I am developing an experiential training program - 'Compassionate Grief Tending'.
It is the synthesis of mindfulness and compassion practices (based on the Tibetan mediation lineage, neuroscience and evolutionary psychology) and a secular grief ritual (based on the traditions of the Dagara Tribe of West Africa). The traditional Dagara ritual is taught in the West by Sobonfu Some, a tribal healer sanctioned by her Elders to hold ritual outside of her cultural context. Sobonfu has adapted her tribal shamanic rituals for Westerners.
For the past five years I have been participating and assisting in Community Grief Rituals with Sobonfu and others (in the shamanic modality). This year I have begun to facilitate a Compassionate Grief Tending program which I have developed in collaboration with other experienced practitioners (as a secular modality).
The grief ritual within Compassionate Grief Tending provides a safe space for openly grieving. It supports processing of the pain of loss so that grief (from loss or trauma) is not stored in the body to contribute to illness. Compassionate Grief Tending focuses on helping to rebalance our biological response in the face of distressing emotions, from 'Threat System' avoidant or aversive behaviours to 'Soothing System' behaviours -self compassion and consent to 'being with' our direct experiences. Moving from fear of 'losing it' to allowing ourselves to 'let go' ...safely (however that might look - sadness, anger, quiet, loud, moving, still...all welcome).
I am a certified mindfulness teacher with the Mindfulness Association UK and have 15 years experience as a Buddhist practitioner in the Tibetan Buddhist Lineage of Samye Ling . I am in my third year of an MSc in Mindfulness with the University of Aberdeen. I am conducting an academic study into the efficacy of the CGT program - 'Grief tending in the context of mindfulness and compassion training'. My aspiration is to see Compassionate Grief Tending as an easily available, scientifically reviewed intervention. Regenerating social support for processing emotions in this secular age.
Please support me to access a unique opportunity to further my own experiential training with Sobonfu Some. She will deliver a two year training starting Dec 2015 based in Sussex, UK. The training is called 'Ritual Village Training' and focuses on how ritual can be used for personal emotional transformation, healing and cultural regeneration.
With this training I can continue to form bridges between traditional human emotional technologies (ritual, community connection, nature connection) and our modern secular community contexts.
The two year training will consist of six residential weekends at a course fee of £2100. The additional £900 is to cover (or contribute to :) travel and accommodation costs from my home in NE Scotland to Sussex for the trainings.
If you would like more information or to be kept informed of my upcoming trainings and events contact hedgerowhearth@gmail.com or subscribe to Hedgerow Hearth on Facebook.
Thanks for your time and interest
Best of wishes
Ruth Bradley