Workshops

Our conference workshops are an unmissable opportunity to receive practical tuition from experts with years of experience working with the elemental kingdom. Our workshop leaders, many of whom are also speaking at the conference, have been gathered from around the globe and bring many different perspectives on perceiving, communicating and working with elemental beings.

Attracting nature spirits into your home garden

Workshop leaders: Claire Hattersley & Michael Bate
Location: Weleda Herb Garden (to be confirmed)
Max. no. of participants: 25

“The biodynamic preparations bring the life into your garden. They’re like magnets for life, they’ll actually draw more life in”

— Claire Hattersley in a 2018 TV Interview

Claire Hattersley, the Head Gardener at Weleda UK, and Michael Bate, her predecessor, will introduce workshop participants to the principles of Biodynamics as used in a working herb garden. The aim of Biodynamic (BD) agriculture is to bring about a self-contained harmony within a farm or garden working with planetary influences, non-chemical preparations and, most importantly, the elemental beings to bring this about.

You will be introduced to the biodynamic 'tools in the box' including the compost preparations, the horn silica spray and the horn manure spray. Everyone at this workshop will get an opportunity to stir and apply a BD 'prep'.

Whether you are growing flowers, vegetables, fruit trees or a combination of these at home, the introduction of BD methods and preparations into your garden will attract nature spirits and thus increase the vitality of soil and plants. Some seasoned gardeners hold the opinion that the biodynamic approach to the soil helps redeem the earth.

Workshop participants should bring a bag containing their wellies and a change of clothes (just in case). Afternoon tea and coffee will be served on site.

About Claire & Michael

Claire's first career was in exhibition design following her award of a Fine Art degree in the mid 1980's. On becoming a home-owner she discovered an overwhelming passion for gardening which eventually led to her becoming a biodynamic gardener for Weleda over 20 years ago. As Garden Manager, she is responsible for 13 acres of Demeter-certified land and the cultivation, harvest and processing of the herbs that go into Weleda's natural remedies.

Michael was Garden Manager at Weleda UK for 30 years until 2012 and has since completed the Certificate of Goethean Science Training in Switzerland. He also runs Goethean Plant Study workshops and is on the Standards Committee for Biodynamic Certification in the UK.

Walking with Trees

Workshop leaders: Glennie Kindred
Location: Eastwood Hall Grounds
Max. no. of participants: 20

“Trees are rooted in the interconnected web of life. They help us to leave behind our separation consciousness and aid our ability to receive from the subliminal world of elementals, tree spirits and the Imaginal Realms. The more sensitive and open we become to their sentience, the more levels of interaction and communication we exchange.””

— Glennie Kindred

The workshop includes a guided walk with Glennie Kindred to meet some of the native trees in the Springtime grounds of Eastwood Hall, to learn from the trees themselves by deepening our understanding of their core signature qualities, their myths and folklore, and their herbal and metaphysical potential for healing our selves and our relationship with the Earth. Walking with trees becomes a meditation and a blessing we experience as we expand into gratitude for all the beautiful trees we have in our lives and in the world and recognise their vital importance for environmental and climate stability.

The workshop will include a shamanic journey with a tree, to ask for their collective wisdom and guidance to help us move forwards into an interconnected, inclusive and generous-hearted future. We will create a talisman, or touchwood, to anchor the understanding we have received during our time with the trees this afternoon, with basic wood-working techniques being taught. The afternoon will end with a simple ceremony to give thanks for the trees and to celebrate our new ways forwards.

Participants may find it beneficial to bring a fold-up chair or blanket to sit on. Please bring your own penknife if you have one, otherwise Glennie will provide them.

About Glennie Kindred

Glennie Kindred is a respected teacher and much-loved expert on natural lore and Earth traditions. She has a strong and committed following and is renowned for her ability to enthuse people with joy, love and wonder for the Earth and especially our native trees. She is the author of twelve books, including Sacred Earth Celebrations, Sacred Tree, The Tree Ogham, Earth Wisdom and Letting in the Wild Edges. She founded and ran the ‘Healing Areas’ at both the Glastonbury Festival and the Green Gathering for many years, and also co-created the “Nature Spirit Retreats” at Chalice Well Glastonbury, was a keynote speaker at the Chalice Well Unity Conference and ran many ceremonies there. She co-founded the Earth Pathways Diary, a not-for-profit organisation and networking resource that inspires our connection to the land (see www.earthpathwaysdiary.co.uk ).

Glennie is a committed Earth Restorer and Earth Protector and lives in Derbyshire, where she grows native plants and trees, writes, gives talks and runs workshops. Her new book Walking with Trees will be published in 2019. Her website is www.glenniekindred.co.uk.

Exercises in the landscape to aid perception of elementals

Workshop leader: Karsten Massei
Location: Weleda Herb Garden (to be confirmed)
Max. no. of participants: 25

In this workshop we will ask how we can enter into a dialogue with the landscape and learn to gauge its different moods and qualities in order to sharpen our inner perception. This repetitive practice of “coming into harmony” with the surroundings is vital in preparing ourselves for the possibility of future exchanges with elemental beings.

Workshop participants will also be introduced to the step-by-step practices necessary to undertake such exchanges and all questions will be discussed and answered in detail. Each person’s individual way forward will eventually become clear to them, but common to all is the underlying requirement to sharpen one’s perception and consistently carry out the practices.

Communicating and co-creating with the elemental kingdom

Workshop leader: Susan Raven
Location: Weleda Herb Garden (to be confirmed)
Max. no. of participants: 40

In this workshop Susan will introduce and explore the methods and exercises leading to seership and communication as prescribed by the philosopher, scientist and seer Rudolf Steiner. Participants will focus on ways in which they can build a line of communication with the Nature Spirits in order to gain information about and insight into their parallel world. By consciously working together with the elementals – which reside in earth, water, air and fire – we can become responsible co-creators at this critical time in our evolution.

An encounter with nature spirits

Workshop leader: Tanis Helliwell
Location: To be announced at the conference
Max. no. of participants: 50

In this interactive workshop you will experience visualisation techniques and practical tools to:

Meet a nature spirit (elemental) that wants to work with you
Learn how to strengthen nature spirits and to create sanctuaries for them
Discover your body elemental to maximise your health and energy

Experiencing the presence of elemental beings

Workshop leader: Marko Pogačnik
Location: To be announced at the conference
Max. no. of participants: 30

In my work with elemental beings I have developed different means of approaching their world and experiencing their presence and qualities. We will do exercises corresponding to the given conditions of the place, e.g. old trees, water, stones, or a vegetable or flower garden. The purpose of this workshop will be to get personal experience of the elemental world and to support the elemental dimension of both the conference and workshop site.