24th – 26th November 2023
With Leo Rutherford, Ruth Humming Ford, Paul Cerigo & James Mills.
At Shawfield Complex, Laughton Lodge, Nr Lewes, East Sussex BN8 6BY
The last three to four years of lockdowns, threats, blame, shame and guilt have brought a load of grief to many individuals, families, communities. This weekend is an opportunity to release some of that held emotion, stuck feelings and regain your natural vitality.
Grief and sorrow are natural parts of life. Everything has a beginning and an ending and it is inevitable that we will encounter sad times as well as joyful times. Sadly we do not have cultural rituals to help us release grief, sorrow, resentment, anger, and all such emotions. The ceremony we will do is based on teachings from Malidoma Some of the Dagara tribe of Burkina Faso. I learned this from him many years ago and have created ceremonies in a similar manner which have aided a great deal of release.
From Martin Prechtel’s The Smell of Rain on Dust:
“Grief doesn’t go away. It can change into many things and will, but as a substance and presence it never leaves. To have caused and witnessed suffering and loss of life means grief is eagerly awaiting your decision as to what direction it will take in your destiny: to make more life or to make more death and violence, internally or externally. The best decision is that all grief be turned into life-promoting grief-based beauty and usefulness. The willingness for violence-shattered soldiers to heal others makes their malady into medicine.
If a society is alive, and aware in this way, then those who have suffered loss will have a chance to heal, and those who have caused loss will be socially supported to sprout a new type of life-making person out of the death they have caused: a person who can now help others to heal from their losses, instead of both of them causing more loss to the rest of the world. This not only gives a place to these people, but having been remade into a new type of human, they will become an indispensible necessity for the future well-being of the community on the whole.”
When we know how to let ourselves grieve, we can lose a loved one or end a relationship, or a phase of life with a sense of completion and fullness that allows us to love again next time. When we are willing to feel the sadness of grief, we can afford to care deeply for those with whom we must eventually let go. When we have never had the support and guidance to grieve in a healthy way, endings of all kinds can feel like a piece of ourselves is being ripped away. Why would we ever want to be that close, care that much ever again?
When we are so afraid of grief that we close our hearts to sadness, the doorways to love, to beauty, to joy are closed as well. This ceremony is to help us to re-open ourselves.
When:
24th – 26th November 2023
Arrive any time from 4pm Friday. Evening session 7-9pm.
Saturday 10am–approx 9pm, Sunday 10am-5pm.
Where:
At Shawfield Complex, Laughton Lodge, Common Lane, Nr Lewes, East Sussex BN8 6BY
Cost:
For Weekend – £215.00. £180 supported, £240 gifting.
Booking deposit £60.00
Bring share for lunches, wear loose comfortable clothing. If you can, please bring a blanket/ cushion.
Some residence at venue. Or local B&B/ AirB&B etc.
More info:
Ruth Humming Ford: ruth@talkingtree.co.uk / 07961 504243.
Booking:
Booking deposit £60. BACS Ruth Ford 60-83-71; 5956 8986 (Ref- Grief) or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/hummingruth/40
Pay Full Weekend: