Notes from the Heart and Soul meeting 21 November 2006

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The first open meeting of the heart and soul group was attended by 26 people and facilitated by Hilary and Sophy. Some notes from the meeting follow. Please email me if there are things I have left out, or add them.

After a short meditation, Hilary offered some ideas about the role of the Heart and Soul group:

''Supporting the inner processes of a the transition to a sustainable and equitable human presence on the planet.... and the changes in consciousness needed to create and maintain such a society

If the transition process is made up of petals of a flower, we are both one of the petals and something which runs through all the other petals..'' in particular..

• Personal transformation – inner changes in consciousness that are needed for a social change to be truly transforming – using knowledge and processes that were unavailable to previous attempts at social reform
• How does it feel to be alive and awake in these times? Finding ways to include fear, grief, anger as well as hope and excitement..
• Evolving the new paradigms for thinking, feeling, relating; creating and living as part of a community facing challenges together;
• Inviting and working with a sense of what is greater than human – spirit, soul, the divine, nature, the unknown
• Gaining knowledge and experience that might be helpful for others going through the transition process in the future;
• Bringing psychological insights to the Transition process, for example holding awareness of parallel processes between the wider world and dynamics in TTT groups

Introducing ourselves

Many of those present have skills in working with individuals, leading processes or workshops, facilitating group activities in heart, soul, body work .. We are already a wonderfully diverse and skilled group.. (I’m Very Excited to be part of it).. a few of those mentioned..

Individual therapies, bodywork, healing; Earth wisdom council ; Energy work; Work that Reconnects / Deep ecology; 5 Rhythms and movement workshops; Enlightenment intensive; Interfaith ministry / leading celebrations and worship; Family and Ecological Constellations / Waking the Dreamer; Meditation; Connecting with nature.. Many more – I didn’t manage to get them all down..

Particular themes and requests that have come from the launch, other communications, and from this meeting

• Finding and developing individual purpose • including children in the process, without overwhelming them • Work to reconnect with nature • Creating community events, ritual, celebrations of our achievements • Community engagement • Working with emotional numbing • Bodywork / 5 rhythms – including the body • Non-violent communications workshops • Energy work

From this meeting three smaller groups were started:

Heart and Soul Open Space Purpose: to create an event where anyone wanting to be involved in the Heart and Soul process can come and, exchange ideas, form groups, offer introductions to processes, drink tea and chat… Coordinator: Sophy phone 01364 652342 sophyb@btinternet.com

Community Engagement Purpose: to work with parts of the community affected by TTT projects, and reach out to those not yet involved Coordinator: Janey 01803 863315 janeyfr@yahoo.co.uk

Celebration of achievement Purpose: To come together and celebrate where we’ve got to, and inspire ourselves for the next bit.. Coordinator: Alex 01803 866682 alexis@thedart.eclipse.co.uk

Heart and Soul Website Pages There are pages for all of the following: Heart and Soul events and Groups; Noticeboard for other transition related events; Practices; Inspiration; Ideas and Concepts; Links; Contact us..

Can anyone offer healing / supervision / bodywork? Request from Karen – is anyone able to offer support to those working intensively on the TTT project, e.g. counselling, supervision, bodywork, healing?

ps – there is a page on the main TTT website called SET – Skills Exchange Tradeboard, where you can offer or request skills, help.

'''Next Meeting Tuesday 9 January 2007 7.30pm at Alex’s – 26 Bridgetown. Thanks Alex.'''

Ideas to carry forward

Outreach to practitioners in the area to encourage involvement in TTT / Heart and Soul (please talk to anyone you know who might be interested and particularly encourage people to attend the Open Space day – scheduled for Saturday February 3rd 10.am to 4.0pm)

Creating local groups to support each other through changes / raise consciousness around issues

Sophy 30/11/06