was CS. If I knew him any better I'd be an emotional wreck right now.

He really was one of a kind, in the most glorious sense possible. To those who never knew him, you missed out. To those who knew him well, I'm sorry for your loss.

Shine on. Part of me still feels this is nothing more than your most impressive practical joke to date.

[Peyofox]

So sad.

RIP Chemical Shaman

[Chiral]

Don't know him personally, have read many of his posts back when he actively posting etc.. but I'm struck profoundly how this community feels & reacts when a member passes, it really shows just how tight and loving a community we can all be, just reading through all the posts here is quite emotional and brings a lump to the throat.

few of us here ever really meet or hang out regularly but the spirits and conscience of an ethnohead means we don't always have to have met them as we all are plugged into same circuit regardless ...this is what bonds us all here and no one can take any of that away from us.

I find it hard to say sorry when someone dies as I've always considered it kind of selfish as you are the one who has lost something. We feel sad because we no longer have that pleasure of seeing that person again.

Respect to the guy for living a wild life, a free spirited spark, my admiration and thumbs up to him for running wild and free, rather that than be tied down to a hum drum existence and end it in a nursing home or long term illness.

Fly high CS ...there's a whole bunch of us here that will catch up with you someday out there and we can all jump waterfalls together.

naming a plant in his honor seems like a good way to preserve a memory.

[ballzac]

I was avoiding posting here as the forums can seem a tacky...er...forum... for such a profoundly human topic, but I'm not sure I'll be at the meet on Sunday, so I feel I'd better say something here.

I didn't know Denis very well. I only met him in person a few times at the RBG meets, but I definitely felt a connection with him. Partly because we had some common interests outside of ethnobotany, but I think he was also the sort of person who just makes you feel comfortable because he didn't have the stupid walls that most of us put up when we communicate with people. I think anyone who has met him would feel this way. It's funny, I'd always heard all these crazy stories about Denis, but it actually seemed so far removed from the laid back, contemplative guy that I know from the meets.

I've taken a step back in the past few months. I have been trying to limit useless posts on here, and I haven't been to any meets. I have a feeling that the most recent contact I've had with a fellow ethnobot (apart from online) was Denis offering me a lift as he drove past while I was waiting for my girlfriend to pick me up after a meet about a year ago. I think I still have a little something that he gave me at that meet.

I didn't know Denis well enough to really feel the need to grieve, but I am nonetheless saddened by this, and in particular I regret that I will never have the opportunity to get to know him better.

My thoughts go out to all his friends and family.

Edited September 14, 2010 by ballzac

[paradox]

wow, i too never met him but i always seemed to get a real strong sense of his personality & felt i would have liked him a lot.. i can't help but feel very sad right now & would really like to send my heart felt condolence to all his loved ones.. the ephemeral-ness of life has been making itself known in a big way lately & this just really brings it home a whole lot more. Denis seemed like a very interesting & inspiring person. much love to all who knew & loved him!

[alkatrope]

Bye Denis.. Will miss you muchly

[hutch]

Loved reading all his post's as you always found a laugh....he is now immortalized on the Corroboree and his words will live on forever..wish I had of met him...

RIP brother..

[shruman]

Only had the pleasure of meeting Denis a couple of times allbeit only all to briefly. What a warm, engaging, funny, generous, entertaining & vibrant person he was. I feel sorry for the loss of all who knew him. A great loss for this community & even greater loss for humanity, he was truly one of the good ones.

Only too glad to have shared the joints I did with you Denis.

Our naughty puppy will be sorely missed.

Edited September 15, 2010 by shruman

[planthelper]

i did not think i would cry, but i did.

i met him a few times, i often thought of him, just out of the blue.

i thought of starting a thread, saying that he is the closest i ever met, to a living god.

man this guy, was not only funny, he had more charisma than most other people,

and was truly a beautyfull person.

have a nice journey, chemical shaman.

[Torsten]

The funeral has been set tentatively for tuesday - 2 days after the memorial. his brother and father have invited everyone who knew him to attend. location is springvale [vic] and will post more details when i know.

[telemetric]

would love to go if i was nearby, thanks for the continued info and welcoming torsten.

[Zen Peddler]

Always a super funny guy - really bad news.

[Torsten]

anyone who needs the address for the funeral on tuesday and can't find it [ie isn't on denis' facebook friends list] can PM me before saturday night or msg me on FB by monday.

[AndyAmine.]

I would go if I was in Melbourne but from up here it just won't work with everything Ive got going on at the moment.

Denis and I didn't know each other very well but from the couple of times we met I did see a unique spark in him and he had a real presence and charisma that I found both impressive and if Im honest maybe a little intimidated by or envious of which kind of held me back from opening up to him much. kinda silly.

Im also aware that everything that has happened recently has affected many of my friends deeply so I wish I could be there for them as well.

Torsten, if you could please make small gesture on my behalf I would appreciate it.

Edited September 16, 2010 by AndyAmine.

[indigo264nm]

i did not think i would cry, but i did.

i met him a few times, i often thought of him, just out of the blue.

i thought of starting a thread, saying that he is the closest i ever met, to a living god.

man this guy, was not only funny, he had more charisma than most other people,

and was truly a beautyfull person.

have a nice journey, chemical shaman.

 

Extremely well said... it's funny when other people can express what you're feeling in words way better than you can yourself.

I got fucked with pay today and couldn't book flights down as a result so I regret to inform I cannot make the gathering or the funeral.

I would like somebody to take a branch of a flowering Prunus to the gathering for me as a gesture - as cherry blossoms bring out so much joy in me with the promise of spring... symbolizing rejuvenation, fertility, good times to come and the beginning of a new cycle.

[telemetric]

 

Maitreya Festival 2010

 

 

(now that i think about it it was the last time i met him)

Edited September 18, 2010 by telemetric

[RonnySimulacrum]

feel free to PM me anything by tonight for the tribute book, even an update of copy of your post, we will be passing the book on tomorrow.

Book is looking amazing but would love more SAB input

[AndyAmine.]

I planned on taking some photos of the small ceremony and tribute I did for Denis and Being but I forgot my phone on the walk there.

Originally I intended on going to the Gold Coast botanical gardens at 1pm but no one else was interested, then by the time it came to go I decided it would probably be more in style to just jump in the car and drive somewhere nice.

So, I started driving toward Springbrook thinking Id just find somewhere near by (I live near the base of the mountain) but nothing really called out to me, so I kept going and going until something did.

It was a large lookout about 3/4's the way to the Nat park and I saw what looked like a safe passage to a private & quiet spot on the very large boulders jutting out from the side of the mountain (it was a very safe spot), amongst lush tropical high altitude vegitation, the boulders were bright with fluorescent yellow and white growth and covered with patches of dry, soft, deep green moss with yellow flashes.

From the Boulders the view opened out into a deep vally with mountains curling around to the right and left almost full circle except for a break where the vally leads out to the coast allowing a spectacular view of the surfers paradise skyline. At the bottom of the vally the forrest has been cleared to make way for a paddock filled with cows.

I settled down and started chatting as I went, lifting a small piece of moss from where the soil met the stone, dug a little hole and burried a couple of items they had both touched along with a nice piece of amethyst I found in the river at Natural Arch plus a few other bits and pieces for them to enjoy on thier travels or should they ever want to go there and enjoy the view ;)

There was this really nice native succulent growing in the moss and dirt around the boulders so I planted a young piece in the soil as I filled in the hole.

I was chatting to them some more as I started to finish and move onto the second part of what I was doing and out came this loud cackle of laughter from a couple of kookaburras accross the vally, I think they were having a giggle at me.. lol, so I decided to stop being so serious and just relax, enjoy it.

Then thinking of them both, I took part in quite an unexpectedly powerful period of meditation and introspective thought, the strong message of which was to stop being so fucking introspective and start seeing the beauty and life in what is in my own plain sight!

It was very poignant for me.

As things tailed off, I looked around and the first thing I saw was some of those succulents and now instead of the somewhat dulled colours of thier brothers and sisters these ones had new growth that was bright in primary colours and yelling out to me no, I swear it wasnt just me they are still bright , so I gently pulled them from the moss, gifted back some tobacco and have them in the garden out the front.

In my eyes it was a really nice afternoon. See ya round guys.,

Edited September 20, 2010 by AndyAmine.