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GreenSpirit Newsletter
www.greenspirit.org.uk
~ We are a network of people who practise loving our living planet ~
May 2024
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Snowdonia 5 Day Retreat
At Cae Mabon, Fachwen, Llanberis, Gwynedd. LL55 3HB
www.caemabon.co.uk/
Friday 30th August to Wednesday 4th September 2024
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Reconnect with your body and unwind in nature, walk with friends, breathe fresh air, listen to birdsong, wander in shady oak woods and wild swim in a glistening lake whenever you feel like it, to say nothing of sharing delicious vegan and vegetarian food, songs and stories round the fire and a hot tub beside the rushing stream.
This event is open for bookings. For full details and how to book, go to:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/snowdonia-retreat-2024/
The facebook event is at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/754153549822027
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Conversation Cafe - online
Thursday 16th May 10:00am - 11:00am
https://www.facebook.com/events/942049424157238
Jenny Joyce & Hilary Norton invite you to join our "Conversation Café" - a simple, hospitable, empathetic space where feelings & uncertainties about our future and the complexities of our world can be safely expressed. World events impact us all in many ways, and it can be hard to share our thoughts and feelings. We don't have the answers, but sharing helps us to build some resilience to deal with inevitable changes. This is an advice-free zone where all feelings are welcome!
Feel free to bring a cuppa, biscuits, etc.
For the zoom link, contact Hilary Norton at: hnorton@greenspirit.org.uk
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Reviewed by Ian Mowll.
I’ve always liked Karen Armstrong’s books. She writes with breadth and depth and gets through to the core issues of spirituality in the modern world. And this is true of this book too.
Compassion is an essential part of any living spirituality. As the author writes: The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical, and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves…The fact that this ideal has surfaced in all these faiths independently suggests that it reflects something that is essential to the structure of our humanity.
Click here for the full review.
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Reviewed by Peter Quince.
This is a brave and inspirational book. Emma Slade lays her life bare, both the pleasures and the pains. She is a successful businesswoman, but following a horrifying confrontation with a gunman, she radically reassesses her life and suffers years of PTSD.
Banking leaves something missing: ‘I hadn’t managed to be happy being me yet.’ So she searches for a more fulfilling, spiritual life. She restlessly switches from Cambridge University to Goldsmiths College.
Click here for the full review.
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GreenSpirit now has a webpage about book titles that members have found beneficial in understanding what green wisdom means for them and how the books have helped them. Click the following link to see members recommendations:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/books-that-helped/
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Chris Holmes has added his 3 books below. Click here to see why he chose these books.
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Reviewed by Santoshan aka Stephen Wollaston.
Available for streaming, as an MP3 download, and CD, Snider’s Mass for the Endangered is described in the sleave notes as “a hymn for the voiceless, a requiem for the not-yet-gone.” It was first performed in 2018 at St Paul’s Chapel in New York.
Using text written by the American poet Nathaniel Bellows and traditional Latin, Mass for the Endangered is a hauntingly reflective and beautiful piece. It was originally commissioned by Trinity Church Wall Street. The recording that is available is conducted by British born baritone, choral conductor and record producer Gabriel Crouch, sung by the English vocal ensemble Gallicantus, who Gramophone Magazine described as “one of Europe’s foremost early music ensembles”, and played by twelve wonderfully talented instrumentalists consisting of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, percussion, harp, piano, two violins, viola, violoncello and contrabass.
Click here for the full review.
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Reviewed by Ian Mowll.
There was a standing ovation for Gary Albert’s performance of Luminosity, his musical composition. Gary is inspired by the writings of Brian Swimme – someone who has also inspired many in GreenSpirit.
Gary used his flute, voice, keyboards and laptop to bring together an array of sounds. The piece began with an adaptation of the tune Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and his spoken words conveyed the idea that as supernovas gave birth to the atoms that make up our bodies, we are stardust, we are atoms fused together in sacred prayer and in this way we all akin to stars.
Click here for the full review.
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GreenSpirit Book
Real Stories of Flooding, Real Stories of Downshifting
Compiled and with a Foreword by Ian Mowll
Contributors: Claire Appleby, Hazel Beck, Mary Dhonau, Jane Faith, Lynne Jones, Sally Lever, Marian Van Eyk McCain and Graham Styring.
This book is about people’s personal stories of flooding, produced by extreme weather conditions. By listening to people’s experiences, we become aware that the problem of climate change is immediate, affecting us today. Also, by listening to people’s positive experiences of downshifting, we can learn that combating climate change can be beneficial for the environment, leading to a more fulfilled life because downshifting can result in reduced carbon emissions and a simpler way of living.
Click here for more details of this book and how to buy it.
Browse all of the titles in the GreenSpirit book series here:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/books-greenspirit-book-series/
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https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/saving-life-on-earth/
Make a Difference One Small Step at a Time
There are so many little things we can all do to reduce our impact on Planet Earth, live more ethically and lower our carbon footprint to help reduce climate change. It may seem overwhelming but by tackling things one small step at a time we can all make a difference. In each newsletter we’ll focus on just one action you can think about tackling today.
Plastics
Thanks to documentaries such as BBC’s Blue Planet 2, we all know what a huge problem plastic pollution is causing worldwide. As well as problems with ecosystems (especially oceans) and wildlife, they can affect us directly as our bodies ingest plastics (including some associated toxins) via the food that we eat (especially seafood) and through breathing in microfibres in the air. As plastics are made from fossil fuels, their production in the first place increases global warming. There are so many ways you can reduce the amount of plastic you use and throw away, beyond the obvious reusing of shopping bags etc. The website My Plastic Free Life offers 100 steps to a plastic-free life.
You can explore a whole range of other possibilities in our Green Action Toolkit at:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/saving-life-on-earth/
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Selected Articles from Summer 2023 Magazine
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Here are a couple of articles from the Summer 2023 GreenSpirit magazine:
Love for Nature: Hope through Rewilding by Jan Stannard
Click here for the article.
The Thousand Year Project by Merlin Hanbury-Tenison
Click here for the article.
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Join GreenSpirit
Including the magazine, GreenSpirit calendar: living with the seasons, GreenSpirit members email newsletter and many other advantages.
£24 per annum or £12 for internet (paperless) subscribers or concessionary rate in the UK.
Click here to find out more and to join
Plus:
Free book when you join GreenSpirit!
Join GreenSpirit and you will receive a free copy of What is Green Spirituality? along with the GreenSpirit magazine, calendar and all of the other advantages of membership. See all of the advantages of membership here:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/join-us/#benefits
What is Green Spirituality? describes and illustrates, through the well-blended voices of thirteen writers, the basic concepts and expressions of this growing kind of spiritual attitude in today’s world – what it is, where it comes from and who practises it. More details at:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/books-greenspirit-book-series/#wigs
To join GreenSpirit, click on the link below:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/join-us/
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GreenSpirit Annual Gathering 2024
Date for your diary:
18th - 20th October 2024
Shallowford House, Shallowford, Stone, Staffs. ST15 0NZ
https://www.shallowfordhouse.org/
More details in due course.
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East London
Exploring Healing
Thursday 23rd May at 10:45am
It seems that human beings are capable of far more than most of us previously realised. We are exploring self healing and healing others using energy, touch, intention. We're influenced by Joe Dispenza, Jean Houston, Sue Morter, Lynne McTaggart, Richard Gordon, Dawson Church and others.... come and join us learning together locally, E15 3QP, to create intentions together, share about the healing we've experienced and need. More details at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/459143973304793/
Summer Solstice
Friday 21st June at 18:30. 33 Park Road, Stratford, E15 3QP
For the Summer Solstice we will celebrate the great bounty of this time of year and the fire that energises and feeds us; and around a garden bonfire (if weather ok). Bring some poems, stories, songs, etc and maybe food to share; and we will make our own ritual. We will celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year. Full details at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/3802726693383772/
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Talks about GreenSpirit and Green Spirituality
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Want to find out more about GreenSpirit and green spirituality? 3 people offer talks which can be done in-person or often online.
To find out more, click on this link:
https://www.greenspirit.org.uk/talks/
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We are creators at our very core. Only creating can make us happy, for in creating we tap into the deepest power of self and universe and the Divine Self. We become co-creators, that is, we create with the other forces of society, universe, and the God-self when we commit to creativity.
~ Matthew Fox
Quotation from Appendix 2 – ‘Quotations through the Ages’ – in ‘Pathways of Green Wisdom: Discovering Earth Centred Teachings in Spiritual and Religious Traditions’. Edited by Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston).
Fifth title in the GreenSpirit book series, which is a low-cost series that offers ebook editions ‘free’ for members of GreenSpirit.
For more details of this book visit the GreenSpirit Book Series web page here.
Or find out about the whole book series on the facebook page here.
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A Sufi Garden: online group
Wednesday 15th May, 7.30pm
Led by Alan Heeks and Karim Hadden
Buds bursting to blossom
May is typically a peak season of growth in Nature, when the blossoms show us the promise of future fruits to come. This evening, we invite you to contact and express the creative power in you, imagining your own natural growth as part of the ongoing process of divine creation. We will explore this theme with devotional movement, chant and other Sufi practices. And we invite you to bring some drawing and writing materials. Free online event, no experience necessary. For bookings or enquiries contact Alan Heeks: alanheeks@gmail.com.
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Artists and Disability Oppression
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My name is Lesley Illingworth, I am a fine art textile artist, disability activist and blogger. My installation work called Artists and Disability Oppression Up Close and Intensive was accepted for an exhibition in the Upper Waiting Room of the House of Commons. I am a independent artist who has self-funded this project after receiving an emergence bursary from DAiSY Surrey disability arts in 2020. I am looking for funding towards self standing exhibition equipment, publicity material and a private view.
Please help me to achieve this venture - you can make your donation here.
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Soil to Soul - Reconnect to Nature & Rewild Your Soul
15th June 2024 – £90 per person
Join farmers and eco-therapists Tom Mettyear and Mark Sparrow on their organic, regenerative & nature-based Dorset farm, enhancing your connection with nature, farming, food, health and the vitality of your soul.
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On this immersive day on an inspiring farm, you will have the chance to move into a still and peaceful space where you can begin to understand more intimately your relationship with nature and your own true nature. Through sensory experience, nature walks, guided observation and supported meditation, you will have the opportunity to absorb the health & vitality of the land and the chance to sink into a new relationship with the more-than-human world around you. Along the way you will enjoy fabulous food grown, foraged & prepared on the farm.
For a truly immersive experience, the farm campsite will be open on the nights before and after this event exclusively for participants. You can either pitch your tent for free or for £15 per person hire one a beautiful bell tents (you will need to bring your own bedding).
To book please visit www.angelcottageorganics.co.uk or email angelcottage@runbox.uk
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Changing our Minds: Learning to be Ecozoic
A season of free on-line conversations from St James' Piccadilly, London.
We are living in a polycrisis that threatens to overwhelm us. We need profound change in our understanding and behaviour if future generations are to have a liveable future. The ancient Greeks’ had a word for this kind of change: Metanoia, a transformative change of heart or spiritual conversion.
These 4 sessions are now available in video format:
* Rev Shawn Sanford Beck: Being amongst beings: the animate Earth
* Dr Lyla June Johnston, Diné Nation: Indigenous sciences of sustainability: ancient native food systems and their lessons for the future
* Jim Perkinson and Lily Mendoza: Indigenous sacralities underneath state ideologies: reading the Bible, reading modernity
* Sandy Bigtree, Mohawk Nation, and Prof Philip P. Arnold: Changing our minds
To view them, go to:
https://www.sjp.org.uk/earth-justice/changing-our-minds/
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The Element Festivals: Celebrating Nature's Fundamental Forces
Next Festival - Festival of Fire - Sunday 26th May
The Element Festivals are a series of annual events, each dedicated to one of the four Western Elements – Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These Festivals provide individuals and groups with an opportunity to express their gratitude, connection, and reverence for Elements that play a role in spiritual and daily life.
Each of the four Element Festivals is dedicated to honouring and celebrating the power of the respective Element. Participants are encouraged to engage in various activities, such as rituals, artwork creation, parties, environmental and conservation activities or simply appreciating and connecting with the specific Element.
The Festivals are spaced throughout the year, not too close to existing festivals and seasonally relevant to the UK.
Key Dates:
Festival of Air: Spring, the Sunday closest to February 23rd.
Festival of Fire: Summer, the Sunday closest to May 25th.
Festival of Water: Autumn, the Sunday closest to August 20th.
Festival of Earth: Winter, the Sunday closest to November 25th.
Webpage: https://theelementfestivals.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theelementfestivals.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_element_festivals/
For additional information, please get in touch with Adrian: adrian@gn.apc.org
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Creation Spirituality Communities
Reimagining our Story, Hope for the New Humanity
~ The Gathering 2024 ~
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Friday, 31st May 4:00pm – Sunday, 2nd June 1:00pm
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA
With an in-depth exploration of the new humanity in the evolving Cosmos.
With Keynote speakers Matthew Fox and Brian Swimme.
Click on the link below for registration including live stream option:
https://givebutter.com/CSCGATHERING2024
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If we are to continue living with Mother Earth, we need to not only care about the diversity of life she has sought to celebrate but also learn how to read her signs, understand her ways and adapt creatively to living in harmony with her.
~ Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston).
Quotation from Rivers of Green Wisdom: Exploring Christian and Yogic Earth Centred Spirituality by Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston).
4th title in the GreenSpirit Book Series, which is a low-cost series that offers ebook editions ‘free’ for members of GreenSpirit.
For more details of this book visit the GreenSpirit Book Series web page here.
Or find out about the whole book series on the facebook page here
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Deep Time Walks
An online community to help you to run and experience Deep Time Walks - from the beginning of planet Earth through to today.
https://community.deeptimewalk.org
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Kew (London) Nutrition & Wellness Fair
Saturday 8th June 2024
Tickets from £11
Free presentations, classes, live music, food, drinks and talks from Health and Nutrition Experts are available throughout the day. With over 50 stands we have something for everyone!
Click here for full details.
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Exhibition: The Goddess, the Deity & the Cyborg
Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge. CB3 0DF
8th March - 8th September
Including art work by GreenSpirit member Juliet Wimhurst
Click here for details.
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Resurgence Summer Camp
Friday 12th - Sunday 14th July 2024
Green & Away, The Fold, Bransford, Worcester, WR6 5JB
Click here for full details.
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GreenSpirit
137 Ham Park Road, Forest Gate, London
United Kingdom
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You received this email because you signed up on our website or joined GreenSpirit.
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