Processes

I offer workshops and processes exploring the following themes. In addition, I am open to consider requests to develop new processes on other topics.

Finding meaning in the margins. The margins contain what is excluded from the centre. This process aims to increase our awareness of the margins – whether at the level of individuals, organisations, communities or society as a whole. What do the margins contain, and how are they a source of both fear and wholeness? This experiential and fun session involves ‘marginal walks’ (exploring margins in the world around us), ‘marginal moments’ (exploring the margins in the lives of well known people – including ourselves) and ‘marginal circles’ (in which we face the  margins) – as well as reflection, dialogue, prose and poetry.

Chambers of the heart. The heart is one of the first organs to form in our bodies. It starts beating around six weeks after conception and carries on beating every second of every minute of every day of every year of our lives. It will, most likely, be the lack of a heartbeat that informs people that we have finally reached the end of our lives. Together with the lungs, the heart takes the old, tired blood from the body and transforms it to renew and refresh our bodies. In this process, we look at the functions of the heart and the lungs, and explore the potential transformational lessons for ourselves. Using heart meditation, the reflective imagination, poetry and movement the process can be applied to individuals, organisations and communities.

 

Noughts and crosses. The cross, as a religious symbol, predates Jesus by several

Noughts and crosses at Greenbelt, Festival of Faith, Justice and the Arts.

thousand years. Two pieces of wood, held at right angles to one another, have long been used to make fire. As such, the cross was used almost universally in pre-Christian times, usually connected with nature worship where it could be the symbol of sacred fire or the sun. Objects marked with crosses have been found in almost every part of the pre-Christian world, including India, Syria, Persia and Egypt. This process helps us increase our awareness of the deeper associations which we have with both crosses and circles, how they complement each other and how they might apply to our lives.

 

Diversity and unity. We need – like never before – to embrace both our differences and

Circles process circles at Greenbelt

our togetherness. But what does this really mean in practice, and especially in the field of faith and spiritual practice? This session explores some of the diversity both within us and between us. It then goes on to look at the theory and practice of building unity. The process involves learning from nature as well as practical experience in consensus building.   

 

Street Wisdom.  This is a powerful, three-hour guided experience that uses the streets as  an invisible university to help you find answers to personal and work-related questions. We start by tuning up your senses. Then you’re off on a journey by yourself – your street quest – where you ask a question and see what answers the streets present. Finally, everyone gathers together in a cafe to share what happened and their unexpected, and often profound, discoveries. I have run Street Wisdom events in towns and cities around the country, and am always struck by how effectively ‘what is out there’ (in the street) resonates with ‘what is within’. Further details here.