Spring-Time Correspondences
Incitation:
In the words of ecological anthropologist Tim Ingold, 'There's a thinking that joins things up, and a thinking that joins with things'. In his book, 'Correspondences' he is interested in the latter, and this is a wonderful idea to connect with for us here, as intuitive creatives, exploring and uncovering what is most meaningful and lifegiving to us.
He arrives at such a wonderful place, by being sensible of a world that is more-than-human. Where we humans share existence with everything that is not human, and allow it its own beingness. In that sense, our being human becomes becomes a verb, - to human, and from there we must alow other life forms their own versions of being: 'Treeing', 'Lichening', 'stoning'....and so on. In this world, although things are ditinct from one another, nothing is locked in - they are all interconnected.
Imagining into such space then can make wonderful use of our creative imaginations, in nourishing and life-giving ways. Rather than reducing things to theory or stasis, we allow them life, movement, and the capacity to surprise us. Noticing how that light is falling on that blade of grass can be a source of wonder...and something to correspond with tright now, in my own body where i feel its warmth and brightness meet my emotional aliveness.
If this is speaking to you, then you are in a place of good company! Please keep reading, and please consider joining us at one of our free monthly commuity gatherings to see if this ethos is a place you would like to bring your creative self.
Our offering here is to share with you compassionately held space, and creative re-sources and practices, to support you in finding into your own intuitive creativity as a wisdom source.
Our practices are about orienting to deeper ways of knowing and experiencing ourselves in our lives, that we might become humans with capacity to take part in solving the problems facing our planet, by beginning by knowing ourselves deeply in location - not seperate from our square mile of intimate location, but from within it.
If you are getting the Inner Yes to this too, then why not become a subscriber to our newsletter to receive regular blog posts, featured content, and discounts on Soul Shed workshops and courses. It would be wonderful to have you as part of our growing internation creative community.
Invitation:
Inspired by Ingold, and as always, by the trees themselves, this year, the Take it to the Trees project is in its fourth year and is branching out (did you like that?!) by exploring some of the other organisms that are just as interdependent with the trees as we are. As always this is journeying that includes your heart and body, just as much as your open curious mind, in making these contacts an connections with the More-than Human.
If you would like to connect with this project then please do join the new Facebook Group : Seeding your Imagination at The Soul Shed. or follow it on Instagram @deepmappingjourneys
And if you'd like a copy of my book,
'Take it to the Trees' where this Deep-mapping adventure all began...
Incantation
Here friend of The Soul Shed, actor James Nicholas reads Kipling's poem 'The Road through the woods' which he recorded for our forthcoming creative walks in Alice Holt forest as part of Alton Walking Festival. These are already fully booked at the time of writing, but we plan to offer more of this for our local community, and as ever, the creative inspiration that comes from collaborating will always find its way back into our offerings.
Imagination
Your access to imaginal space is a wonderful way to connect with the emergence and new beginnings found in Springtime as it comes to you inwardly, and to your corner of the world.
Along with our correspondences with the wildlife around us, The Soul Shed is also walking an archetypal journey this year and the archetype we are with at this time is 'The Emperor' and exploring the theme of inner authority. You can be seeded by this theme in the Facebook group too, or follow @the_soul_shed on Instagram for more.
Meanwhile the Deep-Mapping theme we will be coming into with the new Strawberry Moon on Friday 5th May is the Forest Canopy and Fairytale. you can join in with this on the new facebook group too, and on Instagram @ the_soul_shed.
On Sunday 25th June there will be a Free online event - Uncover Inner Correspondences: Deep-Mapping with the Trees near you. This will be based on my book 'Take it to the Trees' mentionaed previously and a great first event to come to if you're curius about Deep-Mapping as a way to get to know yourself in place.
Inspiration:
With a wonderful growing international community of creative humans connecting here, I'm aware that spring might not quite have arrived with you, or that you might be going through a different seasonal shift...I do still believe that there will be nourishment to be found for you in this wonderful poem, read by its author, Li-Young Lee. I will leave you with a link to the indescribably beautiful 'From Blossoms'
I look forward to creating with you soon.
Samantha Taroni
Photograph by Abby Collins