Remembering Diggs:
forever our Philosopher-in-Residence
As the years progress, we are shown more and more just how important our connections in this Collective truly are. We have seen week after week that this is a family, and together, we are growing. Perhaps those who have the courage to get up on our stage and share their voice are showing up with a message, and if all they are asking is for us to listen, perhaps we could all be made better in an instant if we simply choose to give them the floor for 7 minutes uninterrupted. Such was the case for our beloved Philosopher-in-Residence, a man we all came to know as Diggs.
Diggs started coming to StarWater Wednesday 7 years ago, often times hanging in the back and quietly listening to our Open Mind Open Mic. He did not command attention, though he was always available for a deep conversation if you took the time to engage with him. After about a year of ‘witnessing’ the scene, he started sharing his personal translations of Lao Tzu, often times coming up to me afterwards and asking if that was okay considering we only wanted ‘100% originals’ on our stage. We determined that his personal translation made it relevant and acceptable, and at this point he let me in on his bigger creative endeavor:
StarWater translation of the Gnostic Bible
He expressed a calling to bring forth perspectives that challenge the commonly accepted roles of Jesus and Mary. On a personal level, I was greatly intrigued. Thus began our journey into the Gnostic Gospels through the eyes of a modern psychedelic Philosopher, complete with unexpected StarWater twists, The Liquid Light of Learning, and Mary Magdalene’s edgy sense of humor as Diggs attempted to re-write the misinterpreted version of Jesus Christ for the New Age.
It was always interesting to see who would actually tune into what he was sharing. Many times, new-comers would write him off as an eccentric older man, perhaps enacting some strange personal skit that had no relevance to the greater expression. More seasoned StarWater’s would often ‘shh’ the crowd and move closer to the stage to give him the container he was so meticulously creating with his evolving prayer-formance. What began as Diggs reciting pre-rehearsed words slowly turned into a full blown performance, with props, different character voices, and even symbolic hand-gestures which we’ve adopted into our Crew.
“SOPHIA!”
He traversed the chapters of the Gnostic Gospels, regularly making reference to Jesus’s Liquid Light as Star Water, and that the modern age of our creative community was an extension of the original Jesus Movement. He expressed a clear and powerful devotion to the Mother Goddess. He would proclaim her name as he took the mic, as if to invoke her presence into the room and cast out any demons which had come to lay claim on the space in his absence. Many times he brought those paying attention to tears, and many times you could see tears in his eyes as he expressed gratitude for the welcoming platform we had cultivated for him to explore this deeper expression in front of an audience. Diggs became an integral part of our continuing StarWater Wednesday, as well as being an avid fan and supporter of many of our personal creative projects.
WE are the “THEY” that is “Us”
One of the most impactful aspects of StarWater is how like-minded individuals seem to find each other, to find “themselves" with “us". Time and time again, we’ve been blessed to witness each other come into our own through a shared moment, a shared poem, song, or simply an expression of truth. As we have sought to build trust, we have opened doors to feel Connected to something bigger than ourselves as individuals and make way for a sense of community we have longed for, some of us for many many years.
For Diggs, he always said, “StarWater Collective: They don’t just Bring it - They Bring it out of ME!” He shared that never before in his life did he feel so comfortable to perform his creative gifts publicly. It could not be overstated how important it is to acknowledge the greater story that is being told when we make the choice to stand together and honor each other as creators. Our inspiration inspires Each Other, it is a self-feeding cycle!
StarWater honors Jonathan Miles Diggory
We give thanks for the presence and persistence he showed up with in our community, and the many moments of deeper pondering he inspired. His passing away has caught us by surprise, during a time of much change and uncertainty in our nation and the world. There is no doubt that he left us with a mission - to further the cause for equality and righteousness, to stand in our truth and uphold creative integrity, and to maintain open, steady connection amidst confusion and skepticism.
If we choose to connect to The Realm Above, we may find that our actions here on Earth are timeless metaphors, relevant as archetypical sounding boards. It may be that the role we are playing with each other is much more than a simple passing experience, but something set in motion ages ago with implications far beyond daily mundanity. If we listen, we may hear a message. When we choose to connect, we may be made softer and more aware overall that the the Liquid Light of Love is available to us all.
With heavy hearts, we acknowledge that when our in-person weekly gatherings resume, there will be a void where Diggs once stood. May we have the courage to fill that void with the embodiment he championed and forever acknowledge the message he walked with. Diggs, we will forever miss you - shine on in the cosmos!
