The Spark, winter 2012 by Blue Sax Publishing Ltd

cheer up... it’s not the end of the world

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winter issue 71 • dec - feb 2013

new money ❆ ancient paths ❆ green energy ❆ mindfulness ❆

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people ❆ planet ❆ body ❆ soul

unique local events ❆ everything from acupuncture to zen in our A-Z directory

your three month guide to green & ethical living in the west

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The Spark

the spark issue 71 winter edition free, thinking and independent: welcome to the UK’s biggest ethical quarterly.

welcome

We write this in a positive mood, post-American election, and curious to see if an elected mayor in Bristol can bring real change to this city. In these shifting times of welfare cuts and tough economic choices, The Spark’s principles of fairshare, planet care and strong community feel more important than ever. As we move towards the Solstice, some of you will be marking the date with extra significance, as the Mayan 4th Age draws to a close… but whatever plans, hopes and dreams you’re nurturing for 2013, we wish you light, hope and happiness. Love, the Spark team.

the team

wholefood pioneer Mike Abrahams

OUT! green lanes and ancient trackways

q&a

Mike Abrahams, Wild Oats

out!

mapping our ancient walkways

spotlight on… mindfulness

the lowdown on this simple practice

ignite

diary dates for your next 3 months

classes, events, meets, retreats

food

(1.) Ann Sheldon, advertising manager (2.) Darryl Bullock, publisher (3.) Vicki West, editor (4.) Beccy Golding, production manager (5.) Andy Ballard, ad & cover designer (6.) Naomi Ross, finance worker, Tilly Black (proof reading), Jo Halladey, (photography) Contributors: Darryl Bullock, Beccy Golding, Fiona McClymont, Kate Evans, Will Simpson, Kesty Morrison, Dawn Morgan, Tony Benjamin, Melanie West, Jo Middleton. Intern: Sophie Smith The Spark was created by John Dawson

what we do

The UK’s biggest free independent ethical quarterly, The Spark reaches 120,000 readers in Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Taunton, Glastonbury, Swindon, Bath and Bristol. Our editorial is independent so no advertorials for us. We report on local solutions and people making a difference to their lives and their communities, while our adverts cover a range of ideas to help make the world a better place. We’re looking for new freelance writers (green issues and social change) so get in touch and share your enthusiasm/expertise.

exotic crops in the West Country

new green energy for the West

what it is and how you can use it

spotlight on…

alternative economies, new currencies

20 planet

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www.pefc.org

family

pagan parents, support for self-harm

the Severn Estuary’s tidal energy potential

spark listings

A-Z directory of complementary therapists, eco-services and more

rear view

Kate Evans’ cartoon, comps, letters

changemaker transgender author Dru Marland

advertising info

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the small print

Advertisers are advised that all copy is their sole responsibility under the Trade Protection Act. All adverts must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice. We reserve the right to refuse, amend, withdraw or otherwise deal with advertisements submitted to us at our absolute discretion and without explanation • Blue Sax Publishing Ltd can accept no liability for any loss or damage resulting from omission or inaccuracies relating to telephone numbers, wording, spacing or positioning or other material regardless of how caused • We reserve the right to vary print run by 1000 up or down• Blue Sax Publishing Ltd, who publish The Spark, cannot take any responsibility for the quality of an advertiser’s service or advertiser’s conduct. In choosing an advertiser you may wish to consult the appropriate professional bodies • The Spark title can only be used under current licence from Blue Sax Publishing Ltd • Intellectual copyright remains with the publishers of The Spark - Blue Sax Publishing Ltd© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission of the publishers.

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support for teenagers

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q&a

The Relaxation Centre To relax is to enjoy life

Mike Abrahams wholefood pioneer were only those products that constituted true food, the place would be virtually empty. I got into a discussion with someone in a parliamentary meeting a few years ago about this. I was shouted down because the party line from dieticians is “everything in moderation is fine”. People need to remember that governments rarely have our interests at heart. We live in a system which ensures that we have the least amount of information possible in order that the status quo – in other words the continual supply of ‘junk’ to the nation – is continued. Because if everybody overnight discovered the damage these ‘foods’ were doing and stopped eating them, it would be a catastrophe for the country: industry would collapse.

Hidden in a quiet street in Clifton The Relaxation Centre is so much more than a health spa – it is a secret which you discover. We are an oasis in the middle of the city. A place to let the cares of the day slip away and replenish your vital energy. There are only a few decisions you’ll have to make. A sauna perhaps? Maybe a steam? Relax in the hot tub or are you brave enough for the cold plunge pool? We also have a blissful relaxation lounge and a full range of treatments including Holistic Massage, Reflexology and Hot Stone Therapy.

What drives you mad? That there is no way in which grass roots common sense or holistic vision can get into politics because of how the lobby system works. Our country – “perfidious Albion” I think Napoleon called us – has been the world teacher of sophistication in corruption. We are so corrupt in so many ways that we frequently don’t even know we’re corrupt!

Interview by Fiona McClymont • photo by Jo Halladey Mike Abrahams, 69, is a partner in Wild Oats Wholefoods in Bristol.

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With a background in aeronautical engineering, he changed direction in 1980 when he started Wild Oats, a natural health food shop, and pioneered vegetarian dining in the early ’80s with a restaurant on Whiteladies Road. He is also a speaker

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and teacher in food and nutritional medicine. He lives in Bristol. What do you love about the South West? I moved down from Leeds in 1961 and it struck me how clean everything was! This was before the Clean Air Act and Leeds was filthy and grimy. I’ve lived and worked all over Europe and the States, and Bristol is one of the few cities I find a delight to live and work in. I love the fact that natural healing and ecology are just part of the conversation here. What inspires you? The way nature works. There is a kind of universal justice on this planet that transcends everything. If you ignore the laws of nature then you will suffer the consequences and just as in human law, ignorance is no defence or excuse. If we were capable of listening and following and co-operating with the laws of nature we would have a sustainable society. What’s the ethos behind Wild Oats? Wild Oats is my way of making a difference. To improve society we’ve got to change the way we eat, the way we work the land

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and the way we process foods. There’s always that comment: “Somebody ought to do something about this” and I thought, ‘well, I’m somebody, and I can do this’. By introducing people to better nutrition and getting them to work together, I feel I can make a difference to people’s lives. Why did you become interested in natural foods and nutrition? I’d been ill with flu on a skiing holiday and this woman I met advised me to change what I ate. I took her advice and I got better. I thought, “I’ve got to experiment with this,” so I got a load of books on macrobiotics, went to courses on it, cleared out my kitchen and filled it up with pulses, brown rice and fresh, organic vegetables. Two things happened: I lost all my friends because I refused to eat out (and I was such an awful cook) and secondly, my multiple allergies and ailments went in six months. I looked younger: some wrinkles disappeared! I became a macrobiotic fanatic. What’s your biggest achievement? Surviving. I’m still here and I’m still reasonably fit and I’ve been able to help a lot of people, in the sense of the Latin “educare”, ie. to draw out what they already know and make them realise they own the solutions.

What gets you into trouble? Saying things in the wrong place at the wrong time; I guess I’m a subversive. I’ve been chairman of organisations – I was chairman of the National Association of Health Stores from 2000-2005 – and I realised (or had it reinforced) that you can’t do very much when you’re in an organisation, with committees etc. But the only real trouble I’ve been in is near bankruptcy, on several occasions, trying to sell products before people were ready for them. Most of them are now available in the supermarkets. What makes Wild Oats different? The fact that we employ people who have studied all kinds of nutrition and healing, who can act as advisers to the increasing flood of people coming in who have given up on their doctors and who want solutions. Basically, if you de-clog and then eat the right fuel, as long as you’re alive, the body can repair itself. For example, I believe that the majority of cancers are reversible but we’re not allowed to say that. Cancer treatment seems to consist of a ‘slash, poison and burn’ policy. The way we view healthcare is all wrong. So many people over the age of 65 are on a cocktail of drugs: only one or two for their initial symptoms, and the rest are for the cascade of side-effects from the earlier drugs. What’s been your most memorable trip? My time working at the European Space Agency in Holland. I was with people of all nationalities and I’d go to their homes, eat with their families, listen to them and gather perspectives on life that I’d never dreamed of.

What’s your biggest failure? In my early days, being too self-obsessed and thinking “I know what’s right”, rather than listening. My marriage broke up purely because of my arrogance and ignorance of the way nature works and the way people are.

What’s your greatest fear? If you’re fearing something it means your mind is occupied with that fear, which stops anything else happening. I think ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’ and ‘what can I do to mitigate this?’. I turn a fear into a contingency. It’s the engineer in me!

What exactly does the term ‘Natural Food’ mean? Food should be defined as that which nourishes and regenerates the body. So much stuff that’s called food just isn’t food in any way. Junk food should just be called junk, full-stop, because in no way does sugar, white flour, refined grains, artificial flavourings etc. constitute a food. If you went into a supermarket and on the shelves

What has life taught you? Learn as much as you can about nature and learn from history: one of the reasons why society is in such a mess is that it refuses to do these two things. The old adage ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always had’, is so true. www.woats.co.uk

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ignite 6 OUT! ancient highways & byways

three months of essential events and more • 80p a word

Melanie West uncovers the millennia-old green lanes walked by our ancestors

Photo: Janet Miles

Photo: Pengannel

Castle Neroche and Curland Herepath

Blackdown Hills, Somerset

In the 9th century military routeways called herepaths were established. The Anglo Saxons were facing the Vikings and these paths were important not only for travel but also for communication. They were preferred by many an everyday traveller, too, for their safety, and were also important for trade. The Castle sits at over 800 feet above sea level and affords great views over the Vale of Taunton, the Quantocks and Exmoor. Around 2,600 years ago an Iron Age hill fort was built on the site; the castle was a later Norman creation. Many pairs of feet have passed this way, through numerous periods of unrest. The Iron Age fort may have offered protection for the peoples of the time, as populations began to expand and disputes broke out over resources or land: a past mirror to the modern cause of much conflicts around the world today

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 128 www.nerochescheme.org

Photo: Mat Fascione

Photo: Robert Pittman

The Zennor Churchway

St Ives to Pendeen, Cornwall

This ancient straight byway, contrary to its name, actually avoids all three churches on its ten-mile route. The one church wall it does skirt is a modern deviation. The wild and mystical patchwork of fields and stone walls it runs through are likely to have been worked since pre-historic times. During the 9th century round-headed crosses were installed as way-markers, and some remain in situ today. The route is linked to magical tales and is said to have an otherworldly feel in places: it is speculated that the Churchway was a processional route for the souls of the dead. Legend also has it that at the hamlet of Trewey, a woman transformed herself into a hare to quickly reach St Ives and return in half an hour to feed her hungry (and angry!) husband, taking the Zennor Churchway as her route.

Ordnance Survey Landranger Map 203 Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 102

Photo: Neil Porter photography Photo: Phil Selby

West Kennett Avenue

Avebury, Wiltshire

This Neolithic routeway runs in a southeasterly direction from the southern entrance of Avebury stone circle. Originally around 100 pairs of sarsen (sandstone) stones would have stood firm along the 2.5 kilometre route to The Sanctuary at Overton, which is believed to have been another significant Neolithic site wide enough to contain Stonehenge. Many of the stones on the avenue have long been broken up for building materials, or moved, although efforts to try and recover some are underway. Set opposite eachother 15 metres apart, one stone in each pair is thought to represent male sexuality (being tall and slender) and the other female sexuality (being smaller and wider). The purpose of the Avenue is not known for sure; but to walk its striking landscape will take you through Avebury and the mysterious Silbury Hill, as well as the ancient burial chamber of West Kennet Long Barrow. Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 157

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The Michael and Mary Pilgrimage Way

Cornwall to Norfolk

The Michael and Mary Lines comprise two interweaving ley lines that run from Carn Les Boel (Land’s End) in Cornwall right through southern England and off the Norfolk coast. Several sites of spiritual significance, such as St Michael’s Mount and Glastonbury, are on its course. A project mapping the ley lines as a pimgrimage route has been established for people of any culture or faith. Richard Dealler, one of the instigators, feels that walking in nature builds a sense of interconnectedness, wellbeing and peace, in addition to being a spiritual endeavour. Small organised pilgrimages happen on particular sections of the route and you can also walk independently with the help of a guidebook. Currently 250 miles, from Land’s End to Glastonbury, have been mapped with the onward journey to Avebury in progress.

www.marymichaelpilgrimsway.org

The Fosse Way

Exeter, Devon

As with many an ancient byway the exact starting (or ending!) point of the Fosse Way is unclear. Built in the middle of the first century AD the name originates from the Latin fossa meaning ditch. In a chicken and egg scenario it appears that a long ditch ran adjacent to the road, and which came first is the topic of much debate. The road (or the ditch!) would have formed the Western boundary of the Roman Empire, facilitating trade in materials such as Welsh gold. 2,000 years ago it was the longest roadway in Britain and ran very straight from the South West up to Lincoln. In ancient lore it is believed that Boudica’s army was finally defeated at the Watling Street and Fosse Way junction near Leicester. Many sections of the Fosse Way are now tarmaced roads with some original sections still being walkable. To do the lot you might need to hop on a bike! www.walkingbritain.co.uk (Walk 2013:

Shepton Mallet & The Fosse Way)

Photo: Ben Atmer

The Mariner’s Way Bideford to Dartmouth,

Devon

en Back in the early 1700s wh re we h Bideford and Dartmout ing com ors sail ts, both thriving por said re we one er eith at into dock es across to have walked the 70 mil in search er, oth country to reach the ging llen cha a ed lud of work. This inc lly ecia esp , oor rtm Da r ove 20 miles way considering only one granite nd on the marker cross has been fou dogs sea y salt se entire route. The task and the for dy har ly bab were pro old us ero may have connected num Local y. rne jou the field tracks to make re we s alm t tha w sho parish records ors sail sing pas to n give es sometim y have in need and longhouses ma ht but rnig ove m accommodated the lure of the s hap Per nt. evidence is sca ival or arr on rum of tot a the ocean, all was s an overhead map of the star to way ir the e igat they needed to nav the coast. o.uk ww w.legendarydartmoor.c ceH T30 http://bbc.in/

The Sweet Track

Shapwick Heath, Somerset Levels

Around 6,000 years ago the Somerset Levels were underwater. If your boat was out of action you may have used the wooden Sweet Track, constructed in around 3,807 BC. It is one of the oldest timber roadways in Britain today and formed part of a network of tracks across the Levels. It lay undiscovered until 1970 and has been conserved underwater through controlled flooding. This clever piece of Neolithic engineering used oak, ash and lime planks supported and pegged into wooden crosspieces, fixed below the water level. In use for just ten years, one theory is that water levels simply rose. Flint axe heads and other ancient trinkets have been found beneath it.You can walk in the reserve alongside the route of the submerged track to get a feel for walking through this ancient landscape. Natural England tel 0300 060 2570 The Museum of Somerset exhibits an original section of The Sweet Track. Tel 01823 255088 http://bit.ly/UFB5Bx Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve 01458 860120

Photo: Lucy Davey

The Saint’s Way

Padstow to Fowey, Cornwall

This trackway is rumoured to have been in use since the Bronze Age and joins the north and south coasts of Cornwall. It is believed that livestock herders, traders and pilgrims all tramped this way. The pilgrims are thought to have been travelling from Wales and Ireland to eventually reach mainland Europe. Some wayfarers may have chosen this route to avoid a treacherous sea passage around Land’s End. As with many of these old routes, animals and humans would have walked side by side. In these modern times the route is now well signposted with a reduced and fulllength version to choose from. The landscape features ancient clapper bridges, Celtic crosses, holy wells, tin engine houses and medieval churches. The scenery varies from woodlands to river valleys and takes in settlements and wild moorland.

http://bit.ly/SrC5mF Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps 106,107,109

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27/07/2011 12:30 16/11/12 15:40:08

8 spotlight

re you fully awake in your life? That may sound like a strange question and one you might not be able to answer straightaway. To help you to ponder it, let us introduce you to the concept of Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a form of meditation – a form of being, really – which seeks to help us live more fully in the present. It sounds simple but it goes deep, and that combination of usefulness and depth has seen it become widely used in the West in recent years. Mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular and respected as a tool to help us cope with modern life, used in such diverse fields as injury recovery, cognitive behaviour therapy, even improvisation. NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) recently declared mindfulness to be an effective tool in preventing the recurrence of depression. But its uses are wider than solely therapeutic; at its essence, it can act as a tool to help anyone to live a better life. Marianne Brady from Mindfulness West (a mindfulness training organisation offering courses and one-on-one coaching) says: “You don’t need to need it. Everybody can benefit from mindfulness, because how can it not be a good thing to be more aware, more present, more alive?” Sounds good. But what exactly is mindfulness and where did it originate?

on mindfulness

The medical world started to take notice, Zinn appeared on mainstream TV and mindfulness was taken up far and wide. In the UK in 1992, Oxford-based clinical psychologist Mark Williams started looking at how mindfulness might help his clients who were suffering from prolonged depression. Together with colleagues he developed a preventative approach using mindfulness meditation practices and called it MBCT, which stands for Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.

the concept

But what does mindfulness mean and what does it involve? Zinn describes mindfulness as “an approach to life based on an understanding that the present is the only

by Fiona McClymont

not really taught how to live in the now and it takes some getting used to. I went to a mindfulness class to find out and at our first session we were given a raisin and asked to eat it ‘mindfully’. I was, I admit, a bit nonplussed! But really, it was just a simple way of encouraging us to really, fully pay attention to sensations of taste, any sounds it made in our mouths, how the taste changed as we ate it, how swallowing felt etc. This exercise showed us how we do many everyday things in a non-mindful way (we’ve probably all had the experience of driving on ‘auto pilot’). We’re often doing one thing while thinking of something else entirely. Mindfulness seeks to be the antidote to this way of living, or as Zinn puts it, a way of truly “showing up for your life”. The focus on the present is

origins of mindfulness

Most people agree that the concept of mindfulness originates in the teachings of Buddhism. Lots of mindfulness trainers and teachers come from the Buddhist context, but you don’t have to be a Buddhist to practice it. It is generally agreed that a Vietnamese Monk called Thich Nhat Hanh brought mindfulness to the West in the late 1960s when he formed a small Mindfulness community in France (now known as Plum Village). He ran various retreats and at one of them was a young, American molecular biologist called John Kabat-Zinn. The story goes that Zinn, while at Hanh’s retreat, immediately recognised the potential of the mindfulness approach, and when he returned to the States he put what he had learnt into practice, finding it effective for patients previously labelled ‘difficult’ (both those with chronic illnesses who weren’t responding to conventional treatment, and those whom the medical profession had given up on). Zinn founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR for short), which is a structured course of 8-10 sessions. The results were very positive, with mindfulness proving to be “enormously empowering for patients with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as for psychological problems such as anxiety and panic”.

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image www.beingmindful.me time that any of us have to be alive: to know anything, to perceive, to learn, to act, to change, to heal”. What that essentially means is finding a way of cultivating a different, healthier attitude to ‘the now’ i.e. what’s going on for you in your life at this moment (and from moment to moment) and finding a way of responding differently to your experiences, whatever they may be. Or, as Marianne from Mindfulness West puts it, “the regular, disciplined practice of moment-to-moment awareness or mindfulness and the complete owning of each moment of your experience, good, bad or ugly”.

the practice

So how do we put that into practice? After all, in our society the emphasis is on forwardthinking, planning, anticipating, or conversely, looking backwards for explanations. We’re

because, as Marianne puts it, “that’s where life is lived!”. The next step was to focus on regular, simple tasks (the washing-up for instance) in a mindful way and notice how that feels. We did a ‘bodyscan’ each day: lying or sitting quietly and bringing our attention to our bodies, gently and without judgement, checking in to how we were feeling at that present moment and noticing sensations and feelings. We then moved on to do the same meditation but focussing on our breath.

your life

Awareness is really only half the story though. You’ve learnt how to “pay attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment”, so what do you do with that awareness? You choose to respond differently to your experience: you don’t judge it, rather you adopt a curiosity, an openness and

“As John KabatZinn puts it, mindfulness is simply a way of truly showing up for your life.” most importantly perhaps, an acceptance. It is, essentially, a version of the Buddhist philosophy of loving kindness, directed towards the self. Mindfulness is used in many different contexts and for a variety of issues. Chatting to Rebecca Crane, centre director at Bangor University’s Mindfulness Centre, she describes how students on their training course go on to apply what they’ve learnt in the education system (primary and secondary and also higher education student counselling etc), in the police force, in business, and particularly in the health service. One of Rebecca’s students (and now also a practitioner), Simon Barnes, uses mindfulness to help those struggling with injuries and illnesses, particularly in hospital spinal injury units. Having experienced the positive effect of mindfulness on recovery from his own injury (he broke his back 27 years ago), for Simon, mindfulness is all about helping people not to get “stuck”, and a way of helping them to change their neural pathways to encourage them into more positive thinking which can aid recovery. He says: “It’s a way of looking inwards to find our own answers. In the West we’re always taught to look outside of ourselves for contentment – a new car, the latest iPhone – but even in the best place in the world surrounded by the best stuff, you may still be trapped in the same awful thought pattern”. It’s no coincidence that one of Zinn’s books is called Wherever You Go, There You Are.

holistic use

Mindfulness is very successful in treating disorders such as anxiety, pain, chronic illness and depression. It may sound counterintuitive: if you are depressed, anxious, in pain, ill etc. why would you want to be made more aware of that? But the approach can offer a way out of the ‘stuckness’. According to Marianne: “If you want to get from A to B, you have to be fully in A first. You have to be fully with the experience

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“That act of fully being with your experience, even if it is unpleasant, can often be your only way out of it…” Marianne Brady, Mindfulness West you’re having, even if it’s unpleasant, because that quality of being with it can actually be the very thing that can take you out of it”. While mindfulness practitioners would never claim to offer a ‘cure’ to whatever ails you, what they can do is teach you not to aggravate whatever condition you have with “secondary stress”. Marianne again: “When you’ve got chronic pain you add a load of stuff to it: your mental response to it, the fear you bring to it, the struggling and fighting with it. If you let go of that and you’re just with the pain, it can change the experience for you. It’s much more about learning to be with the things that we find difficult in an open way”. As well as success with depression, mindfulness has also been used to treat ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) – a controversial area admittedly – but there have been various studies that show mindfulness can lead to improvements for sufferers and an increasing number of organisations incorporate this: one such place is The Therapeutic Training Company, run by Vanessa Cecil in Exeter, who incorporates mindfulness into her course (along with The Lightning Process and aspects of NLP) for sufferers of CFS. It’s hard to think of any part of the human condition that mindfulness doesn’t have an application for. It can be used therapeutically, applied to specific disorders, or can simply be a

way of enhancing your life. However you apply it and whatever you use it for, as Simon says, “It’s a lasting life skill that delivers happiness and contentment more than anything else can”. So, what are you waiting for?

contacts

To find a mindfulness practitioner visit www.bemindful.co.uk www.mbct.co.uk For information about mindfulness for pain management/illness visit www.breathworksmindfulness.org.uk For podcasts visit www.getsome headspace.com For info on the Psychotherapeutic approach (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy) visit www.mbct.co.uk For info on mindfulness in treatment of CFS visit www.therapeutictrainingcompany.co.uk For details of mindfulness classes in the South West visit www.mindfulness-west.com or visit Simon Barne’s website www.beingmindful.me

publications

The ‘bible’ of the mindfulness approach is Full Catastrophe Living by John Kabat-Zinn (Piatkus). Also his books Wherever You Go,There You Are and Coming to Our Senses. He has produced a series of CDs of guided mindfulness meditations available from Amazon/bookshops (although if you are attending a class you should be provided with a CD to help you practice at home). Living Well With Pain and Illness:The Mindful Way to Ease Your Suffering (Piatkus) by Vidymala Burch (co-founder of Breathworks, mentioned above)

training

The Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice is based at Bangor University and offers training, post-grad diplomas and MA/Msc in Mindfulness-Based Approaches (as well as courses open to the public). Professional training is also available at the University of Exeter and at The Oxford Mindfulness Centre, based at Oxford University. See also adverts in our ‘Courses, Groups & Workshops’ and ‘Meditation’ sections in our Listings pages, starting on p34.

WIN! A mindfulness & nutrition workshop

n Saturday February 23 Mindfulness for All will be running a workshop entitled ‘Detox your Mind, Detox your Body’, offering participants an opportunity to disconnect from the internet and phones, and reconnect with their body and mind. Mindfulness For All are offering one lucky Spark reader the chance to attend the workshop free of charge. In this technology-free workshop attendees will be invited to give up their smart-phones and gadgets in exchange for a day of calmness, insight and self-care. The programme will include mindfulness meditation, a talk on nutrition and a healthy home-made lunch prepared on site. Miro Cansky, therapist and mindfulness teacher, will guide participants in easy-to-follow guided meditations aimed at letting go of stressful thoughts and enjoying the simplicity of the present moment. Some of the exercises will focus on exploring our relationship with technology, and how we can remain mindful in a world filled with unending opportunities for distraction. Iza Redon, a chef and nutritional therapist from Bristol, will give answers to why and how removing toxins from your body makes lasting positive changes to your health and mood. You will learn about the importance of a healthy liver and will get practical tips on how to keep it working properly. In a no-nonsense presentation Iza will show you how to make friends with your liver and cultivate healthy patterns that can lead to an increased sense of well-being. The space is limited to 10 participants, to keep the workshops small, private and intimate for the maximum benefit of each attendee.

To enter this competition, just answer the following question: What is the name of the venue where Mindfulness for All will be hosting a residential retreat on the weekend of March 2/3 2013? (You’ll find the answer at www.mindfulness4all.co.uk/retreats) Send your answer (postcards only please), with your full address AND phone number, to Mindfulness Competition, The Spark, 86 Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5BB. Entries must be received by January 18. You can also enter online at www.thespark.co.uk/competitions

s a SPECIAL OFFER for all Spark readers, Mindfulness For All are offering you 15% off their course if you book a place on their March retreat before December 24, 2012. Simply tell them you’re a Spark reader when you phone up to book. Call 0117 376 3495 or 07765 515 662 (mobile). Alternatively you can email info@mindfulness4all.co.uk or book online at www.mindfulness4all.co.uk

The Happiness Project unlocking people’s creative potential to be happy 2-hour workshops Creative and fun city centre location Using applied Positive Psychology Free tea! Signposting Service: Discover wh what’s on offer in Bristol

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Where to find us: 1st Floor, The Galleries, Broadmead, Bristol, BS13XD

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10 ignite december compiled by Sophie Smith

the main event: Winter Owl Evenings

get involved! email editor@thespark.co.uk to give us info on your campaigns/ events & projects

winter wonderland

Dec 1-23 Westonbirt Arboretum’s annual

have a hoot Dec 1-23

Winter Owl Evenings, hosted by the International Centre for Birds of Prey, are taking place every Friday and Saturday throughout December at Boulsdon House, Gloucestershire. Take a guided tour by

torchlight and watch an indoor flying demonstration before enjoying a hog roast (vegetarian option also available) and mulled wine or hot apple juice. Places are limited so booking is essential. Adults £25, children £12 (includes food and drink). www.icbp.org

Enchanted Christmas sees a one-mile route illuminated by thousands of eco-friendly lights. Lots of kids’ activities, open Fri-Sun. Adults £9, children £5. www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt-christmas

magpies markets Dec 1 red ribbons

Dec 1 World AIDS Day this year marks the 25th birthday of the National AIDS Trust. To celebrate you can buy a limited-edition silver anniversary red ribbon brooch for £15.99 (see website). Traditional red ribbons can also be bought from all HMV and MAC Cosmetics stores for £1. www.worldaidsday.org

treemendous Dec 1-2 Tree

Dressing Day, held every year during the first weekend of December, was set up by Common Ground in 1990 and celebrates the significance of trees nationwide. Get outside and decorate your favourite local trees with anything beautiful, bright and shiny. www.commonground.org.uk

& 8 Bristol’s Anchor Square hosts the famous Spiegeltent this winter, with live music, food and cabaret all on offer. During the three weeks the tent is in town, Magpies & I will host two Christmas markets there, complete with over 50 stalls, a children’s grotto, vintage music and festive food. Free entry. www.magpiesandi.com

It’s National Tree Week Nov 24-Dec 2 and Bristol-based international development charity Tree Aid is marking its 25th anniversary by calling on people in the South West and beyond to tweet David Cameron @number10gov. The UN recently named Cameron as co-chair of a panel set to advise the global development agenda beyond 2015. Tree Aid want trees to be firmly on that agenda. Their campaign calls on its supporters to tweet the following to Number 10. “David Cameron @Number10gov. Champion the role #trees play ending #poverty and #hunger. Get them on post 2015 agenda #time4trees @ treeaid.” Tree Aid is currently working with almost 400 communities in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa – Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger and Ethiopia – helping them plant and protect trees to generate food and income. In the last 25 years Tree Aid has planted over 8 million trees in Africa. www.treeaid.org.uk Follow @Treeaid on Twitter

The Big Rig Revolt on December 1 marks a national day of action for campaign groups opposing ‘fracking’ in the UK. The Extreme Energy Action Network are co-ordinating information on all actions taking place around the country, as groups such as Frack Free Somerset, Safe Energy Wales, and The Campaign Against Climate Change mobilise to raise awareness of the issues surrounding unconventional gas drilling. Find your local group on their website and get involved! http://frack-off.org.uk/the-big-rig-revolt/

Have your say on GM The BBC’s Countryfile is currently running a poll to ask the British public whether GM crop trials should go ahead in the UK. photo: Steve Spraggon, NT Images

art of compassion Dec 3-10 The Art of Zhen Shan Ren is a free exhibition of Chinese oil paintings, organised to coincide with Human Rights Day. Exhibiting at The Island, Bristol, 2-7pm (Mon 3rd closes at 5pm).

stars in your eyes Dec

4-15 Join the British Astronomical Society for an evening of winter stargazing at Tyntesfield, (one date tbc depending on the weather). Booking essential. All tickets £5. http://bit.ly/StDUjq

christmas trimmings

Dec 12 Although blighted by vandalism recently, the traditional Glastonbury Thorn Cutting Ceremony will take place at the Church of St John the Baptist. Local schoolchildren will sing, before a sprig is removed and sent to the Queen for her Christmas dinner table. www.stjohns-glastonbury.org.uk

www.theislandbristol.com

solstice spiral Dec 21

Tor-ward the future Dec 20

Celebration, ritual theatre, music, dancing, a heated temple marquee and food & drink... Glastonbury Tor Solstice Eve Sacred Celebration marks our journey towards the end of the Mayan calendar’s 4th Age, and offers a welcome to the new era that is to follow. www.tlc-society.com

almanac

Full moons: Nov 28 (sunrise 7.52am; sunset 4.09pm), Dec 28 (sunrise 8.18am; sunset 4.11pm), January 27 (sunrise 7.58am; sunset 4.54pm) and February 25 (sunrise 7.06am; sunset 5.46pm). Issue 72 of The Spark out February 25.

Spark71.ab19.indd 10

Head to Hawkwood College in Stroud for their Solstice Spiral, and take part in a peaceful reflection ahead of the New Year. A children’s spiral will take place in the afternoon, before the adult’s solstice at 5.30pm. Suggested donations: adults £5, children £2. All proceeds go to charity.

www.countryfile.com/poll/should-gm-crop-trialsbe-allowed-go-ahead

Bristol RSPCA Clinic and Bristol Dogs & Cats Home are holding their annual Winter Warmer Appeal for the animals in their care over the next three months. If you can donate tinned dog or cat food, old blankets or money this winter, there are different ways to contribute. Tinned food can be left at various collection points around Bristol (see website for details) or taken direct to the Gloucester Road charity shop or the Dogs & Cats Home in St Phillips. You can make a secure donation online at www.justgiving.com/ WWAppeal2012 or by texting WARM22 and the amount (eg WARM22 £5) to 70070. If you can host a collection box at your school or workplace, call 0117 300 3968 or email rebecca@rspca-bristol.org.uk

sponsor a duck Dec 26 Each

year, the Boxing Day Bibury Duck Race sees thousands of plastic ducks released down the River Coln in the Cotswolds. Everyone sponsors a duck and the person with the winner chooses which charity the day’s proceeds go to. Prizes and mince pies are also up for grabs. www.biburycricketclub.org.uk

We interviewed acupuncturist Gisela Norman in The Spark a couple of years ago, following her trip to the West Bank to offer free acupuncture to people there. Gisela is now planning a trip to Burma. She is currently raising funds for the trip, so if you feel moved to donate, see her website for more details. www.gisela-norman.co.uk

www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk

Birthdays, anniversaries etc: Putting Pants on Philip, the first official Laurel & Hardy film, debuted on Dec 3, 1927; on the same day in 1976 Bob Marley survived an assassination attempt. On Dec 14, 1782 the Montgolfier brothers conducted the first test of their hot air balloon in Avignon. Charles Dickens’

masterpiece A Christmas Carol first appeared on Dec 19, 1843. The Fabian Society, whose aim is to advance socialism through reform rather than revolution, was founded on Jan 4, 1884. Jan 10, 1929 saw the print debut of The Adventures of Tintin; On Feb 1, 2009 Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir became

Iceland’s first female Prime Minister & the world’s first openly gay head of government. 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous reported the first of 18 apparitions in Lourdes on Feb 11, 1858. Although the town is a major site for Catholic pilgrimage, she never claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary.

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For the best view of Bristol’s festive decorations “hop-on” to see the Christmas Lights and Illuminations*

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SPARK ISSUE 71 Nov 2012-Feb 2013 1/8th page and IGNITE BOX

call us on 01803 762059 or visit www.riverford.co.uk 11

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12 ignite january get involved! email editor@thespark.co.uk to give us info on your campaigns/ events & projects photo: ©Ramblers

hikers dozen

Jan 1 Make this New Year’s Day one to remember and take part in a 13-mile walk with the West Wiltshire Ramblers, through Stourhead, Mere, White Sheet Hill and Alfred’s Tower. Free for National Trust members. Bring lunch! bit.ly/QdsDrs

all that jazz Jan 19 Join Hamer and

Isaacs for an evening of swinging gypsy jazz at the Chapel Arts Centre in Bath. The band, made up of lead and rhythm guitar, swing violin and double bass, are performing at various venues during December so check out their website. Advance tickets £10. www.hamerandisaacs.com

wet under foot

Jan 10 Join civil engineer Melvin Wood for a talk on Bristol’s lost rivers, examining the locations of buried rivers and how the city has developed around them. £5 (members £2). Friends Meeting House, Redland. www.bristolcivicsociety.org.uk

brekkie beneﬁts Jan 20-26 Why not celebrate Farmhouse Breakfast Week 2013 at Café Alf Resco in Dartmouth? Try their Sausage Sizzle on Jan 25 and sample a range of locally made sausages and hogs pudding. Check the website to see what else is happening near you. www.shakeupyourwakeup.com

spuds & seeds Jan 13 Now in its eighth year, the Potato Days and Seed Fairs Tour sees a new venue added for 2013: Windmill Hill City Farm, Bristol. The day promises keen gardeners the choice of a huge range of potatoes, onions, fruit trees and bulbs. www.potato-days.net

we are family

Jan 21-27 The theme for Cancer Talk Week 2013 is families. The aim of the week is to encourage people to talk about cancer and many schools take part in an attempt to increase pupil’s awareness and understanding of the disease. Visit the website for ideas on how you can get involved. www.macmillan.org.uk

Help buy the Cube! For 15 years the Cube cinema in Bristol has hosted a brilliant array of radical, independent and underground films and talks, alongside gigs, cabaret nights, stand-up comedy and community events. A hotbed of activism and ideas, the Cube is a unique venue that is much loved by its punters and the crew of hardy volunteers who give up their time to run it. Now the Cube crew want to buy the building they’ve rented for over a decade, and they need Bristolians to dig deep to help them realise their dream. The agreed asking price is £185,000 and if they can raise it the team promise to build in better access for those with restricted mobility, create a larger bar/lounge area, improve the toilets, restore the cinema seats and make a residency space for visiting artists. The Cube has until December 2013 to raise funds. Donate via http://cubecinema.com/freehold/donate Email freehold@cubecinema.com

The Blue Finger is a strip of prime agricultural land which runs alongside the M32 from Bristol into South Gloucestershire, that has long been earmarked for a Park & Ride development by Bristol City Council. The plans have been the subject of passionate and sustained opposition by food activists and environmental campaigners for many years now, given the site’s importance as a food-growing hub for Bristol. Pressure is now mounting on both sides as central government has threatened to withdraw millions of pounds of funding originally designated for the project if plans are not actioned soon. The risk is that the Park & Ride will never happen but BCC will build roads anyway to avoid losing the funding. • Register your opposition to this scheme on the BCC website (http://rethinkm32parkandride. wordpress.com/the-petition) • Find out more about Bus Rapid Transit Scheme at

laugh with Lloyd Jan 25

Bought to you by Slapstick 2013, this year’s Silent Comedy Gala is hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain. The evening, which takes place at Bristol’s Colston Hall, will include a screening of Harold Lloyd’s 1927 classic The Kid Brother. Adults £20, under 12s £8.50. www.slapstick.org.uk

Bristol double-bill Jan 25

The acclaimed Spiro, who released their fourth album this year and multi-instrumental acoustic trio Three Cane Whale return to their hometown to perform at St Georges Bristol in this double bill of folk-meets-minimalism. Tickets £12. www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

southern celebrations Jan 25-27 The Gloucester Cajun and Zydeco Festival returns for its 20th year. The festival is the longest running of its kind in Europe and offers hot and steamy deep south entertainment for a miserable January! www.gloucestercajunfestival.co.uk

STOP BRT2, and sign their petition: http://stopbrt2.org.uk/ www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-mayor-ofbristol-please-stop-brt2

Bristol Green Party drinks take place on the 2nd Monday of every month, at Cafe Kino, 7.30pm. Non-members and newcomers very welcome. Look out for something Green-related on the table. At 9pm drinks continue at a pub, chosen by those people present! Cafe Kino, 108 Stokes Croft, BS1 3RU Map: http://g.co/maps/s6hx6 www.facebook.com/events/345480155547493/

ﬂying fun Jan 26-27 Celebrate

birdwatching at Slimbridge’s Festival of Birds. Visit the hides and see the wildlife, then head along to a workshop or talk from a conservation expert. Members go free and there are plenty of kids’ activities on offer too. www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge

did you know? February 12 is Darwin Day. Used to highlight the amazing contributions made by Charles Darwin to science, and commemorating the anniversary of his birth (in 1809, coincidentally on the same day as

Spark71.ab19.indd 12

tell us a story Jan 26-Feb 3

This year’s Bristol Storytelling Festival is set to feature lots of exciting events, including a Winter Wassail on Jan 27 and the legendary ‘Bristol Story Slam’ on Jan 31, as well as performances from a number of professional storytellers. www.bristolstoryfest.co.uk Abraham Lincoln), events have been held sporadically since the great man’s death in 1882, although it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the day started to be more widely promoted. In past years some of the events held to celebrate the life of the man who first described biological evolution via natural selection have been a

Jared’s journeys Jan

31 at-Bristol hosts prize-winning author Jared Diamond as he explores tribal society in his new book The World Until Yesterday. Jared considers what we can learn from the traditions of other cultures. 16+. Tickets £7. www.ideasfestival.co.uk little bizarre: things that have happened on Darwin Day have included dinner parties with special recipes for primordial soup and other Darwin-inspired dishes, distribution of information about evolution by people dressed in ape costumes, re-enactments of the Scopes Trial (the American legal case which made it unlawful to

Time2Share are looking for volunteers to join their befriending scheme in Bath and North East Somerset, working with disabled children and young people. They need volunteers of all ages and no previous experience is necessary as full training and on-going support is provided. All they ask is that you have an open mind and a caring approach. If you can spare a couple of hours a week, get in touch! Tel Sarah King 0117 941 5868 www.time2share.org.uk email nes@time2share.org.uk

teach evolution in a state-funded school) and comedy performances, through to recreations of the journey of the HMS Beagle and nature hikes. You can find out more at www.darwinday.org

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14 ignite february get involved! email editor@thespark.co.uk to give us info on your campaigns, events & projects photo: Tony Arihanto

spring stirrings Feb 1 See in

folk fest Feb 8-10 Confirmed acts for

www.chalicewell.org.uk

www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk

the ‘First Stirring’ of spring at the Chalice Well, Glastonbury, with celebration and meditation from noon. Everyone welcome. Free entry 10am12pm. Normal entrance fees thereafter.

this year’s Cheltenham Folk Festival include KAN and The Morris On Band. There will also be a real ale bar and loads of stuff for kids. Weekend tickets £72 adv and £78 on the door.

laugh a minute

Feb 9 This Natural Laughter Skills workshop will feature laughter therapy and laughter yoga and aims to boost health, wellbeing, happiness and relationships. Unitarian Chapel, Brunswick Square, Bristol. 10am-4.30pm. £55-£80 www.joehoare.co.uk

photo: Wai Yee Hong

love is in the air Feb 10

Not feeling Valentine’s Day this year? Throw some love at the Love Food Festival instead! Based at Paintworks in Bristol there will be tasty treats to sample and creative workshops for all ages, including paper flower-making. www.lovefoodfestival.com

snakes alive Feb 10 (TBC)

See in the Year of the Snake with Bristolbased Chinese supermarket Wai Yee Hong, which is famed for its New Year Celebrations. This year’s event is sure to be as spectacular as ever with the help of the Lion Dance Troupe. www.waiyeehong.com

half-term trail Feb 11-17 Get the kids out in some beautiful surrounds during half term, and take part in a self-led February fun trail around beautiful Dyrham Park, in Wiltshire. Open 10am -5pm. Normal entrance fees apply. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park

save the swift Feb 14-21

foot off the pedal Feb 11-17

art in the streets Feb 14-17

The theme for Go Green Week 2013 is long-term sustainability. Check the website to see what’s happening near you or plan your own event. Suggestions for this year include: Meat Free Monday, Travel Light Tuesday and Waste Not Wednesday. www.peopleandplanet.org/gogreenweek

The 2013 In Between Time Festival will see bold, unusual live art and performances take place at venues across Bristol, with a fake moon raised into the sky over the city each night. Adv pass £75. Tickets for individual events available. www.inbetweentime.co.uk

day of the jackals Feb 16

frome folk Feb 16-17

The Trinity Centre welcomes Villagers, the Irish ﬁve-piece fronted by Conor O’Brien, whose debut album Becoming a Jackal was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, when they stop off in Bristol as part of their UK tour. Tickets £12 in advance. www.3ca.org.uk

The 2013 Frome Folk Festival line-up includes Lucy Ward, winner of the Best Emerging Act award at the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and Rag Morris, who performed at the Olympic closing ceremony. Early bird weekend tickets £58. Concessions £48. www.fromefolkfestival.co.uk

National Nest Box Week 2013 focuses on the swift, whose numbers have decreased by more than 25 per cent in the last decade. Check the website for info on how to make a nestbox for your garden. www.bto.org.uk/ nnbw/index.htm

Climate Rush Bristol is an offshoot of the London Climate Rush group that was founded in 2008 and inspired by the Suffragette movement. (London Climate Rush famously chained themselves to parliament and dumped manure on Jeremy Clarkson’s driveway)! Erin Holmes founded the Bristol group in March 2012 to raise awareness about climate change through creative, non-violent action. This year they’ve lobbied the Dept of Transport for fairer train fares; joined The Carnival of Dirt in London to highlight the illicit deeds of mining & extraction companies wordlwide; handdelivered climate change messages to Ed Davey on handkerchiefs (DON’T BLOW IT), hung banners over the M32 and decked out the Conservative Party conference with balloons telling George Osbourne to stop fracking for shale gas. Want to get involved? Climate Rush Bristol need you to get involved! As well as actions, there is admin & press stuff, legal stuff, techy stuff, creative making & doing, photography, filming, researching, baking & loads more. We meet at Kebele in the front cafe every other Monday. Next meeting December 10 6-8pm. http://climaterushbristol.weebly.com

Bristol Independents, in conjunction with the Bristol Pound and the Federation of Small Businesses’ ‘Keep Trade Local’ campaign, are launching a loyalty card for independent shopping this festive period. From November 19, the loyalty card will be available at participating retailers across the city, and to pick up from the Tourist Information Centre, libraries and community centres. You can also download your card from the Bristol Independents website. Each time you buy something from a participating Bristol Independent business, you earn a stamp on your card (buy it in Bristol Pounds and get a bonus stamp). Collect 5 stamps and enter a prize draw by posting your card to: Bristol Independents competition, Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN or enter by taking a photo of your card and uploading it to the Bristol Independents website. http://bristolindependents.co.uk/christmas

nicaragua calling Feb 25-

Mar 10 Honey producer Agueda Ordonana

Ecomotive is a social enterprise that aims to provide inspiration, advice, training and mentoring to people who want to develop their own communityled housing projects, be that self-build or self-finish projects. Ecomotive are running a workshop on self-building your own home, at the Wild Goose space in St Werburghs, Bristol, on December 8. The course is a one-day Foundation course for interested groups, and includes a tour of the Ashley Vale self build project in St Werburghs. The course will include an exploration of the technical, practical and social aspects of designing and taking part in a group self-build project. £80. Email Jackson@ecomotive.org or call Alison on 07749 657 665

from Nicaragua will launch Fairtrade fortnight in Bristol Feb 25. Agueda is visiting the city thanks to Bristol Link with Nicaragua and will hold a number of talks and workshops for students during her visit. www.fairtrade.org.uk

Have you heard? the Spark has gone monthly (sort of!) Get the Sparkler - the Spark’s new monthly newsletter. News, competitions and reader offers delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now at www.thespark.co.uk/newsletters

Spark71.ab19.indd 14

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Holistic Massage

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A complete Qi Gong System Founded by Dr Shen Hongxun and taught by Andy Henry

Bristol Workshops 2013

9-10 Feb, 13-14 July, 12-13 Oct Learn a simple yet powerful system of Chinese healing exercises to clear your body, energy system and emotions. Old tensions are quickly released leaving a sense of lightness, clarity and vitality. Students will also receive healing from the teacher. Open to all. £95 per w/end 10am - 5pm Sat & Sun

This introductory ten week course is designed to engender fresh perception and cheerful discussion with those interested in seeing past life’s troubled surfaces, past opinions and bias, to what is reliable, lasting and true.

Contact: Bristol Weekend Workshops and Healing Clinic T 0117 3770103 / 07766 100383 E Taijiwuxigong@waitrose.com

‘Without vision the people perish’

Good use of the mind, and positive emotion can arise from hearing the wisdom of mankind’s great teachers. Explore great schools of thought, and ways of living, from east and west. Is it possible to combine head and heart, the spiritual and the practical? Can one resort to real listening, and sound values for good relationships? What is the nature of beauty, of idea and ideal, what are the roles of science, art, and meditation? Clear the decks of life. Prior knowledge is not needed, yet an open mind is always attractive and useful. Marcillio Ficino said:

He tastes nothing who does not taste for himself.

Bath. Tuesday, 8th Jan. 6.45 for 7.00 31 Milsom Street, Bath. th

Bristol.Thursday 10 Jan.7.00 for 7.15 Bristol Grammar School, University Rd.

bathandbristolphilosophy@gmail.com 0787 323 0651 10 weeks £75. Concessions; full time students £20 Enrol on arrival, or ring or email for more, maps etc

www.bathandbristolphilosophy.org branch of The Fellowship of the School of Economic Science. Charity 313115

www.philosophycourse.com

www.schooleconomicscience.org

Spark71.ab19.indd 15

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Daily

Tuesdays - 3rd Monthly

Saturdays & every 2nd Wed

Friday 7 December

Bristol Laughter Workshops with Joe Hoare. Learn to laugh more, for your health, wellbeing and happiness. 7.30-9pm, from £7. Also Laughter Facilitation Skills: www.joehoare.co.uk www.bristollaughterclub.com

Your Community Clinic – Making therapies affordable! Open to all, offering Low Cost Treatments prices £13–£30. Therapies to suit everyone including the pregnant/ elderly. Massage – Deep Tissue, Oriental Facials, Hot Stone, Indian Head, Shiatsu and Thai. Homeopathy, Hopi Candling, Reflexology, Reiki treatments, courses and shares. Ffi Teresa 0798 224 3804 (Wednesdays BS1 3HY), Saturdays (BS2 9QS) 0780 973 6187. Venues, dates etc: www.yourcommunityclinic.com

An amazing gig guaranteed when Bristol’s legendary live, guitar-driven, art rock band, explode onto the stage. Blue Aeroplanes at The Fleece, Bristol - featuring one of their strongest line-ups ever, £10 www.thefleece.co.uk

Wednesdays

Daily sightseeing tours Friends staying the weekend? Need to entertain the children? • Explore your city with a Bristol City Sightseeing open top bus tour. • ‘Hop On, Hop Off’ tickets. • Quality guides, entertaining and informative commentary. • Child travels free with every adult. • Additional discounts around the city with your ticket.

www.citysightseeingbristol.co.uk

Daily Amitabha Buddhist Centre and World Peace Cafe. Daily drop-in meditation classes. Open Monday-Saturday 11am-4pm. Old Vicarage, Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8NX. t: 0117 974 5160 www.meditationinbristol.org Mondays Free Happiness Workshops from Light Box - unlocking people’s creative potential to be happy. 2-4pm. Different theme each week. Broadmead, Bristol. Book online: www.wearelightbox.co.uk or call 0117 329 0908 Mondays Experience the unique healing power of the group. The small psychotherapy group experience offers the opportunity to explore your concerns, at your own pace; to understand better your relationships with others; to receive feedback and support. Good concessions available for people on low incomes. Mondays 7.00 to 8.30pm. To discuss further contact Alan Turkie, group psychotherapist (Group Analytic Society member, UPCA registered) 0117 921 1147. alan.turkie@googlemail.com Mondays - first monthly Bath Positive Living Group – Inspirational talks by expert speakers: subjects from consciousness, health & creativity to mysticism, science & ecology with the opportunity to socialise with like-minded people. £5 incl refreshments. 7pm at Manvers Street Baptist Church, Bath. 0786 8890 388 www.bathplg.co.uk

One Life - Make it Happen! 10 weekly sessions, exploring ways and means for living the life you were born to lead. Using ‘co-evolution dyads’, contemplation, enquiry and life projects. Wildgoose Space, BS2 9YP. Wednesday 7.30-9.30pm, starting 16th January. Cost £100, first session free. 0795 005 2100 livingfromthesource@gmail.com Wednesdays - 3rd each month Bristol Feral Choir. Fun, feral and friendly improvising choir exploring the voice at play. Grow creative confidence and vocal technique. • Drop-in classes, third Wednesday of each month, 7.30pm, £7 /£5. Fab green Bristol location, Greenhouse Studio, 292 Ashley Down Rd • Further cross-arts outdoor adventures in Going Feral www.goingferal.org.uk www.bristolferalchoir.org.uk / www.goingferal.org.uk email bristolferalchoir@gmail.com text 07837 599239 or find us on Facebook Thursdays Weekly Events - “Men’s Spiritual Group” and “Reiki / Energy Share.” Each event is on alternate Thursdays • Free entry • On Ashley Hill BS7 (by the allotments). Details of events at http://go.punya.co.uk/2 www.punya.co.uk/info/contact-us Thursdays Circle of Women - ongoing group. Celebrating our creativity through sacred sharing and the nourishment of women being together. Thursdays: 13th December, 10th January, 7th February, 14th March, 18th April, 9th May, 13th June, 11th July. 7.30pm, Wild Goose Space, £35 seasonal booking (4 sessions). whisperingmoon.info@gmail.com Thursdays Free Happiness Workshops from Light Box - unlocking people’s creative potential to be happy. 10am-12. Different theme each week. Broadmead, Bristol. Book online: www.wearelightbox.co.uk or call 0117 329 0908 Thursdays

Tuesdays

Morning Meditation 8.15-9.15am See Tuesdays

Morning Meditation. Recharge, unwind and re-connect through silent sitting, stillness and awareness. 11.15am to 12.15pm. Wildgoose Space, BS2 9YP. £6 drop-in, 5 sessions £25, 10 sessions £45. Also Thursdays 8.15-9.15am. Starting 22nd January. 0795 005 2100 livingfromthesource@gmail.com

Thursdays

Spark71.ab19.indd 16

Men’s Group - Awakening the Wild Male Soul. An 8-week journey exploring the male soul in a changing and fragmented world. Honouring spirit and the natural world. Practicing fierce acceptance and the wisdom of what is. Thursdays 7.30-9.30pm, starting 17th January. Wildgoose Space, BS2 9YP. 0795 005 2100 wildmalesoul@gmail.com

spring

Saturday 8 & Sun 9 December Handmade Life Intensive Weekend. Leaping forward, digging deep weaving the life you love. NLP, storytelling and coaching. Beautiful Radford Mill Farm, Bath. £120/£60. 07766 254 751 www.thehandmadelife.co.uk/ workshops

Sundays monthly The stand-up Intuitive show with Becky Walsh. Live readings executed in unusual ways, blended with observational comedy and philosophy. First Sunday of every month, The Square Club, Bristol. Tickets www.beckywalsh.com

Saturday 15 December

Bristol Folk House Festive Flea Market. Free Entry. Back for a fourth year, the Folk House Christmas market will once again be packed full of local and independent traders helping you give unique and extra special SEASONS GREETINGS to all our friendly SPARK READERS! presents! We’ll be bringing you a NOV-DEC …..Intro to Counselling Skills * Festive and Gift range of vintageCrafts clothing and Making * Silver Jewellery * Heart of thebric-a-brac, Hearth * records, accessories, Winter Solsticebooks, Spiralceramics, homewares, and foods, plus the badge making stall JAN-FEB …..Loving What Is (Byron Katie) Raw is back! The *café willFood also be serving New up lots of festive to restore Rosen Dimensions Method Bodywork * Jason Chan Infinitetreats Tai Chi Bristol Positive Living Group your pep. Four Elements Astrology * Future Self Now A monthly meeting of like-mindedin people, www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk to hear talks on a wide range of esoteric subjects MARCH…..Helen Chadwick Song Writing * Finding the Voice 40a Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5JG

HAWKWOOD new courses

winter

january Jason Chan

regular

three months of essential events. go to www.thespark.co.uk to book an ad in our spring issue • 90p a word

Monday 7 January Jamie Catto

16 ignite

Kick Start Fat Loss, a new generation slimming club, starts today in Bristol. www.ksfl-bristol.co.uk see Courses, Groups and Workshops section

Sunday 9th December 2012 * Jamie Catto What about You? with Stefan Cartwright 15 round. December Only 40 mins from Bristol. Lots more Saturday courses all year ... Chris Bourne www.openhandweb.org Warm welcome guaranteed. PLUS DELICIOUS FOOD! What ends the relentless search for Sunday 20th January 2013 Tuesday 15 January Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, STROUD, Gloucestershire GL6Non 7QWduality Tel 01453 759034 something more? A DEMONSTRATION OF MEDIUMSHIP BEYOND 2012. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Peter Steedman Cowling Phone usand forLindy information Sunday 17th February 2013

meeting Jamesout Eaton. or to book with or check our website…..Bristol Laughter Workshop. www.jameseaton.org See Tuesdays

Thursday 20 December www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk Thursday 22 January

DETOX AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

Caroline Nettle www.toxinfreetoday.com

Held at: The Friends’ Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol. BS6 6JE Everyone welcome. Refreshments included 3.00pm – 5.00pm Entrance £5.00

Fﬁ contact 01749 678834 leasurs@tiscali.co.uk www.positivelivinggroups.org.uk

HAWKWOOD

01453-759034 www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk

december

Early Bird deadline for The Spark spring issue. Get the discount for your spring celebrations before the Christmas festivities begin. 0117 914 34 34 sales@thespark.co.uk Book and pay for ads online at www.thespark.co.uk

Final deadline for ads in The Spark spring issue. There will be sun and bunnies and fluffy clouds again, honest. 0117 914 34 34 sales@thespark.co.uk Book and pay for ads online at www.thespark.co.uk

Thursday 20 December

Tuesday 29 January

Glastonbury Tor Solstice Eve Sacred Celebration. Journey through the threshold welcoming the Dawn of the Golden Age, with ceremony, ritual theatre, music, dance, Eartheart cafe, heated temple marquee; healing the collective heart together. Commencing a weekend of events around town. £13. 07968 978 987 www.tlc-society.com

‘Acting 4 Real’ 8-weekly dramatherapy group starts. Bristol. Scenario Arts in Personal Development 01225 427601 www.dramatherapy.org.uk Rachel@scenario59.freeserve.co.uk

Friday 28 Dec - Wed 2 Jan Transformational New Year Workshop. Join acclaimed intimacy coach, Jan Day for her wonderful Passion, Power and Love workshop, EarthSpirit Centre, Somerset. Call 02081239831 www.janday.com

SPARK ISSUE 71 Nov 2013 have you seen the Trinity Centre2012-Feb Christmas Art Saturday 1 Dec

fantastic events calendar 1/8th page and IGNITE BOX on our website? check out thespark.co.uk

Market. Unique & creative gifts for every person on your list, including you! Acoustic music, festive food & drinks – join us to shop or simply come to soak up the atmosphere! 11am-6pm. Free entry. The Trinity Centre. Trinity Road, Bristol. BS2 0NW. www.3ca.org.uk 0117 935 1200

february Yoga Foundation Course Five weekends in Devon Starting February 2013. Also Teacher Training and Yoga Therapy Courses, Classes and Retreats. For more information please call

01392 420573 or email

The Devon

info@devonyoga.com School www.devonyoga.com ofYoga

A membeR oF The InDepenDenT YogA neTwoRk

16/11/12 15:40:28

ignite

three months of life. to place an ad call 0117 914 3434 or email ads@thespark.co.uk its only 90p a word!

Saturday 9 February

Natural Laughter Skills Workshop Come & learn to use nls: natural laughter skills (laughter therapy, laughter yoga, healing power of laughter, and ‘factor X’) to boost your health, relationships, and happiness. Learn to use them for work, play, and for yourself. Come and laugh, release, energise, enjoy, connect, get ecstatic. Tel: 0781 215 9943 joe@joehoare.co.uk www.joehoare.co.uk www.bristollaughterclub.com Saturday 9 February Spiritual Companions Workshop in Glastonbury with William Bloom. Passing Over - Creating a Graceful Death and Transfer of Consciousness. Just as we need to understand how to live, so we also need to know how to die. This day teaches the core strategies for creating and supporting a graceful transfer of consciousness at death. www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com Saturday 9 - Sun 10 February Taijiwuxigong, Chinese self-healing exercises to clear your body, energy system and emotions. Weekend taught by Andy Henry. Old tensions are quickly released - vitality returns. £95. Open to all. 0117 377 0103 / 0776 610 0383 taijiwuxigong@waitrose.com Sunday 10 February Spiritual Companions Workshop in Glastonbury with William Bloom. The Collective Messiah - A New Approach to Global Transformation. There is an empowering prophesy that the new ‘Messiah’ will be a group and not a single individual. What would it be like for you to be part of that group...? www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com Monday 11 - Sat 16 February Folk Music Family Week at Monkton Wyld. Traditional music, dance, song, Morris and folk-craft with a ceilidh at the end to celebrate. www.monktonwyldcourt.org 01297 560342

Monday 18 February

Saturday 16 March

Bread and Jam Making Courses at Monkton Wyld. If you like home-made jam and delicious fresh bread why not join one of our regular bread/jam making courses starting on 18th February 2013? To Book: info@monktonwyldcourt.org 01297 560342 www.monktonwyldcourt.org

‘Take One’. A practical taster of the methods and application of dramatherapy. Bristol. Scenario Arts in Personal Development 01225 427601 www.dramatherapy.org.uk Rachel@scenario59.freeserve.co.uk

Tuesday 19 February

Monday 25 February The new Spark is out today. The spring Spark will make you feel all springy, positive and ready for the flower buds, fluffy chicks and blossom 0117 914 34 34 sales@thespark.co.uk www.thespark.co.uk

march

Bristol Laughter Workshop. See Tuesdays

Sexual Healing Easter Workshop. Living Tantra 1 gives you the opportunity to dive deeply into relationship and learn about boundaries. With Jan Day. For singles and couples. EarthSpirit Centre, Somerset. Call 0208 123 9831 www.janday.com

april Friday 3 - Sunday 7 April P/T Dramatherapy Foundation Course. 5 practical themed weekends introducing the different models and methods in dramatherapy theory & practice. April – September 2013. A great foundation to professional training. Emmaus House Retreat, Clifton Bristol – Residential option. Scenario Arts in Personal Development 01225 427601 www.dramatherapy.org.uk Rachel@scenario59.freeserve.co.uk

EVENING TALKS IN MARCH • London 16th • Manchester 19th • Birmingham 21st

WEEKEND WORKSHOP • Bristol 23/24th March For information and booking visit www.visionforliving.co.uk info@visionforliving.co.uk 01446 796 065

Saturday 2 - Sunday 10 March Stillness in Movement A journey to the self through movement, working deeply within the sensual landscape of the Sinai desert.We play with dance, exploring connection and communication, awareness and attention. Working with ritual and ancient energy healing methods, merging with the desert’s stillness and wild form. www.i-m-pulse.eclipse.co.uk www.sinaiwhiteheart.com Friday 8 - Saturday 9 March Spiritual Companions Workshop in Glastonbury with William Bloom. The Endorphin Effect — Mind-Body Health and Well-Being. www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com

Wonderful Weekend Workshops 2013 Set yourself free Be the best you can be “The Butterfly Model” Totnes 27th & 28th April Glastonbury 13th & 14th July

Tuesday 19 March

Thurs 28 March - Thurs 4 April

Bristol Laughter Workshop. See Tuesdays

Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 April

Saturday 13 - Sunday 14 April Spiritual Companions Workshop in Glastonbury with William Bloom. The Power of Spiritual Practice - Fully Alive, Fully Awake, Transforming the World. www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com Saturday 27 April Bristol Healthy Living Festival Creative Common, Temple Quay, Bristol. Free Daytime Entry • Local Traders • Workshops • Talks • Children’s & Family Activities • Food • Wellbeing • Fitness • Ethical Living • Special Guest talk from The Barefoot Doctor & more. Evening music & dance gathering The Barefoot Doctor’s Big Om in the Big Top - tickets on sale now. Tickets & more info: www.bristolhealthylivingfestival.co.uk or call Mark on 0786 636 1871

Transforming lives using the art of Neuro Linguistic Programming

01458 835946 deborahpenny@tiscali.co.uk

www.rapportaccord.co.uk

may Saturday 11 - Sunday 12 May Spiritual Companions Workshop in Glastonbury with William Bloom. The Sword and Chalice: How to Work with the Energies of Nature and Universe for Healing and Transformation. www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com Thursday 30 May - Sun 2 June

YO G A F E S T I VA L 30th May-2nd June 2013 at the beautiful Gaunts House, Dorset. All are welcome at the not-for-profit, weatherproof festival. Celebrating freedom and diversity in Yoga. l Yoga classes and workshops to suit everyone, from quiet and meditative to vital and dynamic. l Delicious veggie food and Chai tent. l Comfy rooms and camping. l Family-friendly event with a kids’ club. l Also talks, art, drumming, massage, music, dance and special evening concert of Indian Raga by master musicians. l Tickets all inclusive (day tickets also available). www.yogafestival.org.uk Tel 07515 103411

june Saturday 1 - Sunday 2 June The Shape You Are In, a weekend introducing Formative Psychology, the approach developed by Stanley Keleman, where you can learn how you physically and emotionally shape yourself, and how you can influence the way you deal with the world and with yourself. £140 ffi 0117 377 0103 / 0776 610 0383 email 4formative@gmail.com

classified For sale Professional doctor’s couch, ideal for massage practitioner. Versatile three-section couch, white easy-clean vinyl cover, electrically operated. Ideal for general treatment techniques through to heavy manipulation. Easy operation, low running costs, able to lift 225kg from lowest height. Not portable! Great condition, a few minor tape marks on the stand and some rewelding. Bargain at £80 (approx £800 new). Collect only - Bristol. 0796 086 7414

Jobs Job With A Difference & Unconventional Hours! Lively disabled woman values: integrity, positivity, and Holistic Living. Loves…. music, good food, gardening, nature and creativity…. Requires PA’s for facilitated assistance with all practical aspects of daily life, personal support., and getting out and about on a 24 x 7 basis (Please note: this is not a care position however). No previous PA experience necessary but basic common sense required of running a home. Involves all types of driving, a varied work day, adaptability, dependability and the capacity to be self-motivated, focused and “on the go”. • Essential requirements: female, 25 yrs+ with a full clean UK driving licence & one year’s driving experience; fluent written and spoken English. • Also: hardworking, practical, a fast learner; with a high level of physical fitness and stamina (comfortable with busy days). • Desirable: Applicants should be mature (not necessarily in years), genuine, flexible, reliable, positive, willing and easy going. Gross Pay: £7.86/£9.16 per hour. Block shifts: 24hrs+. Location: Keynsham/Bristol area. For accessibility reasons, please reply by texting your name and address to receive written details and application pack to 07984 819469 This advert complies with Section 7 (2b) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975

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facebook: the spark

Spark71.ab19.indd 17

for exclusive articles, news and reviews; to browse our a-z directory, enter competitions or read this issue on your computer go to www.thespark.co.uk

@spark_magazine

16/11/12 15:40:30

18 food Darryl Bullock brings you the ﬁnal part in our four-part series on ethical eateries in the West with a collection of Bath's ﬁnest, and Tony Benjamin investigates some exotic new crops being grown on West Country farms.

Bath eateries Local/seasonal: Uses local suppliers and/or seasonal ingredients Organic: Uses organic ingredients

Fairtrade: Uses Fairtrade (or equivalent) coffees, teas or other ingredients Animal Welfare: Uses free range or organically farmed meat, or positively discourages the use of factory-farmed meat Environmental Impact: Making positive efforts to deal with and reduce waste. Has policies regarding food miles, carbon emissions etc

Demuths

A local institution of 25 years standing (founder Rachel now runs the vegetarian Cookery School), head chef Richard Buckley uses local, Fairtrade, organic and seasonal produce to produce veggie, vegan and wheatfree menus. 2 North Parade Passage, BA1 1NX www.demuths.co.uk

Coral Quay Café

Upstairs from the Coral Quay Fairtrade gift shop (formerly Tumi) you’ll find Fairtrade coffees, teas, delicious homemade cakes, salads, light lunches and great breakfasts on offer. Plenty of gluten-free, vegetarian and organic options, and open ’til 7pm Thurs-Sat. 8-9 New Bond Street Place, BA1 1BH www.coralquay.co.uk

The Green Room

Bath’s first vegetarian theatre café is open Tues-Fri, 10.30am-2.30pm and before most evening performances. Menus are small but perfectly formed (butternut squash and chickpea tagine; courgette, mushroom and broad bean korma) and ridiculously inexpensive, with mains £6-£7 and desserts £3 or less. Gluten-free/vegan options too. The Mission Theatre, 2 Corn St, BA1 1UF www.missiontheatre.co.uk/bistro.html

Jacob’s Coffee House

Funky little cafe in front of Bath’s Abbey, serving pastries (including some giant croissants), melt-in-the-middle chocolate muffins, savouries, paninis and even pie and mash from Bristol’s Pieminister. 6 Abbey Churchyard, BA1 1LY www.jacobscoffeehouse.com

Cafe Retro

Popular with Bath’s arts crowd, Retro has a huge breakfast menu (meat and veggie) and great homemade chutneys, pates and pies on the lunch menu. Biodegradable packaging used in their takeaway (Retro-To-Go), great soya milk lattés, hot chocolate and shakes; local eggs/meat AND fabulous cakes. 18 York St, BA1 1NG. www.caferetro.co.uk

Chapel Arts Cafe Serves delicious made-to-order flatbreads (similar to pizzas), fresh salads, home-made soups, scrumptious cakes and a wide range of local beers and wines plus gluten, fat-free and egg-free cakes, muffins and cookies. St. James’s Memorial Hall, Lower Borough Walls, BA1 1QR www.chapelarts.org

Jika Jika

This is easily one of the city’s best cafés: a simple, fresh and locally sourced menu (the burritos and pork sandwiches are highly recommended). Comfy décor, fantastic staff and a really relaxed atmosphere. 4A Princes Buildings, George St, BA1 2ED www.jikajika.co.uk

Komedia Arts Cafe

Komedia’s Arts Café (Tues-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat 9am-3pm and cabaret nights) was the first eatery in Bath to attain the Soil Association Gold standard. Saturday breakfasts a must. 22-23 Westgate St, BA1 1EP www.komedia.co.uk/bath

The Porter Bath’s only fully vegetarian pub, the Porter’s veggie and vegan mains have a top price of £6.25. Speciality pizzas available 5pm-9pm and even a traditional Sunday nut roast. Veggie breakfasts (11am-1pm) are legendary. Miles Buildings, George St, BA1 2EN www.theporter.co.uk

Same Same But Different No microwaves, everything made from scratch using local suppliers. Breakfasts, gourmet sandwiches, great tapas & homemade cakes. Warm, brasserie atmosphere in the evening. 7a Prince’s Buildings, Bartlett St, BA1 2ED www.same-same.co.uk

Spark71.ab19.indd 18

all the tea in Cornwall The future is less imports, more homegrown food, says DEFRA. Tony Benjamin meets the West Country farmers with exotic crops

icture your shopping bag: you’ve got sweet potatoes, a jar of chilli sauce, a bottle of wine, a pot of olives and a packet of top quality tea. Exotic stuff, maybe, and yet it could all have come from plants growing in the South West, as hard-pressed farmers experiment with new crops in the face of a changing climate. The possibilities are surprising. At Otter Farm near Honiton, Devon, River Cottage garden chief Mark Diacona grows olive, peach and pecan trees and has had success growing kiwi fruit and Szechuan peppers too. Dubbed ‘the climate change farm’ Mark’s smallholding aims to harness our ‘new weather’ to home-grow previously imported foods. That aspiration sits well with a recent report from DEFRA’s Green Food Project, which concludes that we need to start growing more of the food we love ourselves. It’s hardly a new thought. “Winston Churchill wanted tea to be grown in the UK after the war,” Cornish tea grower Jonathon Jones observes. “Serious attempts were made back then but they were all unsuccessful.” Jonathan spent two years researching the world’s tea production on a Nuffield Travel Scholarship and by 2000, he was better prepared. Realising that, despite the difference in altitude, the Cornish climate was actually comparable to that in Darjeeling, home to the world’s best known Indian teas, he began successfully growing tea on the Tregothnan Estate near Truro. “It’s moist here, and the temperature and rainfall are similar. This year our monsoon was even comparable to theirs!” In 2005 they produced the UK’s first tea harvest – 200kg – and last year’s production tipped the 10-tonne mark. Tea loves rain, apparently, so 2012 looks like being another bumper harvest and with an additional 6,000 bushes being planted, Tregothnan Tea is a serious international business, with 50% of their product sold abroad (some of it in India!). The post-war years also saw the revival of British wine-making, with the soil and climate of the South West proving highly conducive to grape growing. Early vintages were inevitably unimpressive but those persistent wineries that gave serious attention to quality are now reaping the rewards of a warmer UK. In July the sparkling rosé made in Devon by Camel Valley winemaker Sam Lindo beat off competitors (including prestige French producers) to win the International Wine Challenge Gold Award for the second year running. In total, English wines have won 49 medals in competitions around the world this year, a success story that gives comfort to a new generation of pioneers working to establish other unlikely crops in the UK. Chillis are a good example: Somerset organic farmer Dave Hawking recalls a conversation on a cold, wet morning in 2008 with Alex Duck,

an entrepreneur with a specialised recycling business based at Dave’s farm: “It was all done on the back of a fag packet. It was more of an emotional decision than a business one!” The ‘decision’ was to let spice-loving Alex start The Upton Cheyney Chilli Company in an unheated polytunnel. Louise, Alex’s partner, recalls: “We grew anything at first – we had to learn what was a commercial crop, and then what we needed for our products. You learn as you go, and now we have four tunnels and grow around 20 varieties from the mild to the seriously hot.” The ‘products’ are a range of sauces, salsas and chocolates all made by Louise herself and proving so popular that their whole chilli crop now goes straight into her pot. Unsurprisingly, the Eden Project down by St Austell has been busy exploring the possibilities, too, and back in 2008 they produced the first cup of UK coffee using beans grown in their Rain Forest Biome. Though it caused quite a stir at the time, horticultural supervisor Hettie Ninnis can’t see a realistic future for the crop. “Coffee needs to be kept over 16°C. We’ve got this fabulous giant greenhouse, in effect, but the infrastructure for all that heat can’t be sustainable.” Her Eden colleague Kevin Austin, Outdoor Biome supervisor, agrees that you need to find what works sustainably and be prepared to try something new. He’s had particular success with South American plants: “Sweet potatoes, lemongrass, quinoa – they all do well here. Soya is adapting to our temperature and giving successful yields and it’s going to be increasingly vital to produce vegetable protein because the energy waste of converting it into beef is just colossal.” Meanwhile, like all good gardeners, Kevin’s got his eye on the weather. “Nobody really knows what climate change will mean. It’s only got to move up 1°C and lots of crops become possible, but that probably means more volatile weather with high winds and heavy rain that can crush young plants. We’re going to need imagination about what we grow and how we protect it, but if we do the right research there’s going to be more and more of these crops growing.” Despite this year’s ludicrously wet summer the enthusiasm of these food revolutionaries remains undampened and, in the South West at least, it seems our ‘locally sourced’ shopping basket will keep getting more interesting. Mark Diacona: www.otterfarm.co.uk Tregothnan Teas: www.tregothnan.co.uk Camel Valley Wines: www.camelvalley.com Upton Cheyney Chilli Company: www.uptonchilli.co.uk The Eden Project: www.edenproject.com

16/11/12 15:40:35

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Spark71.ab19.indd 19

16/11/12 15:40:38

20 planet

Got a passion for green issues and experience of writing? email editor@thespark.co.uk

more power to you Kesty Morrison visits the world’s ﬁrst “democratically ﬁnanced” wind turbine, on a farm at St Briavels in the Forest of Dean

f you go into the woods today you are in for a nice surprise. Taller than a teddy bear’s picnic, standing over 60 metres high on Great Dunkilns farm in the Forest of Dean, is the world’s first ‘democratically financed’ wind turbine, right here in Sparkland! The story starts with local couple Andrew and Sue Clarke. Their vision was to develop a community-scale turbine in the Forest of Dean: financed by the local community and of a scale in keeping with the needs of the local environment. They put all their savings and retirement money into the venture, taking all the initial risk.

Sue and Andrew approached community finance company Abundance Generation in November last year. Abundance uses a crowdfunding model (see p31) to enable ordinary

people to invest in renewable energy projects. Anyone can invest, even children, as long as they have a trustee acting for them. This new form of democratic finance builds on the success of peer-to-peer lending and other forms of ‘people-powered finance’. You can invest as little as five pounds into a project and what you get in return is a ‘debenture’, (a sort of bond). It is a share in the electricity produced by the turbine and not a share in the business.

crowd funding

This 500kw turbine project is funded by local people from all backgrounds, ranging in age from 19 to 81. Some of the funding came from other parts of the UK, from investors keen to see if green energy investment was viable. Abundance raised £500k in ten weeks, and there is still opportunity to invest in the turbine until January 2013. Abundance are also building four more turbines in the Forest of Dean and two in Stroud, all of which will be financed by crowdfunding. The FoD turbine started generating electricity at the end of September. Paul and Vikki Wiltshire from Dursley invested £400 into the turbine. They say: “It is good to know that your money is going into something tangible and local. We like that we can see the wind turbine that we helped to build and think we own a small percentage of that! It’s also good that anyone can get involved because you only need £5 to invest.” I spoke to Bruce Davis from Abundance and he tells me that bond-holders can expect

(L-R) Sue Clarke, farmer Antony Cooke, and Andrew Clarke to make up to an 8 per cent return on their investment. He says: “When people talk about green investment there is a lot of focus on new technologies and what we are trying to do is finance the roll-out of proven technology, such as onshore wind and solar, and others as they are established. We are shifting this perception of green investment as being a gamble on new technology, towards the reality that green investment is building a sustainable energy infrastructure for the UK. The green economy is not just an ethical choice, it’s one that makes economic sense.”

island weather

We chat about how society has a tendency to treat renewable energy like organic food, as a bit of a luxury item. Like many people, Bruce believes that producing energy from the wind is just common sense. “People from Germany, for example, laugh at us because they cannot believe how little wind power we have developed, considering how much wind we have on this island! We are the Saudi Arabia of wind.” He adds: “This local project is a microcosm of energy policy decisions that we are making for the whole of the UK. The Forest of Dean is taking control of how it is uses its energy. The goal is to move to being energy independent, something Abundance supports. We are not just interested in the returns, although for ethical investment the returns are very attractive.” Part of the beauty of Abundance is the transparency of the whole set-up: a

community project that anyone can invest in online at the click of a button. I have put my five pounds in and I’m pleased that I know exactly where that money’s going: towards harnessing good, clean energy for my neighbours in the beautiful Forest of Dean. www.abundancegeneration.com

the tide is high Untapped reserve of clean, tidal energy or conservation site in need of protection? This summer the Barrage issue has reared its head again. Jo Middleton investigates…

ince the 19th century, engineers have debated ways of harnessing the tidal power of the Severn estuary. With the second largest tidal range in the world, there is no doubt that the estuary has massive potential as a green energy source, and it could go a long way to helping the UK government meet its target of producing 20% of our energy from renewables by 2020. But, the barrage issue also generates fierce debate over how to protect habitats, wildlife and shipping. In 2008, the government commissioned a study into the feasibility of five different power generation options. In October 2010 the study concluded that it did “not see a strategic case for public investment in a tidal energy scheme in the Severn estuary at this time”. However, the report did not rule out a privately financed scheme, and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) subsequently began talks with a private consortium, Corlan Hafren, over a Cardiff-Weston barrage, estimated to cost up to £34bn. Corlan Hafren claims that the new barrage could provide up to 5% of the UK’s energy needs, saving one million tonnes of carbon every year, and that it could generate power for 120 years. Although the barrage scheme could harnass renewable energy and create jobs,

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environmental organisations including the RSPB and Friends of the Earth remain sceptical about the potential impact of a massive concrete structure on an internationally important wildlife habitat. The government’s original feasibility study found that a Cardiff-Weston barrage that used high-head turbines would result in the loss of more than half the intertidal habitat for birds, the possible local extinction of some fish species, water quality problems

“Corlan Hafren claim that a new barrage could provide up to 5% of the UK’s energy needs… and that it could generate power for 120 years.” upstream, and increased tidal heights as far away as the east coast of Ireland. “Your beaches will be covered with mutilated fish” was the message from The Marine Conservation Society (MCS). So what are the alternatives? The Government’s feasibility study also considered two tidal lagoons. A lagoon, in this context, is basically a rock-walled impoundment, enclosing an area of shallow coastal sea water. Tidal water is trapped and

released from the lagoon through water turbines which in turn generate electricity. Another option could be a network of tidal stream generators positioned throughout the estuary, rather than one monolithic structure. Tidal stream generators work in a similar way to wind turbines, and are quicker to build, with less environmental impact. In August 2012 it was reported that David Cameron was keen to revisit the plans for a barrage, and that he had met with Corlan Hafren, although details of what exactly their scheme would involve remain elusive. September 2012 saw a further twist in the tale, as Parsons Brinckerhoff, lead authors of the original feasibility study, presented a ‘Stepping Stones’ lagoon proposal to the Bristol Tidal Energy Forum billed as an “interim smaller option.” Mike Birkin is the South West campaigner for Friends of the Earth. He says: “The Stepping Stones lagoon proposal is much more in line with the approach that we would like to see. It would be a significant

source of low carbon power with a much lower environmental cost. It is compatible with other schemes, the ports could keep operating and we think it merits further work. The Cardiff-Weston barrage is heading up a blind alley.” What happens from here on in is unclear. On a recent visit to Burnham-on-Sea Business Secretary Vince Cable was asked whether he thought the barrage would be built in his lifetime. He said: “It is possible, but I wouldn’t bank on it. There is no civil engineering or project to back it up.” At the time of The Spark going to press, all Bristol mayoral candidates have said that they would oppose a Cardiff-Weston barrage. A tidal lagoon scheme seems more likely, but this may depend on the availability of private finance, and there are still environmental concerns to address. For the time being it looks as though we’ll have to wait and see which way the tide turns… www.stopthebarrage.com www.saveoursevern.org

16/11/12 15:40:39

Schumacher Institute Learning Programmes “Our task is to look at the world and see it whole.” E.F Schumacher l

How do I see the world?

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What do I choose to pay attention to – or, for that matter, not pay attention to? Interested in exploring these and other similar questions?

The Schumacher Institute offers two major courses, both fully accredited, inspired by E.F. Schumacher’s ideas. The Masters in Managing Sustainability and Uncertainty is designed for managers, leaders, facilitators and others requiring more effective ways to tackle the increasing complexity and uncertainty of a fast-moving world. Part-time over two years, participants will learn about what being sustainable means, for themselves and for their organisation. Start Date: 13th March 2013. Taster Days: (see website for timings and to book a place). The Sustainability Toolkit, fortnightly over 11 months, is designed to help people make the transition to a more sustainable way of living and working in these increasingly uncertain times. Start Date: 20th January 2013. Taster days: Tuesday 11th December 2012, Tuesday 8th January 2013 (6pm)

Please visit: www.schumacherinstitute.org.uk/learning or contact Martin Sandbrook, Director of Learning: martin@schumacher.org.uk

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16/11/12 15:40:43

22 social change Will Simpson on the Bridgewater activists mobilising to save their town centre, and a new initiative by an ex-councillor to rejuvenate local democracy in Bristol

brave new Bridgwater S

A group mobilised, vowing not just to omething is stirring down in oppose the supermarket’s plans, but also to Bridgwater. A group of local people breathe new life into their dying town centre. have joined together under the banner Bridgwater Forward set up a blog, started of Bridgwater Forward to save their organising regular meetings and got their town centre and, ultimately, revitalise this noses stuck into all the unglamorous work of forgotten part of Somerset. local activism: proffering petitions, writing The group came together in 2009, to councillors and applying to obtain Town galvanized by Sedgemoor District Council’s Green status for the site. “It’s hard work, but actions over the local swimming pool, Splash. the numbers have been good,” says Glen. Group secretary Glen Burrows says: “The “We’ve got a core group of 20 and we’ve council published a document at the start of mobilised far more than that that year saying that they at public meetings.” would keep the pool open Part of Bridgwater’s until an alternative was “Bridgewater has a strong problem lies in its unique found, and then promptly radical tradition: it was the geographical position. A closed it two months later. ﬁ rst borough to petition for the working class enclave in “It was fishy and we felt the middle of the rural that it was part of an attack abolition of slavery and it’s a (Conservative) West on the town centre. The strong trade union town…” Country, for some it’s a blot one thing that kept people on the pristine Somerset coming into town was the landscape. For decades it was swimming pool. Everyone the butt of bad jokes, not least for the noxious loved it.” odour that used to permeate from the (nowThey were right to be suspicious. Shortly closed) cellophane factory. Burrows believes after Splash closed it leaked out that the land that the town has a poor image and this has (which is part of a larger site) was going to adversely affected the way it’s been treated by be offered to Tesco. In a town that is already the district authority. short of amenities, for many people this was “Bridgwater isn’t the most appealing town the final straw. At last count there are 52 for people who don’t know it, but I love it. boarded up shops in its central retail area, and It’s a wonderful place. It has a strong radical to lose a precious leisure facility to the retail tradition – it was the first borough to petition behemoth was a step too far.

for the abolition of slavery; it played a prominent role in the Reform Act and the enfranchisement of working people and it’s a strong trade union town. But historically it’s been seen as a grotty place and the local authority have done nothing to change that by slowly destroying Bridgewater.” In contrast, Bridgwater Forward have a vision for a different sort of town: a proud, vibrant community with a revived town centre. “We’re not opposed to all supermarkets,” Glen insists. “We want a mixed town centre with both small and large shops, independents as well as chains, pubs, restaurants, places for kids to play. We need a theatre in Bridgwater, we need a roller skating rink and we need a swimming pool. That’s our vision. We’re drawing up a blueprint, really, of the town we want to live in. And we don’t think that Sedgemoor District Council has that vision at all. It might have it on paper, but that’s already proved to mean nothing.” In the short term Bridgwater Forward continue to campaign against Tesco. At the time of writing the planning application had

A depiction of Bridgewater town centre at the turn of the 20th century

not yet been approved, but even if the supermarket gets the final go ahead, the group are determined that the battle won’t end there. Glen intimates that a consumer boycott and even an occupation of the site are under consideration, and even if these fail the work of the group will continue. Too much is at stake. “We’ll just carry on,” he declares. “Somebody has to make these arguments, otherwise the town will just die. We’re just saying ‘look, let’s help each other here, let’s protect each other and let’s shop local’. Town centres are where people belong and should feel comfortable in, they shouldn’t become derelict places where they’re afraid to walk at night. So it’s not a revolutionary programme we’re putting forward, it’s about how we live our lives on a daily basis.” www.bridgwaterforward.blogspot.co.uk

the sound of the crowd F

amously, Churchill described it as ‘the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried’, and in many ways his somewhat sardonic endorsement of democracy is typical of the ambivalent, even complacent, way in which we view our voting system in Britain. Perhaps that is not surprising; after all, at a time when climate change is rapidly accelerating, when the world economy is entering its fi fth year of recession, most people have much more pressing things on their minds than thinking about better ways to govern themselves. But that ambivalence was never better demonstrated than when just 24% of Bristol’s electorate turned out to vote in the Mayoral referendum in May 2012. A record low turnout, it set alarm bells ringing amongst many observers, not least an ex-council worker named Gez Smith. “We’re moving into this new form of administration in Bristol, but we’re not really getting people involved,” Gez insists. “I and a few others wanted to look at addressing that problem. I suspect that given that the Mayor will be centralising power quite a bit, people are going to end up saying ‘I don’t like what the mayor is doing. How do we change that?’. Well you can’t. Not for four years anyway. I think it’s going to take people a while to wake up to the fact that they don’t have a lot of power in their city anymore.” The Bristol Democracy Project (BDP) was born of this frustration. Essentially it’s a loosely affiliated, politically neutral campaigning group that will be lobbying on behalf of ordinary people who want to exercise their democratic rights. “Big business, charities and other organisations all have people representing their interests

Spark71.ab19.indd 22

The Britol Riots of 1831, as depicted by the artist W J Muller and showcased by Bristol Radical History Group (www.brh.org.uk). Reproduced by kind persmission of Bristol Reference Library. but what if a member of the public wants to know something or change something? We want to give ordinary people a chance to get their voices heard.” To get involved, you just need to go to the Bristol Democracy website and register your email address and postcode. “We want to provide an information resource for people, telling them how you do a Freedom of Information request, for example, or how to contact the local media. One thing we’re doing at the moment is mapping out all the decision-making bodies in Bristol, explaining how they work and how you can get involved with them.” The idea is to build up a network of people who are interested in campaigning and

committed to making a difference. The major problem is, of course, cutting through the apathy that seems to be a defining feature of many so-called ‘mature’ democracies like the UK. “I think part of that will be about demonstrating success and showing that things can be changed,” Gez considers. “I think people are happy to be involved but you have to ask them first – ‘what do you think about your area?’. It’s about meeting them halfway rather than berating them for not voting.” Gez worked as a research officer and conservation officer on Bristol City Council for a number of years. “I saw all the arguments and pettiness that goes on. Basically Yes Minister is very true to life,

even at a local level. In fact, it rings even more true at a local level. I saw the way some council workers treat consultation, for example. There were times when officers would say “they say we have to consult; it sounds like a hassle, can we just not do it?’” By the time you read this, Bristol’s new elected Mayor will be in place. Gez is both open-minded and deeply worried about the impact an elected mayor will have. “Well, it might be the solution,” he says brightly. “I mean, a Mayor might come in and cut a lot of the nonsense and things will happen and it will be great. But personally, I believe in the wisdom of crowds. I don’t think it’s necessarily the answer to have all the decisions coming from one person.” BDP’s latest move is a request that whichever candidate wins keeps an open and transparent online diary of who they are meeting with on a weekly basis. Gez says: “The debate about the influence of different groups and organisations on decision-making in Bristol has gone on for years now, and it’s time we looked at this in a constructive manner. How can we make this process transparent? The new Mayor could keep their diary in a free online system that is publicly viewable or they could publish a list of all their meetings at the end of every month, as a kind of report back to the public on their work. We’ll be putting this proposal to all the candidates.” For Gez this is the reason democracy has to be defended. “If we don’t all get involved then what is the alternative? We let one person run our city? The bottom line is, people need to be involved in making decisions, otherwise someone else will do it for them.” www.bristol-democracy.org

16/11/12 15:40:44

I’m a youth mentor, a bike polo player, (and a Quaker).

Who am I? What is life? The OneSpirit Interfaith Seminary's one and two year training brings intense and joyful inquiry to these fundamental questions. Recent students describe the journey as 'radical homecoming, continued awakening, healing and acceptance....'

Training programmes commence each autumn.

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Belief. In action. www.quaker.org.uk/belief 0808 109 1651 Untitled-1 2

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16/08/2012 11:35:39

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16/11/12 15:40:47

24 body & soul Beccy Golding gives you a ﬂavour of what's moving, shaking and innovating in the worlds of health, spirituality and personal growth

abandofbrothers

a hypnotherapist talks… Stuart Taylor

Solution-focused hypnotherapist & hypnotherapy supervisor

What do you do?

‘Abandofbrothers’ is a charity which aims to bring young men into contact with skilled, empathetic, older men from the community who can mentor them through tough times. ‘Beyond the Hero’ is an adult adaptation of ‘The Quest’ (the charity’s rites-of-passage weekend for young men) and is a two-day programme providing the opportunity for each man to discover and clarify what he has to offer in the way of teaching, guiding and providing elder wisdom to young people. Potential mentors go through an intense personal journey to gain a grounding in the core ideas and purposes of mature mentoring, based on myth, rites of passage, and cross-cultural models of mentorship. It also encourages and awakens ‘olders’ to become ‘elders’ and seeks to re-imagine meaningful roles for adult men. Bristol co-ordinator Roy Maguire says this: “We are living in very challenging times, when old values are crumbling and new ones are just barely beginning to emerge, including what it means to be an authentic man.” ‘Beyond the Hero’ workshops for potential mentors will run in early Spring 2013. Get in touch with Roy to find out more. www.abandofbrothers.org.uk Email roy.maguire@abandofbrothers.org.uk

cold comfort

rnica (The UK Natural Immunity Network) was set up in 2007 by Anna Watson, a parent, who “wanted to meet like-minded parents who were interested in natural health”. Arnica now have regional groups across the South West who meet regularly to discuss boosting your immune system naturally. “We don’t advocate one way to health, although we prefer to use alternatives to chemical medicine where possible,” says Anna. “We look at using nutrition and herbs in place of cold medicines, trying cuddles and homeopathy before Calpol and antibiotics, and supporting natural immunity in place of vaccines.” Arnica are keen to stress that their community is a mixed group, where all health choices are respected and welcomed, with some parents vaccinating, some part-vaccinating, and some delaying the schedule to suit their families’ needs. I asked Anna for a couple of simple ways to boost our immunity in the long winter months. She says: “Mainly Vitamin D, fresh air at home by opening windows, the use of indoor plants, fresh veggies, more sleep, less medications, laughter and music, turn off WiFi at night.” And if/when the sniffles do hit? “Rest, water, vitamin C, and vitamin D all winter. Burning tea tree oil is good; use a clean pillow case; try chopped onion in a sock by bed at night; give mustard foot baths; use epsom salt baths, and more hugs!”

www.arnica.org.uk www.facebook.com/groups/arnica https://twitter.com/arnicanetwork

Spark71.ab19.indd 24

As a clinical hypnotherapist I help clients overcome a variety of issues such as stress, low mood, anxiety, fears, phobias, smoking, weight control and confidence. I do this by helping them set goals for themselves, focus on their behaviour and positively reinforce their own strengths at both a conscious and subconscious level. We use hypnosis to communicate the desired changes directly to a person’s subconscious and it is this aspect of solutionfocused hypnotherapy that can really help clients to move forward quickly and confidently with their lives.

What brought you to solutions-based hypnotherapy?

A childhood fascination with conjuring led me to explore the interaction between illusion and psychology, and it was while studying this that I first encountered hypnosis and its many therapeutic uses. This discovery, coupled with ten years of experience working in healthcare, focused my aims and encouraged me to pursue a career in hypnotherapy. I was lucky enough to find David Newton at the Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training School who teaches a solution-focused approach. This brief, client-led model of therapeutic intervention seemed to make perfect sense to me and so this was the direction I pursued.

When I tell people what I do they say… “Can you help me lose weight?” or “Oooh, look into my eyes!”

Something that might surprise you is…

That each session is geared towards being an encouraging and enjoyable experience.

I know it’s been a good day when…

A client arrives full of positive stories about the week they have just had & enthusiasm for their week ahead!

What I’ve learnt about myself is…

That I am able to organise myself & run my own business and still get to sleep at night!

If I wasn’t doing this I’d …

Hopefully be pursuing my lifelong love of magical entertainment & psychological illusion. Maybe I’d be in a sideshow somewhere!

If others want to do this I’d say …

There are many approaches to hypnotherapy, so think about the direction you want to take your therapy in and find a school that offers accredited certification and provides support both during, and after your training. www.taylorhypnotherapy.co.uk www.thecliftonpractice.co.uk

people & places by Rachel Fleming

ave you ever noticed how different you feel in a wood, on top of a mountain or on the open sea? How some cities and towns seem to welcome you while others you can’t wait to get away from, not because of the noise or the smog, but something harder to put your finger on; it’s the feel of the place, or rather its ‘mood’ or ‘personality’? Craig Chalquist, author of Terrapsychology: Re-engaging the Soul of Place, thinks that our ancient ancestors, who believed the land, the sea and the sky were living beings, might have been aware of something that we have forgotten: that everything around us has a deep connection with our inner psyche, and that changes in the outside inevitably lead to invisible and unconscious changes on the inside. “Isn’t it odd that the environmental crisis has not provoked more publicity or curiosity about how it affects us psychologically?” says Craig. “It has been difficult for us to understand this uncanny sense of place because of a long-standing belief that the world and its elements and locations are mute, uninvolved and unintelligent: mere resources for human use and backdrops to our activities. We are now having to relearn that a place is more than the sum of its identifiable components”. According to Craig, the easiest way of relearning our connection with this ‘soul of place’ is through story. “Story is a weave connecting people to place,” he says. He believes that the story of our places – their

news

geography, ecology, history and folklore – and our own personal stories within them, are what will reconnect us with the land and will ultimately heal the cultural split between self and world which underlies our environmental crisis. Craig will be teaching at Schumacher College in March with a series of courses on eco-psychology and reconnecting with ‘soul of place’ with teachers such as Bill Plotkin (Soulcraft), David Abram (Spell of the Sensuous) and Andy Fisher (Radical Ecopsychology). For powerful storytelling, myth and reconnection to the wilds of Dartmoor, also check out the weekend courses run by the Westcountry School of Myth with local story-tellers Martin Shaw and Spindle Wayfarer. www.schumachercollege.org.uk www.schoolofmyth.com

photo: Anita Hummel Artshine’s project manager Louisa Newman recently won the individual award for ‘outstanding contribution to arts & health‘ from Arts & Health South West. Artshine deliver art classes to adults with mental health issues in inner city and east Bristol. Sessions are led by professional artists, rather than art therapists, and “create a therapeutic and supportive environment in which people can develop their arts skills and practice.” Operating within the NHS and covering 20 GP practices, participants attend 10-week terms of two hours per week. One participant said “coming here means I don’t have to worry about what’s going on in my life, I can just concentrate on this”. Ask your GP to refer you if you are interested. In early 2012 Off The Record, the young people’s counselling service, took over a 6ft sq patch of bramble-covered land in Boiling Wells, St Werburghs, Bristol. Their Offshoot Allotment Project has been providing eco-therapy to young people, 16-25, since April 2012 and is now thriving and growing gorgeous, nutritious produce as well as delivering positive results for those involved. The project aims to reconnect people with nature as a source of wellbeing for themselves. It is also a place to learn new practical skills in sustainability, growing and a way of meeting new people. A small, select group of young people, plus workers and volunteers meet every Thursday. Boiling Wells is equipped with barn, kitchen and compost loo. This year they have grown an array of veg, including strawberries, beans, peas, onions, carrots and much more, alongside building new raised beds for next year. Like the land, the group will be dormant over winter, but will re-start in February and are looking for new recruits. Kate or Charlotte at Off The Record info@katejoyner.com (07791 527522) or charlotte@otrbristol.org.uk (0117 922 66747) http://otrbristol.tumblr.com

Intrigued by the idea that animals can help you heal? Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist Miranda Carey combines aspects of shamanism, constellations and psychotherapy in her work with her herd of horses based at Lydney Park Estate in Gloucestershire. Miranda and her team at Ehwaz are holding an open afternoon on Thursday December 1, 2-6pm, with an introductory talk, an opportunity to meet the herd (bring boots and a waterproof!) and see the facilities. You don’t need to be a therapist or have any horse experience to go along and find out more. Tickets are £10 in advance from Kate Edser: 07989 593341 kateedser@gmail.com www.ehwaz.co.uk

World AIDS Day December 1st www.worldaidsday.org

16/11/12 15:40:48

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16/11/12 15:40:54

for shops, products & services

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Supporting Children’s Scrapstore.

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Jewellery, Gifts and Curiosities from around the World. Watches, Silver, Costume and Body Jewellery. Watch Batteries and Straps fitted Free. Aromatherapy Oils, Crystals, Music Tarot and Meditation Cards. Candles Woodcarvings Furniture, Soft Furnishings and more. 49 High Street, Thornbury, Bristol BS35 2AR Tel &Fax: 01454 415303 E-mail: bibelotuk@hotmail.co.uk www.mythornbury.co.uk/bibelot

gift shop Trading in a peaceful environment in the heart of Bristol's busy shopping centre, we offer gifts and homeware, 3/4 of which are bought direct from developing countries and small suppliers. We work with the communities who supply our goods, providing them with access to larger markets and asking them where they need support. Our profits go to fund Buddhist projects internationally and community projects amongst our suppliers.

Visit us on the first floor of the Galleries, Broadmead (next to Waterstones) Tel: 0117 922 5877 E-mail: bristol@evolutiongifts.co.uk For details of our ethical trading policy visit our website www.evolutiongifts.co.uk or pick up a leaflet in our shop.

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16/11/12 15:41:02

28 spotlight: cash and community Chris Mitchell on innovative ways to raise, save, invest and share our cash, plus a look at local currencies, alternative economies and what the MoneyLess Man is up to now

he worldwide banking crisis – and subsequent economic meltdown – has sparked a whole new conversation about money and the way we use it. Faith in the traditional financial institutions is at an all-time low, more people want to invest ethically, and community investment projects are increasingly popular (see p20). With local currencies gaining popularity and moneyless bartering schemes (JustForTheLoveOfIt and Freecycle) still going strong, more and more people are looking to the alternative economy for inspiration and reviewing their relationship with money…

Better banking

here are banks out there embracing broader lending policies for smaller, communityorientated businesses AND who’ll promise to invest your cash ethically, if you want to switch from the big High Street banks. Bristol-based Triodos Bank, for example, only lend to organisations “with social, environmental or cultural aims” and will lend between £25,000 and £15 million. They recently part-funded the flagship, low impact cohousing project LILAC up in Leeds. Unity Trust Bank prioritises clients such as social enterprises, community interest companies (CICs), councils and trade unions. It lends amounts in the range of £250,000 to £1 million. Charity Bank actively supports the third sector: charities, social enterprises and community organisations that “benefit people and the planet”. Loans generally go from £50,000 to £1 million. The Co-operative Bank has a lot of financial muscle, and offers loans to both personal and business customers from £2,000 upwards, at competitive rates. It has a firm commitment to ethically investing its customers’ cash, and broad loan parameters.

Triodos tel 0800 328 2181; www.triodos.co.uk Unity Trust Bank plc, tel 0845 140 1000; www.unity.co.uk Charity Bank, tel 01732 774 040; www.charitybank.org Co-Operative Bank plc, tel 0800 764 764; www.co-operativebank.co.uk

‘The MoneyLess Manifesto’

ongtime Sparkland resident Mark Boyle – dubbed ‘the MoneyLess Man’ – has been living without money since 2008, choosing a cashless combination of bartering, sharing and foraging to support himself. His ‘freeconomy’ community offers a way for people to connect and share services, tools, objects and skills, as well as supporting each other with ideas. His most recent project is setting up a landbased research and education centre for moneyless living, where people can come and participate in free courses and experience “how it feels to live in complete connection with the land”. Mark’s first book The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living documented his first year of living without money. He

Spark71.ab19.indd 28

Local pounds for local people!

e reported on the Bristol Pound back in issue 69 of The Spark, and this autumn saw the official launch of the new local currency. Around 1,000 Bristolians and 500 local traders are signed up to the scheme, which aims to keep money circulating around the local community, and operate alongside regular pounds sterling. Organisers are confident that innovative ways to pay – such as via text from your mobile phone – will ensure the £B’s success. To use it, all you need to do is set up a bank account (online) with Bristol Credit Union and deposit a minimum of £11 into that account via a debit card. You can then spend your Bristol pounds in shops across the South West, via texts from your mobile phone, online or in paper currency. You can even buy ads in the Spark with £Bs!

So why use it? Mike Lloyd-Jones from the Bristol Pound initiative has this to say: “All Bristol Pound accounts are administered by Bristol Credit Union, which is a fantastic alternative to the big banks. Using the £B is a great way to discover new places to shop, to connect with new traders and build a stronger, more diverse High Street. By supporting local traders you are keeping the chain stores out, and creating more choice for consumers in the long run. You’re also cutting down on the environmental cost of transporting goods up and down the country.” The first local currency in the UK was the Totnes Pound (launched in 2007), followed by the Brixton Pound, the Lewes Pound and finally the Stroud Pound in 2009. Both Stroud and Totnes are relaunching their local currencies, with the Chamber of Commerce

has just published a second book, The Moneyless Manifesto, which explains how liberating, easy and enjoyable it is to live with less money and encouraging people to make a personal transition to a place where they shed some ties to money and become more resilient to financial shocks. He says: “The Moneyless Manifesto shows people how to transition from being highly addicted to money to a place where you take things right back to basics, and where things like your food and your entertainment are not all tied up with spending money. It’s about making a transition that makes sense to you, in your life, but also making one that is appropriate to the crisis we’re facing right now with the world economy.” With a foreword by Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics, the book is available for free to read online, or as a paperback version, from which proceeds go towards Mark’s land-based education centre.

The Gift Economy

www.justfortheloveofit.org The Moneyless Manifesto http://bit.ly/THEQ39

he idea of the ‘gift economy’ is underpinned by a very simple premise, and is pioneered by author and speaker Charles Eisenstein (Sacred Economics). It’s a system of exchange that has existed for thousands of years but is being increasingly talked about as one of the possible alternatives to our failing monetary system. The idea is simple: whatever you have in abundance, give it away. From a communal point of view status is gained by those who give the most, not have the most. This way, resources do not stay in the hands of a few and are more evenly distributed. It is not based on a barter system, as nothing is directly exchanged for anything else. An important part of this gifting process is ‘social witnessing’: that is, your community must witness the gifting process, and a result of that, goodwill and respect naturally flow around the community. Spark writer Melanie West recently hitched across England with four friends on a mission to explore the gift economy. The group were amazed at the goodwill that flowed their way. Mel says: “We packed

getting involved in Totnes, and new incentives in place in both towns to rekindle interest, in light of the current economic climate. Ben Brangwyn of the Totnes group says this: “We don’t pretend to ourselves that we’re changing the economics of Totnes with a local currency, but we are changing the story and implementing a system that – should sterling become scarce – could be ramped up and put into place in a way that really helped a lot of places in the USA or Austria during the Great Depression, or more recently, in Argentina when their currency collapsed. “Totnes tried the experiment first, then others tried it, and then Brixton took it up a notch with electronic payment. Bristol has taken that learning and upped it a whole other level.” Sign up here http://bristolpound.org/signup

so we could be self-sufficient, sleeping and cooking wild if we needed to. We crammed lots of nourishing energy balls into our bags and took just one £20 note with us, specifically to buy a ukelele!” And the journey? “We slept on people’s floors, in woodlands, under the stars and even in the odd bed. We gathered so many new friends along the way… there was Ash who phoned his brother find us a wild camping spot; Octay at Junction 18 who furnished us all with hot drinks; Michael who bought us fish and chips and drove us out to the beautiful hill Thorpe Cloud in Dovedale; Sue the barrister who pressed £10 into our hands for food, and so many more. We realised that our stories and listening skills were gifts in themselves, and seemed to enliven the people we met. We had genuinely not expected the generosity, serendipity and level of fun we would have on this journey of discovery, and it’s an experience that we will all treasure for life.” To read the full story of Mel’s journey, read her blog on the Embercombe website at http://embercombe.co.uk/blog/?author=28 Also see www.gifteconomy.org.uk For more on gift economies, read Charles Eisenstein http://charleseisenstein.net

16/11/12 15:41:08

Crowdfund and carry on!

o you run a small, creative enterprise or have an idea for an innovative social project? Need to raise some funds? If you can’t get a loan from a traditional bank or building society, there are now many other ways to find potential investors and supporters… Crowdfunding involves you making your pitch through a website and inviting individuals to pledge small (or large) amounts towards a target sum. A number of website platforms enable this. Some, like Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Bank To The Future, reward investors with scaled ‘gift’ packages (typically limited edition material related to the product) by way of a return. Others, like Seedrs and Abundance (which specialises in renewable energy projects) offer investors equity returns. Regardless of what you might get back, each tends to service a particular niche – artistic, engineering, quirky, small business – and gives you the opportunity of helping to make happen something that might not otherwise get financed. Thanks to crowdfunding my son now has his name in a graphic novel, and I am a credited producer of a Hollywood film! Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com Indiegogo www.indiegogo.com Bank To The Future www.banktothefuture.com Seedrs www.seedrs.com Abundance www.abundancegeneration.com See the Wikipedia comparison article on crowdfunding services www.tinyurl.com/crowdfundservices Crowdsourcing offers the Crowdfunding Accreditation for Platform Standards (CAPS) programme by way of an industry kitemark www.crowdsourcing.org/caps

Peer-To-Peer lending (P2P) is a way of connecting investors to ventures that need finance. Some, like Kiva, concentrate on providing microfinance to entrepreneurs in

capacity to deposit and save over relatively short periods of time, without credit checking or scoring.

less prosperous countries; others, such as Funding Circle, are more geared towards domestic businesses; and some, including Zopa, focus on generating low-cost, personto-person loans. All give you the chance to browse different projects and people seeking capital.

The Find Your Credit Union website is a great resource for identifying the best co-op for you. www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

Kiva www.kiva.org Funding Circle www.fundingcircle.com Zopa www.uk.zopa.com

The Community Shares Initiative helps social enterprises raise capital by issuing shares to potential investors. Shareholders – who automatically become members of the organisation – can apply to withdraw their investment, though they cannot sell shares on or benefit financially from the success or failure of the business. The value of shares cannot rise; it can only stay the same or go down. Success stories in Sparkland include the Clevedon Community Bookshop, which raised around £20,000, and Bath & West Community Energy, which brought in a staggering £721,350 on a public share issue designed to fund more clean, low carbon energy in the region. Avon Co-operative Development Agency, tel 0117 989 2536; www.cda.coop Community Shares Unit www.communityshares.org.uk

Credit unions are member-owned co-ops which specialise in financial services. Credit unions often offer very competitive loans, with fewer hurdles to borrowers than the big banks. While long popular in the US and elsewhere they are only just now beginning to get a bigger profile here in the UK. They can be based not just around a locality but also workplaces, interest groups and associations. Credit unions accounts are great for people who have had checkered relationships with High Street banks, and will often loan small amounts to those who have demonstrated a

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Spark71.ab19.indd 29

16/11/12 15:41:11

30 family Kate Evans visits some brilliant hands-on science exhibits, exposes bafﬂing VAT policies, meets pagan parents and discovers a groundbreaking new book for carers of kids who self-harm...

hands up for science T

he latest hands-on science exhibition at At-Bristol takes natural recycling as its theme. ‘Our World: No More Waste’ explores the idea that the Earth is a closed system, and everything within it is recycled by natural processes. Well, that’s the basic premise, but you might find yourself splatting Jurassic spiders for much of your visit. A timeline of paint extends out the door of the building, leading you to a central low table representing the Jurassic period. It’s a wonderful representation of the age of the Earth, especially when you realise that humans have only existed for a centimetre at the end of the line, and our recorded history would be a single thread along the end of that. In the meantime though, a light show of Jurassic fish are ‘swimming’ over the table, snails and ladybirds crawl round the edges, and spiders scuttle excitingly towards you, and up your arms. How long will it take you and any accompanying children to discover that the spiders can be squashed, in a very satisfying splat of light green light? Miraculously, they then reform themselves, and scurry away.

Further exhibits include a 20,000-year-old soil core from Gordano, with fascinating insights into our prehistory, a time lapse sequence of a decomposing dinner, (why does the sandwich not biodegrade? Spooky!) hot wax volcanoes and an interactive globe tracking world weather patterns. There’s a lot to see here, but it would be easy to let it swirl by in a frenzy of button-pressing, biffs and bashes. It would definitely be worth picking a quiet time to visit, so that you can find the space to take a moment to discuss what you’re seeing with your kids. The hands-on science is a great way into discussion, but take time to ponder the big questions behind it too! www.at-bristol.org.uk

children of the ’90s Children of the 90s, the Bristol-based longitudinal health survey, is celebrating its 21st birthday. The study started back in 1991, when more than 14,000 new mothers enrolled their babies’ details in the project. The data has formed an invaluable resource, leading to groundbreaking scientific discoveries. We now know, for example, that putting babies to sleep on their backs reduces their risk of cot death, that nappy creams with peanut oil in can cause serious peanut allergies, and that just walking to school for 15 minutes a day cuts the rate of childhood obesity by half. The study has been so successful that it is looking for more participants. If you were born in or around Bristol between April 1991 and December 1992, you’re probably eligible to join. Or if you were once signed up to the project but have lost contact with it, you can get back in touch – your data could still be hugely important. Children of the 90s are also keen to contact fathers of children from the original research project – including non-biological parents who played a fathering role. If this is you, you can sign up online or find Children of the 90s on Facebook and send them a message with your details. It’s voluntary, entirely confidential, and you can opt out again at any time. Researchers are especially keen to track down the children of the Children of the 90s. Called the COCO90s, these babies could be fuelling the next generation of scientific research. www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac

ristol Pagan Parents meet every few weeks at Kebele Community C-op in Bristol to share nature and craft activities with their children, and celebrate the passing of the seasons. Search Bristol Pagan Parents on Facebook www.bristolpaganparents.com

s breastfeeding a luxury? The Treasury seems to think so. Breastfeeding mums pay 20% VAT on the nursing bras, breast pads, breast pumps and milk storage bags that they use when they make milk, yet formula milk is classed as food, and is VAT exempt. Eva Fernandes, director of Bristol-based baby store Born has started a petition calling for a change in the law: “Human milk is nutrition, and should not be subject indirectly to VAT.” Petition closes July 2013. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/35599

the parent’s guide to self-harm D

eliberate self injury isn’t something that is high in the public consciousness, yet Britain has the highest rate of self-harm in Europe. At least one in 15 young people self-harms, including some children as young as seven. The behaviour can become compelling, a secret addiction that provides short-term relief from stress, but leads to longer term physical and emotional scars. While a proportion of sufferers become compelled to self-harm as a result of family trauma or abuse, many have loving parents who are distressed and bewildered by their behaviour. Wedmore-based author Jane Smith has written The Parent’s Guide to Self Harm, the first book on the subject by and for parents. The book features the collective wisdom of people who have had to become experts on the subject. They have battled to get appropriate professional help for their children, dealt with feelings of panic, frustration and social suspicion, and negotiated the tricky business of supporting a teenager who may be unwilling to admit that they have a problem. The book is organised in straightforward, no-nonsense sections, with checklists and action plans throughout, and a comprehensive first-aid section for dealing with the physical effects of self harm. I asked Jane Smith about her book: What inspired you to write The Parent’s Guide to Self Harm? My daughter and her courage in overcoming self-harm after a four-year battle. She’s an amazing, talented, intelligent, caring girl who we love and admire. She encouraged me to go ahead with this. I also knew from working at the parent help-lines at Anorexia Bulimia Care just how many parents are struggling with this issue and don’t know what to do to help their loved one recover.

Spark71.ab19.indd 30

What do you hope the book will achieve? I hope it might help de-stigmatize the subject and raise awareness of the issue. I want to offer practical suggestions for recovery for parents and family members, teachers, counsellors and health professionals. When you have more knowledge and understanding, then the issue you’re facing becomes less frightening. And since early intervention offers the best chance of recovery, I hope my book will have a preventative role too. What common misconceptions about selfharm do parents have to overcome? Parents experience a lot of isolation, shame and unnecessary guilt, as well as extreme anxiety. There’s a profound stigma around self-harm; it’s not something you can easily talk to your friends about, as most people find it distasteful, disgusting even. Those who self-harm are often considered ‘stupid’ or ‘unbalanced’, being silly and ‘attentionseeking’, so parents feel protective and defensive of their child too. You also risk being regarded as a ‘bad’ parent, or one who

must have a troubled or dysfunctional family. Self-harm doesn’t discriminate, but the misconception is that all sufferers come from unhappy homes, or have mental health problems. So parents face bigoted comments, judgements and insensitivity on top of everything else. One common misconception is that people who self-harm are trying to take their own life, and although there are some cases of fatal self-harm, these are usually unintentional, as self-harm is a strategy to cope and survive, not to end life. What should we do if we suspect someone is self-harming? Don’t accuse them or embarrass them. Remember that they will probably be feeling ashamed of any tell-tale marks and are using this coping strategy as a private means of helping themselves, not to get attention. Consider how well you know them before talking to them and think about who might be best to approach them. Remember that self-harming is often a response to issues and anxieties (and people who self-harm often struggle to communicate) so first get alongside someone and relate to them as a friend, not a freak. Once you’ve established trust, they may open up to you about the difficulties they’re facing. Tread very carefully though as your friend or colleague may clam up and not wish to discuss it further. If this is the case don’t abandon them as a lost cause but keep up the friendship. They may

need more time before talking to you. Remember that there are no quick-fix solutions and someone will not be able to simply stop harming just because you’ve encouraged them to confide in you. There are ways of helping people recognise the build-up towards an episode of self-harm, and distraction and replacement techniques to suggest, but you’ll need to know them well. If you want to offer your help, be a constant, but establish boundaries so that you’re not called on 24/7. Counselling help can be very useful for those who self-harm but friendship, care and support is also invaluable. Anorexia Bulimia Care has a confidential, dedicated self-harm help-line for parents, family members and friends. They also welcome calls from teachers, counsellors, employers, colleagues and health professionals. Call 03000 11 12 13 (Option 3) www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk Self Injury Self Help (SISH) Bristol will re-start their weekly support groups for men & women in March. Info re SISH & other support groups here: www.bristolmind.org.uk/mental-health-resources/ self-harm Bristol Crisis Service for Women provide support nationally for girls and women who self-harm. They have a brilliant text & email support service called TESSS. Text: 0780 047 2908 or email via www.selfinjurysupport.org.uk

16/11/12 15:41:15

index acu - cent want to advertise in advertising? The Spark?more see inside info on back inside cover back forcover info

Welcome to The Spark Listings – issue 71 Find lovely people offering you a plethora of services and opportunities, from courses to counselling, massage, personal development, spirituality and yoga ... plus food suppliers, co-builders, holiday providers and more. Making the global personal.. the personal global.. we think you can’t separate the person from the world they live in.

* When you reply to an ad please say you saw it in The Spark – it’s the advertisers who pay for The Spark and it’s great for them to know their ads are working (and it really helps us). Thanks.

Disability access codes are included in the ads if the advertiser has given them to us: A Level entrance to building B Room with level access C Adapted toilets S(X) Steps and no. of steps NA Not accessible H Home visits available T Telephone for further info

acupuncture Isabel James Lic.Ac, MBAcC, MRCHM

• Traditional Chinese Acupuncture • Chinese Herbal Medicine • Experienced children’s practitioner • Gentle effective treatment. Fully qualified practitioner with 10 years’ experience in successfully treating a wide range of conditions, both physical and mental/emotional. Bishopston, Bristol. Tel: 0117 924 1188

Listings sections this issue: acupuncture alexander technique architects, buildings & home arts therapies astrology bowen technique buqi business services career development centres & venues ceremonies & celebrations children • education • parenting city farms coaching complementary clinics complementary practitioners computers & web design

constellations counselling & psychotherapy: • bath • bristol • bristol north • families/young people • groups/group therapy • parenting • psychotherapy • relationships • supervision • general c&p training c&p noticeboard courses, groups & workshops craniosacral therapy cycling dance death & dying dentists & dental care design, writers & print doctors/holistic physicians

feng shui food garden gay, lesbian & bisexual guinea pigs healing health shops health testing & screening holidays: • activity • holiday cottages home & decluttering homeopathy housing & land hypnotherapy lightning process massage & bodywork mediation * new * meditation

movement & bodywork music & sound nutrition & diet osteopathy personal growth courses rebirthing reiki rolfing rooms & spaces sex & sexuality shamanism shiatsu spiritual paths & practices tai chi training voice women yoga

Small Print. It’s very rare, but once in a while an advertiser behaves in a way they shouldn’t. If you’re had an experience with one of our advertisers that made you feel uneasy, uncomfortable, cross or bamboozled, please let us know as soon as possible. We’ll do our best to make the situation better - this could

be through gentle persuasion, direct challenge, or in some cases by refusing to accept their custom. Having said that, the small print below still stands.. Blue Sax Publishing Ltd, who publish The Spark, cannot take any responsibility for the quality of an advertisers’ service or advertisers’ conduct. In choosing an advertiser you

may wish to consult the appropriate professional bodies. We gather the info but we can’t and don’t evaluate the advertisers. Advertisers are advised that all copy is their sole responsibility under The Trade Protection Act. All adverts must comply with the British Code of Advertising Practice. We reserve the right to refuse, amend, withdraw

or otherwise deal with advertisements submitted to us at our absolute discretion and without explanation. Blue Sax Publishing can accept no liability for any loss or damage resulting from omission or inaccuracies relating to telephone numbers, wording, spacing or positioning or other material regardless how caused.

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architects, building & home

alexander technique

The practice, formed in 1984, has specialised in community buildings, doctors’ surgeries, private houses, and many small-scale extensions and alterations. No job is considered too small and all designs are unique and specific to their client and situation. Special consideration is given to sunlight, view, ecological materials, context, inclusive access, to produce quality solutions that the users will cherish. Vic Love Architects Ltd operates a slidingfee scale and offers a service to suit, from initial ideas to the full service including designs, drawings for regulations, building contract management and site inspections. Nearly all the commissions have come from referrals from satisfied clients, reflecting the close working relationship and service provided as well as the character, design and quality of the completed buildings. Vic Love Architects Ltd has completed over 1000 projects throughout Bristol and the immediate area. If you have any architectural projects in mind of whatever size, we welcome you to ring us or pop in to the shop for an informal chat. ‘Vic Love Architects Ltd’ 188 Bedminster Down Road, Bristol BS13 7AF ABH Tel: 0117 963 3007 Fax: 0117 963 3007

Deep Green Decor

Reduce back pain, improve posture and performance with this simple, practical method for self-improvement. Gain ease, poise and balance through increased awareness of how you think and move. Everyone can benefit. Medical research demonstrates: STAT-taught Alexander Technique dramatically reduces back pain with lasting, measurable benefits. STAT-registered teachers train full-time for three years. Find your local qualified teacher: • Bath - Sally - 01225 480123 • Bishopston - Rob 07973 144960 • Clifton – Lisa - 0117 929 0471, Kate - 07722 047576 • Montpelier, Henleaze - Anita 07779 786076 • Southville - Peter - 07985 446 824 • Redland - Colin - 01600 713586 • St Werburghs, Portishead – Bethan - 0117 924 3628 • Westbury Park – Jacqueline - 0798 602 9837, Joanna - 0117 962 3108, Caroline - 07711 181401 • Westbury-on-Trym - Petra - 07941 215 383. www.STAT.org.uk for more information

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buqi

Garden landscaping & maintenance, fencing, decking, patios, ponds. Floor sanding, internal and external decoration, loft insulation, bathrooms & kitchens. Hen houses and chicken runs, log stores and sheds etc. Competitive rates, free quotes and good work generally wonderful. Steve Rose 0117 964 6670 or 0776 324 0158 www.licensedtodrill.net

Buqi Energy Therapy

Planet Planning - Sustainable Town Planning

addictions

Families, friends and carers concerned about someone who is misusing drugs or alcohol often feel like their lives have been turned upside down. Concerned others often display stress symptoms such as anxiety; depression; insomnia; lethargy; poor memory/concentration; anger outburst; mood swings; and many more. These symptoms often affect other family members and give rise to a general feeling of powerlessness for all. If you or someone you know is affected by someone else’s drug and alcohol misuse, you can get support to help to improve your own quality of life and that of the person you are concerned about. Call KWADS on 0117 9533 870 or help@kwads.org.uk

Licensed to Drill - WBSR

Deep Green Decor is a small company offering quality painting & decorating services in Bristol, Bath & the surrounding area. We work both standard and eco-friendly materials depending on the customer’s requirements. Large & small projects undertaken. Contact Gavin on 07915 397077 or deepgreendecor@hotmail.com

Eco-Decorators, Organic Gardeners “Inside Out”

• Quality decorating with attention to detail. Non-toxic paint specialists. • Garden maintenance / design. Pruning, weeding, strimming, hedge laying, fencing. Free estimates. Established 2000. 0779 272 8012 / 01761 452495

Home Maintenance Solutions

• Wooden floors repaired, sanded and sealed • Plastering • Wallpapering • Interior/exterior painting • Tiling • Carpentry • Garden decking, etc. Reclaimed timber/eco-friendly materials. Friendly experienced craftsman. Pete: 01225 400137 or 0779 288 3584

Planning applications and appeal work undertaken, Neighbourhood Planning, Transport and Energy Experience. Fixed fee, outcome related; community group discount offered. H liz@lizbeth.me.uk 07751 120129

business services

arts therapies

Are You Still Looking For An Accountant?

Susan Lawrence Dramatherapy

Accounts and tax return preparation for partnerships and individuals. Assistance with Revenue investigations. Siri Perera Chartered Accountant. Ashley Down, 0117 923 2113. siri.perera@btinternet.com

Dramatherapy for individuals & groups Using play, movement, voice and storytelling, dramatherapy can help you to • develop your creativity • discover other aspects of yourself • develop your confidence and self expression • heal hurts. Please phone / email for more information or to discuss your individual needs. Phone 0117 933 2607 Email susan_lawrence_evaluation@yahoo.co.uk www.susanlawrencetrainng.co.uk

career development Public Speaking Fears?

My passion is about helping people find their voice and find their ease in front of groups. It can be done! Take a look at my page ad in Courses, Groups & Workshops, or go straight to www.speaking-infront.co.uk John Dawson 01225 425300

astrology Paradigm Star Charts

A unique chart covering in detail your soul’s purpose, past lives, soul mates, karma, talents & health. £35. Card payments accepted. www.lynnelauren.com 02920 213701

Buqi activates the flow of vital Qi energy to support the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Qi carries the messages that encode all life processes from the vibration of a single cell to the metabolism of the whole body. Buqi treats most conditions by clearing stale Qi from the body. Benefits include improved general health, energy levels and posture. Lightness, flexibility and vitality return. Clifton and central Bristol. Contact Ann for details. 0117 377 0103 or buqihealth@gmail.com

centres & venues T

Patricia Lapins

Astrology and Tarot Readings I offer individual sessions in which I analyse your horoscope, and, with the aid of Tarot cards and studying the movements of the planets, I am able to shed light on the problems and challenges you are meeting in life, and see into the future. Please ring Patricia tel: 0117 924 0129

bowen technique Christian Dunham ECBS

Australian Bowen Therapist based in Bath. Tel: 07910 332393 www.christiandunham.net

don’t let the spark go out of your life. subscribe for only £10 a year and get your Spark delivered right to your door. & see p27 for a super sub special offer!

Cleeve House, an Edwardian family home in the heart of Wiltshire, offers a peaceful environment and lovely atmosphere for retreats and conferences. Situated on the A361 between Trowbridge and Devizes it is easy to find and yet has secluded grounds consisting of gardens and woodland. The Great Hall has a vaulted ceiling and can seat 100 theatre-style or 70 for dining. The Salisbury Room is south facing with a wonderful view and a seating capacity for 80 people. The Library has as an ornate ceiling and a beautifully carved yew fire place. There are 9 large bedrooms available for guests. Trowbridge Road, Seend SN12 6PG. 01380 827129 www.cleeve-house.com

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adorrates visit on www.thespark.co.uk inside back cover for more info or to book online index cent - comp

children - parenting Bristol Pagan Parents

Join kindred spirits online and at meets. www.bristolpaganparents.com A versatile venue for Frome. The Cheese & Grain is available for hire for local residents and clubs, and for all registered charities at reduced rates. Corporate, educational and charity meetings can be booked by negotiation, with access to all venue facilities including screen projection and catering. Contact Martin Dimery at martin@cheeseandgrain.co.uk Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Frome Tel: 01373 455 768

Partnership Parenting Courses and Resources

Raising compassionate, respectful and joyful children without bribing, threatening, shouting, punishing, rewarding, blaming, pleading and guilt. Next courses January 2013. www.thelaughinggiraffe.co.uk 0117 962 2216

city farms

Insightful Coaching & Supervision

For confidence, calm and clarity. For integrity, growth and change. For balance, support and challenge. For people, plans and priorities. For work, play and everyday. Experienced, qualified and professionally accredited. Contact Sarah Gornall to discuss your needs. 0117 330 2017 www.coachingclimate.co.uk

Mindfulness Psychological Coaching and Teaching

Affordable, effective Mindfulness, NLP, CBT. Expertise in self-esteem and recovery from toxic relationships. Jackie Hawken 0117 959 2635 www.mindfulnessbristol.co.uk www.equanalta.co.uk

Vision Coaching through Expressive Arts Create lifestyle changes with Vision Journal, collage, sandplay mandala, voice dialogue: playful tools for living the life of your dreams. HT 07907527833 www.cliacoaching.co.uk

www.walkingtomeetourselves.co.uk

Offering supported time and space outdoors.... Call Rosalind 0117 330 9024 Gaunts House, home of the Gaunts House Charitable Foundation Ltd, is a country mansion set in beautiful Dorset countryside, with an amazing intention. We are here to learn, grow and develop our consciousness, and to provide the environment for you to do the same. Our Community of Profound Learning is a spiritually-based, holistically-minded group of free thinkers committed to exploring and supporting the evolution of consciousness and the awakening of their inner selves. As well as hosting private retreatants, Wwoofers and other volunteers, we are a leading venue for courses and workshops. Tel: 01202 841522 www.gauntshouse.com www.gauntssummergathering.com

Want to get involved in your local community, do something wholesome and good, have fun with the kids, eat some yummy food or even try your hand at something completely new? The farm can offer you all of the above and more! We run fantastic events and lots of different courses, we have a new Community Action Group, a wonderful cosy café, a nursery, football pitch, older people’s group, adventure playground, skate ramp… oh and of course some really cute animals! The list is endless... just you pop down and see! Or you can like us on facebook, follow us on twitter or go to our website at www.windmillhillcityfarm. org.uk Dates for your diaries: Christmas Fayre 8th December, Poetry on a Plate (our alternative Valentines night) 16th February 2013. www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk

coaching Come and enjoy a course or B&B at this unique rural location. Run by a friendly resident community, Monkton Wyld Court hosts many original, practical and imaginative courses and land-based projects all round the year and can also be hired as a venue. As a centre for sustainable education we produce much of our own food and put our principles into practice, using hand tools, wood and solar energy. www.monktonwyldcourt.org 01297 560342

Anam Cara Retreat Centre

Peaceful location in the the Scottish Highlands, overlooking the Monadhliath Mountains, Inverness. Offering a diverse range of workshops in Shamanism, Buddhism, Meditation, Healing Arts, Yoga Training and Working Retreats. Friendly, rustic atmosphere, grass-roofed venue and delicious vegetarian food. For 2012 brochure Contact: 01463 711702 welcome@anamcara.org www.anamcara.org

ceremonies & celebrations

Off the peg, mass-produced solutions simply don’t cut it any more. Step off the treadmill. Take the handmade path and build a life you’ll love. No one else is qualified. You will do the perfect job. Listen to your instincts. Cultivate your creative self. Make effective plans, perfect new skills. Release blocks to restore your natural grace. Heartfelt, intelligent coaching and courses designed to suit your style and situation. Inspired and guided by art, stories and Jungian analysis against a rigorous backdrop of NLP. In person and by phone/skype. Flexible rates. Free consultation. 07766 254 751 www.facebook.com/thehandmadelife

colonic irrigation Treatments for IBS, Constipation, Fatigue, Detoxing and more at Natural Health Clinic, Clifton. www.korenbarnwell.co.uk 0117 974 1199

complementary clinics

Arcania’s fantastic new central location right next to Bath Abbey, now has rooms available to rent for therapies and small groups. We specialise in our own branded Aromatherapy product range, Gemstone Jewellery, Books, CDs and other Unique Gifts for the Mind, Body and Spirit. The holistic treatments and groups we offer in our Therapy Rooms from highly qualified therapists and practitioners include: • Massage (Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue, etc.) • Beauty Therapies (Waxing, Facials, etc.) • Reiki • Spiritual Healing • Chakra Balancing • Astrology/Palmistry/Card Readings • Past-Life Regression Therapy • Meditation • Courses/ Workshops • Lectures. All are welcome, just call the shop for information or to book an appointment. Gift Vouchers sold for treatments or goods. Room hire available. Open Monday-Saturday 10.00am-5.45pm & Sunday 11.00am-4.45pm. 6-7 Orange Grove, Bath, BA1 1LP. Tel: 01225 335233 info@arcaniabath.com www.arcaniabath.com

Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Namings, Blessings, Funerals. www.universalceremony.co.uk 01373 462606

Funeral Celebrant - Clare Hayes

children - education Bristol Steiner School

Where education is a journey not a race. Open Evening 21st February. Regular Open Morning Tours available by booking. www.bristolsteinerschool.org 0117 933 9990 reception@bristolsteinerschool.org

Can you believe we’re 20 years old in the spring? Since 1993 we've been busy helping the West Country to change Thanks for your support on the way

listings 71 v23.indd 32

Life Flow coaching helps you to get clear about where the authentic energy of your life is wanting to go. By ’tuning in’ to the higher frequencies of your consciousness you are better able to move forward with enthusiasm and freedom and let go of the limiting beliefs that are holding you back. At the heart of the Life Flow approach is your connection with your inner god/goddess or source. As you develop this connection your sense of self moves from disempowerment to empowerment, helping you create the life you really want. Richard has over 12 years’ experience as hypno-psychotherapist, coach and counsellor. Call 0117 939 3999 / 0777 275 4572 or visit www.meditationbristol.com

Coaching in Handling Difficult Conversations

with John Drowley. Grasp the nettle! Prepare for conversations you avoid or find difficult. Create constructive ways forward. Free consultation. www.johndrowley.co.uk 07954 410236

Acupuncturist Eleanor Breen 07834 160906 Alexander Technique Julia Norman 0117 927 7005 CBT David Wilcox 07766 465 678 Energy Healing James Coombes 07791 496 687, Tara Halliday 07866 495 885 Holistic Massage Kathryn Smith 07906 540 389 Birth & Parenting Dominique Sakoilsky 07969 204763 Psychotherapy & Counselling Matthew Appleton 0117 9429696, Bryan Greene 01275 395 215, Bridget Grew 07845 978082, Garth Naude 0770 900 1528, Cheryl Garner 01275 395 214, Susan Gully 07581 325846, Liz Sorapure 0117 9444380 Reflexology George Rose - 0781 044 1470 Craniosacral Therapy 0117 9428647 - Dominique Sakoilsky, Jenni Meyer, Matthew Appleton. 26 Cairns Road, Westbury Park, BS6 7TY (Entrance in Russell Rd). Tel: 0117 942 8647. S(1) Further info www.cairnsclinic.co.uk

Colonic Irrigation Winter Offer

Charles Kemp, Interfaith Minister

Personalized funeral ceremonies tailored and conducted to your requirements. 07551 404 214 / 0117 9659811

Acupuncture, Allergy Testing, Aromatherapy, CBT, Colour Light Therapy, Counselling, E.F.T., Health Kinesiology, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Indian Head Massage, Iridology, Massage, McTimoney Chiropractic, N.L.P., Neuro-Linguistic Psychotherapy, Reflexology, Reiki, Shiatsu, Sports & Remedial Massage (Holistic / Swedish / Thai), Time Line Therapy. Free ‘Which Treatment?’ Consultation. Excellent natural health treatments given by the same qualified and experienced practitioners that made the clinic such a success from the start. Gift vouchers. Children’s clinic with treatments given at reduced prices. Casual callers welcomed. ABC Tel: 0117 94 44 448

Complementary therapies for mind, body and spirit. Individual appointments with highly qualified and experienced practitioners. • Acupuncture • Osteopathy • Cranial Osteopathy • Homeopathy • Counselling • Reflexology • Holistic Massage • Reiki • Shiatsu. We have disabled access to all therapy rooms and provide a peaceful, safe and caring environment in the heart of South Bristol. We also run courses and classes including Tai Chi, Yoga, Meditation, and Shiatsu. The Centre houses the Lam Rim Bristol Buddhist Centre and a small refreshment area. Beautiful, large hall available for hire: some dates still available for 2013. For appointments and hall booking enquiries: 12 Victoria Place, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 1BP. 0117 923 1138 www.centreforwholehealth.org SABC

Therapies: • Acupunture - Sarah May • Bio Resonance Therapy - Sue Bryant • Bowen Technique - Anne Brunton • Chiropractor - Catherine Barber • Craniosacral Therapy - Claire Attridge • Homeopathy - Stephanie Woolley • Hypnotherapy - Joanne Cole, John Crawford, Roger Stennett, Samantha Cleverly • Inner Child Therapy - Joanne Cole • Kinesiology/Allergy Therapy - Andrew Kemp, Amanda Hassan-Ally, Claire Kedward, Ellen Forshaw • Massage - Samantha Cleverly, Annabel Hollis • Nutrition - Sue Bryant • Ok to Excellent - Samantha Cross • Pilates - Samantha Cleverly • Past Life Regression - Joanne Cole • Reflexology - Claire Collins, Anne Brunton, Lillie Bellamy • Spiritual Healing and Teachings - Samantha Cross • Sound and Gong Experiences - Samantha Cross • Transform your energy - Nadine Siebdrat. For information or bookings please call 0117 962 0008, info@chironcentre.co.uk ABT www.chrioncentre.co.uk more complementary clinics ads over the page

Thanks for reading The Spark, we enjoyed making it for you and if you can read this you’ve got great eyesight

16/11/12 14:07:08

comp - couns

want to advertise in The Spark? see inside back cover for info

☞ Clearing with Anthony Johnston Clearing patterns brings emotional freedom. See C&P Bristol section

constellations

☞ Lymphatic Management & Therapy with Susanna Priest, Centre4Health Clinic. See Massage & Bodywork section Practitioners. • Louise Chapman - Acupuncture 07789 913 973 www.sites.google.com/site/louisechapmanacupuncture • Lisa Clarke - Alexander Technique 07904 401 421 lisaeclarke@btinternet.com • Jon Muscaty - Osteopathy and Naturopathy 07968 680 851 www.jonmuscaty.co.uk • Heidi Spindler - Therapeutic/Aromatherapy Massage, Reflexology 07966 453 815 hspindler.mail@gmail.com • Zöe Gray - Nutritional Therapist 07719 606 339 www.znutrition.co.uk Hypnotherapists. • Claire Brigg 07984 305 239 www.clairebrigg.com • Susan Cassidy 07887 565 907 www.solutionsinmind-hypnotherapy.co.uk • Susan Rodrigues 07743 895 513 www.susanrodrigueshypnotherapy.co.uk • Matthew Dyson 07989 576 456 www.dysontherapy.com • Stephanie Burton (nee Hill) 07915 158 089 www.cliftonhypnotherapy.co.uk Hypnotherapy Information and Appointments Line: 0117 973 3260

Located close to the Arches, Enso offers a relaxed and friendly environment to treat a whole range of today’s health problems. With a team of dedicated and experienced practitioners of traditional and conventional therapies, your every need will be catered for in the comfort & informal surroundings of Enso. Acupuncture Sarah May 07929 252756 • Neil Kingham 07985 916114 Hypnotherapy Julia Crocker 07786 001295 • Michael Hughes 07969 122938 Shiatsu Julie Decarroux 07845 804015 Thai Massage Cliff de la Croix 07726 301714 Swedish Massage Abby Akers 07956 627344 C.B.T. Lucy Walker 07534 218817. Whether you have a serious on-going health issue or just want to de-stress, simply phone or pop in for information on any of the treatments that we offer. Treatment Rooms available for hire to qualified practitioners, please call for details.

Therapies available: Acupuncture • Aromatherapy • Ayurveda • Bach Flower Remedies • Cranio-Sacral Therapy • Holistic Facials • Health Kinesiology • Homoeopathy • Holistic and Sports Massage • McTimoney Chiropractic • Medical Herbalism • Nutrition • Pregnancy Massage • Reflexology • Shiatsu • Thai massage and more. Appointments can be made by visiting the shop or by telephone. We are happy to help you choose which treatment may be appropriate. In addition most practitioners will give 10 minute free consultations to help you decide. Open Monday to Saturday 9.30-5.45pm and Sundays 11-5pm. Gift vouchers available and are interchangeable between Neal’s Yard Remedies shops. Neal’s Yard Remedies Therapy Rooms, 7 Northumberland Place, Bath BA1 5AR Tel: 01225 466944 e-mail: bath@nealsyardremedies.com

Herbal Apothecary & Therapy Rooms in central Bristol with an integrated team of experienced practitioners offering:• Herbal Medicine • Acupuncture • Reflexology • Shiatsu • Holistic & Deep Tissue Massage • Craniosacral Therapy • Counselling. We re in a beautiful 16th century building, and have a huge range of herbs and herbal products, many locally grown and produced in our dispensary. We have some spaces available for additional therapists - please call Max or Lisa if interested. 58 Colston Street, Bristol BS1 5AZ Tel: 0117 927 6527 Email: info@urbanfringe.co.uk www.urbanfringe.co.uk

Bristol City Yoga Therapy Rooms

The perfect refuge to relax, revitalise and restore yourself this winter. Treatments include massages, acupuncture, ayurveda, reflexology, shiatsu. 07582 425237 therapies@bristolcityyoga.co.uk

The Practice Rooms

Range of therapies; expert practitioners. Bath, Clifton, Salisbury. www.thepracticerooms.co.uk

The Relaxation Centre

• Acupuncture. Sandra Arbelaez 0794 7808484, Eleanor Breen 0783 416 0906, Julie Kelham 0795 037 8250 • Aromatherapy. Belinda Jeffery 07941 501660, Sarah Mortimer 07851 307062 • Counselling. Mo Cahill 0117 973 6503, Laura Cooper 07808 216 718, Rosalind De-Silva 0754 181 5085, Jo Fear jo@ithinkcbt.co.uk, Jo Reader 0771 324 3547, Maggie Tweedy, 07854 183 740 • Craniosacral Therapy. Patricia Falvey 07905 283 797 Herbal Medicine. (Chinese) Sandra Arbelaez 07947 808484 (Western) Ruth Baker 07986 825 699 Holistic Massage. Sarah Hoare 07976 710368, Karunavapi 07709 284056, Sandra Arbelaez 0794 7808484 Hypnotherapy. Sarah Mortimer 07851 307062, Stephanie Betschart 07731 784 254 Indian Head Massage. Amy Holloway 07729 210 260, Belinda Jeffery 07941 501660 Pre/Post Natal Massage, Doula. Trish Utaboon 0776 622 4006 Psychotherapy. Hellena Bitsios 07531175136, Catrin John 07967 188 060, Peter Lowis 07981 798165, Andy Mckeown 07976 436149 Reflexology. Belinda Jeffery 07941 501660, Sarah Mortimer 07851 307062 Reiki. Sandra Arbelaez 0794 7808484 Shiatsu. Hannah Currant 07981 992178, Lioba Fezer 07722 187 791, Rosie Freeman 0798 027 9452 To discuss which therapy would suit you, purchase a Gift Voucher or for enquiries regarding becoming one of our professional therapy team, contact our Coordinator, Karunavapi 0758 708 9220 or healingroomsbristol@gmail.com The Healing Rooms, 162 Gloucester Road, Bristol. BS7 8NT. www.healingroomsbristol.co.uk

listings 71 v23.indd 33

Our heavenly treatment menu includes holistic massage, reflexology, Indian head massage, shiatsu, hot stone massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, and reiki to name but a few. Our practitioners are highly skilled with years of experience, and will tailor each treatment to suit your needs. Treatment prices start from £30 for half an hour. Discounts available for regular bookings. 9 All Saints Road, Clifton BS8 2JG 0117 970 6616 www.relaxationcentre.co.uk

☞ Stuart Taylor

Past Life Regression & Hypnotherapy. See ad in Hypnotherapy section

computers & web design

(formerly GS Computer Services) We have changed our name to coincide with our move to new shop-front premises. You will find us at the junction of Filton Ave and the A4174 (BS34 7JX). We still offer the same efficient on-site service for your home or office including virus removal, PC maintenance and network support. But... if you bring your computer to us we now offer many new fixed price repairs. We also have a range of PCs, laptops, peripherals and components at competitive prices. When you need help with iT, you know where to goto! Graham Simmonds 0117 969 8767 / 07977 149171 graham@goto-it.co.uk www.goto-it.co.uk. Supporting home users, voluntary, NHS and private organisations for over 12 years.

‘Flying with Wings’

www.healingspirituality.co.uk Reiki/Counselling/Spiritual Inquiry/Spiritual Counselling/Relaxation. Pay by donation only. Call Andy on 01934 824192 / 0779 229 3884

counselling & psychotherapy

“Well, its like this... the counselling & psychotherapy section starts with geographic & specialist areas, leads onto the general C&P ads, followed by C&P Training and C&P noticeboard.”

c&p bath Are you looking for a tech company who speak your language? If you’re looking to create a website, or build a computing application that will help you run your business then igeek are the company who can help. Using clear, simple English we’ll be with you every step of your journey, from design and build through to testing. From websites you manage yourself, to online shops, to fully-fledged business databases, igeek ensure that our experience and your creativity combine to create positive results. We work with organisations like yours to help technology empower you, make you more efficient and increase your productivity, leaving you more time to spend on the important things. We grow with you: we’re the technology company that can make a positive difference. Call today for a chat. www.igeek.co.uk 0117 370 2469

Core Process Psychotherapy

Bath I offer a safe space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings about the issues and relationships in your life. I will support you in developing insight and tapping into your own well-being in order to find new ways of relating in the world. Sue Abbotson 0778 844 1845. Diploma in CPP, UKCP Registered sue@psychotherapy-bath.com

Experienced Psychotherapist

I have worked in Counselling and psychotherapy for 22 years, am trained in Core Process and practice mindfulness. I work with clients’ process in body, mind and spirit dealing with depression, anxiety, abuse and spiritual crisis or dissatisfaction. I regard the client as the expert on a journey that I can support. Ruth Pooley, free introductory meeting, 01225 422968

Mindfulness Psychotherapy with Jo Lawrence-Mills

complementary practitioners

Are you stuck in a maze of confusion? Bewildered by therapies and remedies? Don’t know what advice to believe? The answer is simple! I can unlock what your body already knows it needs to restore or maintain health, with the fine detail of Kinesiology. Help resolve major & minor problems: digestive disorders, food intolerances, fatigue & low energy, allergies, asthma & eczema, migraine & headache, stress-related problems, PMS, menopause, muscle & joint pain, poor immunity to infections, vitamin & mineral imbalances, etc. Diana Sheppard KFRP. Natural Health Caring with Kinesiology. Call 0117 977 6354 for free discussion of your needs www.dianasheppard.co.uk

Two Year Training in Family Constellations with Barbara Morgan, assisted by John Ainscough. Founded by German philosopher and psychotherapist Bert Hellinger, Family Constellations is becoming an increasingly familiar phrase within therapeutic and spiritual circles, with the potential for healing both individuals and whole families. This training gives participants a good, basic grounding in the work with plenty of opportunity for personal work, experience as a representative, understanding of the underlying orders and philosophical stance of constellation work. 6 x 5-day modules starting April/May 2013 in or near Bath. Further information, full programme and application form: Barbara Morgan theknowingfield@gmail.com 01373 301168 or 07966 755509 www.cominghome.org.uk

New Macs, refurbs, repairing sick Macs, advice, upgrading. Printers, ADSL broadband - all in one shop. Easy parking & helpful staff with years of experience. Macs have a lot to offer: professional MacPro Tower, powerful MacBookPro, budget iMac, with Intel Quad or C2D Processors, extremely fast and stable. Virus resistant. Macs are so much easier to use than PCs. We supply doctors & practitioners, designers, musicians, architects, writers & creative people in the South West. We provide advice & service, new & old equipment, printers & scanners, upgrades & repairs, software, memory, Giclee printing & Internet Services. iMacs from £999, 13” MacBooks £925, 15” MacBook Pros £1395, MacPro Towers £1755 + VAT. New and second-hand available. Talk to Pete Douglas - 0117 983 6999. Tantra, 48 Kensington Park Rd, Brislington, Bristol BS4 3HU (9-6.30 + Sats, Off Bath Road past HTV, near MFI) e-mail: pete@tantraweb.co.uk web: www.tantra.co.uk

you are reading the biggest free alternative magazine in the UK. good, innit?

Offering a deep, gentle, non-judgmental, holistic and confidential approach. Free initial consultation. Bath and North Wiltshire. www.jolawrencemills.com 0787 635 7579 jolm@btinternet.com

c&p bristol

Individual sessions and workshops to deeply experience the connections between your body and your way of living in this world. Time to rediscover the wisdom of your body, attend to past and current suffering, find yet unrealised potential, and restore your personal power and sense of purpose. As a registered practitioner with 14 years of experience I guide and support you in individual sessions of Body & Movement Psychotherapy and through Body Mapping Workshops and Body Life Retreats. I also offer professional Supervision. In Bristol (BS2 8QW) and Coleford near Frome. www.annetteschwalbe.co.uk Tel: 01373 812091, mob:07598 937 204, mail@annetteschwalbe.co.uk AB

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ad orrates visit www.thespark.co.uk on inside back cover for more info or to book online index counselling 34 34 Core Process Psychotherapy

Clearing takes place in a confidential, one-to-one setting where you work in areas of your choosing. The Clearer guides you in a series of communication processes that clear current problems and discharge stacked up communications, helping you find and express your inner truths, bringing insight and clarity to areas of your life that have been held in tension and confusion. Clearing offers the possibility of dissolving deep-seated patterns and fixed attitudes to bring greater satisfaction, emotional freedom and life fulfilment. To find out more about Clearing, or to arrange a free consultation with Anthony, please ring 0795 005 2100 or email anthonymjohnston@gmail.com

Bristol Whether you feel out-of-step with life or have a specific issue, the gentle and compassionate CP approach can help to bring awareness to what is happening, which may then help you to find the strength and potential to heal. Free introductory meeting. Sue Allen MA UKCP Reg. 0117 968 5315

Patricia Finnegan Reg DMP MRCSLT HCPC

Core Process Psychotherapy

Buddhist-based psychotherapy using compassionate awareness to explore difficulties and develop understanding to create the potential for change and well-being. Free Introductory. NA Helen Gunson. Senior Student. 0117 951 7878

Core Process Psychotherapy

Bristol An opportunity to bring awareness to whatever is going on for you, in an atmosphere of safety, warmth and acceptance. That awareness brings more choice and is, in itself, the start of the healing process. Free First Meeting. NA Katy Taylor, UKCP Reg: 07952 064702

Counselling for Recovery. Maggie Tweedy

Dip. Couns., BA, BACP member. Person-centred, 12 Step, cognitive and depth counselling. Relationships, abuse, food, drugs and general counselling. AB Bristol and Stroud. 07854 183740 Skilled in listening and understanding and an empathic and experienced practitioner. Sue offers healing and a safe, supportive space to encourage personal growth and positive self-esteem, often making lasting changes in a relatively short space of time. This is not prolonged therapy or fanciful theories, but a down-to-earth approach that brings rapid results in areas such as anxiety and stress, bereavement, burnout, depression and relationship difficulties. 28 years’ therapeutic experience; currently in holistic counselling and healing, and originally as a medical doctor (general practice/psychiatry). Individual sessions in Clifton & Stroud. Groups: Honouring the Divine Feminine, Stroud & Bristol. www.drsueedgley.co.uk 01453 885707

Addiction/Generic Counselor Available I work with a range of clients covering various topics including addiction. I work ethically and non-judgmentally. For more information, please call Regina on 0117 279 2906

Affordable Therapy for Women

(£25-35 sliding scale) I have 20 years’ experience, trained with Integrative approach. Art therapy and dreamwork also offered. Happy to work short term. Issues might include being in a period of change, loss, addiction, sexual orientation, deep sadness, illness, menopause, anxiety, relationships, spiritual crisis, etc. Phone Maxine 0117 329 7600 or 0781 494 3965 (free initial 30 minute consultation)

Alma Vale Centre

We are experienced, UKCP-registered psychotherapists who trained and for many years worked at Spectrum, a centre for humanistic and integrative psychotherapy, in London. We provide psychotherapy and counselling on a range of issues, and work with individuals, couples and groups. We also offer supervision to psychotherapists, counsellors and others working in the health professions. Marion Russell, Erica Witt, John Witt. Alma Vale Centre, 30 Alma Vale Road, Clifton, NA Bristol BS8 2HY Tel: 0117 377 1186

Ben Searle: Home-Visit Counsellor

Affordable, professional, and experienced therapist. 07910 668258 www.bensearlecounselling.co.uk HT

Contact Point Psychotherapy

Low cost psychotherapy for adults provided by appropriately trained and supervised psychotherapy students in advanced training. Call 0117 950 3420 for an application form

Core Process Psychotherapy

Bristol Creating the space to bring all of you. Helping you find your way towards meaningful life and vitality. My background is in Spiritual Care and Teaching. Free first meeting. Achalavira Rose, male senior student MA. NA 07795 820 293

The Spark. free, thinking, and independent. take one every three months.

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Counsellor and Psychotherapist

Sue Ryall I provide a supportive space in which people can explore their concerns and struggles in depth. I have 25 years’ therapeutic experience in various settings, working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Central Bristol location. UKCP reg. sue.ryall@blueyonder.co.uk www.sueryall.co.uk 0117 921 1147

Couple and Individual Counselling

Em Sawday M.A. Psychology, Relate Cert C.C., BACP Accredited. Modern life puts stresses and strains on all relationships. I have 25 years’ experience of helping couples and individuals find creative ways towards more satisfying ways of relating. I offer long and short-term focused work and combine my Relate training with an active Gestalt based approach. Tel: 0117 973 8213

Experienced Female Counsellor

Providing professional support and guidance on most issues. Passionate about wellbeing and healing the wounded heart. Barbro Magnusson P.C.Dip Couns. BACP, CCYP member. BS1 and BS2. 07988 516845

Integrative Body Psychotherapy & Counselling

Terry Davey (UKCP) Work with both individuals and couples covering a wide range of problems. I offer a fully embodied and relational approach to change, both empathic and challenging, encompassing our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual nature. I have particular expertise in trauma (PTSD) and abuse. Call 07969 000317 www.bristoltherapy.co.uk

Integrative Body Psychotherapy & Supervision

Janine Mather UKCP registered 18 years experience of working on all levels mental, physical, emotional & spiritual, with problems including: Post Traumatic Stress, depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms & spiritual emergency. Individual and group supervision available for psychotherapists & complementary practitioners. 07971 783374 janine.mather@virgin.net

Core Process Psychotherapy Senior Student To come back into relationship with yourself brings health and well-being not only to yourself but to all you meet. My approach is influenced by mindfulness, focusing and body psychotherapy. Free initial meeting. Concessions available. Central Bristol & Keynsham. www.patfinnegan.co.uk 0117 953 7772 pat.finnegan@btinternet.com

Person-centred Counsellor

I work with individuals and couples in Clifton and City Centre. I work in an integrative way and am able to accommodate individual needs. I offer a supportive, non-judgemental and confidential environment. Areas that I work in include addiction, anger, anxiety, abuse, couples, loss, stress, trauma. MBACP. www.tammycounselling.co.uk tammycounselling@gmail.com 0797 021 9799

Psychotherapy

Therapist in training with bcpc (advanced stage). Bristol. Fee: £25-£30. Silke Kuball 07910 536431

c&p bristol north Buddhist Therapist, Bishopston, BS7

Kamalamani - MSc, Adv Dip Integrative Counselling, Adv Dip ERT, Dip CBT, MBACP (Accred) I offer warm, supportive and creative conditions for therapy to take place. My work is influenced by further training in Wild therapy, EmbodiedRelational therapy, Buddhism and bereavement work. Please call ffi, Tel: 07905 147 968, info@kamalamani.co.uk www.kamalamani.co.uk

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy/ Mindfulness

Di Hall Accredited BACP. www.dihalltherapycounsellor.freeindex.co.uk 0117 959 1873 / 0781 335 7171

c&p families/young people Family and Couple Therapy / Systemic Psychotherapy

Katja Ramharter MA, accredited by UKCP Affordable sessions in central Bristol for families in all shapes and sizes, couples and individuals who want to find new understanding and ways forward in their relationships. A safe place to explore difficulties, challenges and strengths. Understanding each other’s viewpoints and discovering new ideas to help adapt to transitions. Develop strong, resilient relationships. For a free consultation contact 0772 518 9210 or email enquiries@katjaramharter.co.uk or visit www.katjaramharter.co.uk

Help! Counselling

Counselling & psychotherapy for 9-25 year-olds - and support for those caring for children No limit on the number of sessions. Sites across Bristol. Also in Bath, Torquay and Exeter. We ask for an affordable contribution to our costs. You choose: the payment, the issues and how many sessions. All staff CRB checked. ABC Tel: 0117 950 2511

c&p groups & group therapy

Low Cost Weekend Counselling

with Clifton-based Solution Therapist, Andy Lansdown MBACP. For my contact information and full details of services visit www.counsellingdirectory.org.uk

Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy

Core Process Psychotherapy uses an approach that helps us to see more clearly how we create our own habitual patterns and blocks to our natural potential. Listening deeply with awareness and compassion, we work together to follow your unique path back to this innate health. I offer a free introductory session. Pauline Battson Dip CPP MBACP, 07981 638 967 NA

Psychodrama is a form of group psychotherapy, which allows participants to enact scenes from the past, present and the imagination. From 9th January 2013 A weekly Psychodrama group. Wednesday evenings in central Bristol. A creative therapeutic space to explore difficulties old and new. 23rd February 2013 Psychodrama workshop for women. Venue: Central Bristol. A self-development workshop. Sunday 21st April 2013 Creative skills for groups and 1:1 settings Wild Goose Space, St. Werburghs, Bristol. A skills workshop for Professionals and Trainees. Concessions available. For more information: www.spontaneityandchange.co.uk email: info@spontaneityandchange.co.uk Phone: 07984 481335

Monthly Support Group for Counselling/ Psychotherapy Graduates Bath Meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Next meeting Dec 11th, 5.30-7pm. £25. Facilitated by Judy Scott, Integrative Psychotherapist and Supervisor (Metanoia-trained) with extensive experience in private, statutory and voluntary sectors. 01458 830118; judy.scott79@gmail.com www.mendip-psychotherapy.co.uk

c&p parenting Parenting Counselling & Coaching

I provide guidance for parents (individuals or couples) wanting a better relationship with their children, whatever their age. I help parents become more effective so that they can enjoy a more harmonious, connected family atmosphere. Bryan Greene Dip. Advanced Psychotherapy, Certified Imago Relationship Therapist, Imago Parenting workshop presenter. Further details www.bryangreene.co.uk or call 01275395215

c&p psychotherapy

Low Cost Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy Safe. Warm. Respectful. Understanding. www.bristolpsychotherapist.co.uk Alice: 0117 924 0992

Monday evenings, Central Bristol. 7.00 to 8.30pm Explore how limiting deep-rooted patterns can be unlocked by engaging with others in a confidential group setting. Over time achieve healthier integration of yourself with family, friends and colleagues. The small mixed group experience offers the opportunity to explore your concerns, at your own pace; to understand better your relationships with others; to receive feedback and support. Good concessions available for people on low incomes. To discuss further contact Alan Turkie, group psychotherapist (Group Analytic Society member, UPCA registered) 0117 921 1147. alan.turkie@googlemail.com

Psychosynthesis. Jenny Oliver (UKCP Reg) ‘Creative Relations’ is an art that can be practised and developed like any other. Patterns of communication are explored to see how they may limit or extend human contact. Developing awareness gives the opportunity to choose more honest, creative and dynamic relations. Jane Cutler is an experienced UKCP accredited therapist. She works from a psychosynthesis and psychodynamic perspective. Jane works with individuals and groups as a psychotherapist, mentor and supervisor. Two eight week groups begin in January. There will be a Friday morning group and a Monday evening group. Please contact Jane for further details on 0117 963 2505 janecutler@creativerelations.org.uk

Individual/couple therapy for creative spiritual change/development. 0777 922 7181 / 01458 241205

Psychotherapy in Central Bristol with Tone Horwood

Places available in Bristol Psychotherapy group for January Registered by UKCP as a psychotherapist and by HPC as a Dramatherapist. I offer psychotherapy from a Humanistic & Integrative perspective to individuals, couples and groups, and supervision to Arts Therapists, Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Ffi 0117 972 1077 or toneh@talk21.com more counselling & psychotherapy ads over the page

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couns index - cours want to advertise in advertising? The Spark?more see inside info onback inside cover back forcover info

c&p relationships Relate Counselling for Relationships, Families, Children

Relate offers counselling in a professionally managed and supervised organisation. The vast majority of our clients would recommend our services and use them again. We work in Bristol, Bath, Weston-s-Mare, Wells and Cheddar. Contact: 0117 942 8444 recep.relateavon@btconnect.com www.relate-avon.org.uk

Relationship & Couples Counselling

I have extensive experience working with couples and individuals who are struggling to either form or maintain healthy relationships. I facilitate getting beyond stuck, negative patterns and disconnection to a more connected, harmonious, happy and passionate relationship. Bryan Greene Dip. Advanced Psychotherapy, Certified Imago Relationship Therapist. Further details see www.bryangreene.co.uk or call 01275 395215

The Therapy Centre, Somerset

Individual and Couple Counselling and Psychotherapy. www.the-therapy-centre.org.uk 07960 214336

c&p supervision Supervision in Central Bath with Judy Scott MBACP (Snr Accred) & UKCP Reg d Integrative Psychotherapist (Metanoia-trained) 23 years’ experience, and qualified Supervisor with extensive experience in private, statutory and voluntary sectors. Contact Judy Scott 01458 830118; judy.scott79@gmail.com www.mendip-psychotherapy.co.uk

c&p general

Now in New Premises at 2 Princes’ Building, George Street Bath (opposite Wagamamas). Openings is a cooperative of psychotherapists, counsellors and a clinical psychologist based in the centre of Bath. We work with adults, adolescents and couples, on both a short or long-term basis. We provide a confidential, supportive place where you can explore a range of issues. Therapeutic approaches include: Psychosynthesis, Humanistic & Integrative, Person centred, Core Process, Gestalt, CBT, Neo Reichian, Transactional Analysis and Transpersonal. Best way to get in touch is to visit the website which explains more about the therapists, their approaches and gives their contact details. Or email / ring the administrator (available to speak to on Monday and Thursday a.m.) for information or for a leaflet. www.openingsbath.org.uk email: openings.bath@talk21.com Tel: 01225 445013

We come to therapy for many reasons: personal problems, interpersonal difficulties, general dissatisfaction with life or for personal development. I work out of Core Process Psychotherapy because it offers a contemplative, spiritual, yet down-to-earth approach. CPP is in tune with my own views of what is truly helpful to the client. It offers a heartfelt acceptance of the client and honours their way of working. My practice is set in Wiltshire countryside; a rural retreat near Castle Combe, a short drive from Bath and Bristol. It is easy to find. I offer a Free Introductory Meeting. Phone Andrea Legh-Smith UKCP 0124 978 2516 or aleghsmith@gmail.com

Integrative Counselling

Rob Porteous MA, Dip H.I.C., BACP accredited. Long/short term counselling for individuals. 0117 971 3805

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☞ Home-Visit Counsellor

Professional, affordable, experienced. See C&P Bristol section

c&p noticeboard

c&p training

The Exeter-based CHPC Training has been delivering Professional Trainings, Introductory and Post-graduate Courses in Gestalt Therapy since 1988. More recently we have been offering training in Groupwork based on Gestalt and Humanistic models. 2013 March - July: Advanced Certificate in Groupwork Skills: CPD Course 5 Residential Weekends in rural Devon (East Down Centre, nr Exeter). Suitable for Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Psychologists, MH Workers and anyone else running groups for Therapeutic/Personal Development purposes. £855 (£205 deposit + 5 instalments of £130). • March 23/4 • April 27/8 • May 18/9 • June 15/6 • July 13/4. Contact Jenny Dawson 01395 269076 / David Kalisch 01392 811835, jeniandaw6@gmail.com / davkalisch@aol.com T www.counselling-training.org.uk

An Introduction to Dance Movement Psychotherapy One Day Course - Saturday 16th March 2013, 9.00am-5.30pm. • Develop your non-verbal skills • Integrate creativity into your practice • Expand your awareness of movement. Suitable for: Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Arts Therapists, Social Workers, Dance Practitioners and Educators. £100.00 Early Bird price / £110.00 (£40.00 deposit). Refreshments and lunch included. Ffi contact admin@dancevoice.org.uk Quaker Meeting House, Wedmore Vale Bedminster, Bristol. BS3 5HX

Sweet-Track is a centre for Psycho-Spiritual education providing accredited professional counselling trainings. The courses are designed to create a learning environment, where we support the development of self-actualisation and professionalism by integrating physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth. This is a Path of the Heart, where every person is nurtured as a unique individual. Our aim is to empower people’s spiritual expression and respect each others differences. Accredited by CPCAB. Non-residential courses based in Glastonbury, 2013: Level 2 Effective Listening Skills 3 x Tuesdays - short course starts 5th February. Counselling with Spirituality 3x weekends - (CPD for qualified therapists) 27-28th April, 1-2nd July, 6-7th June. Level 3 Counselling Studies - starts September. 01458 835552/ 833933 www.sweet-track-counselling.co.uk info@sweet-track-counselling.co.uk

When you reply to an ad please say you saw it in The Spark. This really helps us. Thanks.

Central Bath, Clifton Village, Salisbury. Beautiful, professional consulting rooms in period settings in central, high profile locations. Exceptional value and highly flexible, user-friendly terms to suit both startup and established therapists. Counselling Trainee Offer: up to 50% reduction in rates. Terms apply. To find out more about joining our community please go to our website: www.thepracticerooms.co.uk

Relate Avon is a successful and growing counselling organisation. In addition to relationship counselling we offer family counselling, psychosexual therapy, counselling for young people and educational courses. We are interested in hearing from people who wish to become relationship counsellors and are not trained. We are also looking for trained counsellors who are interested in extending their training into relationship issues. If you can work in Bath, Bristol and Somerset and like working with a team of counsellors contact us on: 0117 942 8444 recep.relateavon@btconnect.com www.relate-avon.org.uk

courses, groups & workshops

New to Bristol. We are passionate about the development of human potential and conscious evolution. e-Aware is a centre in Colston Yard, Bristol BS1 5BD - an oasis of aliveness and openness in the city that represents a new state of consciousness. A space dedicated to events and activities that connect, inspire and uplift the heart in embodied loving action. We run Open Space Days where you can drop by on Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm. To be, recharge, connect and create. We run courses for individuals and groups with the evolutionary conscious movement practice The Form - Reality Practice™. Our full program of all courses and events is constantly evolving. See our website for full details. 0117 929 0166 engage@e-aware.org www.e-aware.org www.facebook.com/engage.eaware

Learn this effective tapping technique that helps clear emotional blockages, relieves and balances emotional pain, shifts negative thought patterns, old beliefs, unwanted habits and addictions and helps you move forward on your Soul’s Journey. Rowena works alongside Dr Rosy Daniel at Health Creation in Bath. 2013 courses include EFT Level 1 Self-help days, EFT specialist days (weight issues, addictions, health issues), EFT Level 2 Practitioner Training, EFT Level 3 Advanced Training & Trainer Training. Rowena is designer of Emotional Freedom ‘Light’ Techniques and sees private clients for EFT one-to-one sessions & Regenerative Healing in Bath. For further information email: EFT@rowenabeaumont.com www.rowenabeaumont.com 0776 996 4441

An eight-week evening and one-day course created originally by Jon Kabat Zinn using mindfulness meditation to help us be present in a consciously spacious and kindly way with all the things we find difficult in our lives. Mindfulness - the practice of being fully present with all of our experiences without fear. Not an easy fix but something real that can benefit our self and others. Ongoing programmes. Contact Philippa for Bath and Bristol and Laurence for Bristol. Full details: Philippa Vick 01225 445532 philippavick@tantraweb.co.uk www.bath-bristol-mindfulness-courses.co.uk or Laurence Milburn 0117 924 9455, laurence.milburn@homecall.co.uk

Embercombe exists to touch hearts, stimulate minds and inspire committed action for a truly sustainable world. We are a social enterprise in a beautiful wooded valley overlooking the tors of Dartmoor, with orchards, meadows and organic garden. The Journey is our core programme, a powerful 5-day residential for people who love the world and want to make a difference. Catalyst is for 18-25s seeking to shape the future. Speaking Out is for anyone wishing to find their authentic voice on the issues that matter to them. We also offer bespoke leadership and culture change training for businesses seeking to place sustainability at the heart of what they do; beautiful conference space for 100 with accommodation; WWOOF and other volunteering; Land Based Learning day visits and residentials for Schools and Teacher Training. 7 miles from Exeter. Accommodation is in cosy yurts with acclaimed home-cooked food. Tel: 01647 252983 www.embercombe.co.uk

Discover who you really are. An Enlightenment Intensive is a uniquely powerful group process. It provides a real opportunity to directly experience the answer to the ancient question “Who am I?” There is no teaching - just a pure, intensive process of self-discovery over three and a half days. If you have a sincere desire to be more awake and more real, to experience a breakthrough in consciousness, or to find greater depth and meaning within yourself, an Enlightenment Intensive could change your life. Next dates: March, May & July 2013. Barry and Emma McGuinness, www.enlightenment-intensives.info 01225 446972

Dynamic courses, tranquil surroundings, delicious food. Only 40 minutes from Bristol or Bath. Come and be looked after! November-December: Counselling Introduction • Festive Gifts and Jewellery • Heart of the Hearth • Winter Solstice Spiral. January - February: Loving What Is (Byron Katie) • Raw Food • Rosen Method Bodywork • Jason Chan Infinite Tai Chi • Speaking with Confidence • Astrology • Future Self Now. March: Helen Chadwick Song Writing • Stefan Cartwright Voice • Jamie Catto. Year-round courses • venue hire • sculpture studio. For full programme and information, contact us now: Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, Stroud GL6 7QW 01453 759034 info@hawkwoodcollege.co.uk www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk more courses, groups & workshops ads on p37

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ad orrates visit www.thespark.co.uk on inside back cover for more info or to book online index courses

“I’m really boring” “I’m no good” “Everyone else is better than me” “They are all judging me” “I’m failing” Are these your thoughts about public speaking? It’s not just you who thinks like that. Lots of people feel that way when they stand up to speak. It’s no wonder we don’t like public speaking or being the centre of attention. We give ourselves a hard time - even (or especially) when we are under pressure. We make it very complicated. As you probably know already this over-thinking is not very helpful. So lots of us avoid the whole thing altogether by not doing public speaking but that means we might be leading a life that is about avoiding things. But it really doesn’t have to be that way. You CAN change how you feel about public speaking. We can re-think public speaking. By learning the fundamentals skills of being in front of people you can learn how to feel more at ease. These skills are surprisingly simple and it’s really useful to learn them in a supportive group. I run courses about public speaking in Bristol, Bath, London and Manchester. I’ve been a Licensed Speaking Circles® facilitator for 13 years. (I also started The Spark Magazine way back when!) For a chat or to book a course ring John Dawson on 01225 425300 or email john@speaking-infront.co.uk or see my website for course dates and information. All courses come with a money back guarantee.

www.speaking-infront.co.uk “John offers more than public speaking training. This course is about taking up your space in the world and to not apologise for doing so.” Gill “I have tried other methods in the past to try and deal with my fear of speaking out in groups but this is in another league. It is probably one of the best things I have ever done and can’t recommend it enough.” Jo

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cours index - cycl want to advertise in advertising? The Spark?more see inside info onback inside cover back forcover info London College of Clinical Hypnosis

LCCH in partnership with UWL offer courses in Exeter, from Access Certificate to MSc. Open to all. NA,T www.lcch.co.uk 01297 20144

Mindfulness - A Lasting Life Skill Insider Art are running the following courses in Exeter in 2013 • 4-day Sandtray Therapy course Spring 2013 • Art in Mental Health: Practical Applications - an intensive arts & health practice-based course • Art in Mental Health: A Foundation Course in Art Therapy • Short courses: Art and Anger Management, Art and Conflict • Supervision and mentoring are also available. Exeter arts and health organisation Insider Art work nationally with artists, health professionals, counsellors, arts therapists, workers in the voluntary sector, education and social services. For more information and to download an application form, please visit www.insiderart.org.uk or email info@insiderart.org.uk

KSFL is a new generation slimming club. Teaming up with local butchers, grocers, fishmongers and organic produce suppliers to make sure their members are getting healthy, locally produced food. They’re leading the revolution against processed foods and diet foods and aim to get everyone cooking from scratch using locally sourced produce. KSFL Club, launching on 7th January 2012 at Ashley Down Primary School, offers members a clean eating programme based on the latest tried and tested formulas with no diet food in sight, a cutting edge half hour workout for busy women, and a sense of community spirit and support which is so important to its success. www.ksfl-bristol.co.uk

3 years’ worth of Lottery-funded, 2-hour happiness workshops. Timetables & booking system online. • Creative and fun • Using applied Positive Psychology • Held in the vibrant, Light Box shop in Broadmead, Bristol • Free tea! • Signposting Service: discover what’s on offer in Bristol • Special events - see website for details. One participant said: “I find the workshops very calming and relaxing. I’ve found a creative side I thought I didn’t have.” More detail on our website www.wearelightbox.co.uk Facebook.com/lightboxhappiness

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is simple, natural yoga for the mind. It’s easy and enjoyable to learn, effortless to practice and it lasts for life! Our fully qualified, highly experienced and enthusiastic teachers offer expert instruction in this simple, effortless meditation. Learned by more than 6 million people worldwide and validated by more than 650 scientific research studies, TM shows benefits such as improved sleep, improved memory, concentration and energy, reduced anxiety and depression, clearer thinking and reduced use of alcohol and tobacco. No concentration or visualization needed: learn to meditate effortlessly! Beginning Saturday 12th January. Free information pack available from: The Meditation Trust charity on 01843 841010, info@meditationtrust.com

Mindfulness promotes a way of being that helps us to take better care of ourselves and lead healthier and more fulfilling lives. Mindfulness Residential Retreat - weekend of 2 and 3 March 2013 in a beautiful secluded retreat place in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Special Offer for Spark readers: 15% off if you book the retreat before 24.12.2012 (please use the code ‘spark’ when booking). Calming the Mind, Nurturing the Body - how mindfulness and optimal nutrition can change your life. One day workshop in Bristol on 1 December 2012. Spaces for retreats and workshops are limited so early booking is essential. www.mindfulness4all.co.uk Mobile: 07765 515 662 Telephone: 0117 376 3495 email: info@mindfulness4all.co.uk

Does one really know oneself and the meaning of life? Theory is fine, but is there the inner stillness yet to see straight, to live life to the full. This introductory ten-week course is designed to engender fresh perception and cheerful discussion. Explore great schools of thought from east and west - an open mind is always attractive and useful. Twelve week courses at Bath and Bristol, January, May and September. £75. Concessions £45. Students £20. See our Spark ad on page 21 and www.bathandbristolphilosophy.org www.philosophycourses.com

Voices for the Earth: Ecocide, a Peoples Process with Polly Higgins, Isabel Carlisle and Carlos Glover. Since Polly Higgins proposed a new international law of Ecocide to halt destruction of the Earth’s eco-systems, a groundswell of support has been building to make this law a reality. Change however, cannot only come from the top, individuals working at grassroots level are just as vital. In this course we invite you to join us in taking ecocide awareness to the next level by helping us to design a new community-led process for tackling crimes against nature. 28 Jan-1 Feb. Course fees £750 - includes accommodation & food. www.schumachercollege.org.uk 01803 865 934 T admin@schumachercollege.org.uk

curiouser and curiouser... spark readers go on twice as many courses as the national average.

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Exploring the connection between ourselves and the natural world by providing contemplative and creative time in nature. www.ritualartinnature.co.uk ritualartinnature@gmail.com

Spiritual Development & Ascension Courses

Natalie is a Diana Cooper School Ascension teacher running spiritual development courses and Magnified Healing workshops. natalie.evans@blueyonder.co.uk, www.facebook. com/pages/Harmony-Healing/253797164718069 Encouraging creativity through playful writing exercises and practices. For people who want release blocks to living fully. Ruth Pooley, experienced in psychotherapy and T group work. Tel: 01225 422968

Spiritual Companions Workshops with William Bloom. • 8/9 March: The Endorphin Effect • 13/14 April: The Power of Spiritual Practice • 11/12 May: The Sword and Chalice • 8/9 June: Your Heroic Journey • 13/14 July: Strong and Clear - Holistic Leadership. Plus one-day workshops: • 9 February: Passing Over • 10 February: The Collective Messiah. “Inner peace as easy as breathing. William Bloom has an encyclopaedic knowledge of meditation.” The Independent. Venue: Glastonbury, St Mary’s Church Hall. 0845 3452102 • 01372 272400 www.williambloom.com

Bath/Bristol/Wells 8-Week Mindfulness Course

MBCT A course of clear and coherent mindfulness meditation instruction and discussion for the prevention of low mood, depression, anxiety and stress related problems. The course has helped many to gain perspective and calmness and experience living life more positively. Courses beginning February, April and September. www.mindfulnesscoursesbath-bristol.co.uk ACT John Waller UKCP 01761 437214

Celtic Initiation of the Heart

Unfold your heart’s wisdom, celebrate the seasonal cycles of creativity with vision collage, journal, meditation and mandala. Charlotte 0790 752 7833 www.cliacoaching.co.uk T

Thrill of Presence - Beyond Zero

Residential workshop at East Down, Dartmoor Join Mark and Anne, quiet your mind, find your vision, purpose and joy with Conscious Breathing, Mind-Walking, Presence, Active Dreaming, Sitting with Fire, Trance and Hakalau. Journey into selfdiscovery and shifting belief systems in a safe and supportive environment. 15-17 March 2013. breathingnlp.com/groups

☞ Bristol School of Shiatsu courses From beginner to practitioner. See Training section

☞ Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School Inspirational courses, from beginners - advanced. See Food section

craniosacral therapy Subtle Bodywork: Adults, Children, Babies • Injury • anxiety • stress • anger • trauma • autism. Millie Wood Swanepoel RCST. Bristol, Dursley, Stroud. 07754 182 082 m.wood.swanepoel@googlemail.com www.milliewoodswanepoel.com

cycling

Chrissy Holmes: Healing Trust Tutor

Offering sessions & courses in healing, spirituality & metaphyscial subjects. Also Spiritual Companion & Coach. Please visit www.chrissyholmes.com or phone me: 0117 949 7442

Crystal Therapy Courses

Formative Psychology Reiki is one of the most gentle but powerful tools available to develop your potential in all areas of life. It is easy to learn and apply in just one weekend! Learn how to use Reiki for healing yourself and others and how Reiki can be used in many everyday situations to transform your life. Reiki is probably the most wonderful gift you could ever bestow on yourself! I aim to provide high quality training. My classes are informal, small and friendly so that all students are guaranteed personal attention and support. For more information tel: 0117 957 1845 e-mail: lvhubbard@aol.com Website: www.reikitraining.net

Ritual Art In Nature

Therapeutic Creative Writing Group

Study with Lauren D’Silva, Touchstones School of Crystal Therapy. ACHO accredited courses, Mid-Wales and Glastonbury. One-to-one & small group tuition available. www.touchstones-therapies.co.uk

You Can Live Awakened Intimacy. Join us at these Joyful Loving events. • Dec 29-Jan 2. Joyful Loving ongoing training: Release all limits to being the love that you are. Happy relating, Conscious Lovemaking, sex meets spirit. • Dec 29 2012-Jan 1 2013 New Year Joyful Loving retreat: Celebration, intimacy, Male-female polarity, surrender. • Women’s & men’s circles Feb 23-24, 2013. Experience the benefits of Joy Hicklin-Bailey’s 20 years expertise in facilitating breakthroughs in intimate relating for singles and couples. Book your place on a deeply transformational Secret Garden weekend, retreat or training. Call 07866 470238, email joy1@secretgarden.eu.com A www.secretgarden.eu.com

8 Week Stress Reduction course. Work creatively with stress, anxiety, fear. Suitable for all. £150. www.BeingMindful.Me simon@BeingMindful.Me

Stanley Keleman created and developed Formative Psychology; his premise is that, by voluntarily engaging with how (not why) we form ourselves, we actively influence and change how we relate to ourselves and the world around us. John Witt: has been using Formative Psychology as one of his main methodologies since the early eighties. For further details of workshops or for individual sessions please leave a message on 0117 974 1548, giving times when you can be called back, or go to my website johnwittpsychotherapist.co.uk

Hypnosis 4-Day Certified Foundation Course

Awaken the qualified hypnotherapist within. A fully accredited course available quarterly near Bristol. Contact Katherine: 07811 111079, kmembery@gmail.co.uk www.radiantsouls.co.uk

Journey Of The Soul

A magical, soul awakening adventure using song, dance, ceremony with Priestess’s Anna-Saqqara and Graell. Dance your dreams awake. 0787 724 7105 annasaqqara@gmail.com

Cycle with Confidence. Life Cycle, a Bristol charity, has been transforming lives through cycling for the last 14 years. Everyone knows cycling is healthy, convenient, low-cost and sustainable, but if you’ve never cycled - or haven’t been on a bike for years - taking the plunge can be daunting. Or maybe you just want some tips for commuting by bike. Whatever your reasons, Life Cycle can teach you skills for safe, enjoyable, everyday cycling. What are you waiting for? Get in touch: www.lifecycleuk.org.uk 0117 353 4580

“we thought it was an extremely straightforward & streamlined process” You can now book and pay for your listings ads online: www.thespark.co.uk

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ad orrates visit www.thespark.co.uk on inside back cover for more info or to book online index dance - food

dance

Bath. 5 Rhythms. Sue Kuhn

38 38

feng shui

Mondays 7.15-9.30pm, Gateway Centre, London Rd, BA1 6DH. Weekends. 01225 465846 www.suekuhndance.com

Beautiful Spacious Equipped Dance Studios for hire in Wells, Somerset, for classes and

workshops. 01749 938121 5-Rhythms is the original ecstatic dance practice. It’s freeing and easy, it’s a workout and an energy bath. Created by Gabrielle Roth, this practice brings the wisdom of ancient spiritual dance practices into a 21st century context, infusing them with progressive rhythms and adapting them to the urban psyche. Participants are guided into an exploration of five distinct but natural rhythmic patterns - finding then expanding their own style and capacity for expression within each. The practice is grounding and energizeing, increasing fitness, fluidity and heightening emotional intelligence. Evenings,Tuesdays & Fridays: 7.45-10.15pm, £10-£8. New Year Retreat: Medicine Dance 3-4 day, non-residential workshop. Co-lead by Bernadette and Dawn Morgan. £245-£198. In-Alignment Dance Space, Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, Bristol. www.in-rhythm.com 0790 349 7700, info@in-rhythm.net

You are invited to a skilfully guided session of zen- shamanic-tantric dance. An eclectic remix of global tunes and inspired musical art will get you moving to invoke such sweet spirit-freedom you may wonder how you ever stayed away from this fiercely beautiful rite of delight. We dance to remember and embody the peace and happiness of being alive. Every Wednesday 7.30-10pm, St Michael’s on the Mount, Cotham BS2 8BE. £10 on the door. Come ready to sweat your prayers! This year ends with a Solstice Meditation Dance, Dec 19th. Come and celebrate the still point at the threshold of this New Age! 2013 classes begin January 9th. Further info email: leigh.dance@virgin.net

death & dying Heaven on Earth

Award-winning Green & Pink Bespoke Funerals from £1550. Eco-coffins. www.heavenonearthbristol.co.uk 0117 926 4999 (24 hours)

☞ Funeral Celebrant - Clare Hayes Personalized tailored ceremonies. See Ceremonies & Celebrations section

dentists & dental care

food

Friendly, family dental practice in the heart of Hotwells, offers you a complete dental service, from replacing your mercury fillings to a full mouth make over - giving you back your healthy Natural Smile. We take the time to understand you as an individual, your concerns and desires, and view your dental treatment as part of your whole health. Sensitive, caring, dentist and team who take pride in minimising their impact on the environment. Selection of natural oral hygiene products available and free checkups for children (see website for more details). Principle practitioner Dr Nicola Bone BDS DPDS. 251 Hotwell Road, Hotwells, Bristol BS8 4SF. www.thenaturalsmile.co.uk 0117 929 2165

design, writers & print Writer, Copy Editor, Proof Reader

Dawn Morgan, BSc, MA, works with conscious movement and embodiment; Gabrielle Roth’s 5 Rhythms Wave, Ritual, Trance, and the gentle internal listening of Somatic Body Education. New Year Retreat: Turning Point December 29th eve-January 1st, with Dawn and Bernadette Ryder, at Hamilton House BS13QY (non residential). Ignition Point: Heartbeat Workshop 23rd-24th February, organised by Wildheart Dance. For more information please check website. Weekly • Stroud Monday evenings 5 Rhythms, Ecstatic Shamanic, 7.15-9.15pm and • GL5 1BN. Weekly Class • Thursdays 7.30-9.30pm Birmingham, B13 9LR. For one to one sessions and ceremonial work be in touch. www.shapeshift.co.uk dawn@shapeshift.co.uk 01453 750608

Somaterra offers innovative female bodily-centred eco-somatic education, working with movement, the female body and the feminine as a gateway to deeply experience the natural world. Inhabiting the Feminine Earth Body: Six sessions cultivating an intimate and enlivened connection to our female bodies, the feminine and the Earth. Through outdoors/indoors somatic movement processes including sounding, arts, ritual and self-care practices, women explore the anatomical, energetic, archetypal, and cyclical body-self, learning to nurture a magical bond with her body and the Earth she walks. March. “This course helped me to hear the calling from my womb... remembering I am true woman working in harmony with Earth” Joanne. Contact Carla: 0794 636 4898 c.esteves@live.co.uk

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• Lost direction in life? • Worried about money? • Unable to find love? • Or always feeling tired? Feng Shui works by bringing the energy (chi) in your home into balance. Geopathic stress removal, electromagnetic risk analysis, Nine Star Ki for best timings, best directions for sleeping, etc. Garden advice and space clearing, also included. Are you Sleeping in a Safe Place? Try my House Health Check for health/sleep issues or my Home Sale/ Purchase Service for selling or purchasing a new home. Find out more today: Tracy Longdon, FSSA, National Accreditation of the Feng Shui Society, Graduate Consultant, Feng Shui Academy. 01793 490672 www.tracylongdonconsulting.co.uk

A healthy oasis on Fishponds’ busy main road, Nature’s Genius stock a wide range of organic foods including scoop-your-own nuts, seeds, fruits, pulses and grains; oils, pastas and convenience foods; teas, coffees and fruit juices; fresh bread, milk and dairy produce. When you visit you’ll also find a great selection of gluten-free foods, heath supplements, vegetarian and vegan specialities, household cleaning products, organic and paraben-free body care products, and much more. If you can’t find what you want on the shelves just ask: the helpful staff will happily order it for you or consider adding it to their extensive stock. Nature’s Genius, 773 Fishponds Road, Bristol BS16 3BS. www.natures-genius.com tel: 0117 958 4996

Beccy Golding With 9 years (and counting) as production manager and writer for The Spark, and 15 years’ experience as a Youth & Community Worker in Bristol, I have the skills and experience to help you or your organisation with • annual reports • publicity leaflets • advertising • website content • press releases • funding applications • essays & dissertations • CVs and job applications • any other written material. For friendly, thorough and professional help with anything from exploring your first ideas or writing copy to a completely finished, proof-read document, email beccygolding@blueyonder.co.uk

doctors/holistic physician

The one-stop natural shop specialising in all things organic, ethical and ecological. New shop and café now at the old Woolworth store in Glastonbury. And don’t forget the new website: www.earthfare.co.uk Earthfare, 45 High Street, Glastonbury. Tel: 01458 831004

Food You can Trust from your local Natural and Ethical Grocer. Harvest has been at the forefront of organic, non-GMO, vegetarian and ethical choices since 1971. Harvest remains passionate about offering the widest selection of ethically sourced, earth friendly, organic and real food alternatives you can trust. Our extensive range includes many vegan and gluten-free choices; our tasty delis offer many locally prepared sweet and savoury specialities. In a world of supermarkets and faceless chain stores, Harvest is your local independent workers’ co-operative food store, providing fresh, friendly and relaxed service ... discover a unique and special shopping experience. • Part of the Essential Trading Worker Co-operative. Bristol: 11 Gloucester Road, BS7. 0117 942 5997 www.harvest-bristol.coop Bath: 37 Walcot Street, BA1. 01225 465519 www.harvest-bath.coop

Radford Mill Farm Shop has been trading in Montpelier, Bristol since 1979, selling organic fruit and veg sourced as locally as possible, including Radford Mill Farm, our 115-acre farm 15 miles southeast of Bristol, managed organically since 1977. We produce a wide variety of dips, sandwiches, quiches, soup, pizza and cakes in our organic kitchen, all of which can be enjoyed in our small café with indoor seating. We also sell wholefoods, herbs and spices, Bristol-made bread, natural soaps, toiletries and we accept bulk orders. 41 Picton Street, Montpelier, Bristol, BS6 5PZ. Tel: 0117 942 6644. Open Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, A Saturday 10am-6pm

At Riverford Organic Vegetables, available in Bristol, Bath and surrounding areas, we pride ourselves on our award-winning quality and best value. Boxes start at £10.35 including delivery and on average are 20% cheaper than the same produce bought in supermarkets. At least 80% of the vegetables come direct from fields in our co-operative in South Devon, some also from farms in Somerset and Wiltshire. You can have a box weekly, fortnightly or whenever you like and we can also deliver organic fruit, eggs, wine, meat, juices, pasta, chocolate and dairy produce from Riverford’s own dairy. Order today by calling 08456 800 918 / 0845 600 2311 or online www.riverford.co.uk

Dr Rohrbeck - Ecological Medicine

Private Consultations Specialised in Chronic Health Problems: Allergies, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis, Thyroid disorders, Skin problems, Mental Health, Hormonal problems. Treatments: Nutrition, Diet, Supplements, Detoxification, GAPS Protocol, Cell Regeneration. Helios Medical Centre, 17 Stoke Hill, Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JN Appointments line: 0758 471 9348 www.dr-rohrbeck.com AC email: info@dr-rohrbeck.com

We do all our own distribution** 34,000 copies to a shop, clinic or venue near you

Your local Wholefood Healthfood & Nutrition Centre • Café & Takeaway • New Salad Bar • Top quality dried fruits, nuts and seeds • Top quality groceries • Organic & GMO-free foods • Vitamin and mineral supplements • Special dietary needs • Qualified nutritionist in-store • Herbal & homeopathic remedies • Sports nutrition 100 High Street, Portishead Tel: 01275 817178

**now with a little help from the lovely people at Essential (if you order goods from the Essential catalogue you can include a bundle of 50 Sparks for free!)

At the heart of the bustling Gloucester Rd, almost next door to The Cooperative. Specialising in an ever-expanding range of Organic Vegetarian and Vegan foods, all of which is guaranteed G.M.O. free by our main suppliers. We also provide a large selection of non-organic foods to give our customers choice, much of this available from bulk, reducing packaging to a minimum. Amazing ranges of cereal, nuts, fruit, roasted coffee from Brian Wogan (use our grinder), increasing range of Gluten and Wheat-Free lines, selections of Japanese and other ethnic foods. Supplements, homoeopathic (including Solgar, Higher Nature, Quest, Weleda, Bach), toiletries, etc, plus much more. Friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. Member of The National Association of Health Stores. Reasonable prices, cards accepted £5+. Wheelchair access, help available with bulky items. Open from 9.00am until 5.30pm. Monday to Saturday. 113 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8AT Tel: 0117 987 2199 www.scoopawayhealthfoods.co.uk more food ads over the page

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food - mass

gay, lesbian & bisexual

want to advertise in The Spark? see inside back cover for info

holiday cottages Devon. Bantham Beach. Two Beautiful Wooden Studios

In addition to your favourite lines, you can refill your Ecover & Bio D bottles at our comprehensive refill station. Buy from our range of over 30 organic wholefoods & flours in scoop bins, and make big savings! We are also proud to stock Lavera bodycare & Lavera Trend Make-up, Dr Bronner magic soaps & Urtekram Bodycare products. We have a large range of chilled products & stock the best range of organic wholefoods south of the river, including gluten-free & wheat-free pastas, biscuits & breakfast cereals. Our cheese counter includes locally sourced & some vegetarian cheeses, and we have organic bread from Herbert’s Bakery. Coffee including fairtrade & organic is ground to order, and we have a good range of fruit & herbal teas. If you’re celebrating, our organic wines & local beers include champagne and beers from Bristol Beer Factory & Bath Ales. We also stock Tushies gel-free nappies, products from “Green Baby” & paper liners for brown recycling bins. 262 North St, tel: 0117 966 4507. Visit our website www.southvilledeli.com

Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School, set in the centre of Bath, is run by professional chef and restaurateur Rachel Demuth - a pioneer of vegetarian & vegan cooking. Rachel specialises in creative and healthy food for anyone wishing to learn to cook without fish or meat. The courses are highly instructive, catering for mixed abilities - from the greenest beginner to the highly experienced. The day & evening courses aim to provide inspiration and ideas that are easily achievable back at home, through a mix of hands-on cooking and demonstration. Vegetarian Cookery School & Demuths Restaurant Gift Vouchers are available online. Tel:01225 427938 us@vegetariancookeryschool.com www.vegetariancookeryschool.com

A free, confidential service which provides information and support to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and transvestite community. We also provide support to people concerned about issues to do with their sexuality, as well as to anyone with concerns about a friend or relative. We offer advice about safer sex and have extensive information on local and national services for LGBT people. If we can help, or if you just need someone to chat to, our lines are open every day, 10am-11pm. 0117 922 1328 www.bristolblags.org.uk

healing

Close to stunning beach, river, cliff walks. Ideal short breaks, retreats. • Spa studio, £90pn. Sleeps 6. Outside jacuzzi. 1 double bed en-suite. 4 singles. Large living space. Wooded gardens. • Sunset studio, £60pn. Overlooks Burgh Island. Beautiful sea views from bedroom. Sleeps two. Tel: 01548 561419 www.discoveryretreats.co.uk timhunt@fsmail.net

Pembrokeshire Coast Close to Presili Hills

Mobile home in beautiful, secluded, individual spot on private land. Three bedrooms, sleeps 6 comfortably. Spacious and fully equipped. Ten minutes drive from lovely beaches. 2.5-3 hour drive from Bristol. A Perfect break! Weekend £150, week £300. For booking phone Lou-Lou: 0781 417 5822

home & decluttering

Solutions Focused Hypnotherapy - Your Key

Brennan Healing Science

Gentle but profound healing which can be life changing. Clears, strengthens, balances and restructures the energy field. Helps overall state of health and well-being. Can remove energetic blocks that lead to disease and enhance the body’s natural healing ability. Graduate, Barbara Brennan School of Healing. Susan Greenfield, BSc.(Hons) Dip. Couns. RGN 01225 758340 www.suehealerbath.co.uk

Feel Better..!

How do we stay healthy & calm in this modern world? Try healing yourself and others with Johrei, a form of healing from Japan, for your health & happiness. Experience Johrei at our free drop-in hours Tuesday & Thursday, 6.30pm-9.30pm, Wednesday 10am-1pm. All welcome. British Johrei Society, 77a Alma Road, BS8 2DP. 0117 949 3360 www.johrei.org.uk

Tara Therapies - Clevedon, North Somerset

Restore your health and wholeness: physical, emotional, mental. Crystal therapy, colour therapy, spiritual healing. Also Tarot readings. www.taratherapies.vpweb.co.uk Jill Rhys Jones HT 01275 877280

health shops

Unlock stress, depression and anxieties with Julia Croft - HPD, SFBT(Hyp), MNCH(Acc). Dentist collaboration for 2013. Call 0117 9865201, www.sfhypnotherapy.co.uk www.keynshamhypnotherapy.co.uk Overwhelmed? Don’t know where to begin? Need a fresh start? Relax, I can help! Be comfortable in your home... I work alongside you at your pace, using time-saving techniques and practical solutions. I gently and light-heartedly support you to go through your stuff, organise and let go of what you don’t want. You decide what stays or goes. It can be fun and bring about a new sense of freedom. I am a hands-on, hard working, down-to-earth, friendly lady trained in one-to-one shiatsu support. • Indoor and outdoor spaces, garden maintenance • Vouchers available. Call/ text Lisa 0776 629 6497 - Affordable! energisingspaces@yahoo.co.uk

Declutter Your Home or Office

I can declutter your stuff, organise you and find the storage solutions that work for you. Call Alison on 0117 911 7556 www.armitage-homedecluttered.co.uk

homeopathy Lyn Clark: Registered Homeopath

The best wholefoods and healthy lifestyle store in the West. We stock an extensive selection of: • award-winning organic breads • natural and organic foods • delicatessen • organic wines and beers • natural health products • nutritional supplements • homoeopathic remedies and aromatherapy • bath & beauty items • natural baby care • cosmetics • environmentally-friendly household products. Health Expertise. Members of our experienced team are available to personally advise on nutrition, supplements and skincare to help you achieve and maintain optimum health. Wild Oats Wholefoods, 9-11 Lower Redland Road, Bristol BS6 6TB Tel: 0117 973 1967 Fax: 0117 923 7871 www.wild-oats.co.uk

garden Homegrown - The Vegetable Gardeners

Veggie patch creations and garden maintenance. Organic, Permacultural principles. Bristol and surrounding area. www.homegrown.org.uk Call Andy - 07943 495158

guinea pigs Are You Studying A Complementary Therapy? Do You Need Case Studies? Are your family & friends tired of being practised on? Or are you too shy or embarrassed to ask them anymore? We are a small pool of Bristol-based guinea pigs - willing volunteers available for practitioners in training - happy to offer our time and constructive feedback to students. e-mail: beccy@thespark.co.uk

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25+ years’ experience. Consultations; mentoring; teaching. Home: 0797 488 7850 Clinic: 0117 974 1199

housing & land You will find Health Unlimited on the popular North Street in Southville Bristol. We offer a variety of high quality Healthcare Products & Supplements, from Probiotics for a healthy gut, Fish Oils to improve the brain and Vitamins & Minerals to enhance the body’s performance. We also stock a great range of Bodycare Products to make your hair, teeth and skin shine with vitality. And still there is more... an amazing range of Gifts, Jewellery, Toys and Cards to suit any occasion. Staff are caring with extensive product knowledge. Online & Mail Ordering Available. Health Unlimited, 248 North Street, Bristol BS3 1JD. Tel: 0117 902 0622, info@silver-gecko.com www.silvergecko.com

health testing & screening Bioresonance, Energy Medicine, Natural Nutrition Electropollution Test Kits and protective crystals. S(30),NA www.yourhealthnaturally.co.uk

holidays - activity ☞ Yoga Holidays, Huzur Vadisi, Turkey Courses & retreats with top teachers. See Yoga section

Want help with Emotional, mental health or relationship issues? Stopping smoking, habits or addictions? Weight or eating issues? Managing pain or health conditions? Phobias or post-traumatic stress disorder? Work, study or sports performance? Stress management, confidence and self-esteem? Help is here! Mindscape offers holistic, client-centred hypnotherapy, EMDR, NLP and occupational therapy, supporting people with a wide range of issues to achieve their goals and dreams. Experienced, well qualified, state-registered NHS mental health specialist. HypnoBand and Hypnobirthing trained. Centrally based (Montpelier). For free initial consultation please contact Kate Mortimer (BA.Hons, BSc.Hons, MA, DipCAH, HPD, PNLP, Advanced EMDR, MNCH(Acc), RAPHP, HPC reg.) on 07810 510170 www.mindscapetherapies.co.uk

Give Your Life A Greater Purpose!

In Italy a new Ecovillage consisting of three properties, nine acres of olive trees is born, in Chianti- Tuscany. Would you like to buy a house in the sun now and be involved in this rare chance? The purpose is to evolve consciousness through workshops and seminars. Mari 0039 338 328 3789 - 0039 5583 27043 mari7moons@alice.it

Stephanie Betschart HPD DHP MNCH SFBT(hyp)

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for Positive Change Today Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a safe and very effective treatment for changing unwanted behaviours, attitudes and thoughts. It helps people make significant, positive changes in their lives. It is particularly helpful with confidence and self esteem and is one of the most successful treatments of Depression and Anxiety. Also: anger, insomnia, phobias, weight management, public speaking, smoking. Available in Clifton, Bishopston and Windmill Hill. Call Stephanie for a free initial consultation: 07731 784 254 www.stephanie-hypnotherapy.co.uk

lightning process The Lightning Process

The Lightning Process is a training programme that teaches you how to use the connection between your brain and body to increase health and happiness. Contact us to find out how it could help you: Pippa Adamson 0117 965 8459 www.newleaf-changes.co.uk Hilary Allen 0117 953 3430 www.hilaryallen.org.uk Clare Hudman 01453 750382 www.getbetter.me T

massage & bodywork Please note that adverts in this section are for professional practitioners offering therapeutic, healing, remedial and/or relaxing massage or bodywork sessions. The Spark does not knowingly advertise, or accept advertisements for, sexual services.

Housing and Beyond!

Interested in setting up radical / sustainable / long-term co-op or co-housing in Bristol (or elsewhere/with land) or joining a house? We have expertise in establishing rural & urban facilities for accommodation use (now) and can assist in many personal and practical ways. Also co-op training events to help you get your project going. 07815 805647 Facilitation@compuserve.com

hypnotherapy Looking Forward To Your Future

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Conquer stress, anxiety, confidence, smoking, weight and many issues with techniques that help you relax, regain focus and move forward in your life. Free initial consultation. Stuart Taylor HPD. CBT(Hyp). SFBTSup(Hyp) • Bristol Natural Health Service, Horfield: 0117 944 44 48 • Portland Therapy Centre, Staple Hill: 0117 956 58 55. www.taylorhypnotherapy.co.uk Mobile: 07840 269555

A wide range of therapies including; Complementary Therapies, Deep Tissue Massage, Holistic Massage, On-Site Massage, Remedial and Sports Massage. I offer a sliding-scale to make massage therapies accessible, including low-cost massage for people on lower incomes. I am a member of the following Professional Associations; Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council, Federation of Holistic Therapists, Complementary Therapists Association, International Council of Health, Fitness & Sports Therapists. I am a registered ITEC tutor. I am also a career and life coach, trained with the Coaches Training Institute. To read more about me and my work please visit my website. Website www.berkeleywilde.co.uk Email info@berkeleywilde.co.uk Call/text 07747 752 454

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or visit www.thespark.co.uk for more info or to book online

money

mass - reiki

nutrition / diet foodfitforyou.co.uk

Lymphatic Management Susanna uses a light effective medical massage to reduce Oedema/swelling and stimulate the lymphatic system, this Is called Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). Used for Primary and Secondary Lymphoedema, Swollen ankles, arms, pre and post operations such as hip replacements, liposuction, sports injuries and vaser surgery. Physiopod and Kinesio taping are used for the above. Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy combines MLD and specialist bandaging to reduce swelling and improve mobility and appearance. A compression hosiery fitting service is offered using attractive modern hosiery (no Norah Batty tights!). My experience includes working in a major London NHS hospital’s Lymphatic Department. Bristol: Tues and Fri at Whiteladies Health Centre, Whatley Road, Clifton BS8 2PU. Nailsworth: Mon, Wed and Thurs at Suite 2, 2 Market Street, Nailsworth, Stroud. Free car parking. See details, testimonials www.centre4health.co.uk Call 07867 934677 for an appointment.

Erika James, MTI

Holistic Massage Therapist, Montpelier, Bristol Holistic Massage helps the body heal and rebalance. Each massage is tailor-made to suit your individual needs and can help with tired, sore muscles, stress, respiration and circulation, boost your immune system and aid deep relaxation. Contact me for more information. 0779 002 1095 massage@erikajames.co.uk www.erikajames.co.uk

Triodos is a different kind of bank. Unlike other banks, we only work with organisations that benefit people and the environment, from fair trade pioneers like Cafédirect, to green energy company Ecotricity. Whether you’re a personal or a business customer, you’ll speak to people who share your values. And you will be part of an extraordinary community of savers and investors, who want their savings and investments to change the world for the better. To use your money to make a real difference, visit www.triodos.co.uk or call free on 0500 008 720. Triodos Bank NV is incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands with limited liability and registered in England and Wales BR3012. Authorised by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for the conduct of UK business. Registered office: Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS

movement & bodywork

Holistic Massage Therapist

• Swedish • Reflexology • Aromatherapy. Calm. Tranquil. Relaxing. www.hardingholistic.co.uk Richard 0117 924 1044

Holistic, Remedial & Sports Massage Therapy Tim Bartlett MTI APNT Practitioner and Tutor. Massage and bodywork for healing, health & well-being. 0752 500 6880; BNHS, Horfield: 0117 944 4448 timbartlett@1way.co.uk

Massage for Women

With Sadie McCarthy MTI APNT IIHHT. Aromatherapy, Holistic/Pregnancy Massage, Reiki. 0791 411 4340

Dance Voice offers sessions for adults who want to explore their inner self, focus on self-development and life management. We look at emotions, relationships and our state of being through the creative process of dance & movement, free expression and the use of props. There is no right or wrong way of being, everyone has an inner dance! Sessions are appropriate for: people who value dance as expression or release; people suffering from:• depression • stress • anxiety • ocd • bereavement • addiction recovery • other mental health conditions. Sessions are held on Thursdays: 10.30-12 all women, 1.30-3.00 mixed gender. FFI/referral forms contact Kate: 0117 953 2055, admin@dancevoice.org.uk www.dancevoice.org.uk

Sarah Hoare, MTI CNHC

Experienced, dedicated holistic massage practitioner and tutor. Pain relief, injury recovery, pregnancy, well-being, self development. Bishopston & Southville treatment rooms. t: 07976 710368 www.sarahhoare.co.uk

mediation Relationship Over?

...We Can Help! Divorce or separation can be painful... and costly. Family mediation is the first choice for couples who want to achieve a negotiated settlement when their relationship is at an end. Resolve the issues arising from your break up effectively, economically, quickly, conveniently, amicably. www.progressive-mediation.co.uk frances@progressive-mediation.co.uk 0117 924 3880 / 0788 903 9393 / 0796 387 6377

Qigong is a way of directly experiencing and opening to the subtle energy known as Qi in oriental medicine. It connects us more deeply to the natural flow of energy around us and to the source of our aliveness. It is simple to learn yet challenges each person to their own limit. Benefits may include the healing of deeply engraved patterns of physical and emotional disharmony, increased vitality and clarity of perception, the cultivation of inner stillness and, most of all, a deeper enjoyment of being alive. Monthly courses in Bristol/Bath/Cheltenham/ Frome and summer camps/residential Qigong retreats with Daverick Leggett. Details: 0117 928 7280

Bath/Bristol/Wells, with John Waller. See Courses, Groups and Workshops section

☞ Drop-in Meditation Classes Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Bristol See Daily ad in Events section

☞ Philippa Vick’s 8 Week Mindfulness Course See Courses, Groups & Workshops section

If you’re reading this in December... Happy Christmas! If you’re reading in January... Happy New Year! If you’re reading in February.. will you be my valentine?

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Macrobiotic Cook, Life Counsellor, Holistic Health coach

Available for private cooking, consultations & coaching Counselling sessions involve deep emotional, spiritual & physical healing as well as diet and lifestyle advice for personal growth and transformation. 6-month health & life coaching programs also available. Please see website for cooking classes, workshops & lectures. www.achangeofhealth.com 0784 543 9352

www.thesoulfoodcompany.org.uk

Helen Cooke, a highly qualified practitioner (nursing background), offers nutritional therapy and/or stress-management advice. Vitamin deficiency/allergy testing and trade-price supplements available. 07905 383203

osteopathy Explore Taijiwuxigong - a simple yet profound set of Qi Gong exercises for self-healing and energy development. Once learned Taijiwuxigong can be used for life. It works to improve body, mind and spirit at many levels. The gentle yet powerful exercises activate and clear the energy system, lighten the spirits and calm the mind. Lunchtime courses available from 1-2pm, Wednesdays or Thursdays, Bristol Folk House. Thursday evenings offer longer, relaxed sessions for deeper study 7.15-8.45pm, also at Bristol Folk House. Safe and suitable for all, and all are welcome. Call 0117 377 0103 or e-mail: wuxigong@gmail.com

music & sound

Paul Henaghan BSc(Hons) Ost. Registered Osteopath. Bristol Positive Health is an established Osteopathic practice in Hotwells, Bristol, offering treatment for • back and neck pain • shoulder and arm problems • pelvis, hip and leg problems • sports and other injuries. Patients have found osteopathy helpful for many other conditions. Evening and weekend appointments available. 0117 376 3190. 39 Oldfield Road Hotwells, Bristol BS8 4QQ. Also at The Practice Rooms, 26 Upper Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1RH. Mobile: 0796 184 4852. Online booking for Bristol available at www.bristolph.co.uk

personal growth courses ProxyPhonix is an intimate, relaxing and nurturing recording studio and production suite in Stokes Croft, Bristol. The studio operates from a single room, is equipped with professional recording equipment and has a separate, acoustically treated vocal booth perfect for singer/songwriters, stringed instruments and percussion. ProxyPhonix is proud to deliver an affordable and professional service to musicians, ranging from demo production to master quality extended plays and full length albums. ProxyPhonix also operates as a production suite, providing film makers, advertising companies and radio/television broadcasters with creative and diverse soundtracks, idents and jingles. For great prices contact Matthew Richards 0792 040 7490, dfaband@live.co.uk www.dancingforarchitecture.com

The Inward Adventure is a seamless integration of Mind, Body and Spirit through the awesome power of Meditation, NLP, Tai-chi, Qigong, Yoga and much more. It has been created to provide the tools and skills necessary to move you on from where you are now to where you want to be. From how you are now to how you want to be. It was featured in the TV programme Extreme Celebrity Detox which was the launch pad for Jack Osbourne’s amazing transformation into an Adrenaline Junkie!! For more information visit www.the-inward-adventure.co.uk or call Chris Milford 0797 723 8288 / 0117 960 3907

Taijiwuxigong Classes Learn a simple, powerful form of Qi Gong to develop your energy force and for self-healing. Evening/lunch classes in Bristol. 0117 377 0103 wuxigong@gmail.com

rebirthing

meditation ☞ 8-week Mindfulness Meditation Courses

As founded by Dr Shen Hongxun. A traditional method of Chinese Medicine to clean the meridians and organs by standing and moving exercises, spontaneous body movement and mental concentration. Old emotional tensions can also be released, eaving the practitioner clearer, happier and healthier. This simple and profound system allows beginners to experience its benefits quickly. Older students will be able to reach deeper states with their own practice. The course is open to all. There is no age restriction. Time: 10am-5pm. Cost £95 for weekend. Bristol Workshops 2013: 9-10 February, 13-14 July, 12-13 October. Enquiries to Ann on 0117 377 0103 e-mail: taijiwuxigong@waitrose.com

Personalise Your Diet. Food Intolerance Testing. Feel Better Again! Louise 0777 9 642 563

With Nicola Ley (Pooley) Shiatsu and the lightbody - New classes Mondays once a month. Interested in working with the light, healing and going beyond traditional shiatsu? This work is inspirational and enhances your bodywork or shiatsu. The classes are for anyone with a basic knowledge of meridians. Qigong classes for health and well-being. St Werburgh’s Community Centre - Tuesday evenings 5.45-6.45pm and Wednesday mornings 9.30-10.30am. Drop-ins, beginners and regular practitioners welcome. Nicola gives shiatsu treatments for the body, mind and soul. She also enjoys giving tutorials on qigong or shiatsu or energywork. ffi - Nicola.ley@gmail.com 0117 987 9806 www.artofshiatsu.co.uk

Sound relaxation and meditation with gongs, Tibetan singing bowls and voice. Allow yourself to be immersed in an ocean of sound - enjoy a chance to simply rest and relax deeply while listening to these resonant instruments, releasing tension and quietening the mind. The subtle vibrations are felt in the body, and can enhance wellbeing and increase physical energy and mental clarity. • monthly sound group relaxation and meditation sessions • one-to-one sound therapy available at the Natural Health Clinic • singing bowl workshops • bespoke sessions for groups. Call Celia Beeson on 07742 131549 or 0117 329 7235 or email celia@soundscape.org.uk www.soundscape.org.uk

Rebirthing - Doug Sawyer

We use Conscious Breathing to heal the body/mind/ emotions at all levels with love. Call Doug 0774 809 6834

reiki Deep Body Work

Pursuing balance and harmony mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. Treatments. Massage. Training. Millie Wood Swanepoel, Reiki Master, teacher, practitioner. m.wood.swanepoel@googlemail.com 07754 182 082 more reiki ads over the page

16/11/12 14:07:23

reiki - spirit

want to advertise in The Spark? see inside back cover for info

shamanism

spiritual paths & practices

Shamanic Shoestrings I offer Reiki sessions and small friendly Reiki classes in North Bristol, Devon, South Wales and Wiltshire. I have been practising Reiki since 1992 and was initiated as a Master in 1996 by Ben Verheijden who trained with Phyllis Furumoto, the present lineage bearer and Inger Droog, who brought Reiki to Holland. I am a trained counsellor, Buteyko teacher, funeral celebrant, psychic and bodyworker. I use Reiki on myself every day; it sustains me physically, mentally and emotionally. For a leaflet, dates of classes, to book a session, Master Apprenticeships call 0117 924 6581, e-mail: christine@reikisouthwest.net www.reikisouthwest.net

rolfing

Fulcrum House is located at 3 Grove Road, just off Whiteladies Road (Clifton/Redland). Our wonderful Georgian building has 7 beautiful, generously proportioned private rooms, kitchen facilities and a small private courtyard. Our group room is suitable for groups up to 14 people. We offer regular four-hour slots and instant online booking of single sessions for our registered psychotherapists, counsellors and complementary practitioners. We host a CPD programme of workshops and seminars providing a stimulating environment to work in. Fulcrum House has grown into a friendly, thriving community! Visit www.fulcrumhouse.co.uk or call S(2)BT 0117 330 5336

Bradford on Avon

Comfortable room in the Bridge Centre. View www.hypnotherapycentrebradfordonavon.com Contact Richard on 01225 722508

Bristol City Yoga

Bright, beautiful studio and therapy rooms. 0117 924 4414 info@bristolcityyoga.co.uk

Rolfing is an effective method of realigning the body, and in so doing, alleviating related problems such as back pain, stiffness, muscular tension, poor circulation etc. The body is held together by a web of connective tissue. When a part of the body is injured or chronically held out of vertical alignment, the tissue shortens in certain areas, “fixing” the body into an abnormal posture. This new pattern limits our freedom of movement, and over the years tends to cause common painful symptoms. In the 1950s, Dr Rolf developed this hands-on method of freeing and rebalancing connective tissue. Contact: Anna Orren, 45 Trelawney Road, Cotham, Bristol BS6 6DY Tel: 0117 973 5987

Rolfing realigns your structure by energising and freeing the web of connective tissue within the body: “The Organ of Structure”. The Human Being is more than a collection of parts. There is a pattern, an order, as in all matter organised into biological units. That pattern - how parts fit and work together - is a basic factor in well-being or its lack. Rolfing promotes well-being by enhancing the body’s pattern of organisation; alleviating poor posture, releasing tension, back and neck problems and stiffness of joints. Discover a muscular structure that’s free of pain. A posture within gravity that gives you a light, flexible and energised body. For more information, a free consultation or an appointment, call Simon Wellby 0779 969 3546

rooms & spaces

Ad-hoc & permanent therapy rooms for rent. Warm and friendly therapy centre offering purpose-built treatment rooms at very competitive rates. Free nearby parking, centrally located, tea & coffee facilities and reception areas. • £20 per 4-hour session • £15 for additional 4-hour sessions • £10 per 1-hour ad hoc sessions Call 0117 942 5832 for further information doug@bristoltherapist.com www.bristoltherapist.com

Yogasara

Bristol’s first Community Interest Company, Not-For-Profit Yoga studio Beautiful studio available for hire for weekend courses. An outstanding space to share your work. A Community Interest Company, committed to sustainability, community and making this planet a better place. Be the Change, join us at Yogasara. www.yogasara.co.uk Picton St, Montpelier. Sarah or Chris 0778 692 8458

listings 71 v23.indd 41

Offers core/cross culture Shamanic healing, soul retrieval, extraction medicine, also Shamanic Counselling and Divination. You are welcome to contact for further information or to arrange a time for us to meet. Please contact Brian on 01225 445971 or 0797 626 4432 or e-mail: shamanicshoestrings@live.co.uk www.shamanicshoestrings.co.uk

Shamanic training. A year-long journey through this beautiful medicine wheel. • Learn and experience powerful healing techniques that shift the matrix of your energy field • Discover the ancient wisdom teachings of the Inca shaman • Become a healer, a coach, an inspiration to others or use this 4-part residential training to heal yourself so that you can be the change you want to see in the world. See website for details, dates, courses www.spiritoftheinca.com email: Spiritoftheinca@gmail.com Tel: 0776 525 8614

Make this year the one in which you learn to meditate. Just 10 minutes of meditation a day can radically change your life, find out how at Aro Ling, 127 Gloucester Rd, Bristol, BS7 8AX. We offer a range of uncommon Buddhist books, DVDs, yoga and meditation supplies, children’s books and work from local artists. Take a break with a hot cuppa in our Buddhist reference library and reading lounge. Ongoing evening classes in Meditation, Yoga, Tantra, Dzogchen, and Buddhist practice for everyday life every evening MondayThursday. Free drop-in meditation sessions throughout the week. Special weekend events with visiting Buddhist teachers and artists. Therapy room and shrine room available to hire at affordable rates. www.aro-ling.org Contact enquiry@aro-ling.org or call 0117 239 8505

Nature & Spirit. An Invitation

Do you long for Time & Space to be creative; to renew your connection with Nature; & further your Spiritual Path? www.lucyvoelcker.co.uk 01453 839 233 Central Bath, Clifton Village, Salisbury. Beautiful, professional consulting rooms in period settings in central, high profile locations. Exceptional value and highly flexible, user-friendly terms to suit both startup and established therapists. Counselling Trainee Offer: up to 50% reduction in rates. Terms apply. To find out more about joining our community please go to our website: www.thepracticerooms.co.uk

The Vassall Centre is suitable for all occasions, all faiths are welcome and we are totally accessible. We have 2 large conference rooms and 6 meeting rooms varying in size, all have natural lighting and hold from 2-120 people. Technical equipment can be provided, we also have an excellent selection of outside caterers or you can bring your own. The new Mark Masons kitchen is suitable for training purposes or private parties, is accessible and provides 2 rise and fall worktops. Prices are competitive with no VAT. There is parking on the premises. View our website www.thevassallconferencecentre.org

shiatsu

Shiatsu clinic running monthly. 45-minute bookable and drop-in treatments available from 10am till 4.00pm. £20.00 per session with fully qualified and experienced practitioners. Large, warm and welcoming space to relax and enjoy a treatment in the heart of south Bristol. The centre also has a small café available for light refreshments. Please contact reception to make a booking on 0117 923 1138 or contact Vicky by email at vicky.read@lamrim.org.uk Centre for Whole Health, 12 Victoria Place, Bedminster, BS3 3BP. www.centreforwholehealth.org

Bath Shiatsu Practice

4 large bright ground floor therapy/treatment rooms in Westbury Park. Just redecorated. Ideal for psychotherapy or bodywork. www.cairnsclinic.co.uk S1 email cairnsclinic@googlemail.com

A quiet space in the heart of Bath We are very experienced bodyworkers and offer bodypsychotherapy for your deeper issues, a place to be held during difficult emotional times, support around illness, ongoing CPD classes for third years and graduates. Heidi Armstrong MRSS(T) 0774 637 4507 www.heidiarmstrong.co.uk Rebecca Davis MRSS(T) 0782 508 2555 www.bathshiatsu.co.uk

Consulting/Therapy Rooms

Bristol School of Shiatsu

Cairns Clinic

Alma Vale Rd, Clifton, Bristol Attractive, quiet and professional rooms in Clifton for psychotherapists, counsellors and coaches. Reasonable rates. For more information contact Kunderke Kevlin on 0772 764 4830 or e-mail: kunderke@gmail.com See www.45almavalerd.co.uk

Spaces to Let in Studio Office

The Yard, Walter Street, Southville BS3 1WS Open plan office spaces in attractive top lit ground floor studio areas shared with designers. Easy parking outside and shared kitchenette. 3 desk workstations available furnished at £38 per week each (plus wifi). Good location with safe attractive surroundings. e: architects@inneswilkin.co.uk or phone David 0793 949 6474

Established 1984, offers training courses from beginners to professional practitioner level. Please refer to Training section for further details www.shiatsubristol.co.uk

Recovery programme for those who want to stop their self-destructive sexual thinking and behaviour. 24hr UK Helpline: 07000 725463 Bristol Group: sa.bristol@yahoo.co.uk

Part of the Triratna Buddhist Community, we offer a path to greater awareness and kindness - traditional Buddhist practices with the potential for unlimited positive change, appropriate to the contemporary world. Our community is dedicated to realising this vision together for the sake of all beings. Come and see for yourself! Centre Open Day - Jan 5, 10-4.30. Try meditation & find out about Buddhism. All welcome! Introduction to Buddhist Meditation 5 week course plus day retreat - Jan 9 (retreat Sun 9 Feb) (£65/£40) ’Tools for Living Your Life’ 10 week Intro to Buddhism course based on the book of the same name. Enquiries/bookings via the centre or our website. • www.bristol-buddhist-centre.org • 162 Gloucester Road, Bishopston BS7 8NT AC • 0117 924 9991

Shiatsu Healing with Mercedes Núñez

Wellbeing for body and soul, Bristol and Timsbury near Bath. See www.shiatsuhealing.org for treatments, tutorials or supervision. Or call 01761 470516

We've got the room if you got the space

sex & sexuality Sexaholics Anonymous

Learn meditation. Learn how to work with your mind and body. By simply being present we can bring mindfulness and awareness to our experience and allow more space and joy to develop in our lives. Our evening sessions offer meditation for all, with meditation instruction available. Tuesdays. Stroud. 7.45-9pm at Chalford Village Hall, near Stroud. Call John or Sophie: 01453 889609, or email johnseex@talktalk.net Dorchester. 7.30-9pm, The Friend’s Meeting House, 8 Holloway Road, DT1 1LF. Call Colin: 01305 266721 Wednesdays. Bristol. 7.45-9.45pm at Bristol City Yoga, BS2 8QW. Call Christine: 07505 384628, or email bristol@shambhala.org.uk Visit our website for more details www.bristol.shambhala.info

Make the most of your building - rent your room through The Spark

Bristol Sakya Buddhist Centre 121 Sommerville Road, St. Andrews, Bristol, BS6 5BX 0117 924 4424 / bristol@dechen.org www.dechen.org Regular Events in 2012 Open to all. Concessions available. • Meditation Evenings - Tuesdays 8pm. Learn about tranquillity meditation and contemplate short talks on different Buddhist teachings each week. No experience necessary - £4. • Tranquillity Meditation Mornings: Wednesdays 10.30am, Saturdays 10.30am. All welcome. No experience necessary. Free. • Classical Tibetan Language Classes: Mondays 8pm - £4. Ffi contact Sakya Centre. Bath Sakya Buddhist Group Meditation Evenings Tuesdays 8pm. Tranquillity and reflective meditation (see above) - £4. 18c Charles Street, BA1 1HX. Near Green Park Station. 07747 633577 / bath@dechen.org Ffi contact Bristol Sakya Buddhist Centre www.dechen.org/bristol

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or visit www.thespark.co.uk for more info or to book online

spirit - train

tai chi Natural Way T’ai Chi New to meditation? Experienced? All are welcome. Zen meditation at Fulcrum House, 3 Grove Road, Bristol, BS6 6UJ. Every Tuesday at 7pm. Evening practice includes chanting, silent sitting meditation and walking meditation. It’s fine to sit on a cushion, bench or ordinary chair. Contact: 0117 963 2505 or email: bristolzencentre@gmail.com www.bristolzen.org www.furnacemountain.org

A spiritual practice which is ancient yet always new, reaching back within Christianity to the desert fathers and mothers of the fourth century. John Main a Benedictine monk rediscovered this practice and has made it available to all. Give your soul space to breathe. The World Community for Christian Meditation is contemporary, ecumenical, contemplative. Over 25 weekly groups in The Spark’s area. Newcomers always welcome. For info: call 01275 463727 or email bristol@christianmeditation.org.uk More info go to www.christianmeditation.org.uk

Established in 1988, the Centre follows the Tibetan Gelug tradition under guidance from two fully-qualified Lharampa Geshes from Drepung Loseling Monastery in India. The Centre hosts visits from other lamas and was involved in organising visits by HH Dalai Lama to Glasgow in 2004 and Nottingham in 2008. It incorporates the Centre for Whole Health. The ongoing programme is: Mondays 7.30pm: basic guided meditation Tuesday 7.00pm: Tara Puja, teachings by Geshe Thinley Thursday 7.30pm: introductory talks, discussions and questions - joined by Geshe Thinley. Weekends: occasional retreats and courses. Lam Rim (Wilts. & Glos.) Buddhists meet in Corsham, Saturday 5.00pm: teachings by Geshe Thinley; Thursday 7.30pm: basic guided meditation. Tel: 01249 715152. Lam Rim Bristol Buddhist Centre. 12 Victoria Place, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 3BP. Tel: 0117 963 9089 info@lamrim.org.uk www.lamrim.org.uk

Do you long to deepen your experience of God, your relationship with others, and your appreciation of all the world’s major faith traditions - while remaining deeply rooted in your own? Do you yearn to be an activist in healing the divisions between peoples, nations and religions? One way to do so, with other committed men and women from diverse backgrounds, is on our two-year, part-time training. Students can go on to become interfaith ministers, offering spiritual counselling and sacred ceremonies tailored to the needs and longings of individuals from all faiths and none. To see if the One Spirit that calls us, calls you too, ring 08444 457 004, or visit: www.interfaithfoundation.org

Thich Nhat Hanh Inspired Meditation Group

Our friendly group usually meets four times monthly, Redland, Bristol, to practice meditation and mindfulness following the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Ffi: Julia 0117 942 6128

Quakers share a way of life, based on our experience of the divine, rather than a set of beliefs. We are rooted in Christianity but we welcome everyone who is seeking truth and is attracted to worship based on shared silence. We do not have a written creed but try to bring the values of love, peace, truth, equality, simplicity, justice, and care for the environment into our lives and work. Newcomers are always welcome. Sunday Meetings in the Bristol area Bath, York Street, BA1 1NG, 11.00am. Bedminster, Wedmore Vale, BS3 5HX, 10.45am. Central Bristol, Champion Square, BS2 9DB, 11.00am. Clevedon, 15 Albert Road, BS21 7RP, 10.30am. Frenchay, Beckspool Road, BS16 1NT, 10.30am. Horfield, 300 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD, 10.30am. Portishead, 11 St Mary’s Road, BS20 6QP, 10.30am. Redland, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE, 11.00am. Thornbury, The Chantry, Castle St, BS35 1HB, 10.30am. Weston-super-Mare, High Street, BS23 1JF, 10.30am. Sidcot, Oakridge Lane, BS25 1LT, 10.30am. Please contact us for information about other Meetings during the week and for Children’s Meetings. We offer small discussion groups throughout the year led by experienced Quakers. For information ring 0117 942 9142 www.bristolquakers.org.uk

A Free Church with an Open Mind. Are you looking for a welcoming community who gather to nurture one another’s lifelong spiritual growth? Although historically rooted in the liberal Christian tradition, Unitarians also value the insights of many world faiths and other sources of wisdom. For details of meetings, including meditation, intergenerational activities and personalised child dedications, marriages and funerals, please phone the contact numbers given below. Unitarian communities meet for worship at the following locations in this area: Bristol - Frenchay Chapel, Frenchay Common and at Unitarian Meeting, Brunswick Square, 0117 950 7906 Taunton - Mary Street Unitarian Chapel, 01823 282953 Trowbridge - Unitarian Meeting House, 45 Seymour Road, 01225 761866 Cirencester- Quaker Meeting House, Thomas Street, 01285 651507 Crewkerne - Unitarian Chapel, Hermitage Street, 01935 862602 National Unitarian website: www.unitarian.org.uk Charity no. 234482

Zazen is the posture of awakening. This practice has been transmitted from the time of Shakyamuni Buddha to now. Zazen is simply sitting with legs crossed, back straight, the attention focused on the posture and breathing. In zazen we do not seek to obtain anything. By turning the gaze inwards we can go naturally beyond the limits of the ego and directly experience awakening to our true nature. “In our disturbed world, practising zazen means coming back to the human being’s true dimension and rediscovering the fundamental balance of our existence” Taisen Deshimaru. Bristol Zen Dojo holds zazen practice five days a week with an introduction every Wednesday from 6-7.30pm. Bristol Zen Dojo, 91-93 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8AT. E: info@zenbristol.co.uk W: www.zenbristol.co.uk T: 0117 942 4347

Ready For An Inner Adventure

towards awakening? Free Gnosis course. www.gnosisbristol@moonfruit.com

our website gets 4,500 unique visitors every month. every ad you buy in the magazine goes online for free. So take advantage of our popularity, and advertise in The Spark.

listings 71 v23.indd 42

S(1)

“for health and a peaceful heart“. Comprephensive syllabus with accredited senior instructors. Introductory & intermediate courses available. www.naturalchi.co.uk naturalwaytaichi@gmail.com

training

Through the powerful combination of Shiatsu and Yoga our aim is to teach you how to recognize and work with the energy in your own body, enabling you to treat others using simple movements, breath and Ki. A wonderful journey of discovery and growth with a focus on the intuitive backed up with a solid grounding in theory leading to a nationally recognized qualification in Shiatsu. Covering the Five elements, Zen Shiatsu, body language and visual diagnosis, the asanas, pranayama and the Chakras, western anatomy and counselling. Experienced teachers providing structured study, continuity and support. With class size limited to fourteen. Founder and senior teacher Frank Davis M.R.S.S.(T) D.S. began the study and practice of Yoga in 1984 and Shiatsu in 1987 and has taught both for over twenty years. All classes held in the centre of Bath 5 minutes from bus and train station. 1st year Training starts 24/25 November, £1050. One day workshops and Three weekend Foundation Courses available. For more information call us on 01225 859209, email frank@bssy.co.uk visit www.bssy.co.uk or join the Bath School of Shiatsu & Yoga on Facebook

Professional Training Courses in Holistic Massage with 2 intakes per year, February and October. Booking now. Diploma course giving a thorough grounding in Massage, Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology. Introductory Workshop weekends throughout the year. Advanced Workshops available for practitioners to extend their skills and experience. Massage Practice Days and Regular Supervision groups with BCMB tutors. BCMB is accredited by the Massage Training Institute (MTI) and works to the national training standards of the General Council for Massage Therapy. Workshops also available in Worcester. 30 Alma Vale Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2HY. 0117 377 1201 enquiries@bristolmassage.co.uk www.bristolmassage.co.uk

Diploma courses are run in autumn and spring. Aromatherapy Diploma (18 months). Includes two types of massage, aromatics, A&P, pathology and business skills. Professionally accredited by AAPA. Reflexology Diploma (12 months). Includes reflexology theory and practice, A&P and business skills. Professionally accredited by IFR. Traditional Indian Head Massage (10 weeks). Professionally accredited by IIHM. Runs autumn, spring and summer. Anatomy & Physiology. Widely accepted by therapy training courses. One-day and CPD courses • Introduction to Aromatherapy • Introduction to Massage • Advanced Massage Techniques (CPD) • Marketing Your Therapy Business (CPD) • Using Social Media (CPD). For more information on our courses visit our web site: www.bristolschoolofholistictherapies.co.uk Contact us for a copy of our prospectus. Email: info@bristolschoolofholistictherapies.co.uk Phone: 0870 8890350

The Bristol School of Shiatsu is one of the longest established Shiatsu schools in Britain, offering courses at all levels from a three-year Practitioner Training to three weekend beginners Foundation Courses. Our non-residential, part-time courses are taught by UK Shiatsu Society registered teachers who share a common commitment to presenting Shiatsu tuition of the highest standards, in an atmosphere that is enlivening, supportive and fun, while offering diversity in their teaching styles and approach to Shiatsu. The School puts emphasis on an intuitive approach to Shiatsu within a framework of Traditional Oriental Medicine and, as well as the mastery of Shiatsu for the healing of others, we encourage the personal development and well-being of our students. For more information please contact: Bristol School of Shiatsu, PO Box 419, Bridgwater TA6 9ES. Tel: 0844 335 0573 e-mail: shiatsubss@blueyonder.co.uk S2 www.shiatsubristol.co.uk

Classroom courses in Bristol. Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy for future practitioners. The Clifton Practice (CPHT) Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma Course is a comprehensive ten month part-time course. Weekend or weekday courses are available comprising approximately 150 hours of classroom study. Successful graduates receive Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy (DHP) accredited by the NCFE (NVQIV). Designed by practising professionals, this course will give you a thorough knowledge of the application of ethical clinical hypnosis, enabling you to become an effective practitioner. Discounts are available for students outside the Bristol. For forthcoming course details and brochures call The Clifton Practice on 0117 317 9278 or visit our comprehensive website www.cpht.co.uk

We hold free open days with a free lunch and offer free treatment for patients at our teaching clinic. If you are looking for an inspiring vocation, a change of career, or are just interested in knowing more about homeopathic medicine then your future is a short bus ride away. Open days are held throughout the year for you to sit in on lectures, watch the clinic in action and chat to staff and students. Courses are part-time and designed for busy people who wish to study alongside their present occupation. For further information contact the college via the website: www.conhom.com or telephone Kate at the office 01275 877083

Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle and effective therapy that works with a wide range of symptoms and conditions. The fully accredited 2-year training is presented by experienced teachers who have provided Craniosacral trainings since 1990 in the UK and worldwide. Our newly revised curriculum incorporates several areas of advanced study to provide a more comprehensive skill-base for the practitioner. New areas of study include; the Viscera; in-depth study of the Nervous System; working with the energetics of the Chakra system. • 2 year professional training in Stroud, Gloucestershire. • Regular Introductory days throughout the year. Contact: Sheila Kean 01503 250767 www.resonance.org.uk cst@maitri.co.uk more training ads over the page

16/11/12 14:07:27

train - yoga

want to advertise in The Spark? see inside back cover for info

voice Bristol Feral Choir One of the fastest-growing complementary therapies, Kinesiology can increase energy levels, release stress, address digestive problems, overcome learning difficulties and raise self-esteem. You will learn how to test for food sensitivities, relieve many back and neck problems, access the body’s need for water and take the guesswork out of which supplements to use, plus many other exciting techniques. These simple yet powerful tools will give the lay person or the professional a very sound, practical approach to authentic Kinesiology. Start date 23rd February 2013, taught over four weekends. See website for special offers and taster sessions. For further information or booking call Rosie Dowbekin 01373 836722 www.dawnbaileykinesiology.co.uk

As a registered centre with ABC Awards and the National Counselling Society, Riqta offer Accredited & Approved Counselling Courses that carry credits which are transferrable to other colleges & universities for ongoing professional development/ career/learning opportunities. We provide: Level 2 Counselling Skills & Concepts - 10 weeks - starting soon! Level 3 Counselling Skills - 10 months Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (integrative Gestalt & T.A.) - 21 months. All part time courses. All courses are available in Bristol: Enrol now! info.riqta@btconnect.com www.RIQTA.co.uk 01803 315075

Wessex Counselling Service - providing Psychodynamic Counselling Training since 1983. Wessex Counselling Open Day - 23rd March 2013 find out about our BACP accredited psychodynamic counselling training, from Foundation courses to Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels, starting in September 2013. Our training is run in conjunction with our busy counselling service which provides counselling in Frome and Bristol. 10 Week Introduction to Counselling Skills Course - Starts January 2013 Working Psychodynamically with the Suicidal Client - A Clinical Workshop for Practitioners, with Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist Mark Budden - 23rd February 2013 - CPD Certificates issued on request. For further details and to book: www.wessexcounsellingservice.co.uk 01373 453355

UK Academy 11 module Hypnotherapy and NLP Certificate Training. Taught by a qualified, accredited teacher and hypnotherapy and Master Practitioner of NLP with over 15 years of experience. Course accredited by NCH(UK) and NGH(USA). Course includes NLP Practitioner and specialist certification in Anxiety, Ericksonian and Stop Smoking. Evening, weekday or weekend training in small classes. Also, training courses and supervision for practising hypnotherapists and therapists, members of the public, corporations and organisations in NLP. For details of the course / to arrange an interview contact Hilary Norris-Evans on 0788 771 4892 info@getmindfit.co.uk or getmindfit@hotmail.com To download a prospectus go to www.hypno-nlp.org - site of the UK Academy

Bristol City Yoga Teacher Training Arrange a Free School Visit Now! If you want to: find new inspiration, be happier & help others, have a career in healthcare or work from home then give us a call. Established in 1981, we have courses from beginner to practitioner level. Flexible home study or attendance. Attendance is only 1 weekend a month. Private School set in beautiful grounds, a real Cotswold retreat! Go online to watch movies about the School or contact us for a prospectus. School of Homeopathy. Stroud, Gloucestershire. Free phone: 0800 0439 349, e-mail: info@homeopathyschool.com www.homeopathyschool.com

200-hr and 500-hr courses start October & April 2013 respectively. 200-hr Indian Intensive, Jan-Mar 2013. Yoga Alliance Certified. 0117 924 4414 training@bristolcityyoga.co.uk www.susanlawrencetrainng.co.uk Tailor-made training courses, workshops and team development • confidence building • improving communication • change process facilitation • and much more - please visit my website for details. Phone 0117 933 2607 Email susan_lawrence_evaluation@yahoo.co.uk (I also offer Dramatherapy - see my ad in Arts Therapies section for info) Pool of volunteers available. See Guinea Pigs section

volunteering

Next issue is the spring issue and comes out on 25 February 2013

listings 71 v23.indd 43

women Wild Women Wise Women - Spirals of Being

Women’s retreats through the turning year - 2013 Inner journeys, voice, movement, meditation and creative enquiry, woven with ceremony to celebrate our sacred feminine. 2013 • The Still Point, January 17th-20th • The Outward Spiral ,12th-14th April • The Inward Spiral, 20th-22nd September. Wales. Jules Heavens 01239 841787 / 0771 141 8482 jules@soundweaver.demon.co.uk www.julesheavens.com

The University of Bristol is looking for people to help restore one of its historic gardens. The restoration project will focus on the garden of Clifton Hill House, a Palladian-style house built in the heart of historic Bristol. We hope to return the garden to near-original design. If you have an interest in horticulture, local history, archaeology or architecture then we’d love to hear from you. We welcome volunteers with a variety of experience, and will offer opportunities to assist in aspects of garden restoration. Please email Louise.Hopkins@bristol.ac.uk or LH12250@bristol.ac.uk for further details

Our dedicated teachers are committed to promoting wellbeing by integrating posture, mental focus and breath. Drop-in classes take place in our fully equipped and beautiful shrine room. Maximum class size 16. Drop-in Classes • Monday 5.45-7.15 Intermediate Iyengar • Tuesday 10.30-12 Beginner Iyengar, 5.45-7.15 Hatha Yoga • Wednesday 5.45-7.15 Beginner Iyengar • Thursday 10.30-12 All levels Vini Yoga, 5.45-7.15 Improver Iyengar. All classes cost £8/£6 or £75 for 10 classes with yoga card. Our shop (Monday to Saturday 1-4pm) sells yoga mats, blocks, belts. Contact us for more details. Bristol Buddhist Centre, 162 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NT. t: 0117 924 9991 e: info@bristol-buddhist-centre.org w: www.bristol-buddhist-centre.org Reg Charity No. 900165

yoga

Specialist Yoga Studio and Therapy Room, Stokes Croft. A wide range of classes catering for new and experienced students of all ages and abilities, including: Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Restorative, Meditation and Pilates. Women are supported through childbirth with our range of therapy treatments and classes for pregnancy, mum-baby, baby massage and women’s yoga. We also run children’s and family classes. We offer weekend workshops and retreats, regularly host visiting teachers and also offer a comprehensive Teacher Training programme. As a warm winter welcome to new students your first class is free when you register on: www.britolcityyoga.co.uk/spark 0117 924 4414 info@bristolcityyoga.co.uk www.bristolcityyoga.co.uk

Susan Lawrence Training

☞ Need Case Studies?

Schumacher Institute Learning Programmes “Our task - and the task of all education - is to understand the present world, the world in which we live and make our choices.” E.F. Schumacher. The Schumacher Institute’s learning programmes are designed to equip people with the understanding and tools that will enable them to develop a more meaningful and sustainable life on both personal and work levels. We offer a range of programmes in the areas of sustainability with systems thinking. Our Masters in Managing Sustainability and Uncertainty will begin in March 2013 - we are accepting applications now. If you are interested, please visit www.schumacherinstitute.org.uk/learning or contact Martin Sandbrook, Director of Learning martin@schumacher.org.uk

Fun, feral & friendly improvising choir Exploring the voice at play. Grow creative confidence and vocal technique. • Drop-in classes, monthly third Wednesdays 7.30pm, £7 /£5. Fab green Bristol location • Further cross-arts outdoor adventures in Going Feral, in woods near Bristol: www.goingferal.org.uk www.bristolferalchoir.org.uk email bristolferalchoir@gmail.com text 07837 599239 or find us on Facebook

Yogasara is the Art of Wellbeing. Teaching quality yoga, chi-kung, pilates, movement, meditation and more. Committed to excellence, our teachers give you the best. A Community Interest Company, Yogasara puts people and yoga before profit. Committed to sustainability, community and making this planet a better place. Be the Change, join us at Yogasara. Sarah/Christopher 0778 950 1884 www.yogasara.co.uk Picton St, Montpelier, Bristol

Affordable Yoga Classes

@ The College Project, BS3 5JJ • Seasonal Hatha Yoga • Elemental Yoga Therapy • Family Yoga. www.artspacecollege.com Gayle: 0782 568 3440 www.innersmilemassage.co.uk innersmilenurture@gmail.com

Bill Wood

Yoga days in 2012/13 in Bristol and SW. billwoodyoga.co.uk

Birthlight Yoga

For pregnancy, birth, mums & babies. Stroud. Frankie 0789 099 6782 www.yogafrankie.co.uk

‘The Heart of Tantra’ Bristol

Mindfulness, breathing, chakra awareness, relaxation. www.devamurti.co.uk 0797 437 5340 The Devon School of Yoga brings together classes, workshops, retreats and training courses under one umbrella, covering all aspects of the subject. Set in dedicated studios across Devon, ideal surroundings are provided for yoga practice, study and contemplation. The school teaches a holistic approach. The next five-w/ends foundation course starts February 2013. The next two-year (500 hour) teacher training course and one year (200 hour) post graduate yoga therapy course starts September 2013. Plus: Weekly classes. Day workshops. Residential weekends. North India retreat and The Devon Yoga Festival. For information or a copy of the programme, please contact us: The Devon School of Yoga, 4 Barnfield Hill, St Leonards, Exeter EX1 1SR. 01392 420573 info@devonyoga.com www.devonyoga.com

Early Bird deadline is 20 December. this gets you your ad at the discounted price

Kundalini Yoga

Tuesdays 10am-12pm, Yogasara, Montpelier, Bristol. All welcome. Anjali: 0796 110 5780 satnam.anjali@hotmail.com

Kundalini Yoga Bristol

6.00pm-7.30pm every Wednesday, Wilder St Studio. 07726 892 631 www.wilderststudio.co.uk

Revitalising Yoga Weekends, Dartmoor Relax, energise at lovely Dartmoor hotel. Yoga. Dinner, bed and breakfast. Pool, jacuzzi, sauna. Optional holistic treaments. From £250. Katharine 0787 019 9010. Fourseasonsyoga.co.uk

Satyananda Yoga

Movement to stillness: body, breath, mind. Bristol/ Stroud HT 0789 099 6782 www.yogafrankie.co.uk

Yoga Holidays at Huzur Vadisi, Turkey

‘My favourite yoga holiday destination’ Simon Low, The Yoga Academy Huzur Vadisi, established 1993, is renowned for its stunning location, food and hospitality. Courses and retreats with top yoga teachers Easter-October. Swimming pool. ’Idyllic’ Michele Pernetta, Bikram Yoga College, London. www.huzurvadisi.com

final deadline for buying an ad in the spring issue is 22 January

16/11/12 14:07:29

Letters Write to: The Spark, 86 Colston St, Bristol BS1 5BB editor@thespark.co.uk Dear Spark, Hammer Out Brain Tumours is a registered charity reaching out to those affected by a brain tumour, to let them know they and their families are not alone. Since achieving charitable status in 2004, the charity has become one of the leading brain tumour charities in the UK. Hammer Out has a support group based at our Thornbury office for anyone affected by a brain tumour in the Bristol region. March 2013 is Brain Tumour Awareness month. On Friday March 1st we are launching a new campaign, ‘Bandanas for Brain Tumours’. Coffee mornings are also a big feature during March. We want to say that if any Spark readers out there are interested in getting involved in any of our fundraising events or expeditions (including climbing Kilimanjaro, September 19-20 2013!), we’d love to hear from you. Please call us or visit our website if you want to know more. Being diagnosed with a brain tumour is shocking and bewildering, for patient, family

and friends. We take our brains for granted until they go wrong. Brain tumours are totally indiscriminate, affecting anyone regardless of age, gender or background. There is no clear cause and no cure. Though some brain tumours can be treated or controlled by surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, they are likely to have life-changing effects, both physical and emotional. Hammer Out provides care, support, and useful information, and provides opportunities for experience-sharing and counselling. We work closely with medical professionals in the region to provide the psychological and emotional support patients need to complement medical treatment. We aim to enhance the quality of life for all involved. We raise awareness, locally and nationally, and fund-raise to support our work. Many thanks, Tina Mitchell Skinner www.hammerout.co.uk Tel 01454 414355

granny spark says: christmas cookery hints from back in the day ☞ Dear Spark team, Thought you might like some of my tips for cooking this festive season! Lots of love, Granny Spark

Obituary: Gabrielle Roth

☞ To clean burnt saucepans fill with cold water and add a good piece of washing soda. Leave for a time, then boil, and the burnt food should come away quite easily.

The ﬂight of the Raven: Gabrielle Roth (1941-2012)

☞ When Frying fat has got slightly burnt, drop a raw, peeled potato into the pan for a few minutes and then remove it. All trace of burning will have disappeared!

by Dawn Morgan

abrielle Roth was a pioneering movement teacher known for her development of the 5 Rhythms, an improvisational ecstatic dancing meditation practice. She began teaching movement when she was 16 years old, to seniors, children and in mental hospitals. Later she worked at Esalen, the renowned Californian crucible of personal development. Passionate about freedom and awakening, Gabrielle used her skill as a theatre director to reveal the human soul hidden beneath the clutter and drama of the ego. She offered a dancing pathway to transform suffering into art and crisis into creativity and connectivity. She wrote three books, made dance DVDs and created more than 20 trance dance CDs. Today I have been asking myself: what did I learn from her? From her, I learnt how to dance unfettered by mind chatter until I met myself in connection to all that I am and all that there is and ever has been, in a state of blissful, ecstatic union. As a 5 Rhythms Dance teacher, I learnt how to show up for myself and other people on the dance floor, whatever state we were in. I learnt to see life as a dance, understanding that movement is profound medicine and the fastest way to the truth. I believe that the heart of her legacy was that she showed us by example that the greatest act of service was to be fully yourself. She embodied a kind of brilliance born of being willing to walk the edge and uncompromisingly reveal her soul. Gabrielle on a good day was the best standup comedian I have ever seen. She did not present herself as a guru and what I loved about her was her humanity, her exquisite vulnerability, and her feisty, fiery, funky inimitable down-to-earth self. One moment a child, the next a rebel rocker, a holy queen or a fool tripping over her own feet.

Spark71.ab19.indd 44

She spoke in a way that inspired and moved (literally moved) the listener to be their most creative self. She invited, persuaded, seduced, poked, whatever it took to get us to wake up and smell the flowers, or feel our pain and to dance it, make art out of it, sing about it, move it out into the world as an offering or as a prayer as a give away, as something to let go of and move on from, so that we could be present. Having recovered from a close brush with death in the form of lung cancer two years ago she dedicated much of the time she had left to establishing the Reach Out Program, so that her work will go back to the people who inspired her in the first place; the elders, the children, the disenfranchised, the prisoners, the mentally ill, the refugees. Her recognition of the wisdom of the body is an essential thread in the reclamation of the divine feminine and the healing of the body/ mind split. As a spiritual practice rooted in the body, the 5 Rhythms offers us a personal hotline to spirit. She leaves her beloved husband, son, family, colleagues, friends, teachers, students and so many dancers. And dear Gabrielle, I pray that the sound of all the thousands of dancing feet who were inspired by your dance will add a great updraught to your raven wings and help carry you to your next destination. The dance goes on. If you have been touched by the 5 rhythms and even if you have not, I invite you to support the 5 Rhythms Out Reach Program. Please donate, if you feel moved to, to 5Rhythms Reach Out www.5RRO.org www.gabrielleroth.com Dawn Morgan first met Gabrielle Roth more than 20 years ago. Dawn is one of Gabrielle’s most senior teachers, working with the 5 Rhythms and other movement and awakening practices.

competition winners 70 Flavrbox goodies: Keith Hunt, Mid Glamorgan; Jo.Anne Goodwin, Bristol; Ms W Davis, Bristol Shoreline clothes: Metra Adams, Bristol; Sara McGavin, Bath; Mary-Ellen Bishop, Clevedon Eco Quarry Pods: Mrs J K Maloney, Bristol. Green Register comp: Tim Seager, Stroud

☞ A piece of toasted bread put in the water in which cabbage cooks stops any unpleasant cooking smells!

WIN! a storytelling workshop

ould you like to learn ways of tuning into your natural creativity and intuition? ‘Intuitive Storytelling’ with Leo Sofer is a weekend workshop which invites adults to develop their storytelling skills in a supportive and fun environment. Leo has been storytelling for over 20 years and tells his stories by trusting his intuition to give him the next image, the next twist of the plot. His beautiful stories are heard worldwide via his websites which podcast a new story every month. Marianne Jørgense, a recent workshop participant, says: “The workshop with Leo was fantastic! I’m not an experienced storyteller, but I learned so many useful things. I was amazed that I was able to tell stories that made sense after just one day. I have also used these techniques in an intuitive music concert and in my writing,

and they have worked great!” Leo is hosting a weekend workshop in Intuitive Storytelling near Stroud on February 9-10. We’ve teamed up with Leo to offer one Spark reader a free place, worth £150, on the workshop. For a chance to win simply answer the following question: In what Norwegian city will Leo be performing in February? (You’ll find the answer at www.leosofer.com) Send your answer (postcards only please) with your phone number and address to Storytelling Competition at the address above by January 11. You can also enter online at www.thespark.co.uk/competitions www.palaceofstories.com (for children) www.storiesofthejourneyhome.com (for adults)

16/11/12 15:41:19

Competitions

rear view… with Kate Evans

Answers to: The Spark, 86 Colston St, Bristol BS1 5BB

WIN! an eco-carriage break

ow do you fancy waking up to the sound of birdsong, or watching red kites soar over the mountains as your kids collect freshly laid eggs? Maybe later you could explore country lanes, walk in the hills or take a swim in stunning Cardigan Bay, returning to the scent of organic meat and veg cooking over the campfire. Laurie and Thea at the Yurt Farm in West Wales are offering Spark readers the chance to win a fabulous, threenight break in their beautiful new converted railway carriage. Just 20 minutes from the mountains and the sea, there’s a communal cabin with kitchen, solar-heated showers and compost toilets, an organic farm shop, communal pizza oven, rope swing and huge open field for children to play safely. Plus if you find any eggs from the free-range chickens they’re yours to keep! Sat in its own sunny spot overlooking the Cambrian Mountains and big enough for two adults with two children, the double glazed carriage has a turf roof, sheep’s wool insulation, a wood-burning stove, king-sized bed with a comfy organic mattress and is clad with local timber. For a chance to win this exceptional prize

(which includes cosy organic bedding, a basket of organic vegetables and eggs from the farm and as much firewood as you need) simply answer the following question: What breed of cattle do Thea and Laurie have at The Yurt Farm? (You’ll find the answer at www.theyurtfarm.co.uk) Send your answer (postcards only please) with your full contact details to Yurt Farm Competition at the address above by January 18. You can also enter online at www.thespark.co.uk/competitions

WIN! £100 of Lushness!

he Spark has teamed up with Dorsetbased ethical beauty company LUSH Cosmetics to offer you the chance of winning one of three LUSH Legends gift sets, worth £100 each. Full of LUSH’s best selling bath and skincare products, this is the ultimate in LUSH luxury and includes the super gorgeous Buffy Body Butter (with ground almonds to ensure skin is perfectly primed), Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner (made with rose oil) and the gorgeous Olive Branch Shower Gel to name just a few. Your box will contain: You’ve Been Mangoed Bath Melt, Butterball Bath Ballistic, Twilight Bath Ballistic, Avobath Bath Ballistic, Pop in the Bath Bubble Bar, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon, Buffy Body Butter, Bubblegum Lip Scrub, Each Peach Massage Bar, Seanik Shampoo Bar, Jungle Solid Conditioner, Turkish Delight

Shower Smoothie, Tiny Hands Solid Hand Cream, Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly, Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, Karma Soap, Rock Star Soap, Dirty Soap, Sparkle Toothy Tabs, Sugar Scrub, Dream Cream, Ultra Balm trial size tin, Happy Hippy Shower Gel, Olive Branch Shower Gel. For a chance to win this fabulous box simply answer the following question: The new LUSH Legends gift was inspired by: A) Post boxes B) Gifts in the movies C) A traditional telephone box (you’ll find the answer at www.lush.co.uk) Send your answer (postcards only please) with your full contact details to LUSH Legends Competition at the address above by January 18. You can also enter online at www.thespark.co.uk/competitions

WIN! a ‘Handmade Life’ course

he ‘Handmade Life’ Intensive Weekends offer you the chance to begin the journey of crafting your life “by hand”. These fast-paced and focussed life-coaching workshops are jam-packed with ideas, inspiration, tools and techniques to restore your natural grace, life direction and vitality. In a safe, carefully held environment, you will learn by doing, using a blend of storytelling, NLP and a host of handy management and organisational techniques. The approach is creative, sensitive and personal while remaining practical and grounded, making that all-important connection between the soul life and the everyday existence. You will learn how to bring more of your authentic spirit to your everyday life in order to create

Spark71.ab19.indd 45

the big shifts and finely tuned adjustments you need to make personally sustainable, ecological changes you can be proud of. Facilitated by experienced project manager and consultant Alice Irving, courses are held at Radford Mill in the peaceful Cam valley near Bath, with wholesome organic food served at lunchtime. To win a place for the April 20-21 course, answer the following question: The Handmade Life is inspired by a very old story. Which one? (You’ll find the answer at www.thehandmadelife.co.uk). Send your answer (postcards only please) with your full contact details to Handmade Life Competition at the address above by January 18. You can also enter online at www.thespark.co.uk/competitions

16/11/12 15:41:21

46 changemaker

Drusilla Marland, transgender illustrator Interview by Fiona McClymont • photo by Jo Halladey

Dru Marland is 54 years old, and works as an illustrator and occasional writer of poetry. For most of her working life she was a seafarer, starting out as a Merchant Navy mechanic. In 2001 she transitioned from male to female, the account of which can be read in the book Becoming Drusilla, written by her good friend Richard Beard (Vintage). She is the founder of TransBristol, an organisation which provides a safe place for trans-identified people in the Bristol area to share ideas and support eachother. She lives in North Bristol.

The main and obvious change in my life is coming out as transgender and changing my gender role. I had cross-gender identification from a very early age. Being a boy felt wrong and uncomfortable but I assumed all boys had similar feelings and that there was something wrong with me for being so worried about it. So, I just compartmentalized it and tried very hard not to go there and just got on with things. My feelings did not go away, they just got stronger and it reached a point where I had to do something about it. Life had become untenable as it was and I finally admitted to myself that this was a crucial part of my identity, rather than something I could ‘choose’. Countering that was the fear of being something sort of absurd, a fear of imperfection, in that it was very hard to believe that I could reconstruct myself as a woman. It was also fear of being an outsider perhaps. The trigger was a New Year’s Eve party. I was on shore leave in Weymouth, in 1993, and my then-girlfriend and I were going to a fancy dress party, so we swapped clothes. I wore her black velvet dress, put on make-up etc. It was far more significant to me than to anyone else around me. I presented as female and look, the world didn’t end! It showed me a dim light of where I wanted to be and from then on I started moving in that direction. People have a very high tolerance for unhappiness. After a while you don’t even recognise it for what it is. It’s the fear of change, isn’t it? However unhappy you are, at least you are in a known environment rather than stepping into the unknown. I remember it was absolutely terrifying initially to go out into the world and present as female, with the artifice and clothes (I know there’s more to it than that, but to begin with at least you are making a statement in that way). I’d force myself to get out there and feel highly visible because, of course, I was highly visible in the early stages.

Spark71.ab19.indd 46

out there who cannot, for whatever reasons, do it (some of them write to me after reading the book). My only regret (if I allowed myself to think that way) is that I didn’t do it much earlier, although then I would have missed out on so many other things, including my daughter, who’s 15 now. Has the fundamental me changed? That’s tricky. It’s ten years since I started changing and in all that time I’ve been living in a sea of female hormones where there were previously male ones. It’s like the paradox of Theseus’ Ship: the question of whether an object which has had all its components changed remains fundamentally the same thing. Part of me thought “Right, the new me is not going to be like the old me”, but in fact, it is. The huge change is in how I feel about my own body: I used to hate it, but am much happier in it now.

I had a real need to externalise that which I felt within myself: that is what transition is really all about. It felt very important to follow that course, not least because by that time I was contemplating suicide as an alternative. I was married by this point, and my wife had worked hard at being very understanding but ultimately found that this wasn’t a direction she wanted to go along and found herself another partner. Things got far worse initially: I lost a lot of things in my life. I was mostly on my own; a great part of my social circle couldn’t accept it. It was a bad place to be. In the winter of 2001 I shed a lot of what I was and also what I had, and I did not yet have anything to replace those things. But at least there was movement. I formally transitioned in 2002. In March 2002 I was given a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and a prescription for hormones. Two months later I formally changed my name and began living as a woman. I needed a job I could viably transition in so I began working on the catamaran Condor 10 between Jersey and St Malo, thinking that seafarers might be unsophisticated but they’re usually very straightforward. I thought it was worth giving it a try. I was there in a boiler suit, with the ear defenders infecting my newly pierced ears. Anyway, it worked out well. I then got a job with P&O, sailing between Portsmouth and Bilbao, and that’s where the trouble started. I spent most of 2002-2004 in the engine room of the Pride of Bilbao. This was a much bigger ship and the engine room area was like a little autonomous kingdom of male privilege. You were supposed to go along with the dominant culture, which

involved pornography on the walls etc. I got a lot of abuse and threats; I was ignored or mis-addressed; it was relentless. I was often scared, but I never showed it. I asked the management to implement guidelines for decent behaviour, but they refused, and things just got progressively nastier until I was assaulted. Still nothing was done about it. I completed my tour of duty, came home and collapsed. I had a major breakdown. I realised that if I ran away now I’d always be running. I taught myself employment law – I couldn’t get any legal assistance so I just did it myself – and took P&O to Tribunal. They told a lot of very cynical lies about me and tried to ruin my reputation to silence me. I wasn’t going to surrender, though, and after two years I was vindicated. P&O withdrew all their accusations and admitted the charges and I was awarded £64,832 compensation. The changes you can’t see are sometimes more important. It’s very debilitating hiding something. I’m no longer doing that. My life now is about asserting my true identity and trying to live more honestly and authentically. Because of that I feel much stronger, less anxious, less shy, and hopefully my friends would say I’m happier. I have a full and rich life and I am me. That’s huge, for me. In all walks of life there are people who don’t make the necessary changes that they should make. For me, it wasn’t a ‘choice’. Coming out as trans was the only decision possible at the time. When I signed the consent form for the surgery (Dru had gender confirmation surgery in 2006), I knew I could die but I was going to do it anyway. The earlier decision felt like that: it was the only viable way forward for me. I know there are people

I have noticed that as a woman, my opinion is valued less. I’m quite privileged in that I’ve been in both positions. Susan Stryker, an American trans feminist, came up with a memorable description of gender as being a sea in which we all swim. Well, if you’re trans then at times you’re standing on the beach looking at that sea and so you can see what others who are constantly immersed in it don’t notice so much. You do not need permission to be who you want to be. I went through the NHS care pathway: Gender Identity Clinic, hormones, surgery etc. But not everyone wants or needs help or intervention from the NHS. Support will most likely come from people in a similar position to you. I set up TransBristol with the intention to be a local forum for anyone on the trans spectrum. It’s getting progressively easier to be open because a lot of other people are coming out and saying the same thing. I feel part of this new wave and this is a really good shift. People often see the trans and don’t see anything else beyond. The common perception of trans (as treated in the press) is as a caricature. People don’t see the human being behind the ‘object’. You are reduced to something dehumanised, some sort of highly sexualised man-in-drag caricature, something to be pointed at and laughed at. A big motivation behind doing the book with Richard, and also with my blog, is to bring about a sea-change. It’s my way of countering the exoticization of me, by just saying “Yeah I’m trans, so what? It’s part of my history but that’s not everything, so let’s all just get on with it”. That’s the big message: maybe it’s not much of a message, but it feels very important to me. www.transbristol.wordpress.com Dru’s blog with links to her illustrations: http://dru-withoutamap.blogspot.co.uk

16/11/12 15:41:22

inspiring ch

ange since

1993

71 • nov winter issue

The Spark

- jan 2013

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ive change ectory dir unity ❄ posit m ❄ comm ture to zen in our A-Z west nc alth ❄ activis holistic he rything from acupu ing in the liv l ca hi eve ❄ et green & local events ❄

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4 issues £360 £585

summer 73 March 28

All ads MUST be paid in advance All listings ads follow our House Style, so you don’t need to worry about formatting. Visit www.thespark.co.uk/advertise-in-the-spark.html for more info. Word counts: •Telephone number and code: 1 word • Street number and name: 1 word • Postcode: 1 word • Words with slashes or hyphens: 2 words • E-mail and web address: 4 words each Early Bird: pay by Dec 20, pay less To get the Early Bird discount your words, images & payment must ARRIVE by the Early Bird deadline. Charities: Special rates. Please ask. Pay monthly by standing order: Standing orders (4 issue minimum) help spread your costs, you get Early Bird prices; you don’t miss an issue, and you CAN change your words each issue. Contact beccy@thespark.co.uk for more info. Images TIFF, JPEG or PDF format only please, 300 dpi. Headers are 63mm wide & 25mm high. Artwork should be CMYK not RGB. Design Fees • We are happy to design your ad for you if you provide text/photos/graphics for a £35 charge.

• A design fee of at least £35 (inc vat) will be charged for preparing ads if they are not ready to drop in. This includes translating Word files into display ads. Please send your files as high res pdfs or jpegs at 300 dpi.

The Spark, 86 Colston Street, Bristol BS1 5BB. 0117 914 3434 ad enquiries: sales@thespark.co.uk; ad text or alterations: ads@thespark.co.uk; book online at www.thespark.co.uk

The Spark has joined the Bristol Pound revolution! You can now pay for ads and subscriptions direct from your Bristol Pound account to us. What’s more, businesses who accept and pay with the Bristol Pound get a 10% discount on display and Marketplace advertising. Call Ann on 0117 914 3434 for more details

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Spiritual Companions Workshops with William Bloom Each workshop is an oasis for reflection, learning and development, for acquiring skills and concepts that you can use and share immediately, with Britain’s most experienced teacher in the mind-body-spirit field. 9/10 March The Endorphin Effect: Mind-Body Health and Well-Being A brilliant, easy and effective approach. (Used by Penny Brohn Centre.) You will learn how to trigger endorphins, the ‘miracle’ hormones, at will and regardless of circumstances. Endorphins are the hormones that relax tissue, remove pain, and create the physical sensations of well-being. These strategies can be used even when tired, on overload or in crisis. And if you feel good, can make you feel even better.

13/14 July Strong and Clear: Holistic Leadership, Group Dynamics and Speaking Your Truth Learn how to manage the powerful energetic and psychological dynamics that are at work in groups, relationships and communications. Seen or unseen, lead with a presence that encourages and supports. Work with the spirit, soul and archetypes of your group. And more. These skills are transferable between formal and informal situations.

9 February Saturday

Passing Over: Creating a Graceful Death and Transfer of Consciousness Just as we need to understand how to live, so we also need to know how to die. This day teaches the core strategies for creating and supporting a graceful transfer of consciousness at death.

The universe is made of energy and filled with unseen metaphysical dynamics. We influence it and it influences us. The purpose of this weekend is to clarify precisely how you can consciously, usefully and safely work with these subtle dynamics: to connect with specific vibrations, fields of consciousness, spirits and archetypes; and then use them appropriately. This workshop takes you to the very heart of shamanic, magical and energy work.

MINDFUL COMPASSION AND TRANSFORMATION ‘William Bloom is a modern western mystic and considered by many to be Britain’s leading and most experienced mind-body-spirit teacher.’ Yoga Magazine.

Why do people have a daily spiritual practice? Because there is absolutely nothing better in the world for you and those around you. Over these two days clarify and deepen: • how you experience life’s wonder and energy • how you self-reflect and manage the growth of your heart and consciousness • your values and how you best serve the community of life.

8/9June Your Heroic Journey – The Psychological Dynamics of Spiritual Development Awakening, ecstasy and grace. Dark nights of the soul and emergency. Spiritual growth is the most heroic and challenging transformational process in the world. You simply cannot manage this journey unless you have a wise and realistic understanding of the psychological dynamics. This is a crucial weekend for anyone supporting spiritual development or seeking to understand their own process.

‘Inner peace as easy as breathing. William Bloom has an encyclopaedic knowledge of meditation.’ The Independent

10 February Sunday The Collective Messiah — A New Approach to Global Transformation

‘A good person with much experience and wisdom to impart, an excellent teacher who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’ Church Times

There is an empowering prophesy that the new ‘Messiah’ will be a group and not a single individual. What would it be like for you to be part of that group?

‘A genius.’ Caroline Myss.

VENUE: ST MARY’S HALL, GLASTONBURY. 10am-5pm each day. For more detailed information, longer blurbs and booking: www.williambloom.com 01458 370102 welcome@williambloom.com

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13/14 April The Power of Spiritual Practice: Fully Alive, Fully Awake, Transforming the World

11/12 May The Sword and Chalice: How to Work with the Energies of Nature and Universe for Healing and Transformation

SPIRITUAL COMPANIONS AND CPD Each of these workshops also acts as an accrediting module in the Spiritual Companions programme and as an independent CPD for your own profession.

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