EDINBURGH Seasonal circles: reimagining change

Seasonal circles: reimagining change.

Seasonal circles are a quarterly, outdoor, reflective practice space for people interested in social change. Edinburgh circles will be led by Ellie Hutchinson and Rachel Adamson. Ellie is founder and Director of the dots: making the connections for change, and Rachel has worked towards social change for 20 years in a variety of sectors. For the past 10, she has been co-director of Zero Tolerance, working to prevent violence against women. 

Who is this for? 

Folk working for social change; you might be an artist, a wellbeing practitioner, a researcher involved in a consultancy, a practitioner or service user in a community group, a faith leader, a parent, work for a CIC, a charity, or work in the public sector. This includes volunteering. 

What you’ll get out of attending

• Build on your reflective practice

• Support your capacity for imagination and change 

• Support your ability to take change back into your setting

• Develop a network of peers and strengthen your relationships with others working for change

Why seasonal circles?

Rachel and Ellie know that our systems, and the people who work in them and use them, are burnt out.  This is not an individual problem, but a system one. 

We know that people are struggling with compassion fatigue, cynicism,long waiting lists and a crisis of imagination. There is a carelessness that shows up when we are tired and juggling too many things. We know that the normalisation of far right attitudes and behaviours has taken root in our politics, our workplaces and our communities, and it is having a direct impact on our work, our families and on ourselves. 

We need to go beyond the roots and into the soil of what is happening, and why. 

To do this, we need time and we need space. We need to think and we need to dream. We need to reimagine how care shows up in our work.  Often, we are told that we don’t have time to do this. That every second of every day must be spent doing social change. That unless we are completing forms or sitting at a desk or in meetings, we are not doing enough. We are not productive enough. We are not helping enough. We refute this. 

We believe we need to make time. The mindset of urgency is holding us all back, we are spread too thin, we are running to stay still. 

We need to pause. 

Seasonal circles are an invitation to do just that. 

What are seasonal circles? 

Seasonal circles are quarterly, light touch, reflective sessions where we will draw on the beauty of Scotland’s great outdoors and think about the small changes we can make in our systems so that we can collectively create the bigger changes we need. 

The first circle will be held in either The Botanics or Holyrood Park on the 30th September, 3:30-5. We will look at what folks' needs and preferences are and let you know at least ten days beforehand. 

Our first circle will draw on the autumn equinox. As such, we’ll be reflecting on balance and harvest.

What is the format? 

After you sign up you will receive an Autumn poem to reflect on before we meet. On the day, you can choose to take part in the way that works for you, quietly or in discussion, walking, or sitting. 

3:30 Greeting each other and grounding

3:45-4:15 Reflection prompts - discussion in pairs, or alone:

•  How are we approaching balance as we head towards winter? 

• Where are we finding warmth?

• What are we letting go of? 

• What have we learnt this past season? And how can we share it? (what are we harvesting? How are we sharing this?)

4:15-4:45 Circle discussion - everyone comes back together

• What came up for us?

• What are our themes? 

• What is a small thing we will take back into our work to sustain us this season? 

4:45-5:00 Close 

If you choose to take part in discussion, we will pair folk up. If you’d prefer to, you can walk or sit alone.

We do not want there to be any barriers to taking part, and so for each session we will make sure there are pathways, toilets and places to sit.

 We will be outdoors and it is Scotland- so please be prepared- bring a waterproof jacket, warm jumper- whatever you need to be comfortable for 1hr 30mins.