Weekend of Active Hope for Times of Chaos and Crises

​“Don’t be afraid of the anguish you feel. Or the anger or the fear, because these responses arise from the depth of your caring” - Joanna Macy

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​How do we engage consciously and creatively with what’s unfolding in the world around us without shutting down or burning out? During this weekend we make space for our gratitude and grief, our rage and numbness, allowing ourselves to experience collective practices for creating a just and life-sustaining future for all.

​In the midst of climate breakdown, violent conflict and oppression, political polarization, increasing income disparity and ecological destruction, it's easy to fall into despair, overwhelm and numbness. The dominant culture of modernity, built on colonial power and industrial growth, thrives on this psychic numbing. This impedes our capacity to respond with resilience and imagination.

​During this weekend, we will learn about and experience the spiral of The Work that Reconnects and the practice of Active Hope, developed by eco-philosopher and environmental activist Joanna Macy. This work was developed over many decades using teachings from systems thinking, deep ecology, deep time, undoing oppression and spiritual traditions.

​This spiral journey includes four stages that we will experience together as an interactive group process in depth across the weekend. It’s a process we can experience over and over again beyond this weekend, each time gaining new insights, boosting our resilience and strengthening our resolve to act on behalf of all life. Creative arts practice and the work of artists (from spoken word, song, art and film) are woven throughout the weekend to support us in awakening our emotional and imaginative capacities.

​Is this for me?

​This gathering is open to anyone who currently has the capacity in their lives to experience this work within a group setting. If you are called to creatively explore how to be more fully alive and engaged in these unprecedented times, perhaps this weekend is for you. It is suitable for anyone both new to this work or with prior experience.

​The weekend will be experiential in nature and will include dialogue in small groups, some brief optional meditation practices, with periods for silence, individual reflection, creative practice and rest.

​When and where?

​Situated in the town of Tullow, the venue of Teach Bhride Holistic Education Centre provides a supportive space, away from the distractions of business-as-usual, for this work of reconnection with ourselves, with others and with the natural world we belong to. Participants can enjoy the rolling gardens with mature trees and ample seating, nourishing vegetarian food and clean private rooms.

​The gathering will run from Friday September 12th from 5pm until after lunch on Sunday September 14th.

​How much does it cost?

​We are offering this weekend on a pay-what-you-can basis with three options available. The supporter rates will support those who do not have access to financial resources and younger people who have inherited the polycrisis in which we find ourselves. Please pay what you can according to your means and, if you are in a position to, consider supporting those who otherwise could not attend. Your ticket will secure your place with a deposit, the balance of which can be paid before 15th August by bank transfer.

​Subsidised rate, a limited number: €180

​Standard rate: €420

​Supporter rate: €470

​Fees include supper on Friday, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. All meals are vegetarian. Gluten-free and vegan options available by request after booking.

​If your employer or organisation can fund this for you, we are happy to provide invoices and fill out necessary forms. If you are not in a financial position to pay the suggested amount but would like to participate, please email us at sarahjanecullinane@gmail.com

​How do I register?

​To register, please purchase a ticket below which covers your deposit and also complete this registration form so we have all your details. Following receipt of the deposit and completion of the registration form, we will email you with further details.

​Interested but can't make it?

​‍If you are interested but unavailable for this weekend, we will be hosting more workshops and weekend gatherings in the future. You can contact us on sarahjanecullinane@gmail.com to register interest and we will keep you posted on booking details.

​If you are in a group or team that would like to hold a gathering for your group, please get in touch and we can share with you the various options available to facilitate this with an existing group over different time frames. We work with many groups from community and activist groups, to teams in larger organisations.

​About the facilitators

​Sarah-Jane Cullinane (PhD) is a facilitator, mindfulness teacher, and sustainability educator with over 15 years’ experience working with groups. She leads programmes, retreats and workshops with both the general public, and with existing groups including community, advocacy, activist, management and board groups. Her delivery and facilitation work spans the areas of group development, mindfulness, The Work that Reconnects and Council Circle.

​Sarah-Jane is currently chair of the board of the Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland where she’s working with others to make mindfulness-based interventions accessible as part of mental health services across Ireland. Prior to this she held the position of lead Fellow of Education for Sustainable Development in Trinity College Dublin where she led a curriculum reform programme across the University and co-developed transdisciplinary modules on Education for Sustainable Development, the Climate and Ecological Crises, and Work and Wellbeing.

​Josephine Lynch, M.A. Mindfulness-based Approaches (Bangor University), Lic. Ac., Dip. Herbal Josephine was among the first people to bring the teaching of mindfulness in the tradition of Jon Kabat-Zinn to Ireland and has been teaching MBSR/MBCT since 2005. She also is certified to teach Mindful Self-Compassion. Josephine was one of the core team of teachers on the M.Sc. in Mindfulness-Based Interventions in UCD and had been involved in programme development and delivery since its inception in 2014. Her background is in Mind / Body Chinese Medicine. She was involved in developing and working with Sláinte Pobal in Dublin in the 1990’s, an initiative to bring courses in health education into areas of socio economic disadvantage.

​Josephine was one of the founder members of the professional body, Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland, which represents mindfulness teachers in Ireland and was its first chairperson from February 2018 until October 2020. Josephine is one of the founders of The Mindfulness and Compassion Centre and she is co-director of the 18-month Professional Mindfulness Teacher Training programme which the Centre has been running since 2015. She is a community member of the world wide network of The Work That Reconnects and deeply wishes to share this creative response to a world that is on fire.