We were super delighted and honoured to participate in this conference hosted by Concordia Arts in Health Centre. The multi-venue conference brought people together to look at collective climate action through creative systems change. Our workshop took place on a therapeutic farm in Lancaster, Ontario, and the day was filled with rich exchanges and generous sharing.
The day wouldn’t have been what it was without the animals (a few photos) :
It was also made especially memorable by the hosts, the two Heather’s, who attuned the group to these animal’s intelligence, sensitivity, and capacity to love us.
Our workshop drew upon this setting, as we asked participants to be led by their intuition towards a non-human species on the farm, plant or animal, and to simply sit with it and listen, using contour drawing as an attentional tool. They were also invited to imagine they were the other being, and to write down the being’s wishes, and hopes for its future.
One woman wrote as “Boo” from MerryMac farm :
I’m curious and unafraid (and cute too!)
I want to be around mine and yours
As long as there is grass (and strawberries too!)
As long as we have space (not in Elon’s space but on Earth)
As long as we feel safe (not in Flanders field but in Pat’s poppies field)
We’ll be ok, as long as we connect, in our own crazy considerate way
Thank you very much Heather McLaughlin and the organizers, Heather MacIntosh and Pat the hosts at their refuge farm, and all of the participants for this very healing and generative experience.
Spoonful of Dirt 