The plan: A story walk around dusk into the woods. The walk through the woods to a place in the land. There we sit, have a fire and hear an old story in a circle around the fire. After a reflection on the story walk back to the lower car park at Stanmer Park Nature Reserve, Stanmer.
Purpose: Stories reflect of the deep psyche, it’s compelling images and transformations. They offer food for the soul, a mesh of images spun only from somthing invisible; language, and sound.
Telling stories outside the listener becomes mirrored in the living images of tree, root, bird, animal, star, darkness, fire, and the moment of telling.
A story allows one to feel a thread of connection to the place it is told in. The images of story touches the places the dream of the listener and the dream of nature meet in the telling.
The ear finds a way into a story and the heart finds a home.
The fire, the woods and the ritual elements (circle, opening, story, reflection, closing) offers the psyche a wild container to feel the shape of itself in and experience the mythic imagination.
After the story the circle of people have a chance reflect on the images in the story and their own story.
After some music we close the circle, give thanks and walk home under stars.
You will need: a fold up camping chair/stool to carry, some water, hiking boots, a camping mug, a flashlight. The walk is at around dinner time, we don’t plan plan to eat together, but it might be worth eating before or packing a snack.
If it rains very hard: We might do it anyway if it’s raining lightly as we put up a temporary tarp, but if there is a storm or very heavy rain we will refund and reschedule
Meeting Time – Meet at 5.30pm – aim to return to Stanmer car park 9pm.
Timings – The walk to the site is about an hour. The story circle about an hour and a half, and about an hour to walk back.
Location – Stanmer Park Nature Reserve – Lower Car Park
Agreements : This is an event for adults or young adults in a more or less lucid state of mind and able to be present in this state to the woods, the self and others. Therefore it is a drug, alcohol, dog and child free experience.
Toby Chown 