May East & Daniel Wahl

Holistic Worldview

"To dissolve a paradigm: if we want to change it, we have to get into quantum level, we have to invite insightful creative thinking that challenges assumptions, breaks patterns and rewires our brains."
Danah Zohar

This module will explore the emerging holistic worldview in science, philosophy, history, culture, and many of the social movements and practical initiatives through the lens of spiral dynamics. We are living through a fundamental shift in the guiding worldview of humanity. At the same time as we are rediscovering the wisdom encoded in the diverse worldviews of so many of the world’s traditional cultures and indigenous people, we are also faced with the challenge of integrating these perspectives into a larger guidance system that can help to sustain human and all other life at a planetary scale.

Listening to and Reconnecting with Nature

“A human being is part of the whole— called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature."
Albert Einstein

In this module we will weave together the biocentric perspective of Deep Ecology, the importance of wilderness for the planet and humanity, and the role of people in helping to heal the Earth's degraded ecosystems. Utilising experiential deep ecology exercises, the module will also include nature walks, poem writing and visits to natural places of power around Findhorn.

Awakening and Transforming Consciousness

This module will explore how consciousness creates reality. We will work with the hypothesis that human consciousness is associated with the formation of reality and the act of observation is a process for collapsing the possible in the actual. We will explore the power and influence of intention and motivation on living systems. We will look at how my awakening is your awakening. This exploration will run throughout the four weeks through daily meditation, sharing and reflective practices.

Engaged Spirituality and Models of Change

This module will explore the principles of a socially and environmentally engaged spirituality. We will look at different stages of change and how the transformation of society may begin within the self; how nurturing and cultivating compassion, wisdom and loving-kindness in our hearts can have an influence on social structures; how, by practising mindfulness, we awaken ourselves to the present moment and become aware of the suffering that surrounds us; and how, by awakening ourselves to suffering, we can be the change we want to see in the world.

Transition Training

Transition Training has emerged from the Transition Towns movement, a citizen led initiative promoting responses to climate change and shrinking supplies of cheap energy while building resilience and wellbeing. Packed with innovative ways to delve into the practice of Transition, this workshop provides practical tools which will enrich and inspire participants to take an active role in shaping their lives and communities towards a more resilient, low carbon sustainable future.

At the completion of Transition Training participants will have:

• a clear understanding of the context for Transition Towns, the impact of the global economy in their lives and the personal and transformational possibilities that arise from climate change, resources scarcity including peak oil and economic recession;
• understood what the Transition Towns model is – including an in depth look at the key principles and 12 ingredients;
• experienced joint visioning processes and how to create a common vision for a collective project;
• improved communication skills in order to interact with people at different stages of preparedness for transition in society;
• created a plan of action for oneself and/or one’s locality;
• participated in and helped to organize participative processes such as Open Space and World Cafe sessions