A radical holistic edge-fusion learning space with a collection of really useful collaborative tools for making social-ecological just change.
A radical holistic edge-fusion learning space with a collection of really useful collaborative tools for making social-ecological just change.
Workshops
HEdge Space
A Holistic Do-it-Together Tool kit.
Radical creative & holistic workshops to support people bring about just change, together
Workshops
Goin’ back to go Forward:
Visions and Intentions for Change
Date: January 2022
Purpose:
Regroup, Sketch out visions and set intentions to make change together, informed consent
Location: The Giants Playground, The Burren Co. Clare
Co-Researchers: 7, AS, CC, CI, EC, FMW, SP, NJ,
Duration: 2.5 hours
Workshop Purpose:
Reconnecting as a new group and identifying visions for change and setting an intention to bring that about together.
Praxis Questions:
-
Why did you come back for this workshop?
-
What is your vision of social-ecological change in 2022 and through this collaborative work? Dream.
-
How would you like the next workshop to be designed? What are the next steps to put our collective vision and intentions into action? Thinking about ‘Who, what, why, when where and how’, can help with this design process.
Workshop Structure
Activity 1. Meet and greet at carpark. Walk to the workshop location. Connection and grounding together over tea. Give session overview.
Activity 2. Creative eco-embodied reflection and visioning activity. Why did you came back and what are your visions for change in 2022?
Activity 3. Tea
Activity 4. Share back on reflections, visions and experiences of the activity.
Activity 5. Short input about AB-PAR. Distribution of informed consent forms & invitation for questions on the form.
Activity 6. Workshop evaluation and feedback
Activity 7. Co-Researchers walk back to carpark together
Introduction
I ran this workshop twice to facilitate peoples availability. One person came to the first session with 6 coming to the second.
In January 2022 we met at the Giants Playground, Mullach Mór, in Burren, Co. Clare for our first core PAR workshop. The purpose of this workshop was threefold: Firstly, to re-gather people and reflect on why we came back together, create visions for change, and set intentions to make some change together in 2022. Secondly, it was to revisit the concept of PAR, and introduce the informed consent forms, which needed to be read and signed to participate in the core PAR process, and the public actions in particular. Thirdly, it was to commence the core PAR process in an outdoor location, as working primarily in outdoor public places was central to the research practice.
Workshop Location
For this first core workshop, I selected the location for its rich ecological environment, magical atmosphere, and its relative accessibility (car parking and a surfaced road to walk on). Secondly, I selected it for its cultural and Celtic spiritual connections. And lastly, for its radical grassroots movement history. The Burren Action Group was set up by John O' Donoghue, a local poet, spiritual philosopher and activist, to protect the sacred mountain from development for tourism. It is
a wonderful place for wandering, quiet contemplation, connecting with self, others, and nature, to inspire visioning.
In workshops subsequent I encouraged others to select the workshop locations.
The Giants Playground, Mullagh Mor, The Burren Co. Clare. Giselle Harvey, 2022.
John speaks of the Burren landscape in a way that calls for reflection on how we are engaging with landscape and life.
'I love this landscape, when you bring your body out into the landscape, you are bringing your body home to where it belongs, because with all due respect, human’s bodies weren’t really made for offices, for streets and corners and tight places. In the Irish psyche the landscape has a unique presence. One of the wonderful insights of the Celtic imagination was that the landscape is alive. I think that it makes a huge difference in one’s life when you leave your house whether you believe you are walking out into a location which is simply dead space that you are crossing to get to where you want to go, or whether you believe you are actually walking into a living universe, if you believe the second, then your walk becomes a different thing.' (ref)
Activity 1. Meet and greet, connection and grounding.
We met at the small carpark to walk at the workshop location together. This shared journey allowed us to take in our environment slowly and connect with it and each other, and become grounded for the workshop. We had tea on arrival and I introduced the activities.
Activity 2. Creative eco-embodied reflection and visioning activity.
Everyone was invited to gather some art materials, snacks, and the praxis workshop questions, and head off into the landscape to do the reflection and visioning exercise individually.
I came back to connect with the topic an see how I can contribute further to the group, to connect with my creativity.
To borrow/adapt tools for my own practice. For observation, participation, curiosity, new experiences. C1
Activity 3. Tea
Activity 4. Share back on reasons for coming, visions and experiences of the activity.
Some reasons people came back for this workshop
Its a way of building community in connection with nature, of reaching into myself and outside of myself at the same time. I found the first workshop rewarding in that we were all being creative individually and it all came together into a sort of group creativity.
We took lots of different natural materials and made a gorgeous mess on the table with it. A mess is another name for a big pot of soup, and I think there are few things more communal than big pots of soup. That was how the first workshop affected me, it was like making and drinking soup with some fellow humans.
My memory of the first workshop is not visual but tactile I remember there were materials that felt very dry and light to the touch, bone dry twigs and wool so I choose a charcoal stick to draw something with but the picture won't be important, just the experience of holding the charcoal which is also very dry and light. NJ.
Sparks. Excitement in a deep place.
because I knew there was a reason I committed. I feel grateful
to be a participant in something that is a bit of a mystery yet creative and socially ecologically aligned.
I feel that I want/need support in my intentions for change
and action. I'm curious. I hope to get some new perspective.
Some nourishing time spent with others in a creative way.
Nourishment, Inspiration, Connection.
it was a phrase that really stuck out to me in the last workshop.
It speaks to my desire for action and education simultaneously. It feels inspiring, lights me up, awakens something in me. It's messy but clear. gets my mind going with ideas. AS
-
Other ways of knowing
-
Collective sustainable activism
-
Liminal edges ait eile
-
Pay attention. EC
Curiosity as to where the project would lead. Reflections.
I bring the memory of the practice for me to let go, to not have my art be systematic, learning to let inspiration land whenever it chooses, no control of outcome. Saying that,
I ask if this second workshop will continue that 'lesson'.
Will I let things just Land?
Sitting on this stone the sun peaking out from behind the clouds, birds landing taking off from the pond - nature is perfect and there is no needs for perfection, symmetry or control. CC
Some of peoples visioning
Nature has Rights nurture those rights.
Respect, love, kindness,
Listen, watch, breathe.
Who are we? What part in all this do we play?
Shout out from the mountains, beaches, hear us listen, it is time, it has to come, a common consciousness, collective consciousness, global communion, look, listen, feel it - everywhere love abounds, beauty is in abundance, tiny, small, large, enormous, it all is connected,
We need each other.
I always dream of communities intentionally living in small pockets weaving together the skills needed to live simply, the artist, the bakers, the gardener, the shepherds, the healer, all working, teaching, sharing and growing
Curiosity
Exploring
Empowerment
Fighting Uniting Learning
Connecting with Past and Future
Creativity Change
Push Boundaries Find New Ones
Activity 5. Short input about AB-PAR and distribution of informed consent forms & invitation for questions on the form.
Activity 6. Workshop evaluation and feedback:
Benefits:
-
Reconnecting to Inner Playground. Workshop as protective/sheltered space for connecting through play. Allow time for play/process. Change maybe happens when we allow time for connection and play.
Exploring what change means to us/participants, first through art/play and then with words. -
People connecting in the process without the pressure of outcome
-
lovely set up, enjoyed the short walk into unknown, arrived at tea and treats in magnificence of Mullach Mór – wonderful.
-
I like well organised events. I enjoyed the conversation. So inspired sitting at the base of Mullach Mór - in all of its beauty
-
I like being in touch with nature, the weather was kind.
Challenges, Suggestions:
-
More of an understanding of what this is about.
-
Key comment: Weave intentions and knowledges together for next workshop
We closed the workshop by bringing our intentions and visions together in collage of our feedback sheets, as seen in the image header of this page
Activity 7. Co-Researchers walk back to carpark together
Key Generative Themes From the Sessions
Key visions articulated a desire for community, like a big pot of soup, housing, locally produced goods and connection. Approaches to collective action that were sustainable, creative, less heady, playful, spiritual, empowering, strategic, nature centred, feminist, anti-capitalist, that could link in with others, build solidarity and community and stay with the trouble.
Key Really Useful Questions From Goin back to go Forward.
-
Is this strategic? Does it need to be?
-
Where can we intervene?
-
Can we link up?
-
I bring the memory of the practice for me to let go, to not have my art be systematic, learning to let inspiration land whenever it chooses, no control of outcome. I ask if this second workshop will continue that 'lesson'. Will I let things just Land?
-
Who are we? What part in all this do we play?
-
What are we doing, protesting/ demonstrating/ highlighting /educating / other?
-
What issue are we highlighting-collectively or individually? Are we agreed on issue, or many issues?
Session Resources
Resources
Link
Link
Link