WIN's Second Core Strand: 'Deep Democracy'

The Deep Democracy strand comprises an intention to move:
Away from concentration of power amongst the rich and privileged;
towards more equalisation of power that honours diversity, draws out consensus and empowers all.

Democracy: Beyond the Superficial

Deep democracy aims to draw out the diverse voices and tap into the wisdom each brings. The protests of various social movements around the world are indicative of the failure of  superficial forms of democracy; the phrase “we are the 99 percent” is a voice representing the masses of people whose lives are exploited at the hands of the 1 percent.   

The concentration of power in the hands of a few leads to marginalization of voices that undermines the wholeness of individuals, communities, and ultimately, our world. Greater wisdom emerges when people actively listen to each other.   Putting the time into processes conducive to deeper dialogue often also saves time in the long run that may otherwise have to be spent on resolving conflicts and undoing damage to people and ecosystems.    

Can Process be Sacred?  

The Qur' an states:

"Far better and more lasting is what God will give to those who believe and trust in their Lord; who shun great sins and gross indecencies…..; conduct their affairs by mutual consultation…" (Qur' an: 42:19)

Read full piece>>

Strength in Diversity

At Wisdom In Nature, we have found that it is only when the walls that separate us can be softened, is it possible to begin real dialogue. This process of softening has the potential to be taken even further, reaching a place from where it can become easier to look at the world from another's viewpoint. When this process deepens within our group's meetings, a 'group mind', begins to form. Our personal awareness moves into something much bigger, something more open. The experience is not imaginary, but is palpable. One newcomer attending one of our review meetings described his experience, that the process "seems to have a mind of its own" - elaborating to mean that the answers naturally arrive. 

Contributions emerging from this place bring with them a quality of inclusivity and carry a deeper truth; and through meetings we can feel energised rather than depleted! We begin to value one another as our collective wisdom is enriched by the presence of each person.  Diversity becomes a strength that we naturally welcome.

In terms of specifics, at WIN, we use basic ground rules, or a group agreement, that welcomes deep listening and a diversity of viewpoints as a start. In addition we include a variety of ways to support this further. For example, after we have settled a little, we join together for a couple of minutes silence - as a means of letting go of some of the mental baggage we have each brought in! At key meetings we can also bring in active exercises. These can be as simple as asking a question or two, "What are the qualities that bring us to the group?", or "How do we see the state of the world?”, to give a couple of examples. By opening this up to allow for all ideas including seemingly conflicting ones, and ensuring each is acknowledged and noted e.g. visibly on a flip chart, it makes it easier for each person to step into other shoes. The process of developing a group mind is under way.

Whilst we aim to be conscious of issues around rank, power and privilege, we have found that the cultivation of a group mind brings with it somewhat of a natural antidote to such inequalities. In our experience, it is not uncommon, for example, for an individual with considerable 'religious' knowledge to hold more power in the group. Yet, when a group mind begins to form, trust and humility begin to manifest, allowing power to become more equalised and those that feel marginalised to feel more included.

Nonetheless, we still place value on and consider ways of actively reflecting on the rank and privileges that we hold. For example, we will take turns at facilitating meetings. Also, as part of our 'Islamic Community Food Project' in Tower Hamlets, in which we attempted to integrate social organising with connecting to the land, we used an exercise that involved throwing the following statement to the group: "It is selfish for the middle class to think about the food they eat when millions of people are starving".

Participants were then asked to position themselves in the room according to how much or how little they believed the statement to be true. The different voices were then drawn out and participants were also free to move should their perspective shift. I must confess that although we are keen to draw more people from less privileged background into WIN, we have not had as much success as we would have liked. However, in small ways we experience some fruits of our work in the area of rank and privilege. One example follows from the exercise just described. As one participant wrote on a blog post:

"We had workshops – wonderful, free, organic workshops – in the afternoon which challenged our perceptions and called for us to really look at how responsible we were when it came to food. I realised that my middle classed upbringing and lifestyle gave me the freedom to make choices – to be fair-trade; organic etc. Yet, I still was unable to really take action. Since then I have ventured baby steps into home gardening. My balcony now supports coriander; chives; and basil. I look at them tenderly and consistently, like an overzealous new mother, hoping that they might survive the spring chill and that my sabr (patience) and taqwa (God Consciousness) will generate nourishment: physical and, spiritual."

An edited version of this article appeared in a booklet produced by The Transition Network titled:

7 Ingredients for a Just, Fair and Inclusive Transition  (the article is on page 12) 

First Core Strand: Earth & Community

Here's the beginning of a web page we've put up outlining one of WIN's four core strands. We've called this strand "Earth & Community". (The others are Deep Democracy, Whole Economics, and Climate Justice, all underpinned by a contemplative dimension. The aim is to articulate a clearer framework for what WIN represents.) The development of this strand is ongoing as our ideas evolve and develop. Feedback is very welcome.

The Earth & Community strand comprises an intention to move: away from corporate domination and consumerism;
towards simplicity, sharing and a deeper connection to the earth & its diverse communities.

Introduction: What Do We Love?

The Qur'an succinctly draws attention to one of the trappings of the world:

"And you love wealth with boundless love!" (Qur' an: 89: 20)

One of the patterns of the human ego, or the self that needs transforming - is a compulsion for unbounded wealth and power. This can trap us into seeking the infinite from a finite outer world, resulting in a disturbance of the mizan or balance in both eco- and social systems.

And yet, this compulsion does not end at us humans. Indeed, the expression of this pattern, of this drive or love for power and wealth, can be magnified through corporations.

Corporations: Power, Profit, and Privileges

As corporations gain more wealth and power, their increasing influence on socio-political structures gives them privileges otherwise unavailable.

From the relationship of commercial banks with government, to yet another supermarket invading a local community, fossil fuel companies influencing climate politics, and pharmaceutical companies leveraging the medical profession, examples of corporate privilege are visible almost everywhere.

Read full piece>>

Update & WIN's 4 Core Strands coming up...

The last few months for WIN has been a time of reflection, processing, and considering next steps - within the changing landscape of activism, electronic media, and our local and global communities. The question has also been asked what extent is WIN still needed. Confusion has been present, and we have allowed it to be - allowing we pray for an authentic clarity to emerge - and which thanks to a Higher reality, seems to now be happening.

Also during this time, there have been various conversations taking place between WIN Reps and colleagues in other networks. The emerging Occupy movement has also had an invigorating effect, re-affirming to us the universal value of a process-oriented approach, something we have worked with and been delighted in staying with at a practical hands-on level (yet within a contemplative framework), for considerable time. It is clear that there is an emerging activism, which an organisation such as WIN - that has a policy of not accepting donations from corporations or government, and that knits issues together (we have often been hard to classify by those who like the word 'environmental'!), values 'process' and a bottom up democracy - shares something fundamental with. Recently, we announced our statement of official support for this emerging movement.

We've also been contemplating how to articulate a clearer framework for what WIN represents. Internally, we've cultivated a clear ethos - (important in an age in which principles can become diluted over time). Yet, there was a sense that more still needed to be done, including externally.

On the one hand it is possible to be too open yet lacking in focus; and on the other hand, it is possible to be too focussed to the point of being reductionist. We are beginning to find what seems like a healthy balance between focus and openness - and this has been supported by the moving 'away from' / moving 'towards' strands of Fast for the Planet, which we initiated a few years ago. We are adapting it to a form more specific for WIN's direction in today's world, also with an additional explicit statement pointing to an underpinning Islamic reference point. We'll be sharing the provisional version of this framework soon (and comments will be welcome), but to get a flavour, (and this is already on our main website) it outlines very simply: Earth & Community, Deep Democracy, Whole Economics, and Climate Justice.

Coupled with the above, in the near future, we intend to also put out a more formal process for volunteering within WIN - a clear notice, and an application form for those interested. We hope this will help draw more coherent and consistent energy to WIN's developing activities (although it will need time-input to coordinate).

WIN Announces Support to 'Occupy' Movement

As a group grounded in the unifying principles of Islam, Wisdom In Nature supports the intention underpinning Occupy London, Brighton and other Occupy spaces around the world – economic justice, participative democracy, and the means being as important as the end - principles that we hold dear. We stand alongside sincere people of all faiths and those of no faith who share these universal values.

The dominant economic system based on fictitious money and compound interest is a system that is broken and does not serve us or our planet. Rather than a system that concentrates power among the few, we need one that is fair.

We value the energy of people coming together to listen to each other as a means of drawing out consensus and attempting to actualise a more equal and just world for all - a world in which the welfare of our diverse communities and the planet supersedes self-interest and materialism.

Wisdom In Nature: www.wisdominnature.org.uk

Facebook: Click here

WIN - Cultivating Contemplative Activism within Islam

Wisdom in Nature (WIN) is a contemplative activism group grounded in Islamic principles. What does contemplative mean in the context of an activist group? Contemplative activism, as we practice it, means that as far as is possible we give space for reflection before we act – for example, we start our meetings with a short period of silence. This practice helps draw out inner wisdom that influences the extent to which we can wisely and sustainably engage in activism ‘out there’. A contemplative approach also draws on and cultivates wholeness - the idea that various domains are interconnected - social issues, the economy, and the environment; the inner and the outer; and the means and the ends. With regard to the last point, we emphasize that the means is just as important as the end and actually serves as a goal in itself.

The implications of a process orientated approach can also be seen in terms of funding. From party politics to published scientific literature, sources of funding are recognized as having an influence over values and outcomes. While WIN depends on donations, we focus on individuals and have managed to work without financial support from corporations or government. Such an approach also facilitates the cultivation of cooperative relationships with other groups and the use of existing assets and resources. Our emphasis on process is also reflected in the means through which we make decisions. We have found that creating the space and investing time into decision-making that draws out consensus enables greater ownership over decisions by those involved and contributes to a deeper democratic process. Such an approach can also be seen in movements developing across the world – democracy movements in North Africa, the real democracy movement in Spain, Occupy Wall Street (and other occupy movements) in the US, and Climate Camp here in Britain.

The aspects of contemplative activism that I have mentioned above are not necessarily confined to faith-based activism (and not all faith-based groups apply contemplative approaches); secular groups also use such approaches. But contemplative activism does have a tradition and basis in Islam that has been undervalued, and that we are trying to revive. We articulate our approach through a framework consisting of four strands, each of which involves a turning away from destructive patterns and a turning toward ways that nurture our world and its diverse communities. These are: earth and community; deep democracy; whole economics; and climate justice – all of which are underpinned by a contemplative dimension within the framework of Islam. Our activities include educational workshops and training, participation in demonstrations, and practicals on the land.

©Shumaisa Khan

How We Can Reclaim Our Food System (Oct 20th, Brighton)

Organised by World Family

Wisdom In Nature will be having a stall and a shout at this event on Thursday!

Date: Thurs 20th Oct 2011
Time: 6pm (for 6.30pm) til 11pm
Venue: Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton.

An evening of talks discussion and good food.

A panel of speakers from four continents:
Colin Tudge ( Campaign for Real Farming, UK),
Hellen Yego (NGOMA Campaign, Kenya),
Sarath Fernando (MONLAR, Sri Lanka)
Dr Roberto Caballero (ACTAF, Cuba)
Sue Dibb, chair of the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, will be sharing their experience and expertise in Brighton on October 20th.

The discussion will focus on Food Sovereignty - the right of peoples to democratically define their own food and agricultural systems without harming other people or the environment – what is already happening and what are the next steps we need to take to attain it. There will be time to discuss the issues with the speakers, enjoy good food and - to round off the evening - music and songs of Luke Concannon (Nizlopi).

Cost: £6/5 (not including food, though food available to purchase). Best for us if you can reserve a seat by contacting Jocelyn on 01273 702847 - but tickets will also be available on the door.

WIN Supporters at 'Occupy London'

Yesterday, WIN supporters organised non-violently with hundreds of others, at the London occupation against the unjust economic system. Looking for a way into the financial centre, the gathering of quite a diverse bunch of people eventually settled outside St Paul's cathedral. There was hope for a better world, music, & sit-down sessions to work out the nuts and bolts of the movement's next steps. There is no doubt that something significant is taking shape.

NOTE: The occupation will need support including some basic necessities as people camp and organise. 1 way to find out more: http://occupylondon.org.uk/

And here's a blog post from a WIN supporter: http://wasi-somewhere-in-between.blogspot.com/2011/10/day-occupation-came-to-town.html

Update: The vicar of St Paul’s came out to welcome occupation – he said they could stay, and asked the police to leave. Well done to St Paul's for supporting peaceful occupation against economic injustice, and thus demonstrating Christianity's core values by example.

'Identities in Transition' Seminar - Leicester

WIN Rep, Shumaisa Khan, is one of the speakers at this event on Friday...

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'IDENTITIES' IN TRANSITION' SEMINAR

**Registration essential**

Date: Friday 14th October 2011

Time: 9.30 for 10.00am til 5pm

Venue: University of Leicester: Garendon Room on the Fourth floor of the Charles Wilson Building on the main University of Leicester campus. A campus map and travel directions can be found at http://www2.le.ac.uk/maps.

Registration: The event is free, and lunch is provided: but a place must be reserved in advance. More info including to register:

The seminar, part of the series “Sustainability Transitions: rethinking everyday practices, identities and livelihoods”, starts from the premise that many of the identities that individuals claim for themselves today in the Global North have been shaped by consumption practices fuelled by the high carbon economy. We also know that there are links between poverty, racism and gender inequalities and the people most likely to experience the most detrimental impacts of climate change and resource scarcity. This workshop explores the role of the high carbon economy in shaping these social identities and questions how they might be reconfigured through the process of transition to a sustainable, low carbon future. It focuses on three interlinked themes:

• How contemporary identities have been shaped by the high carbon economy
• How those identities might change and be reconfigured through the process of transition to a sustainable, low carbon future
• What it means to identify with (movements for) sustainability transitions.

Programme

09.30 Registration and coffee

10.00 Identities in Transition: some observations and questions

Speakers: Gavin Brown and Jenny Pickerill

10.15 Introductions and goals What do you want out of today?

10.30 Managing trade-offs in „ecotopia‟: becoming green at the Centre for Alternative Technology.

Speaker: Jon Anderson

Questions

11.30 Panel discussion: Addressing diverse identities in climate change activism and advocacy

Speakers: Michelle Bastian; and Shumaisa Khan (Wisdom In Nature)

Questions and discussion

12.30 Lunch, An opportunity for informal discussion

13.30 Workshop: “Permaculture” and the escape into Whiteness: Sustainable Transition and Racialism

Speaker: Joseph De Lappe

Discussion

14.30 The Footpaths project: facilitating low carbon lifestyles

Speakers: Jill Fisher and Emily Hodgkinson

Questions and discussion

15.30 Coffee

15.45 Transitioning to Lower-carbon Identities: Three Tales from the "Everyday"

Speaker: Robyn Dowling

16.45 Questions

17.00 Closing discussion

Finish

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WIN Rep talks at Lambeth Palace: Summary of speech

Below is a summary of a talk I gave at Lambeth Palace in March this year, at a national Interfaith conference on sustainability. Attending the conference was a valuable experience for me. I observed some inspiring and thought provoking talks, as well as a number of small group discussions. At the same time, I noticed that 'power' and the extent to which it can be centralised in faith groups was something that a number of small groups showed some resistance to reflecting on. 

The conference was on a selection basis (as opposed to first come, first serve) in a prestigious venue, and no doubt many of the people who attended were probably in positions of privilege in their faith communities. Might it be that some might ultimately lose some of that privilege if the issue of power was brought more fully to awareness? This is something I have thought about.  Amongst a bunch of other things, I'm looking at writng a piece focussing more on my experience of the day, but for now here's that summary of the talk I gave at the conference!... 

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An Islamic Ecological Engagement: Uniting the Strands

By Muzammal Hussain, Founder of Wisdom In Nature

The Outer and the Inner

The faiths – by providing a framework that re-orient life from the material to the spiritual – offer a means of lessening our attachment to the physical world, to materialism and to wealth accumulation. Faiths can thus offer a quality that is of profound value to environmental care.  

We are spiritual beings. However, we also have the gift of a body - a vehicle to help bring wholeness into the world. Along with the concept of stewardship expressed in a number of faith traditions, the fact that we physically exist places on us a responsibility. In Islam, this role of a ‘steward’ is called khalifah.

Yet, if faith traditions re-orient us to the inner whilst placing an outer responsibility, what kind of approach might we take outwardly? How might it be distinct from an approach which disregards the inner?

Nature, social ecology & an interconnected world

One quality might be that with a spiritual or Divine centre, we are able to act without ‘our issue’ becoming an idol in the marketplace of competing issues.

We might also look to nature. The Qur’an guides people to contemplate nature which it refers to as ayat or ‘signs’ - the same term used to describe verses in the Qur’ an. For Muslims, thus, nature is a ‘sign’ of the Divine; and can offer inspiration that moves us to wholesome solutions. In nature we can witness mutually supportive relationships, and multi-directional processes rather than linear ones.

If we can apply the lessons of nature to environmental care, we might take an approach that is co-nurturing and ultimately more resilient. Rather competing with issues, our approach might integrate the social, economic and ‘environmental’. Indeed some say that the economic system - based on fictitious money, usury and unending growth on a finite planet - is at the heart of the environmental crisis. There is no absolute separation, and to make any would go against the nature of things in a world where things are inter-connected.

To me, ecological activism - the activism that I strive to participate in - is activism that values interconnectedness - honouring the relationship between different strands of existence however much cultural norms differentiate between them.

From a social perspective, it means awareness around class, gender, culture, power and privilege, for example. Without an appreciation of social diversity, so everyone - with our unique stories, hurts and hopes - can feel and is included, how effectively can we work in communities as we take our work forward?

Ultimately a joined-up, integrated approach, whose centre is the Divine is one, which I believe, was embodied by the Prophets, who were compassionate and holistic as they engaged outwardly.

Wisdom In Nature: Islamic grassroots activism

The group I am involved with, Wisdom In Nature, attempts an integrated approach. We used such processes to complete our photo-booklet ‘Islam & Climate Change ~ A Call to Heal’.

Also, we do not accept donations from government or corporations. Indeed our day-to-day funding comes only from individuals.

A natural extension of our work is to support local initiatives. Our Islamic community food project at Spitalfields City Farm is an example of this. Participants connect with the earth, train in facilitation using inclusive processes whilst also discovering their own direction – all within a framework that values spirituality.

With a presence in London and more recently in Brighton, we look forward to collaborations and community building as we further an integrated approach in these locations. 

© Muzammal Hussain

Mobile Phones: Appreciating Another World Out there

With mobile phones being such an integral part of modern culture, it takes a courageous person to raise questions about their use. One such person is my friend Geoff Robinson.

In his late thirties, Geoff's health took a major down-turn near the end of last year, upsetting almost every aspect of his life - and which he was privately told "was probably" triggered by taking a course of a licensed antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin (though possibly exacerbated by also taking two other medicines within a few days of the antibiotic). Although somewhat better, Geoff is still recovering and dedicating a significant amount of time to questioning the safety of certain things we take for granted.

Turning his attention to mobile phones, Geoff recently posted a general information link on social media concerning the potential health risks they posed. Pleased that someone else I knew was highlighting another side to this technology, I began to feel courageous enough to share additional thoughts I had about wider aspects of mobile culture. Using the medium of this blog, this is one place where I will contribute some of my thoughts, with the intention of wrapping this up in a short piece, hopefully sufficient to capture some key points that may or may not resonate.

My three points for this post are as follows:

1) Many of us find it easy to accept that mobile phones can be a social convenience (and convenient for activism too), but it seems hard for many of us to acknowledge that they can also end up being a social nuisance, especially when used without restraint. On the one hand they allow us so much more freedom to roam while also being available, yet, this strength can also become a weakness - making them potential candidates for invading intimate conversations, stripping our relaxation time, and startling us with the latest ring tones.

2) This one is a question: Why do some mobile phone users assume that those, like me, who choose not to use one are hard to contact? In every instance where this belief is held, I've found that the effort to make a call doesn't seem to have been made. Yet, it isn't infrequently that many of us hear the following statements when unable to communicate with a mobile phone contact:

a) "Oh so sorry - I wanted to return your call but my phone got stolen and I lost your number. Can you text it me?"

b) "My battery ran out, I didn't get your message until it was too late".

and of course...

c) "So sorry, man. I ran out of credit, and wasn't able to get my voice mail."

I would go so far as to say that being contactable has less to do with the technology we carry, or not, and more to do with an attitude of mind!

Onto point 3!

3) Sometimes mobile phone non-users are pressured by their mobile phone buddies to get one, or pressure one another to keep their mobile on in all circumstances! Thus, if as a user, you are tempted to pressurise your friend to get a mobile or to always have it on, please do be mindful that in today's world those of us who tend not to use a mobile phone, or only use one wisely are a minority. We've probably been feeling the pressure to get one for a while, if we haven't already done so bearing in mind the glossy, repetitive, corporate advertising flung at us, and have thus probably made our decision with due thought.

Another approach that may be more interesting to consider for each of us would be to ask how it might be possible to accommodate everyone of all beliefs and lifestyles as best possible. To consider this, we may want to switch off our mobile phone for a few minutes, take a deep breath, go within to introduce the question mindfully and then let go. Quite possibly some kind of clarity will eventually come...

One thing I respect from many friends who have a mobile and which helps welcome those, like me who tend not to use one, is when they appreciate the sky high costs of calling their mobile phone from most landlines. Remember, if we don't use a mobile, a landline's what we use! These friends who deserve this given praise will either give me a landline number I can call them on (much more cheaply), or they'll call me back using their free minutes. And if they do I'll do my best to excuse any potential connection issues due to a poor signal!

Thank you for reading. May we honour Unity in multiplicity. May Peace be with you :)

Article text © Muzammal Hussain

Peace News Summer Camp 2011

From Peace News...
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28 July - 1 August 2011
near Shrewsbury, Shropshire
More info: www.peacenewscamp.info


Strands include:
- Cuts and Community Organising: Building Stronger Communities of Resistance
- People Power & Solidarity: Learning from Movements in the Middle East and Beyond
- Building Skills, Sharing Skills: Including nonviolence direct action training

Workshops include:
- Red Pepper's Alex Nunns (co-editor of new book "Tweets from Tahrir") on the Egyptian uprising
- "Harry Potter and Resistance" with Susan Clarkson (Oxford Catholic Worker)
- Ewa Jasiewicz (Free Gaza) on organising with and for migrant workers
- Author and activist Greg Muttitt (www.fuelonthefire.com) on oil and politics in occupied Iraq

PLUS: masculinity and militarism, abolishing war, DSEi 2011: resisting Britain's biggest arms fair, participatory entertainment, food from the wonderful Veggies of Nottingham (www.veggies.org.uk), music from SEIZE THE DAY (www.seizetheday.org) and TRACEY CURTIS (www.myspace.com/traceycurtis), and much more.

Join people from across the broad spectrum of the British peace movement and radical activism for five days of exploration, celebration and empowerment.

ABOUT PEACE NEWS SUMMER CAMP

Bring your contribution to a hothouse of creativity, a small self-governed society run by democratic camp meetings, a viable example of the kind of world we are trying to bring about. The Peace News Summer Camp helps build a radical movement for the future by building a living community today.

We are camping in a family-friendly and renewably-powered way from 28 July to 1 August in the beautiful grounds of Crabapple Community, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

Activities include: workshops and discussions, practical skills sessions, delicious vegan food cooked by Veggies of Nottingham, music, film, fun and participatory entertainment, a bar, campfires, and activities and facilities for kids and families.

TICKETS & FOOD

The camp costs £15 - £65 depending upon income. Payment can be made by cheque, online or by phone:

- http://tinyurl.com/summercamptickets for on-line purchases
- 0207 278 3344 for purchases by phone
- Send cheques (payable to "Peace News" to Peace News, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DY), explaining how many tickets you're purchasing and which rates

Food (3 meals a day and drinks) will cost £6 - £11 a day for adults, depending on income, and should be ordered before the camp starts. Individuals meals will be available to buy at the camp.

For more info, including details of location, see www.radicalmediaconference.org

WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT LAST YEAR'S CAMP

"Wonderful workshops and a wide range of people with which to exchange ideas"

"Safe, friendly, interesting, happy, useful, accepting, great for networking, well thought out and set up. Thank you for organising and creating a lovely village"

"It was a great holiday for me and I loved meeting new people. To become aware of the work that people are doing all over the country"

slowing down

i am sitting writing this in the sun, in a plastic chair in the back garden.  at my feet, one of the dogs is giving herself a wash, and the other is having a barking contest with the duck.  We've just had a chat with the neighbours about their tree - her mum's looking out for seedlings so my foster mum can plant one too. after a tour of my foster mum's greenhouse, and a pause to spot a newt in the frog pond, and marvel at how many tadpoles there are, and how big, we've sat down to chat about planting seedlings in the cardboard from toilet rolls (something i've heard from another friend), and how i've maybe left it a little late to plant seeds, so maybe will have to go for seedlings instead. still, it might be worth trying a few, and my foster mum promises to give me some runner bean seeds from her crop last year to have a go at planting. 'you've got up to may the 25th to plant your beans, as my uncle used to tell me' she says 'keep them well moist - they like a lot of water, beans'.
she is sitting, relaxing from a morning of working on the garden, extending the space they have for planting.  she wants to be able to grow more of her own food, she tells me. i spot a turtle-shaped pot plant i bought for her when i was still a child - she tells me: 'it has a plant in it every year - i always think of you when i put something in there'. from indoors, my foster dad jokes about needing 'grecian 2000' for his hair, while he boils the kettle for the day's 5th pot of tea.  he sits down with the crossword, stays in the shade.  i am sitting, wearing one of his t-shirts and cardigan - i did some cleaning this morning, and it took the last wear out of the one top i brought with me.  the dog settles, lays across my feet.  the pond waterfalls splash and trickle, and inside its pen, the duck quacks a reminder of its presence.

i have been reading a blog about minimalism recently (mnmlist.com) and enjoying a lot of what it has to say, wondering how i can hold on to the calm and contentment of this past few days once i go back home, to london, and once i go back to work.  i've been ignoring my phone a lot since i've been down here, and the last money i spent was on saturday morning, when i bought an ice-lolly.  i suppose it helps that i've barely left the house since i came down on friday.

except for a friend's wedding.  it was the loveliest and happiest wedding i've been to in a long while - and being nigerian, i go to a lot of weddings!

on friday afternoon, i joined the bride and groom to be, along with a group of their friends, part of the decoration squad.  their reception was to be the next day at the local village hall.  over the course of the afternoon and evening, we hung bunting and fairy lights, prettified tables with jam jars of flowers from the back garden.  and all around their were other brilliant home-made touches: a giant purple heart, made to match the bunting, a present from the groom's sister; table names held in place by blocks cut by the groom's dad; a hand-made cardboard suitcase to hold wedding cards and gifts.

on the day, the bride wore a dress she'd bought on e-bay ('only used once'!), and the registrar was a friend of the family.  myself and another friend sang and read, and another orchestrated the photos afterwards.  the wedding breakfast was provided by a local caterer (delicious salads, some quiche and salmon, and three choices of praise-showered desserts - i opted for the double chocolate fudge cake…).

as the day became dusk became dark, the dj took over from the home-made music mix, people hit the dance floor, and the joy that had bubbled up throughout the day spilled over into un-self-conscious jumping and gyrating, shimmying and shaking - joy dance-onified.

and i'm overwhelmed by how much everyone talked to everyone else.  and how blatantly people enjoyed each others company.  it didn't seem ridiculous that i felt i left with new friends.  people i'd never met before with whom i now have plans to organise a piano based sing along at their not yet found new home.  people i'd never met before who i've arranged to meet for tea next time i'm in their town.  it was a brilliant, lovely day.

in the reflection of my laptop screen, i see a bird alight on the duck pen - look around, and fly off again.  and as i look up, i swear i see a swallow heading west.  the sun warms my ears, throws dark shapes across the lawn, and my foster parents discuss their grand-children as they pat the dogs.

i am not surprised by my contentment here, by how little i miss the movement and bustle of london.  i'm definitely not surprised by how little i miss work.  inklings of the possibility of packing it all in now (rather than sensibly saving and waiting until next year) play around the edges of my mind.  perhaps it's a short -term thing, but it feels good not to be rushing to this or to that.  it feels good to sit and not worry about  what next.  it feels good to have been able to put all the usual clutter and worry out of my head - for now.  i'm hoping i can hold onto this when i go home.  hoping i can find it increasingly easy to minimalise, detach a little more. just slow down.

May 2011 Gathering of the Islamic Community Food Project (London)

Community organising with the earth in mind

"On the earth there are Signs for those of inner certainty, as also within your own selves..." (Qur' an 51: 20-21)

Next gathering: Sun 8th May 2011: Registration details below

Time: 11am-4pm

Venue: Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, London, E1 5AR (near Brick Lane). Nearest tubes: *Use either Bethnal Green or Liverpool Street* (both on the central Line and still walking distance) as other local lines are scheduled to be closed during the weekend. Buses D3. Map & Directions: http://tiny.cc/l0nrw

Organised by Wisdom In Nature (WIN) with Spitalfields City Farm

Some people call it a 'food growing project'; others, like Corporate Watch describe it as 'part of a rising social movement that can shake...the global corporate food system'. So, what happens in the Islamic Community Food Project? Who is it for? And what will you be doing if you join in?...

Open to people of all faiths and beliefs; Tower Hamlets residents especially welcome.

Be empowered: Practicals on the land & grassroots organising with like-minded participants.

Develop experience in social change & facilitation - life-enhancing skills so vital in today's world.

Hear and share ideas & stories - take small, vital steps to make the imagined real.

Bring a team spirit & the yearning of your soul to create a sustainable, more compassionate world for all!..

As more people organise from the grassroots, community food initiatives are on the rise. These small steps not only empower, but offer alternatives to the globalised food system that favours multinationals. At the same time, within Muslim communities awareness is growing that Islam offers ecological principles that extend beyond the term 'halal'. This project aims to contribute to a more holistic way of thinking - one that empowers individuals, helps build resilient communities, and genuinely draws us towards a sustainable and more compassionate world.

WHO IS THE EVENT FOR?

-Anyone seriously thinking about being involved with the ongoing project. All kinds of experience and backgrounds are welcome. Also present will be those already involved.

- A background in community organising or Islamic ecological activism is a plus, but is not essential. The project caters for anyone motivated to contribute. You will have more to offer than you may now imagine!

EVENT CONTENT

-This is the fourth gathering.

-We will participate in a hands-on practical on the land with Spitalfields City Farm.

-There will also be a workshop with Wisdom In Nature: Existing participants will give a brief presentation about the project to help everyone get up to speed. We will then get creative, yet realistic, as we co-organise our next key step on our journey - a stimulating, fun, open event for July on the theme of the project: We will ask ourselves, what would we like to see there? And what can we each offer? (The outline so far centres on: a campfire, picnic, workshops, talks). The collective spirit in organising will be of co-learning and being empowered, which will include taking responsibility. The project is ongoing, and for those who want to continue there will be follow-up activities for organising and taking action together.

WHAT TO BRING

Please dress for the weather and bring sturdy footwear. Tea/coffees/refreshments will be provided. Please bring food to share for lunch.

COST: £5 per person. Reduced rate for unemployed/regular WIN donors/regular participants (£2).

REGISTER: To reserve your place, please send an email titled 'Register', with your full name to: communityfood AT wisdominnature.org.uk (replace AT with @ & delete the gaps); You will then receive confirmation and further info. Note that each person must register for her/himself only, and registration is for the full day.

Past Posts: www.wisdominnature.blogspot.com/search/label/icfp ; More info: Wisdom In Nature: tel 0845 456 3960 (local rate).

Gathering Momentum with the ICFP...

Our next gathering of the Islamic Community Food Project (i.e. ICFP!) is due on May 8th. So, let's take a look at of some of the ideas that are brewing..!

Firstly, we've been brainstorming ways of keeping the creativity and energy going between the gatherings at Spitalfields. We went through a facilitated exercise a couple of weeks ago and captured ideas that were shared on this very topic. See flip chart, below. To enlarge, simply click on the photo...



We'll develop this further and have already started to act on it as a team.


Participants in the project are also excited about jointly organising a potential action in July, in the form of a stimulating, fun, open event on the theme of the project. At the May gathering we will carry this forward and ask ourselves, what would we like to see at this July event? And what can we each offer?

The outline so far centres on: a campfire, picnic, workshops, talks. These, and other ideas raised, were caught on this next flip chart:


So, the next step will be the next gathering, where we will share more ideas, get organised and make the imagined real! The date for this is Sunday 8th May 2011, and it will be at Spitalfields City farm. We'll be putting a post up about this very soon. Stay tuned, and come join in if you want to be part of this movement for organised social change...!