LULLABIES AND LAMENTS - “Singing through the Rivers of Change"- Retreat Day

We are IN the change!

The winding river expresses the movement of change as we personally, communally and globally navigate the transformative power of change being experienced today. The winding path of the river can also be cleansing and healing.

Together we will explore the river as a metaphor for transition, shifting landscape, breaking ground, threshold and the liminal space.

As we sing up new landscapes, we are sung into being.

Our lives are built on ebb and flow and the lilt of 'rocking'. At the beginning and end of life we are cradled in song. The lullaby beckons us back to the hearth of our existence and the lament expresses the cries of our soul.

On this retreat day participants will:

* have the opportunity to explore their own story using a selection of lullabies and laments from various traditions including Celtic, African American and Sacred Chant.

* explore memories of the hearth and home

* navigate landscapes of the lament and how they provide a container for threshold experiences. The lament has the power to hold the emotions that accompany grief.

Please Note: Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided. Bring your own lunch or visit a cafe near by for lunch.

Trish and Mary are experienced singers, educators, longtime friends & explorers of song.
About Trish Watts:

Trish believes passionately that ‘Every life can SING!’ She was sung into life by the experience of the village church choir & instilled with a dream that singing is a way of life and a medicine for all. She is a registered Voice Movement Therapy (VMT) Practitioner and Co-founder of InterPlay Australia. Her work is anchored in the bedrock of ‘play.'

A cappella choirs have been part of her lifeblood, including 'Colla Voce' - a vocal multi-cultural ensemble; the 'Sydney and Cambodian Threshold Choirs '(singers who sing beside bedsides in palliative care and recovery); and the 'Music Arts School Community Choir' of Phnom Penh.

For the past 40 years, Trish has worked as a freelance artist, workshop and retreat facilitator. She has a strong grounding in sacred, spirited communal song.

About Mary Diggins

Coming from an Irish heritage, Mary remembers being held in the songs of her lineage from a young age. She is inspired by the beauty and passion of Celtic Music in giving expression to the spiritual journey.

Mary's background is in Education, Creative Arts and Spirituality. She is an experienced educator and facilitator with over 30 years’ experience of working in School and Community settings. She is a Retreat Giver and is a trained Spiritual Director in the Ignatian Tradition.

She is trained in the liturgical arts and has worked in collaborative leadership on pastoral and music teams to provide meaningful ritual and celebration.

Mary is continuing her studies in therapeutic harp to offer spaces for accompaniment and healing.