Fire in the Head ethos

 
(vernal equinox, by Roselle; mixed media)

'I went out to the hazel wood / Because a fire was in my head...'
W B Yeats, The Song of Wandering Aengus

At the hub of all my work is my belief in human potential, and the power of the human spirit in conjunction with inspiration and creative expression to renew, re-envision and regenerate itself. Alongside this is my own commitment to environmental issues and sustainability at a profound level, plus a strong need to celebrate: this earth, its beings, the fact of being alive.

A common theme running through all my work is a dialogue between inner and outer landscapes; this is underpinned by my own Zen practice and training in transpersonal counselling as well as a lifetime spent in rural living and also in wilderness exploration (as much as is possible in Europe). I guess you'd call my work ecobardic.

My own creative work primarily takes shape through words and images: my books and my paintings. Equally important, though, is the work I do with others, primarily in the fields of creative and reflective writing, but always with an undercurrent of soulwork and the evolution of consciousness. I believe passionately that our way forward as a species depends on our growth in terms of consciousness, and eco-consciousness in particular.

Increasingly I'm finding that I want the work I do to deepen our relationship with the natural world, and to this extent from 2010 many of my workshops have taken that focus (see in particular 'Ground of Being' on the Courses page).

To this work I bring a lifetime immersed in literature (especially poetry), art, archetypal and transpersonal psychology in which I have a counselling qualification, wisdom traditions (especially the British Mystery Tradition – Celtic bardic/druidic work) and the human potential movement, all informed by mindfulness techniques from Buddhist practice.

I've been privileged to work with many truly lovely people.

I'm interested in the power of the word, and in the importance of communication. I am interested of course in what makes good writing. But I'm also interested in writing with soul and imagination, and in writing as practice: writing in the service of truth, wisdom, evolution of consciousness, psychospiritual development and as therapy. I don't see these things as mutually exclusive, although sometimes one focus will take precedence over the others.

My courses will enhance your understanding of the tools and dynamics necessary to create work that is the best you can produce; and frequent feedback suggests that they also enhance your understanding of yourself and of the world. (A few testimonials at bottom of main 'Courses' page.)

I believe that the writing process is as much a passionate journey into inner space as it is about reaching an outer creative destination. I believe in the alchemical power of words to forge connection: to oneself, to each other, to the natural world, to creative consciousness and the human potential movement, and to the silence from which words grow... and if these things interest you too, then welcome, friend.

I offer:

Groupwork for adults; currently in creative writing, & in writing for therapy, for self development & environmental awareness (see 'Ground of Being' on Courses page)

Workshops for schools (& INSET days for teachers) drawing together creative writing, environmental awareness & emotional intelligence, often outdoors

One-to-one mentoring, tutoring & coaching in writing, creativity & personal development (exciting new options coming this autumn), copy editing, proofreading & manuscript appraisal

Two correspondence courses (writing the novel, and poetry).