What if we learnt to slow down?
From Tuesday 20th June to Tuesday 15th August 2023, we will host our second action inquiry into the question ‘What if we learnt to slow down?’. This is an invitation for individuals to join us in an emergent exploration of what it means to live / work / do / be / feel more slowly.
Over the course of 9 weeks with one midway pause, we will meet for 2 hours weekly (6-8PM UK time on Tuesdays). In each session, we’ll explore different perspectives on slowness, and be invited to play with ideas in creative, experimental and thought/feel-provoking ways. The sessions will run online via Zoom and will be recorded, and we will use other methods of capture to record our journey, such as Google Docs.
In the final sessions, we will reflect on what has emerged from the journey and bring together our stories of slowness.
Follow this link to express interest in joining us: https://forms.gle/SsNzTXGWbSsBdep69 and we’ll be in touch!
“This was a precious space to slow down and stop and breathe and become more conscious about myself.”
“The benefits extend beyond what you expect at the start, to a deeper understanding of your mind and body. Initially, I felt slowness was needed in response to burnout, whereas now I think slow should be an active, starting point rather than a response.”
“I thought Sophie and Lucy were just heaven. Really genuine, calm, generous facilitators. Obviously deeply passionate about the work.”
Is this action inquiry for you?
You might:
Feel that your work/life balance is not quite there and you want/need to change
Be self employed or freelance or experimenting with different ways of living and working
Be working in an organisation but feeling frustrated / alone / sensing gaps, but there’s no time or will to stop
Be going into, sitting in or coming out of a period of slow or transition for whatever reason (burnout, sabbatical, parental leave, bereavement)
Feel your work is out of alignment with your core values and want to get curious about this
Have a general sense that the way we work/live contributes to the state of the world, and want to explore how to engage with that more personally
Be JUST FUCKING TIRED
In this journey, we will:
Have space to slow down and tune into the ‘quiet whispers’
Explore how living and working in ‘speedy systems’ has affected the way you move and feel in the world
Explore what it means to move from ‘knowledge’ in your head to ‘knowing’ in your body
Develop our trust in ‘more-than-rational’ decision making and moving differently in a chronological, competitive and patriarchal world
Hear and share different perspectives on what it means to slow down
Engage with slowing down kaleidoscopically and creatively, through frameworks, poetry, journaling, spell writing and creating
The journey flow
Week 1
Introduction and context
How might we notice where speed is showing up in our lives and work?
Week 2
What does speed do to our bodies and ideas of self and work?
Week 3
What does it mean to slow down? Why might it be important?
Week 4
How might we recalibrate time and develop pause / periods of fallow?
Week 5
Fallow week
Week 6
How might we live with slowness? What shows up when we do?
Week 7
How might we re-magic or re-enchant living and working?
Week 8
How might we bring slowness into our year ahead?
Week 9
How might we express our journey together? Do we need to?
Pricing
This journey is priced between £200-500 per person joining, with the following suggested pricing structure:
Low income: £200
Medium income: £300
High income: £400
Place paid for by organisation or other institution / paying it forwards: £500
We ask that you give as much as you can, while honouring your capacity in this difficult economic context and without feeling resentful. Higher payments will go towards providing a bursary place. We do not want price to be a barrier, so please get in touch if you’re unable to pay that or any amount — let’s chat!
Each action inquiry is capped at 10 places only to ensure that there is enough spaciousness for it to be meaningful for you.