Come and join us as we lament and celebrate what it is to be human in these challenging times and as we harvest the gifts of community.
Song, dance, ceremony, time in nature... Moving our energy, entraining our hearts to the rhythm of the human and the more-than-human...
This retreat will be an opportunity to reflect on the gifts of the summer season as the wheel of the year turns, and as we welcome in the changing colours of autumn with its keynote tones of letting go and surrender.
We'll be connecting with the energy of this historic and quirky venue and location, close to the river Nar - a 'thin' place where we can let our hearts unfurl and heal, as the medicine in our grief and our praise works its magic.
No previous experience needed, just bring an open heart to give and to receive comfort and communion.
We welcome those experiencing current grief for bereavement, health issues, life changes; and those seeking to heal or address long-term grief, passed down through families and culture.
We welcome those grieving for the natural world, for the destruction of what we love, and for future generations.
We open our circle to the sorrows of our world that so many of us carry - the ways in which our personal troubles are intricately bound up with the suffering of others, both near and far.
We welcome those whose grief is stuck or frozen, or who want to deepen their relationship with grief as a force for personal and cultural transformation and healing.
All of this and more is welcome.
The contents of the weekend will be similar to the shorter sessions, but with more spaciousness to go deeper and higher, and to weave in more gentle community time.
We will travel through the spiral of the Grief Tending in Community approach, as pioneered by Sophy Banks and team, and explore the 'gates of grief' map offered by Francis Weller, another key source for this work.
Connecting with what is resourcing and holding us in life at this time, through invocation and gratitude, we will create a strong container together.
Working with tried and tested practices, we will tend what arises through a combination of work in pairs and in triads, in circle sharing, song and ceremony, and we will have a time of soothing and integration to finish.
This is an alcohol and drug free weekend.
Norfolk Grief Tending is all about seeking new and better ways of supporting wellness and growing community and connection. Being present with our grief, with this most human of experiences, may well be one of the keys to bringing about deep personal and cultural transformation.
Have a look on our website for more on this:
Why Grieve Together
And here are some personal testimonials to find out what others say about this work:
Testimonals
We will be meeting in the beautiful and spacious Garden Room at the Old Red Lion in Castle Acre. Alison, our host, is offering a warm welcome, and is graciously helping us with our preparations. This has been a venue for many a Buddhist retreat and heart-centred community gatherings over the years, and we're sensing there's magic and medicine in the walls that will hold us well.
Standard accommodation is in shared rooms at The Old Red Lion. Some single occupancy rooms are available at a local Airbnb a short walk away, for a small supplement. Please let us know in the booking form what your preferences are around sharing. Nourishing vegetarian/vegan food is included.
Bookings for this event will close at the end of the day on Monday 7th October.
We're offering this residential on a gift basis where you choose the amount of your financial gift. In addition to your deposit (payable upon booking), we'll be inviting financial gifts during the weekend itself (cash and card) and will send more information to help you think through how much you would like to contribute.
As a guide, we are suggesting between £280 and £580 plus £100 single supplement in total (including your initial payment), but it's also fine if your contribution is less, or indeed more.
Have a look on our website for more on this:
Living in the Gift
With thanks to local artist Rob Barnes for our event images. You can look at his linocut creations here
This event is organised in association with the Gathering Gates
Upon reserving your place, we will send you a registration form with some questions which we hope will serve you in moving towards this grief tending place and which will also help us in preparing for the retreat. This is a requirement for attendance, and your place on the retreat isn't confirmed until we have received this.
Further details about what you can expect from the event and how to prepare will be sent once we have received this additional information from you.
We are a registered Charity and we can boost your donation by 25% by claiming Gift Aid, without you paying any extra. Gift Aid is reclaimed by us from the tax you pay for the current tax year. All we need from you is your consent, and your address. We appreciate your support with this.
This workshop is offered from an intention of love, integrity and an understanding of the importance of sharing our grief as part of the healing of individuals, relationships and our world.
As well as supporting us in the expression of our joy, this programme is likely to evoke grief for all participating and take us deeper on our own inner journey.
While we want the work to be available to those who can benefit from it, we also acknowledge that there are times when we don't have the holding to deepen into our grief further.
We ask all participants to take responsibility for putting in place adequate support as you prepare for this retreat. Your agreement to this is part of our requirement for you joining the programme.
As a minimum, we recommend that you have at least one other person you can check in with before and after you return home.
If you are regularly experiencing feelings which feel very intense, or are close to overwhelm, you may need to consider additional one to one or group support. Please speak with us about this if you are unsure.
| Cost | ||
|---|---|---|
Reserve your place (shared room)
Available until Wed 9 Oct 12am
We're offering this event on a gift basis where you choose the amount of your financial gift for the weekend. As a guide, we are suggesting between £280 and £580 in total. Your initial £100 is to reserve your place. Please get in touch if this is a problem for you as we don't want finances to be a barrier.
|
£100.00 | |
Reserve your place (single room)
Available until Wed 9 Oct 12am
We're offering this event on a gift basis where you choose the amount of your financial gift for the weekend. As a guide, we are suggesting between £280 and £580 in total. Your initial £200 is to reserve your place. Please get in touch if this is a problem for you as we don't want finances to be a barrier.
|
£200.00 |
Old Red Lion
The Old Red Lion Bailey Street, Castle Acre
King's Lynn
PE32 2AG