Resilience Skills – Seeding Our Future

Book blog: The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller

Subtitle: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief You may have noticed, as I have, a growing number of grief tending workshops, grief rituals and similar events in recent years. What’s your reaction to them? I admit that mine has been a mix of mild interest and some resistance. Francis Weller is one … Read more

Climate alarm? Learning to live with it

The recent IPCC report on the climate crisis has left me alarmed and unsettled, maybe you too. I’m writing this blog for myself as much as anyone, as part of my long-running search for ways to live with this. There are plenty of good processes out there, and many of us have been using them … Read more

Book blog: Deep Adaptation – Navigating the Realities of Climate Chaos by Jem Bendell and Rupert Read

I regard Deep Adaptation as one of the most important approaches to the climate crisis, and this new book will give you a thorough grounding in what DA is, and isn’t, and in the various ways it might evolve over the next few years. It’s not easy to define what Deep Adaptation is: I wouldn’t … Read more

The 9 Dimensions of Super-Resilience: the key to enjoying your 2020’s

Would you agree that for most people, life and work have become a lot more demanding and uncertain in recent years? And is that trend likely to grow in future? If so, what’s the positive response to the challenge? This is what I’m calling super-resilience. Currently, I see many individuals, communities and work teams struggling … Read more

Don’t let lockdown grind you away! Staying cheerful in covid year two

Despite my resilience skills, I’ve had to keep digging deep to sustain my mood, especially in these recent winter months. Whilst there’s hope for easing restrictions soon, lockdown has a cumulative grinding effect. So here are my tips for the next few months. Mindful exercise: enjoy your outdoor time to the max, with all five … Read more

Covid vaccinations: a touching flavour of Dunkirk spirit – Plus tips to avoid side effects

Covid vaccinations: a touching flavour of Dunkirk spirit Plus tips to avoid side effects Having my first covid vaccination was a moving experience, which I hadn’t expected. I’m so proud of the NHS for organising on this scale and speed, and touched by all the volunteers who made it possible. As I cycled to our … Read more

Your Resilience Toolkit

What is resilience, and why does it matter? Resilience is the ability to stay calm in high levels of change and challenge, to bounce back when something difficult happens, to face up to a problem and find a good solution. It’s a set of skills to help you maintain your wellbeing and happiness even when … Read more

The Diamond Process: drawing on both sides of the brain

As we try to handle ever more complexity and uncertainty in our lives, co-creative skills are essential. Co-creativity is about both-and, combining action and reflection, balancing your needs and aims with the realities of the situation and other people in it. One way of developing co-creativity is through the left and right sides of the … Read more

Adapting to climate change and covid – reflections on a retreat

From 6-8 November we held a virtual retreat to focus on different spiritual approaches to climatechange, Covid and other challenges we all are facing. It was a fascinating and welcome opportunityto get people together and explore ideas and feelings. As I think about this retreat I remember that in times of crisis for thousands of … Read more

The Seven Seeds of Natural Happiness

How can you stay happy when there’s too much change and uncertainty? Are there ways to bounce back and thrive if life is getting you down? Natural Happiness uses skills from gardening and organic farming to help you cultivate your own wellbeing. The Seven Seeds approach grows from Alan Heeks’ experience of creating gardens, a … Read more

Bridport Climate Café: Thursdays November 18, December 9, 2-4pm at Soulshine Café, South Street

A climate café is an informal, supportive space where you can talk about your feelings on climate change. The group will be supported by trained volunteer facilitators: it’s a confidential space for respectful listening, whatever your views. All are welcome, including young adults from 16 up. It’s not a therapy group, and it’s not a place for discussing or planning action, important as that is. Free of charge, no need to book. Please arrive promptly, get yourself a hot drink, maybe some cake, and join us. No regular commitment needed, leave any time you want! For more about climate cafés, see this blog. For any queries, contact Alan Heeks, 07976 602787.
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Nature Immersion Course for GPs – 21-22 October 2021

Overview The Tamar Faculty and the Hazel Hill Trust are delighted to be running this two day nature resilience immersion course with overnight stay. It will offer a different way to gain new insights and skills and to raise your resilience and nourish your wellbeing. The course is being held at a farm located in the heart of Dartmoor, surrounded by both farmland and wilderness. Workshops will be held outside. Overnight accommodation and meals will be provided. RCGP members – £100.00Non-members – £250.00 Course description The impact of prolonged overload and the stress of facing ever-rising demands with shrinking resources calls for new creative responses. Join Us! Be part of the first ever RCGP Nature Immersion for GPs – a different way to gain new insights and skills, to raise your resilience and nourish your wellbeing. In collaboration with a team of leaders and specialists in the field of nature connection for wellbeing, we are delighted to bring you this pioneering RCGP nature resilience immersion course with overnight stay. Launched at the RCGP National Conference in 2019, and postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic, this two-day immersive course, delivered on Dartmoor, will offer individuals the opportunity to reconnect with the natural world in a safe, supported and facilitated environment. This Nature Immersion course is leading the way for wellbeing for the NHS workforce. The two-day course will offer GPs the opportunity to develop skills that cultivate a sense of wellbeing, drawing upon the neurobiology of resilience & applying theory through experiential learning. Never before has there been such urgent need for the restorative effects that nature has to offer, to be placed at the heart of recovery for frontline staff. This course will provide individuals with the space to reflect, learn and connect. To restore yourself as you take valuable time to be with nature. The workshops and activities are delivered mostly outdoors, and each offers the individual the opportunity to develop new ways of thinking and being for a sustainable future. The venue provides a beautiful space for quiet retreat, away from the noise of an increasingly tech dependent world and into the wilderness of Dartmoor National Park. Tailored to GPs, the programme will include: Practising simple techniques based on applied neurobiology, mindfulness and traditional sources which can be used in everyday work.Learning about resilience from the woodland ecosystem, and practical tools for our own wellbeing and our teams.Conservation work and physical activities together to de-stress, relax into the land and shift perspective.An evening campfire circle for sharing, mutual support and insights on work stresses.Processes and time to consider better approaches for tackling work challenges and systemic pressures. This programme has been jointly developed by the University of Westminster Centre for Resilience and Hazel Hill Trust following four very successful pilot programmes with junior hospital doctors, psychiatrists and GPs. The Westminster Centre for Resilience has over 20 years’ experience of helping medical professionals. Hazel Hill Trust is an educational charity and leader in nature-based resilience. Speakers Alan Heeks, Professor David Peters and Dr Lucy Loveday. Programme Thursday 21st OctoberArrival from 12.00, Lunch at 13.00Workshops begin at 13.45Supper at 19.30 Friday 22nd OctoberBreakfast from 08.00Workshops begin at 09.00Course ends at 17:00 Covid-19 Safety Although national restrictions have been lifted, we will be implementing additional precautions at this event to minimise the spread of Covid-19, these will be reviewed and updated in the run up to the event. We will contact delegates nearer the time with details of what we will request of them during the event, e.g. for all delegates to wear face masks indoors. You can also request the risk assessment, outlining specific steps that we will be managing at this event. Attendees will be asked not to attend if they feel unwell and/or have presented with a positive Covid-19 test within the previous 10 days, and attendees will be able to cancel (and receive a refund where applicable) up until the day of the event. Venue Brimpts Farm, Dartmeet, Devon, PL20 6SG Bookings To register for this event, please follow this link.
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Soul Resilience Circle – monthly online group – October 20 and November 17

On October 20 and November 17, 7.30-9pm UK time, you can join an online group to seek and share soul resilience insights. We will explore different ideas of what soul is, and ways to contact it, to find soul guidance about staying positive and finding our life purpose in these troubled times. Our aim is to create an ongoing group for people who are already interested in exploring soul perspectives and want to deepen with a small group. If the two pilot sessions are well received, we will continue with a monthly online group. Led by Alan Heeks and Nayyer Hussain, who have been soul friends for over 20 years, and have guided a range of groups. Free of charge. Limited to 12 participants. To book a place or get more info, contact Alan. You can also read more about Soul Resilience on my website: soulresilience.net.
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Soul Resilience Retreat: How your core self can help you grow through storms – Feb 25-27, 2022

At Hazel Hill Wood near SalisburyWith Alan Heeks and Jane Sanders As life gets more turbulent, we need to go higher and dig deeper to find a quantum step up in our resilience. This retreat is a chance to explore how the deep wisdom of your soul can help you to stay centred and positive, and clarify your purpose: why your soul has chosen to be here in a time of huge change. The intention for this retreat is to create a safe space for shared exploration, with guided processes, sharing time, and solo space to reflect, rest, and draw insights from Nature. The ingredients will include: Finding your own sense of your soul, and creating a dialogue.Ways to deepen soul connection, including calling on a guide, Nature immersion, sacred chants, soul groups and anima mundi (Gaia).Helping soul and body to cohabit, and create shared resilience.Why am I here? Find your soul’s view on how to live with and grow through climate crisis.Nourishing the soul, individually and collectively, as a key to everyday resilience. Alan Heeks has been exploring resilience, climate responses, and the soul’s journey for many years. He is a widely experienced group and retreat leader. See www.naturalhappiness.net. Jane Sanders has over 25 years’ experience in working with a mindfulness-based approach to wellbeing with groups and individuals, and draws on ecospirituality, deep ecology and Nature immersion. Hazel Hill: is a magical 70-acre conservation woodland and retreat centre, 7 miles from Salisbury. It has simple, yet beautifully crafted off-grid wooden buildings with lovely indoor and outdoor group spaces, heated bedrooms and sleeping lofts (or camping), good hot showers and compost loos. See more about the wood at www.hazelhill.org.uk. Practicalities: Start time: 4pm on Friday February 25, finishing after lunch at 2pm on Sunday February 27.Price: To be confirmed.Booking: If you would like to reserve a provisional place, please contact Alan on data@workingvision.com or 07976 602787.
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Grow your own Happiness

In these stormy times, we need new skills to stay happy. A cultivated ecosystem, like a garden, is a role model for human nature: this workshop shows how gardening methods can help you grow your own happiness and deepen the roots of your resilience.
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How Bridport Climate Café aims to help climate responses
On Thursday November 18 and December 9, there will be a pilot Climate Café in Bridport, at Soulshine Café, South Street, 2-4pm. In the past couple of years, there has been rapid growth in climate cafés across the UK, and a small team is now doing training to host them in Bridport. A climate café is an informal, supportive space where you can talk about your feelings about climate change. It’s a confidential space for respectful listening, whatever your views. It’s not a therapy group, and it’s not a place for discussing or planning action, vital as that is. No regular commitment is needed: everyone is asked to arrive promptly, so we can make group agreements like confidentiality, but you can leave anytime. The café is free of charge, except for you buying whatever refreshments you’d like. The climate crisis brings many problems, but also positive opportunities. It can stir up painful emotions, such as fear, anger and others: one reason climate cafés are popular is that many people find it very supportive and empowering to be able to express their feelings and be heard by others. The upsides of the crisis can include recovering our connection with Nature and our sense of community: realising we are in this together, and can support each other in many ways. The Climate Psychology Alliance is a network of therapists and counsellors exploring ways to address the impact of the climate emergency. They run the training which the Bridport team are doing: Rebecca Nestor co-leads the training, and her blog about climate cafés gives more useful information about how they work. Alan Heeks is one of the Bridport hosting team. He is also part of the Seeding our Future team who set up Bridport Food Matters. Alan comments, “I’ve been supporting groups on climate concerns for four years, and having your feelings heard by others is really helpful, and enables people to take action. If these two pilots go well, we aim to run monthly climate cafés next year.” For any queries, call Alan Heeks on 07976 602787.
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