A new Spirit Horse initiative. We propose to befriend, learn from and hopefully assist a small community (for example in India, Mongolia or Africa) that may be struggling to maintain and keep their culture or land.
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 financial loans and gifts 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.
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 summer camp, 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 financially contribute, to help steer the work deeper in and further out.
Contributions to ‘Roundhouse Appeal’ with an accompanying note marked ‘A future for Spirit Horse’, to our usual address.
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”
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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