War and the Soul

War and the Soul

 

A Workshop for Men

with

William Ayot & Simon Roe

10th & 11th November, 2018   Leeds

Sometimes a man feels the need to weep, but no tears come, and the moment passes. Other times he can feel the weight of his ancestry, the wounding, the unexpressed grief of generations, lost to conflict and ‘industrial warfare’. Though we may never have experienced combat ourselves, anecdotal testimonies, and recent advances in the field of epigenetics suggest that we may inherit some of our ancestors’ unresolved trauma and grief.  Even if this is not the case, we may still have encountered the knock-on effects of war; when we were learning to be ‘tough’, to be ‘real’ men, to be ‘mummy’s little soldier’…

As we approach the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, it seems right and timely that we, as men, should examine our individual histories and attitudes to war. Whether you are numb, full of grief, or simply curious, this weekend retreat with experienced men’s work practitioners, Simon Roe and William Ayot will pose the kind of questions that can bring us to deeper understanding and self-acceptance. Join with other men as the eleventh hour of the eleventh day approaches to explore this emotive and highly charged subject… Please note this is not a political forum, rather a profound exploration of our personal stories, through reflection, poetry, man-to-man sharing, and ritual.

William Ayot began leading men’s workshops in rehab centres and prisons during the early nineties. Later, through Wild Dance Events he organised men’s events and led initiatory Rites of Passage in Snowdonia. As a co-founding director of Olivier Mythodrama, he worked for a decade, teaching leadership through story, poetry, theatre and ritual. He currently teaches leadership at INSEAD and is Poet-in-Residence at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. William also gives poetry readings and conducts rituals for individuals and groups. Writing includes the play Bengal Lancer, three collections of poetry, including E-mail From The Soul (which won the People’s Book Prize) and Re-enchanting the Forest: Meaningful Ritual in a Secular World.

Simon Roe originally trained as a body psychotherapist with Nick Totton & Em Edmondson and has been working with individuals and groups for over 25 years.  He became a co-leader of the Mandorla Men’s Rites of Passage programme in 2001 and has been profoundly influenced by teachers such as Robert Bly, Malidoma Some and Martin Prechtel. Simon is a Respect (www.respect.uk.net) approved trainer & supervisor for domestic violence practitioners. He has recently completed a foundation course in Process Oriented Psychology – an approach which increasingly informs his practice.

Venue: The Swarthmore Centre, Leeds LS3 1AD

Cost: £150 (some concessions available).  Early booking is advised as places are limited.

For more information, or to make a booking, contact Simon on simon.roe93@btinternet.com

or call 0771 2264011