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REBUILDING CULTURE
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Work and Skills
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We are not profit making – it’s
the nature of the task. We have conquered
through these many years by the unflinching
commitment of our small, stubborn, crazed
band of warriors, heroes and visionaries.
And through support from
people who love what we do.
If you have time and skills to offer please
contact us.
Please note what we usually need, most, is
willing hands which do whatever is needed
especially cooking and looking after the
camps and it’s guests. You may also
have a professional skill, which we
haven’t covered yet. Please get in
touch if you wish to offer your
services.
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The Forest of Dreams
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Over 19 Years of demanding and exhilarating
work have given birth to many projects into
which have poured our longing, energy,
desire and love. Most urgent among them
being: THE FOREST OF DREAMS a
project to raise funds to buy the gorgeous
valley which has been a perfect summer home
for all our ceremonies, meetings and
retreats over the years and it to naturally
return to the wild, to return to it's
"original face."
This is a huge task, which is not managed
for profit, The Forest of Dreams is a
registered charity, and for those who can
see the importance of the work, we urge you
to help us. Please visit the
Forest of Dreams website for details on
how to donate and please don't forget to
fill out the GiftAid form with your
contribution.
Please note - The Forest of Dreams charity is a separate company to Spirit Horse Foundation. All donations must be made to The Forest of Dreams and not Spirit Horse. Spirit Horse does not accept donations for The Forest of Dreams.
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Evolution and continuity
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"Let us put our minds together and see
what we can do for our children." - Tatanka
Totanda (Sitting Bull)
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We are deeply concerned that we approach a
manifestation of traditional, ceremonial
culture, wisely, astutely and with
integrity. In particular developing
‘rites of passage’,
‘coming of age’ ceremonies
which would help us to pass on whatever we
have learnt; our growing forest, our
inheritance and our understanding to the
next generation. We are not there yet but
we are moving in that direction. Signs are
that some of our youth are prepared to go
to great lengths to be keepers of the land
and of sacred understanding and carry this
work into the distant and unknown
future.
This involves work, time, study and travel
usually coupled with the day-to-day,
year-to-year running of the Mountain Retreat,
programme of events, visits of outside
groups, and general administration. Young
people who have been with this work during
their growing years have openly, formerly
offered to carry this on.
These are huge tasks, which are not managed
for profit and we appeal to those of you
who can see the importance of the work, to help steer the
work deeper in and further out. Please contact Erika if you wish to support us.
We hope to leave behind something of worth
in terms of beauty of culture, spiritual
roots and preserved land to those
generations that follow us.
“I took care of things entrusted
to me” - from the dying speech of
the high hero Beowulf
“May these efforts be the cause of
great happiness and may great benefit
arise”
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Rebuilding Culture - Why Community?
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Our work begins with individuals who come
to our workshops for their own entirely
personal reasons (healing, spiritual
search, adventure, looking for fun, or
prompted by some form of crisis or unknown
inner secret guide.) People long for change
whilst also being scared of it actually
happening. For those who continue with this
work, a natural graduation occurs. From
concern to get something for oneself, to
concern for one’s part in the big
picture. From need for gratitude. Often
with us moving towards taking part in the
recreation of a sacred culture together.
That is; a culture that is fulfilling to be
part of where ones individual diversity,
idiosyncrasy, secret edge or even craziness
plays a respected, acknowledged or even
sacred role in the evolving culture of the
tribe or community.
Woven into our workshops is an attempt to
address the question of what sort of
culture we wish to be held in and
ultimately to pass on. This exploration
broadens out to challenging (and having a
lot of fun with) our various notions
surrounding speech, dress, music, poetry,
dance, storytelling, architecture, shared
work, children, and relationship to
responsibility and each other. All of this
can be brought to a thunderstorm of
creative crisis by doing something holy
together, a display to the gods of our
longing, gratitude or sense of sacred
exchange: this display is called ritual. We
have found ourselves revelling in the
humour, grief, and struggle inherit in this
evolving work.
What this work requires is human qualities
such as enthusiasm, openness, generosity,
humour, willingness, work, playfulness and
authenticity. And financial support.
Many people are looking for ways to feel
better, few are looking for something to
contribute towards or take responsibility
for. Though that in the end is at the heart
of much of our longing. To find our true
worth and work and to be part of something,
to contribute towards something greater
than one’s self. Something great and
beautiful. This beautiful thing could be a
community involved in sacred ways sharing
the adventure, humour and learning as they
stumble along together, magnificently.
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