Sacred Earth community days are all about making new connections – and eating cake.
Last Saturday we had a lovely time in the sunshine. The adults were able to see all the conservation work that’s been done on our site while the kids enjoyed the woodland jungle gym and the new pond dipping deck.
After a delicious shared lunch we gathered around the fire to hear Phil Greenwood talk about Village Builders, a new course we’re running this summer.
This reflects the more serious side of our community-building efforts. The ‘village’ is not a physical structure, more a group of like-minded people who want to build stronger and healthier communities.
Western culture seems to be facing multiple crises right now – political, social and environmental. The problems seem insurmountable and it’s easier to withdraw into our own worlds than to face them. But this withdrawal means we’re losing our sense of connection to others and the world around us.
Village Builders takes inspiration from indigenous cultures, where this is not the case. Old age is synonymous with wisdom and elders are revered. All people are strongly connected to the natural world. Rituals are created around people’s ties with nature and there are rites of passage for each generation. This helps them find a place in the world and gives them tools to negotiate the journey ahead.
The course, which based on the 8Shields model, uses some of these practices as the basis for a new mentoring approach that is designed to unlock the potential within all of us. Each person becomes an important part of the community, with a key role to play. The relationships built and skills learned can be applied to work, family, social or political settings.
Our next community day is on July 28th. All are welcome, and if you won’t want to sit in on the Village Builders workshop you can simply enjoy our lovely site. And eat cake.
More details and booking information here.
