Speed Dating with Cacti
Speed Dating with Cacti stars a cast of dozens, all of whom are experts of the present moment. Taking place in a public garden, you are passed from person to person, location to location, and led through a series of demonstrations, meditations and experiences focused on that very strange thing we call consciousness. You will spend glorious moments lying back in the quantum field, your essence spread across the cosmos, like an infinite layer of vegemite on a piece of eternal toast. Along the way you may meet:
- A woman in the early stages of Alzheimer’s
- A man with an acquired brain injury
- A group of 10 year old children with very little impulse control
- A couple of 8-year-olds with a few opinions
- A neuroscientist
- A meditation teacher
- A stand-up comedian
- A group of walking meditators, doing the very specific “noting” technique.
Speed Dating with Cacti looks at the narrowing gap between science and spirituality, with the question of plant cognition and consciousness as the entry point. The walk explores various models for thinking about the origin of consciousness and the true nature of reality.
TThis extraordinary immersive experience brings together people of all ages and backgrounds, from a cognitive neuroscientist to teenagers, in conversation with the living world around us.
Kara Ward, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoira (2025)
Two reliable sources of wonder – the organized chaos of nature, and the unalloyed delight of children at play – light the path.
Cameron Woodhead, The Age (2025)
A mind-bending journey through consciousness. I have walked the gardens before, but this time I truly met the trees. Science, spirit, and wonder intertwined.
Shilpi, Audience Member (2025)
