Hawkwood, the ethical centre providing courses and facilitating training in Stroud, will host plenty of interesting events to get you thinking

Arts, sustainability and well-being: developing confidence and well being at Hawkwood

Now the new year is cranking into gear, we can start thinking about positive changes we wish to make – apart from the statutary dry January, new diet and exercise programme. Adam Fotheringham encourages people to “Be Seen, Be Heard” in an authentic way. His one-day course starts with warm up and playful exercises and by the end you’ll be ready to stand up in front of others with a speech, a story or a presentation for work. If your starting point is more personal and you just need to find ways to navigate the demands of a busy life, now, Theresa Sansome invites you for a leisurely nourishing day of being “Selfish.” As in the safety instructions in an aeroplane, we need to get our oxygen mask on before we help others and this day is breath of fresh air. And in March comes the perfect time for spring cleaning with “Overcome Overwhelm” with de-cluttering expert Rachel Papworth from Sussex. All courses at www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk include delicious home-cooked lunch and refreshments. Contact Hawkwood on 01453 759034

Animal wisdom and stories

One version of history says that long ago, humans were very different from the way they are now. They used to be much less separate from the world around them, including animals, trees and birds. Some think because of modern ways the planet is facing calamity.

But another version of history says that the old ways never ended. Alongside all the rational and scientific ways of thinking, contemporary women and men continue to hear the words of trees, to be consoled by birds who visit them in their grief, notice their pets’ behaviour changing in relationship to human events, and even shapeshifting into other creatures.

Kelvin Hall has written and presented on these themes frequently over the last ten years. He is a storyteller, horseman and psychotherapist, often combining these activities. An evening talk on 16 February at Hawkwood “Last Tales/New Stories” will take you into the world of animal communication with a fascinating talk on psychology, culture and the the notion of dialogue with the other-than-human world followed by some contemporary tales with incantatory and transformative power, all based on the first-hand experience of varied individuals. Contact Hawkwood on 01453 759034

Better than a crystal ball

Crystal balls have been used for divining the future but a course at Hawkwood includes a more rational, positive approach towards our world. “Some of us want to ‘switch off’ about the future.” Says course leader Malcolm Parlett, coming to Hawkwood 3-5 February with “Future Sense: Sensing the possible” “Faced with the Trump era and Brexit fallout, we may become dispirited about what’s happening, lose hope, or feel confused. Others feel driven to DO something, even if what to do is not clear.”

This weekend of dialogue and discussion offers a safe space to ask fundamental questions about how to live in this crazy-seeming world, and find new hope, purpose and direction. “Through conversation and awareness, we can begin to reclaim core values, feel more courageous, uncover our unique ‘gift’ and what will support it, and practise an ‘activism of being fully alive,” says Malcolm. This workshop is open to anyone interested in their own psychological or spiritual development, in supporting or managing other adults or children, or in working for social, political, or educational change in a revolutionary period. Contact Hawkwood on 01453 759034