Living Willow Wales

Today was a good day. When is a day standing in a muddy field in the pouring rain not a good day? Well, today … I got in the zone!

I only found out on Saturday that Lisa had half-term this week and I would be able to get on with the trees [...]]]>

Today was a good day. When is a day standing in a muddy field in the pouring rain not a good day? Well, today … I got in the zone!

I only found out on Saturday that Lisa had half-term this week and I would be able to get on with the trees so its been a bit stressful feeling I “had to” get all the trees in by the end of the week and I “had to” make sure I had enough trees for people to plant. Feeling under pressure from these obligations I was putting on myself and worrying about not having all of the trees detracted from the bigger picture and, to be honest, made it all a bit of a chore. Well I collected the last of the trees last night and I decided I didn’t really have to get all of the trees planted this week, and I even got a chance to check with Lisa that she was actually OK with me rushing off to the land for a week (I kind of missed that bit in my excitement, but luckily she was forgiving). So today all this allowed me to look up from the ground and look out over the whole ten acres of newly created woodland and just think … wow, this is just too cool! This combination of efforts from all sorts of directions has created and will nurture this amazing resource. And once the pressure was off I felt really energised, it stopped being such a chore (I’m probably a bit fitter after a couple of days too) and I could get back to loving being there on a hillside surrounding by sweeping vistas and working on such an exciting project.

Saying that the rain was spectacular today; it alternated between torrential downpours and sunshine. The rain came in from the same direction the slope faces over a ten mile wide bowl of ridges. So I’d be standing in the sun and able to watch these solid walls of rain as they slowly crept over the valley towards me. And it being the first time out in my waterproofs I didn’t realise the rubber had perished over the shoulders so the rain slowly seeped in and dribbled down my arms. I went and bought a new jacket at lunchtime and that allowed me to see it all a bit more poetically in the afternoon.

So roll on Day 4 of the tree-planting adventure. Another 120 oaks went in today, so 450 so far. That’s just 350 oaks, 100 hazels, 100 willows and 50 elder to go.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody. As I try to force my desires on this [...]]]> As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody. As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it “MATURITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm. Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.

As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this  connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born.Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!

I was very excited to see that a Willow Cathedral has been built in Taunton. I’ve been reading about Marcel Kabler’s creations in Germany for years.

I was down in the valleys on Saturday building a willow dome for the opening of their community garden.

NVC is an excellent bit of kit to have in your communications toolbox, I highly recommend it. You can out more  here.

See the flyer below for details

NVC Introduction course [...]]]> A close friend of ours Gayano Shaw will be holding an introduction to Nonviolent communication (NVC) course at her home in May.

NVC is an excellent bit of kit to have in your communications toolbox, I highly recommend it. You can out more  here.

See the flyer below for details

NVC Introduction course flyer

 I recently completed a living willow sculpture of a man walking a dragon in Maesyderi Playing Field, Lampeter. Well the sign on the gate says “Dim Cwn – No Dogs”, so I didn’t think anyone would complain about a dragon!

More photos at the Living Willow Wales [...]]]>

 I recently completed a living willow sculpture of a man walking a dragon in Maesyderi Playing Field, Lampeter. Well the sign on the gate says “Dim Cwn – No Dogs”, so I didn’t think anyone would complain about a dragon!

More photos at the Living Willow Wales website.