Having worked as an acupuncturist in the area for the last 16 years, I have come to believe that one of the barriers to personal wellbeing is the mistaken idea that it is something we can achieve alone. All I have learnt through my years of practice and study has reiterated to me that we are, at our core, a social species. We yearn to be understood and to be helpful, to love and to be loved.
To amplify the importance of this message, I decided to try to offer others the experience of Collective Wellbeing, the happiness that comes from meaningful connection and shared purpose.
In autumn 2024, I began this journey with a series of workshops inspired by the element of Metal. The experience was so rewarding and the response was so encouraging, I have decided to continue the cycle with Earth, the element associated with harvest; and I am no longer alone! Out of the Metal courses, a team of five of us came together — each bringing our own gifts, ideas and perspectives — and we’re now co-creating and holding the Earth courses as a shared offering to the community.
Framed around the elements of nature, each course explores what it is to be human in these times, and how we can support ourselves and one another to live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives.
By connecting with the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, Wood and Metal, and exploring the latest science of happiness, we will learn how to improve our physical and mental health and how this relates to everything and everyone around us. We will discover ancient theories and practices such as Buddhism, meditation, yoga and Qi Gong; learn about the incredible history of our world; experiment with art, craft, music and play; learn from and about each other and ourselves and look forward to what is in store for our amazing planet and all its myriad beings, including us. These sessions will be held in different places in our beautiful landscape so that we can also learn about our own special place in the world.
Each session will contain:
- An exploration of a specific aspect of the Element we are looking at
- Content related to the past, from deep time to the present
- Meditation
- Some form of movement
- Personal reflection and journaling
- Group reflection and discussion
- Nature connection activities
- A creative or group activity
The weeks will build on one another and work consecutively, but they will also be designed so that you can drop in for one or as many as you feel will be useful.
The three workshops start with Session one on Friday 29th August 2025. Session two is on Saturday 30th, and Session three is on Saturday 13th September.
Full details of the dates, locations, and each workshop can be found below.
Cost:
It is our heartfelt wish to offer this course as authentically as we can and to anyone who is drawn to it. Therefore, we are offering it based on Dana. Dana is an ancient Pali word meaning generosity or giving and comes from the Buddhist tradition.
In practice, it means that at the end of the course, you will be asked to consider the value of the experience and teachings you have received and give what you can to ensure that courses can continue for others. There is no set price – just like all other aspects of our lives, each of our financial circumstances is unique. In the Dana tradition, the amount is less significant than the intention to enhance the lives of others. This is an intention which has kept the Buddhist tradition alive for the last 2,500 years, it is a commitment to our Collective well-being.
We continue the journey with Earth, which is associated with Harvest time.
Session One – 29th August 2025 – Walls Hill and St. Anne’s Hall, Babbacombe
In this first session of the Earth series, we begin by preparing the ground, building trust and connection within the group and introducing the Five Elements framework for those new to the journey. We’ll explore the physical and emotional qualities of the Earth element, focusing on the Stomach and Spleen, and how their anatomy and function reflect Earth’s stabilising, nourishing role in our lives. Drawing on both ancient wisdom and modern science, we’ll walk in the steps of our ancestors by foraging for medicinal berries and making a simple, versatile remedy to take home. The session also includes nature connection, an introduction to meditation, and a gentle savouring practice. Through stories, sharing, and games, we will begin to plant seeds for the journey ahead and practise the simple act of reciprocity so beautifully modelled by our planetary home.
10 am – Welcoming Circle
With introductions and a shared gratitude practice
Introduction to Core Concepts
Paradigms and mental models and edge emotions
Introduction to Meditation
A trauma-informed guided meditation to help us connect with the grounding calming Earth within
Introduction to Earth
Exploring the Earth element in ancient traditions and how it fits into the bigger picture
The organs of Stomach and Spleen, and their link to Earth
Foraging on Wall Hill
Gathering seasonal harvest, with stories and cultural perspectives on the importance of respectful relationships to the land
1 pm LUNCH
Walking in the path of our Ancestors
Turning our harvest into elderberry syrup while learning about the science and healing power of these plants
Evidence-based wellbeing support
An exploration of one of the things we can do to support our Earth Element, and an invitation to practice
Nature connection activities
Savouring and grounding practice
Closing Circle
A closing reflection with time to share insights
Finish 4 pm
Session Two – 30th August 2025 – Parkfield House, Paignton
This week, together, we will delve more deeply into the feelings and emotions associated with Earth, what precipitates them and how they express themselves in and out of balance. These include generosity, kindness, tolerance, empathy, worry, rumination, craving, and resentment. We’ll reflect on the ways that settled agriculture and harvest time have shaped our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the wider world, and explore what Buddhism has to teach us about living well and in tune with nature’s rhythms. Once again, integrating ancient wisdom with modern science, we will begin to explore practical tools to enhance our own well-being and that of those around us. Through collective challenges, meditation, games, and nature-connection practices, we’ll investigate what helps us find the balance we need, as individuals and as a group, to feel steady, supported, and connected. Expect opportunities to collaborate, reflect, and create together. We’ll be getting our hands dirty as we shape symbolic sculptures from clay and craft unique prayer flags to carry messages of hope and reciprocity into the wider world.
10 am – Welcoming Circle
With introductions and a shared gratitude practice
Introduction to the Season and Emotions of Earth
Earth, Harvest, Abundance, Generosity, Kindness, Tolerance & Worry, Rumination, Resentment
How these emotions go in and out of balance
Earth Crafts
A chance to play, making clay figures to take home and natural pigment prayer flags
Evidence-based wellbeing support
An exploration of one of things we can do to support our Earth Element, with an invitation to practice
1 pm LUNCH
Cognitive Biases and their impact on our lives
Craving and Hedonic Adaptation and their Antidotes
Metta Meditation
Loving kindness meditation for self and other
Walking in the path of our Ancestors
A walking timeline of the past 300 000 years
Game
Creating a fertile garden – The dance of reciprocity
Closing Circle
A closing reflection with time to share insights
Finish 4 pm
Session Three – 13th September 2025 – Shekinah Grow, Paignton
In this final session, we’ll come together to celebrate the harvest, both literal and metaphorical, as we honour the journey we’ve shared and the community we’ve cultivated. This is a time for reflection, for deepening our sense of connection with the Earth and all its beings, and for exploring how we might live in greater reciprocity with the world around us. We’ll consider what ‘giving’ and ‘taking’ mean in today’s world, and explore how the systems we are part of both shape and are shaped by our values and choices. Through shared practices, movement, sound, guided visualisations, and meditation, we’ll explore the many gifts of the Earth and ask ourselves: Is what I give and take in balance?
As we explore modern food systems, diet and the microbiome, we’ll once again look to our ancestors, practising ancient cooking techniques, sharing food, stories, and songs, and planting seeds, both literal and symbolic, for the future. Expect warmth, creativity and celebration as we give thanks together and explore how to carry the spirit of Earth forward into our lives and communities.
10 am – Welcoming Circle
With introductions and a shared gratitude practice
Introduction to the Microbiome
How our microbiome is linked to the rhizosphere of the soil and what this means
Qi Gong
Gentle grounding practice
Soil, Agriculture & Health
Exploring our connection to the soil, and the impact of modern agricultural practices
Meditation
Loving kindness meditation to all beings
Evidence-based wellbeing support
Exploring how nature connection supports our Earth Element
1 pm LUNCH
System Traps & Opportunities
Seeing the System & Shifting the Goal
Group Activity
Writing a collective poem to the Earth
Party
Shared, food around the fire, songs, games and Closing Ceremony
Finish 4 pm
