This is a facilitated retreat exploring how an enriched relationship with the natural world can benefit our sense of well-being, at a spiritual, emotional as well as physical level.
The natural world has a profound capacity to resonate with our human feeling states both energetically or through the symbolism that may be found e.g. in the changing seasons or the passage of night and day.
Tuning-in to this can help us tune-in to ourselves. When we are truly open to an encounter with Nature, it not only enriches our relationship to the natural world, but also can connect us to the deep places in ourselves and lift us beyond ourselves.
Although many view Nature merely as a resource to be plundered or as an object of scientific enquiry, there is also a long history within many spiritual and religious traditions that recognises a wisdom from within Nature.
This Wisdom may be seen as coming from a Higher Being or from Nature itself. In more secular circles too there is a growing recognition that spending time outside in Nature increases our well-being.
The retreat will be experientially focussed with most sessions outside in the grounds and surrounding area (weather permitting). This will entail some walking on rough ground and the gradient to the beach.
The sessions are group based but offer space and time for your own personal experiencing of Nature. The aim over these few days is to offer guided opportunities to explore what it means for you to encounter Nature in an intentional, contemplative way.
Morning and evening in chapel there will be time to reflect on readings that express and explore our relationship to Nature and to ourselves. These will be drawn primarily from writings of John O’Donohue, but also from a range of other sources e.g. nature writing, ecopsychology and spirituality.
Julie Walker is an ecologist and psychotherapist and draws on her skills and experience to share her passion for the natural world and encourage others to also value it more fully for themselves. See also her website: www.pathwayspsychotherapy.co.uk