10-12 May 2024
*partner event*
A Meeting in the Woods is a playful and restorative weekend exploring our relationship to the earth and each other in the magical setting of Hazel Hill Wood. We’re weaving together permaculture principles, mindfulness and nature connection practices through play, movement, enquiry and dialogue, affirming our connection to life and the world around us.
We will explore in an interactive and experiential manner how the principles of permaculture and ecology apply to us as human beings. While in our busy everyday lives we might not always feel connected and in touch with the more-than-human, other people or even ourselves, slowing down allows us to rediscover our aliveness and ecological belonging – a connection and relationship that is always present.
The weekend will include:
- mindful free movement and meditation,
- playful explorations in nature,
- self-enquiry through alone-time in nature as well as through dialogue,
- circle sharing around the fire and
- optional access to a sauna.
During the first part of the weekend, the journey is an inward one, into relationship with ourselves. From that place we’ll be journeying outward into relationship with the world around us, which includes people and planet.
The weekend is perfect for you if you are looking to deepen your relationship to the natural world, learn some tools and practices to help you stay in touch with yourself and others in everyday life or if you are simply looking for a nourishing and restorative weekend away in nature.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’
doesn’t make any sense.”
— RUMI
The weekend is facilitated by Michel Thill, drawing on his experience of teaching permaculture for the last 12 years and working with and learning from Joanna Macy, Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community, Chris Johnstone, Joe Proviser at Circle Ways, Chris Salisbury at Wildwise and many others.
No previous experience in permaculture or any other field is required to join. All that is needed is an openness to explore who you are beyond your own skin.
Hazel Hill Wood offers the perfect setting for the workshop – a beautiful, thriving 70 acre woodland with timber buildings that is managed by a charity focusing their work on connection and wellbeing through nature. Directions can be found here. We will help arrange lift shares from and to either London or Salisbury train station.
Timings: Arrival is from 4.30 pm on Friday 10th for a 6 pm start. The workshop finishes by 3 pm on Sunday 12th of May.
The pricing includes a fixed rate for food, accommodation and other expenses as well as a suggested contribution towards facilitation. You’ll be asked to pay a deposit of £100 at registration and pay the fixed fee in full before September 15th. You can then make your choice of what you would like to contribute towards the organisation and facilitation by the end of the weekend and either pay in cash or make a commitment to transfer your contribution on arrival back home.
Fixed fee: £195 – private single room; £175 – shared twin room; £155 – shared dorm (3-4 bed).
Suggested contribution towards facilitation: sliding scale between £75 and £175.
To register, please visit Social Landscapes website and fill in the form at the bottom of the page.
