Finding Strength in Uncertain Times - Ted Bowman's Inspirations

Ted included The WordTherapy Centre once again as part of his UK tour.

On Saturday 11th November we were delighted to welcome Ted Bowman and a full house of workshop participants to the Psychosynthesis Trust in London. We were grateful for the opportunity to create a valuable space for the exchange of words and feelings as well as the sharing of resources. 

Ted, a leader in the field of writing for therapeutic purposes, facilitated a thought-provoking workshop on the theme of Living with Uncertainty.    

The day began in a unique way with us joining together to sing the uplifting words of 'Somewhere to Begin' sung by Sara Thomsen. 

Ted spoke about giving voice to or moving our story from the inside to the outside and invited everyone to write about a song or poem they use at difficult times in their lives. One participant shared how she finds strength from the song by Labi Siffre 'Something Inside so Strong.' 

The poem 'Father's Song' by Gregory Orr inspired us to think about coping messages and risk.  

'Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House' by Billy Collins provided a humorous prompt for us to write from on how we reframe our perspectives. 

There was a poignancy in the lines of Gillian Clarke's poem 'The Miracle on St David's Day' - a true story about a person with dementia who 'remembered there was a music of speech and that once he had something to say'. This reminded us that even in the most uncertain and unlikely times there is joy and meaning to be found. 

We ended the workshop by writing on hope and where we find peace.

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A Group Poem: Inspiration and Process

We were thrilled when this group poem evolved from our shared writing at November's Time to Write at The Hummingbird Studio, in Brighton. 

Poem:

The impact of the oar in water.
I like this space it feels light, airy and welcoming.
Running through the undergrowth
lolling in the long grass
brings back so many memories of my childhood years

Causing ripples that last forever.
I notice the small figure in the valley 
where the steep sides of the hills rise up,
not dancing but in limbo.
In limbo, aware there's great anxiety 
but still that sense of freedom

One instant, one moment
a pivotal point.
I wonder what the humming bird might say to me?
All your dreams and ambitions - 
so much to be valued and prized.

We can't unmeet.
Through naked outstretched arms 
of trees, we see the distant hills. 
Beneath our feet, the squelch of mud and water.
Standing behind a waterfall
a sense of awe and wonder. 

Process: 

It began with each member of the group writing freely for about half an hour from one objects and paintings in the studio. 

From their writing each person selected four lines. They numbered the lines from one to four. 

We shared back in turn our first lines then each in turn our second lines, then third and fourth to create the poem above. 

Here's an example of the lines one participant chose from their writing:

The impact of the oar in water.

Causing ripples that last forever.

One instant, one moment

a pivotal point.

We can't unmeet.

What Do You Really Want This Christmas?

Engage with the reality of Christmas 

through expressive writing.

Are you looking forward to Christmas or is it a time you dread?

What's your Christmas Story?

Join us on 25th November for writing prompts and inspirations to help you cope with the festive season and reframe your Christmas story if you want to.

Time To Write 

Saturday 25th November 2017

10.30am – 1.30pm

Hummingbird Studio, 107 Havelock Road,

Brighton BN1 6GL

Ted Bowman Guest Blog: Living With Uncertainty

Thank you to Ted Bowman for a deeply personal guest blog
on the theme of his workshop,11 November 
at The Psychosynthesis Trust, London Bridge

limited spaces available here 

Living with uncertainty is a challenge. Even though people and families have resources, no matter how troubled they may be there is a yearning for clarity and continuity for most. 

I have been eating a similar breakfast of cereal, yogurt, fruit, granola and coffee for years. Yes, I can divert when in another’s home or for “special occasions” when eggs or waffles seem to be the better choice. But I revert quickly back to routine.

In April, I experienced the death of a grandson. That broke the rules of routine and a kind of generational justice. Grandfathers are not supposed to bury grandchildren.

In the midst of my grieving, I was sitting in a bi-monthly group that gathers for writing and supportive care of one another. Here is a poem I started that day.

Severe Clear

The prompt for the bi-monthly writing group was
Where were you when…a world changing event occurred?
Some came prepared with the first step on the moon
Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas
I thought of the sit-in at Woolworth’s in Greensboro
Most remembered September Eleventh

One person brought the September 24, 2001 New Yorker
With one line from the beginning of an article
“The day began with what pilots’ call
Severe clear – seemingly infinite visibility”
We were urged to write with whatever the sentence prompted

Immediately, the lyrics of a song were in my mouth
“I can see clearly now”, by Johnny Nash.
It kept playing in my head, stuck on the first line
No further lines emerged, only that one
I sang it discreetly while others wrote

In reality, I cannot see clearly now
My vantage is blurred, blocked, and bereft
My vantage is severe, not clear
Dying and death do that
I saw clearly a grandson on life support
The same young man I will never see
Except through reverse lenses and memories
I yearn for severe clear 

That will unravel the mystery of his too-early death
Instead, I am left with a wobbling faith
About assumptions, expectations and dreams
About choices, friends and drugs
About family and friends who looked but did not see
I yearn for the lines I cannot remember
“Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day”

Infinite One, may it be so…one day!

Looking back from now (end of October) to then (May) I recognize my uncertainty and my struggle with it.  Writing helped me then; writing helps me now. Living with uncertainty gets a wee bit more clear when it can be addressed, named, discussed, or shared.

In November, I will be in London to meet with others in an experience initiated and sponsored by the WordTherapy Centre. I look forward to sharing with others as we all attempt to live with uncertainty. It could be a bright, sun-shiny day…or it may fit the stereotype of London in November.  No matter, to be with other writers will lift my spirits!

Ted Bowman – October 2017

I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash

Writing Together in Brighton

Fun prompts. A safe space. Just write...

Our next Time to Write is Saturday, 28 October. We have a new venue - Hummingbird Studio, Havelock Road, Brighton BN1 6GL.

Here are some photos and feedback from our first Time to Write in September. 

"An unbelievable space where you really do get to new, different, deeper levels of thinking."

"I appreciated the freedom to write and felt comfortable not having a definitive theme on which to focus."

"Really positive time to reflect and write in the company of like minded people from diverse backgrounds."

"Great sweets!"

"Thank you for a safe and nurturing space where we could weave the magic of our writerly selves."

"I felt like I progressed my own ideas and thinking which I will use outside of the workshop."

"A rich and valued opportunity. Thank you, see you next month."

Happy National Poetry Day

Here's a poem by peace activist and buddhist monk Thick Nhat Hanh

They don’t publish the good news

They don’t publish
the good news.
The good news is published
by us.
We have a special edition every moment,
and we need you to read it.
The good news is that you are alive,
and the linden tree is still there,
standing firm in the harsh Winter.
The good news is that you have wonderful eyes
to touch the blue sky.
The good news is that your child is there before you,
and your arms are available:
hugging is possible.
They only print what is wrong.
Look at each of our special editions.
We always offer the things that are not wrong.
We want you to benefit from them
and help protect them.
The dandelion is there by the side walk,
smiling its wondrous smile,
singing the song of eternity.
Listen! You have ears that can hear it.
Bow your head.
Listen to it.
Leave behind the world of sorrow and preoccupation
and get free.
The latest good news
is that you can do it.

Thick Nhat Hanh

The Arts Are Good For Your Health

Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing

We welcome this Report published in July 2017 which sets out research, evidence gathering and discussions with health care professionals, patients, artists, MPs and policy makers. Produced by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing it follows two years of inquiry.

The Report finds: "arts-based aproaches can help people to stay well, recover faster, manage long term conditions and experience a better quality of life." It also shows how arts interventions can save money and help staff in their work.

It recommends the National Institiute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) includes the use of the arts in healthcare in its guidance where evidence justifies it and hopes that:

• New collaborations will be formed across conventional boundaries.
• The thinking and practice of people working in health and social care will be influenced. 
• A new culture will grow that supports the government in the process of change towards the creation of a society which is both healthy and "health creating." 

Finally the Report calls for "all those who believe in the value of the arts for health and wellbeing to speak up." 

It goes on to say "We will work with all who believe, as we do, that the arts offer an essential opportunity for the improvement of health and wellbeing."  

To contact the APPG and lend your support to the arts in health, email Alexandra Coutler on: coultera@parliament.uk

This post was first published in a slightly different form on Christine's blog at WordWell Writing Workshops

Time to Write

Would you like time and space to write?

Time To Write workshops from 10.30 a.m. - 1.30 p.m. Saturdays: 30 September, 28 October, 25 November 2017 in Brighton.  


Cost:  £60 for 3 workshops, £40 for 2 (if booked together), and £25 for one. 

What you'll get from Time to Write: 

• time to write in a held space
• inspirations for writing if you want them 
• the opportunity to write alongside others
• space to share
• feedback if you wish  

Writing can feel lonely at times as well as easy to put off or difficult to start! These low cost sessions offer a held space intended to get you in the writing flow whether you're a beginner writer or someone who already writes. 

Time to Write workshops are a space where you can write alongside others on your work in progress or use the inspirations we bring to get writing. There'll be opportunities to share your writing and ask for specific feedback if you wish.

These workshops are for you if: 

• you'd like inspiration to get your writing flowing 
• you need designated time to write on your own project
• you're new to writing
• you enjoy writing in the company of others  
• you'd like to share your writing 

 
Venue: 300 Restaurant, 300 Ditchling Road, Brighton BN1 6JG 

Writing in Nature

It was a bright and sunny day - just right for our writing in nature workshop at the Garden House on Saturday, 10th June.

The Garden House is a secret garden tucked away behind houses in Warleigh Road, Brighton. It's run by Bridget and Deborah who host a variety of workshops there. And a really special place as you'll see from the photos.

The writing prompts we used were inspired by a visit to the North Wales forest last year for a weekend of writing facilitated by poetry therapist Jill Teague. 

Writing 1: Find a space in the garden and write about what you see looking out and around into the distance. Go with the flow of your writing.

Writing 2: Find something you're drawn to. Focus in on it. Write about what you find. 

Writing 3: Re-read your writing and underline the words and phrases that stand out to you. Use them to create a shorter piece of writing or poem. 

We found these prompts worked really well. 

Feedback from participants: 

"It felt a safe environment with everyone being supportive. It felt like the words wanted to spill out of me during the exercises and the course more than fulfilled my hopes and expectations."

“A wonderful experience of having time and space to write creatively amidst the beauty of a summer garden."

“I found the exercises varied and challenging but in a good way! I would have liked more time for the workshop as it goes so quickly!"

A Fox Crossed My Path

We were delighted to welcome Monica Suswin for the afternoon on Saturday 29th April 2017 to hold her powerful and thought-provoking workshop on the sensitive subject of her own depressive illness.

Monica described the process that led to an owning and integration of her Ill Self alongside her Well Self. She shared extracts from her new mini book A Fox Crossed My Path - creative therapeutic writing on a depressive illness along with writing exercises, followed by the opportunity for discussion and questions.

Monica explained how an encounter with a real fox many years ago and reading the poem The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes led to the fox becoming a metaphor for her illness.

Workshop participants were invited to think of a metaphor (a symbol/something very real and concrete) to represent the abstractness of illness, mental or physical, and to free write on this image. By giving things a personality and getting to know them better we can form a relationship with them. In this way something internal like illness may begin to become externalised. 

For Monica the technique of making lists has enabled her to make meaning from the chaotic impact of her illnesses. She asked everyone to write down a list of six things about either their own or someone else’s illness or a traumatic event in their lives. This led to some deep sharing.

The afternoon ended with Monica sharing her poem ‘Comforting Myself. She asked participants to write a sentence or two about what comforts them.

Fox illustrations c. Olivia Haughton

The mini book A Fox Crossed My Path is useful for practitioners in the helping professions by illuminating how Writing for Wellbeing may be a resource for those they work with.

For anyone who has suffered a depressive illness and is in the stages of recovery, the different ways of writing shown in A Fox Crossed My Path might be good to try, perhaps with the support of a practitioner in the healing arts. Each chapter ends with writing exercises based on different styles and approaches to creative and therapeutic writing. 

You can purchase a copy of A Fox Crossed My Path by Monica Suswin for £10 direct from her at monicasuswin.wordpress.com (including postage and packing).

More about Monica:

Monica blogs at: monicasuswin.wordpress.com

Her website is at: www.cabinonthehill.co.uk 

Monica offers workshops on the healing power of writing; supervision or mentoring, as well as sessions on all aspects of writing.

Writing Together

Our second Animal Magic workshop took place on April 8th in Brighton. 

It was an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning - writing together in the upstairs room of the old Hop and Vine restaurant (now named 300). We were happy to welcome Tag, a doe eyed lurcher-collie cross pictured below who behaved beautifully - until lunch when his hunger overwhelmed him and he helped himself to some of Diane's pizza! 

We took inspiration from poems by Ted Hughes (The Horses), Mary Oliver (The Swan) and John Drinkwater (Deer) and wrote from Native American animal medicine cards to describe the sensory aspects and qualities of the animal we'd chosen. We went on to write from the animal's perspective or to imagine an encounter with it. 

During the two hours we shared writing about a porcupine, a whale, a bear, badgers, foxes, a snake and a butterfly.  

We look forward to holding more opportunities to write together.