Connecting energies: The story behind Cosmic Pineapple

Somehow the words cosmic and pineapple came together, and a few weeks later, whilst staying in Oaxaca with my friend Cat, I registered the domain. I was unsure of why at that time, just that the words sounded good… And that, somehow, the ‘secret’ meaning behind it was the relation between the pineapple and the pineal gland – the tiny gland at the centre of our brains, which is said, that when open, leads to the awakening of mystical experiences.

I have worked in dance music since I was 18 – first in journalism and then PR. This led to my first season in Ibiza, which I would say was my first opening into a different – more spiritual – way of life. It was the first time I experienced something above the level of the mundane reality we are presented with our eyes. This magnetic island, which some say is built on a bed of crystal; that others say Es Vedra is a portal to another dimension and a contact between us and other star beings; which is ruled by the energy of Scorpio and the energy of transformation, opened me up to a feeling of freedom inside that I had never felt before.

And there is nothing more spiritual than seeing the earth in all of her beauty – sunrise and sunset, the stars at night, getting lost around the island, the music and the connection on the dance floor when the DJ gets the energy just right and we are all in it together… It’s magic.

Since 2005 I have been fortunate to travel. From my first season in Ibiza in 2003, I somehow forged a life for myself where I could be free of the limitations of working in an office – plus the introduction of blackberrys to the world was a game-changer, I remember emailing someone from the back of a camel in 2009 and my mind was blown. 

In the summer I spent time in Ibiza, working (it) in all the (good) parties, and in the winter I travelled. Through my travels I began to learn about different cultures, traditions and spiritual paths, first it was through books that I picked up in travellers book shops – I remember reading my first book on Buddhism and a light went on inside – and then through conversations I had with fellow travellers. After that I started to attend courses and to really learn – yoga, meditation, vipassana, shamanism, art, breathing, creativity. I lived in different communities and learnt of this way of living, I started to connect to sacred energy spots around the world, and eventually I wanted an avenue to share this knowledge with others.

In Guatemala in 2014, whilst taking part in the Moon course, I wrote my first article on Meditation and started to form the website, which launched officially in 2015.

In 2016 the events started at Pikes. This was inspired by my travels, my time working in ‘the rave’ and ‘that one time at burning man’. I have been coming to Pikes for many years in different ways. I stayed there for a month for work with my old boss Caroline Prothero, and I went to a few parties over the years, including one where I took a lot of acid and didn’t know the difference between the human, the physical and the musical dimension, and I got my wig stuck in my own hair.

The intention behind the Cosmic Pineapple events is, and has always been, to help people be more connected to the self, the other and planet earth. Music has guided me since I can remember and my work in dance music took me all over the world and gave me the opportunity to learn all of these things, which I am forever grateful for. I wanted to somehow give back in a way that I could and weave in these amazing experiences. We all know the rave is amazing, but it’s not sustainable to be a total raver. Balance is a magical gift and self-care and connection tools are not necessarily what we are naturally taught in conventional schools and growing up. Or at least when I started it wasn’t, now thankfully things are changing all the time and people recognize how important it is to take care of yourself and others.

Cosmic Pineapple is a mini festival. I like to describe it as an Alice in Wonderland place to get lost in. It’s a charity event, based on yogic philosophy where you dedicate your ‘practice’ to something else, and we have raised collectively over 30,000 pounds for different charities around the world. 

Inside there is of course the music. Since the start we have had amazing DJs come to play – a lot of whom I used to work with, or at least had dancefloor fun with over the years (I love fun). Ellen Allien played the first event and over the years we’ve had artists like Carl Craig, Josh Wink, Danny Daze, DJ Tennis, William Djoko, Sasha, AFRODEUTSHE, Jamie Jones, Cassy, Dan Ghenacia, Shonky, Richie Ahmed, Ida Engberg and many more.

Cici has been resident since the very first Cosmic (when everyone got chucked out before closing time, he he) and one of Ibiza’s most magic character’s BayBJane is our hostess with the mostess, giving good vibes wherever she goes, sometimes wearing spiky cactus tits. 

We have a healing garden, where healers offer different treatments like massage, energy work, tarot, astrology and much more. This is a lovely space to take a moment for yourself.

There is a huge market that takes over the pink tennis course, called the once upon a time cosmic bazaar..The ladies who organise this bring together lots of unique and creative market stalls from across the island and create such good energy! 

And then there is the Cosmic Activation Dome where we hold teachings and workshops from Ibiza-based and international healers and wisdom keepers. We have had everything from yoga, tai chi, Tantra, planting workshops and breathwork to nutrition talks and esoteric teachings. The Dogon tribe from Africa came to give a talk, the Huni Kuin tribe from Brazil came to sing songs of the jungle, we’ve had Mexica moon dance teachings from Abuela Silvia and Daniel Pinchbeck (author of ´How Soon Is Now’ and ‘Breaking Open The Head’ and other books) came to give a talk.

There’s also been cacao ceremonies, soul song, singing workshops, sound-healing, spell-making, dance, group hypnotherapy, art…. I could go on! This is an amazing space for people to come and experience something like this – maybe for the first time, maybe just trying out a new teacher, maybe seeking a little quiet from the crazy outside. It’s a magic space to receive.

When I first started Cosmic, it was something new to the island, especially from the tribe I came from. Now this style of event is becoming a thing, so my work is to stay in my truth and integrity, and also to stay in balance. I believe people who put on events ‘hold’ the energy. To hold this space with so many amazing and different types of energies is strong work, so I have to stay in balance. If I am not in balance, the events are not in balance.

Of course some things happen outside of my control, and I need to be the one to harmonise energetically – there is a lot happening. My work is also not to get too stressed and overwhelmed; I sometimes run around shouting and I am working on this! I like to call the events organised chaos. I set the intention and let it loose and I flow with how and what the cosmic energies want. The important thing is that I go into it empty and let the magic of everyone coming and doing their thing, shine.

The curation of the events are based on a Carl Jung quote – “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.” I love bringing energies together that wouldn’t usually meet. I believe this is a large part of how we create change. If we all just stayed in our little bubbles and didn’t open up to change and a new perspective, then nothing changes. Nothing changes until something changes. So try something new and you never know what will happen.

This is our seventh season and we enter it with a strong intention – Rainbow Light. In numerology, seven is the number of spiritual awakening, mysticism, intuition, inner-wisdom, harmony and nature – of connection to the cosmic universe, lifting the veil between human and spiritual life, as the two exist side by side. Amongst the significance of seven, there are seven directions, seven chakras, seven stars of the pleiades, seven colours of the rainbow… Since the start of the events we have been inspired by the Rainbow Prophecy. It came after I spent time with a Hopi elder in Hopiland in Arizona, visiting Dawa canyon (the canyon of the Ancient Ones), and learned of a time when all colours and tribes will come together with the intention to heal humanity and mother earth. 

This is the focus for this year. I want to bring together as many people as possible to share, learn and grow together. We ALL have something to learn from each other: you may learn just as much as you would in the Cosmic Activation Dome as you would from a lyric in a song; or a little chat at the bar or in the queue to the toilets; from someone selling something in the market; or from a whisper in the ear from Babyjane. I am excited to have the Space Rave open again and our space to let loose and be free on the dance floor, this is where it all began for me!

Cosmic Pineapple are hosting a string of events in celebration of their seventh year, including Pikes Summer parties, sunset boat trips and a cosmic retreat – check the full listings on their website.