Exploring Meaning in Life’s Transitions Walk and Workshop

NATURE-INSPIRED – cycles and growth processes

For the past few years, I have intentionally been paying more attention to the cycles and transitions of nature, both within and around me. I have found September to be a particularly poignant invitation to stop and reflect on change; The evenings begin to get noticeably darker earlier, leaves begin to change colour more rapidly and for those with school aged children, or who work in education, the new term begins. There also seems to be a change of pace for many people, a re-evaluating or perhaps an emerging from the holiday season in August.

So, as summer moves to autumn, I offer this workshop as an opportunity to take inspiration from nature to creatively explore meaning in our transitions.

WHAT TO EXPECT – reflection and creativity

Based at Langdon Garden, we will be based outdoors (providing it is dry enough) with use of the beautiful Granary space and decking for shelter looking out to the garden if preferred.

We will move around the garden at your own pace and observe the natural world around us, taking inspiration from what we see. Using asemic* poetry techniques, collage and mark making, we will create artwork on the theme of transitions that explores both meaning and the absence of meaning.

I am a qualified therapeutic counsellor with a particular interest in outdoor therapy and our experience of being alive. (Find out more about me here – www.ferncounselling.space). I will bring self reflective facilitation to the workshop to enable you to explore meaning in what you and others create. I aim to create a gentle, respectful atmosphere and hope to provoke thought and a fruitful space for you to gain a new or deeper understanding of your inner world. The workshop will not be group therapy. You may, however, find it therapeutic.

You may share as much or as little as you like and there will be plenty of opportunity for individual reflection and journalling throughout the process.

A Reflective Journey to Meaning; Walk with me to Langdon

I am offering an optional reflective walk to Langdon Garden for the workshop.

Drawing on the ideas of pilgrimage as a journey, we will meet at St Mary’s Church of Charity in Faversham and walk together through fields and along footpaths to Langdon Garden in Goodnestone. The 2 mile walk is fairly flat.

We will walk for periods in silence, tuning into what is within and around us. I will invite you to reflect on your experience and ideas of journeying, transitions and exploring your own meaning. I will provide some journal prompts and ideas for reflection.

When we arrive at Langdon Garden, you will have 30 minutes to 1 hour to journal about your experience, enjoy the garden and get a drink. You may want to bring a packed lunch and sit by the pond, cooling your feet in the water. Or discuss you experience with your fellow travellers.

For those also joining the “Exploring Meaning in Life’s Transitions” workshop, we will begin at 2.30pm.

If you are not staying for the workshop, you will need to leave the Garden by 2.15pm to allow for workshop participants to get settled into the space.

Please note – you will need to make your own way back after arriving at Langdon Garden. The guided walk is one way only as I will then be facilitating the workshop for the afternoon.