Our aims and vision
A creative 'kin centric' collaboration to mark Earth Day.
- To appreciate, celebrate and honour the beauty and inter dependency with the natural world.
- To mark Earth Day, together with others, locally and globally.
- To nurture and enhance well being.
To nurture a kin centric, life centric approach to life.
- To amplify and advocate our chosen environmental and social change initiatives.
-To cultivate relationships with people and movements in the Global South.
- To strengthen a sense of community connection and cohesion.
-To draw wisdom and guidance from The Work That Reconnects.
-To resource people, sustain and unleash life force energy during times of deep uncertainty,
complexity, over whelm and stress.
-To provide opportunities for people to participate in community based events,
local gatherings amplifying Glocal ( Local and Global) environmental and social change action.
-To help resource individuals and communities to practice cultivating joyful,
embodied resilience for change making.
- To learn, share and practice songs, embodiment, story, information, TWTR and
mindfulness practices
- To actively participating in something regenerative, restorative, energising and inspiring.
- Actively strengthen gratitude practices, whilst acknowledging the current challenges
and complexity.
To bring Intergenerational groups of people together with a team of experienced facilitators.
"Perhaps we have been speaking the wrong language, seeking a change of mind when really what we need is a change of heart."
Charles Eisenstein- Creating a New Story
Why singing, movement and tending to our connection with nature?
Singing together helps to strengthen communities as it is essentially a bonding activity due to us releasing significant
amounts of oxytocin (our bonding hormone) when we sing and move together.
Using movement with song helps us to access the wisdom of our bodies and to relax and release tension stored in the body.
We know through neuro science research and trauma informed practice how
effective song, breath, embodiment and movement can help to assist the healing and recovery of traumatic experiences.
Song and embodiment practices help co regulate our whole nervous system
and calm the vagus nerve.
Movement dance and embodied practices release endorphins (our feel good hormone) - we feel better when we move and sing!
Process oriented singing provides a channel for expressing a whole range of emotions
and can help to relieve stress, anxiety, cultivate unity, lift our mood and strengthen resilience.
- Why now?
During the Covid Pandemic song, dance, music and nature connection were vital for many of us, helping to maintain and sustain our well being through these incredibly turbulent, stressful and challenging times.
Those of us who work in leading groups in song, movement and music making sense what powerful and effective practices they are in helping to enhance and nurture well being, belonging, connection, and health in times of adversity.
Due to the Climate Change crisis and the information shared in the IPCC report in
Autumn 2018 we know that radical change needs to happen.
Many of us feel the deep call to engage with environmental action and restoration both locally, Nationally and Internationally.
Song, music and dance in change making:
Singing and music are intrinsic to being human. Many cultures and traditions hold these practices as central to life thriving - we have evolved singing, dancing and playing rhythm together.
They are often used for uniting people and communicating powerful messages of vision,
social change, justice, and transformation.
Most successful movements which have taken place throughout history have used songs and music as an
effective way to communicate, resource and unite people.
When done with intention we can also cultivate a strong connection with nature.
Nature connection and simple ritual can help us to connect with the great web of life- the more than human world,
This can help inform and guide us, bringing us into a deeper sense of inter connection and belonging.
We are very grateful to be able to draw wisdom from The Work That Reconnects - a vast and brilliant body of work
gifted to the world by Joanna Macy
This sits at the beating heart of this initiative and has informed our Grief and Gratitude theme
Our sense is that all the Earth day events are like 'acupuncture points' being felt in the energy field.
Background:
The impulse for this initiative came during a meeting Liz was at a few years ago with
Clare Dubois ( founder of Tree Sisters),
Polly Higgins ( Ecocide Lawyer and co founder of The Stop Ecocide Campaign)
and Gail Bradbrook ( co founder of Extinction Rebellion)
Skeena Rathor ( being The Change)
and several others
The vision was of people gathering to participate in a creative nature tending process infusing
The Work That Reconnects spiral practices with song, music, movement and nature based practices.
For life as life and for gatherings and events to take place on Earth Day.
What do we receive and give?
This process can enhance and strengthen our sense of interconnectedness with life.
The creative and mindful practices we share can help to foster a deep sense of belonging to life.
Of radical acceptance and compassion.
Participating can help to cultivate joyful connection, helping to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation.
We will learn and share creative nature tending practices to be in reciprocity with nature.
Through raising awareness and responding to the current Ecological Crisis
we will be involved in being the change we want to see in the world- regenerative change making.
What Difference does it make?
People who have taken part previously said:
'There was a felt sense of bonding together with others at a time of isolation and loneliness. I looked forward to every Thursday, as after each session, I felt so much better. Thankyou everyone! '
' Taking part in the series helped to lift my mood every week as I have been feeling a lot of hopelessness, particularly with the environmental crisis.
This felt such a positive thing to be involved in and it helped to get me through the Lockdown in the winter'
Being part of the series helped me to feel more connected with myself and with others. Even though it was online which really surprised me!
I came away from each session feeling more hopeful, creative, joyful,
I felt less anxious, more energised and grounded in my body, especially after the song and movement sessions.
There was a brilliant variety of teachers and artists and all towards such a needed cause.
More of what people say:
'It helped me to feel more connected to nature which I often forget to make time for
This now continues to help me feel more resourced to do the work I do and support my children.
I left the session with a growing sense that I am/ we are a part of nature rather than
feeling anxious and separate.
It was both inspiring and strengthening to be part of a community of people who are all wanting to make a positive difference in both big and small ways to the environmental situation we are in.
'Thankyou for helping me to forge a more intimate relationship with the natural world
through song and movement.
I love to sing but to be able to really drop more deeply into my body and movement was new to me.
That element of it has been really wonderful and very helpful to me on so many levels.'
'Through participating I have discovered new ways of resourcing myself and being in relationship with nature and people.
It has been the highlight of my week every time. ...can we do this all year round please!?'
'It was such an uplifting, supportive and inspiring process. All much needed in the times we are navigating.
Thankyou for doing this! I hope many more people can take part and benefit from it as we continue to do what each of us can to help protect our world for future generations'
I felt really burnt out after being involved with a lot of activism and taking part in this has helped
me to feel well again.
To know that I can use these practices to help me when I am feeling over whelmed has actually
become a real life line. Thankyou so much- remembering gratitude!
' This is the work of our times- thankyou for all you and your team are doing.
I loved being able to bring my kids along to the Sing For Earth walk we did on the Old Beacon'
'We really appreciate the support you are continuing to give to the Earth Protector Communities Initiative.
Thankyou for doing it in such a brilliant, inspiring and creatively engaging way!'
Who we support:
We are supporting three initiatives all making a positive impact in the Climate Crisis help people to feel that
they were contributing to positive change making.
Tree Sisters founder speaking with Jon Snow- London Oct 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJlBteEj0bo
See here for Joanna Macy's Interview- Leading In a Climate Changed World:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzvBCxdM1TQ&t=83s
Polly Higgins speaking at The Hague- Dec 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgQ9kVzy1TM
Dare To Be Great Ted Talk - Polly Higgins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPUmN88htCo
Vandana Shiva- We Are All Seeds
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX5jsq74fAo
Being the change we want to see in the world.
Through the Work That Reconnects practices people said they felt more supported and energised to become
actively involved in taking positive action, both in their local community and further afield.
People said that they felt more resourced to be able to continue to make positive changes in sustainable ways without
getting stuck in despair or burn out.
Communities of people have the opportunity to be a part of a co created, uplifting and bonding experience.
Some ways to support positive change:
Sign up to the Stop Ecocide Campaign- Change The Law and become an Earth Protector to support the Ecocide Law
to be passed Internationally. Donate to them as well if you can.
There is also an opportunity for your town to become an Earth Protector Town
see their website for details.
Become a member of Tree Sisters - donate as a way of giving back to nature and in support of this radical reforestation project taking place around the world, reinstating feminine based leadership as we co create the new paradigm of becoming
a Restorer Species.
Now is the time for us to innovate and co create a sustainable future together. The great re set!
To act on behalf of nature as we are nature.
To remember and reclaim the ancient Indigenous wisdom of these lands through nature tending ceremonies, using song,
music and movement to bring healing, connection, celebration and a sense of belonging to all life.
This is a core part of our collective home- coming.
Our love song in action for our one Earth, our home.
Creating a New Story
A New Story by Charles Eisenstein proposes a narrative shift for the climate movement. Embracing love of nature, he writes,
moves people beyond denial and passivity to the action necessary to protect life on our planet.
See here for interview and Q and A with Jem Bendell and Charles Eisenstein :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRYEHOStmss