“The ripples that continue to flow out into my life.
Catalyst reconnected me to my voice, my love of poetry and reading aloud. This interest has flourished and I am now writing and performing regularly, poetry that, I hope, will inspire others to deepen their own journeys and live closer to nature and their own wild selves.
I read aloud poetry by Mary Oliver, poetry I was first exposed to on Catalyst, and Mac Macartney’s autobiography, the inspirational founder of Embercombe, to an elderly neighbour in the last year of her life. It brought her great peace knowing there were people working toward the healing of our world, who had a living spirituality and cared passionately for people and for nature.
I stood up in the local council’s planning meeting against fracking in our area, changing the energy in the room and playing a part in an overwhelming no vote, buying enough time for the anti fracking movement in the area to develop.
For the last two years I have been involved with a group in the process of setting up an intentional community. Our aims being the provision of ecologically minded affordable housing, the reinvigoration of our culture through educational outreach work, internships and spiritual practice, and the healing of the land; to live more and more in symbiosis with the world around us and inspire this change in others. My commitment to this project and the role I have taken within it have been deeply inspired by Catalyst and Embercombe.
Catalyst also began a deep healing process for me. Starting me on a journey to make peace with my past and love and accept myself. It has made me closer to my family and helped me make changes for a happier, healthier more whole life. It is a journey that has been marked with great challenge and beautiful numinous experiences. It has inspired me develop personally and professionally and I feel certain it is a seed that will continue to grow throughout my life.
And as I make these changes I see those around me energised and inspired…
And so we continue…”
Harry Corder Greaves, July 2015