What Am I Involved in? A Retreat Day

The second thing I am involved in is developing quiet days and retreats.  Over the years I have led or facilitated a few reflective events and quiet days through my church or the Epiphany Group.

If you are free on Tuesday 28th July I will be leading a gentle retreat under the heading -

The Lord is My Shepherd, where you can take time to rest and reflect on your identity as a person of faith and your relationship with God, The Good Shepherd.

This retreat depending on numbers will be online or face to face.  I am really looking forward to sharing The Good Shepherd, Godly Play story with those who come along and some different ways of connecting with God through reflective spiritual practices, bible passages and poetry.

Please get in touch if this is something that interests you - if not for next week then sometime in the future.

What Am I involved in? - Capacitar

Hello to everyone who has read this blog so far.

I hope you have enjoyed my musings and wonderings.

I thought I would let you know about two activities which I am involved with and which I invite you to participate in if you are interested.

Every week now I lead a Wellbeing Class using gentle healing techniques like simple Tai Chi moves, fingerholds, mindful meditation and healing visualisations to name a few.  Many/most of these body practices come from my training in Capacitar which I did in Edinburgh under the tutoring of Pat Cane, a serene septuagenarian who travels the world supporting communities and groups who have experience trauma through war, natural disaster or genocides.  She also works in schools and supports mental health organisations.

For me these practices help with my mental and emotional wellbeing and also support me spiritually in my faith, using some of them as prayer practices. The Tai Chi and other movements are for me a way to connect with God, get out of my head and reach out in prayer for others.

You can find out more about Capacitar and the techniques I use by going to www.capacitar.org or www.capacitaruk.org

You can join the online class I lead which will meet next on Monday 27th July at 7pm.  Just message me for the code.  There are other classes led by colleagues which you can connect to if this time and day does not suit you.  If you are looking for something gentle and physical to support your mental health this would be idea.

The second activity is an event I am leading...I will post a separate blog about this.

A Difficult Place

Well it is interesting isn’t it when you are asked to plan something and then everyone changes the plan… finding yourself a little frustrated, a little hurt, a little upset and unclear how to respond.  But on the hoof, so to speak, being able to just live with those emotions, not responding in anger, being able to resist that small temptation to behave like a child and storm out of the meeting.  And respecting the friendship and bond between you, sharing your thoughts but doing it respectful of others, and trusting that – all shall be well – trusting that the aim is for the space being created to be right for everyone and that everyone has each other’s interests at heart. And finding that by resisting those emotions and urges to behave as your ego dictates, in fact something rich and deep and spacious takes place.  Your needs are upheld, as are the needs of all the others and everyone participates in making that happen.

What if we were able to do that every day in life all the time?  Imagine living in that uncomfortable place often, and not running away or fighting back.  Imagine knowing that when we do, something as simple as holding yourself in that tension produces space for you and space for others to learn and grow.

I believe we have lost this art… I wonder if we have the courage to find it again and begin to recreate this sacred space...

Within our friendships

With strangers

With the difficult people we know or we meet.

I wonder what our world would look like then?