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Article: Ancient Confusions- EMES gathering in Bergen - an exploration of Deep Ecology and Ecofeminism

”Our Quaker faith of that of God in all, taken to mean in all human beings are too narrow an expression, and we need to see that all life is one, something that includes the rock and the running creek.” Joanna Bower, 1995 I had the opportunity to head out to Åsane folkehøgskole outside Bergen, for the EMES annual gathering. I had not expected to find any spiritual inspiration when I arrived, mainly concerned with jumping into Fjords and opening myself to the experience of visiting Norway. However I was inspired by the keynote lecture was given by Per Ingvar Haukeland entitled ‘Heavenearth: in the light of all new things,’ a lecture linking Deep Ecology, Quakerism, and Sustainability. An audience member drew attention to the fact that Haukeland had used few female thinkers in his sources. Haukeland suggested that we reach behind the gender of the speakers to the spirit which inspired them. I am not writing this article to criticise Haukeland that question made me curious to exp...
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The last Saturday of YALP

The group is off consulting one another about the future of young adults at Woodbrooke, and I am hanging out in the Garden Lounge. I don't really have anything to say. A Saturday alone in a pretty place with a load of food and some random Norwegian music is probably what I need. Woodbrooke is infamous for piling on the pounds. You could easily have three full meals and not do anything to compensate. In the garden there is a labyrinth, the pond with the little boat, and the wooded area. It does look like a little piece of paradise. I should have spent more time just sitting here tapping away at a lap top. The course sessions were good, but I wasn't really in the right place to listen to ideas and theories about the early friends, and where Quakerism is going now. At least I had some perspective on where I am going with all this spiritual journey business. I don't think I set out to find God, I just needed a place where questioning was acceptable. I thought the day b...
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The last YALP Residental

I am back north. Here for the funeral and here for YALP. I suppose in theory I am supposed to finish this blog I started last year, but I am emotionally wriped out. I have been taking part in sessions as much as possible. I have been learning things about Quakerism which had left me confused before. I learnt about why we don’t always talk about our spiritual experiences in meeting, and we thought about ways in which that could possibly change. I certainly don’t think any of my spiritual experiences could be pointing towards a fixed truth. I don’t know what they mean, I have no idea f they point towards there being a God. I don’t even know what they mean for me entirely. It can help to share it sometimes. Quakerism is more about the form, rather than the content, and though it can be liberating to fill in your own blanks, it can be lonely and perhaps newcomers can get lost. 
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Just before the end of YALP..

So the weekend after next is the last residential. I am happy about it in a strange sad kind of way. I like writing about journeys, so I look forward to reflecting on how I have grown since last summer. A lot has changed, I had my heart broken, I left London, and I think you know, if you have read my blogs, how the story goes. Stories. I still haven't started my project. Last night I was at the last YALP online catch up and we talked about the difficulty of the phrase 'spirit lead'. I think I was taking it too literally in the sense that I was waiting from a sign from the spirit (or whatever you want to call the highest good in atheistic terms or otherwise). Perhaps that is too much to expect that the spirit would confirm to a time frame of one year. I didn't feel moved by the spirit, even when I decided to start getting involved in sustainability. So that is a point to debate in our residential discussions.   
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Transitions (Heading towards Norway and the end of YALP)

As the title suggests, I am heading to Norway to present the 'Living Archives Project', to Europe and Middle East Section (Quaker organisation). I am quietly super excited. I will explain in more detail when I write the 'Norwegian blog'. In July, the Young Adult Leadership Programme will draw to a close with the last residential in Woodbroke. I am again super excited in a quiet sort of way. I am no closer to deciding what my project will be, the spirit hasn't moved me towards anything as yet. That is ok; I can wait. My mentor told me that the course attracts people in transition on a subconscious level. I imagine people change from young adult hood to adult hood, from one career to the next career. As for my transition, I still feel very much in the throws of whatever may come next after I left teaching behind for a while. I moved from the city, and suffered heart break, all huge life changing moments. I feel I have come of age in terms of mental and physical...
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Change of Plan (back to the Artist's Way)

Sunday was supposed to be my creative day, but I really struggled to focus on anything other than work related activities. Contrary to my previous post I think I do need to go over some of the Artist's Way, but perhaps not the entire course. Just dip my little toe in and see if it helps refocus that time I set aside to focus on my creativity. 
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Moving on from the Artist's Way (for now)

It took me a while, but I decided I perhaps didn't need any more positive re enforcement of my creative artistic status, right now. I am going to pass on doing the artist's way entirely again, and just pick and choose what might be helpful. I think I know this now, or I am awakening the artist within or something else. I had my moment screaming it from the roof tops. That is enough.  Instead I am going to try and find a writing class, and probably push myself to take a singing lesson, despite being economically a bit short currently. Now I just need to go ahead and hone 'the thing'... And hone it again... Until it is honed...
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