Resources on Still Waters in general
Here you can find articles on the overall concept of Still Waters and the aspects that should be common, regardless of which service you are interested in.
Creative Writing in the Woods
I write a lot, often for my work, sometimes for this website and occasionally for no good reason at all. There’s something about getting out of the way and setting the pen free (and yes the pen is mightier than the laptop). It’s a pleasure that is hard to describe, ironic given that’s what I’m trying to do here.
Honouring My Work
It was with a large dose of curiosity, and a small pinch of trepidation, that I agreed to my friend and colleague Jeremy Keeley’s suggestion that we ‘honour my work’ in a recorded Zoom conversation. Below is the result of this, or you can click here. It was a strange experience, a bit self-indulgent, but I thought I’d share it because it covers a lot of the thinking behind Still Waters.
The Gift Economy
I was introduced to the Gift Economy while on a course in 2015. Brian Smyth, a wonderfully warm human being from Ireland told me how he had deployed it for his work. I was intrigued. Since then I have experienced it in action a few times and love the spirit of it and so have decided to offer it as part of Still Waters. But what exactly is the Gift Economy?
Inspiring Company - Sangha
My yoga teacher, Steve Harrison taught me about the six keys to success in the yogic tradition. The sixth of these is the Sanskrit/hindu word ‘sangha’, which he describes as ‘inspiring company’. I find Steve himself to be inspiring company in the wholehearted way he brings himself to teach. All of which got me to think about the people I work with in my own professional life.
My Journey To Here
I joined BT three months before privatisation as a fresh-faced 19-year old who had messed up academically and was in desperate need of structure. Starting out as a telecom officer in Southampton handling customer complaints, I loved the office environment, with the predictable hours and reliable work. There was plenty of personal and professional development opportunities, which I lapped up. Other memories include leading our response to a massive surge in billing complaints, using a PC for the first time and also going on strike for three weeks.
How Still Waters Came About
It was my second night of disturbed sleep. I was facing the turbulence that comes with significant change. After eight years, and at the age of fifty-six, I was being made redundant. A heady cocktail of excitement and shear dread was coursing through my veins denying me the land of nod.
One Thing Can Change Everything
One of the guiding principles in Still Waters is the idea that everything is connected, which comes from on a belief I’ve held for as long as I can remember. In the absence of traditional ‘proof’ for this belief, I’ve found solace in quantum theory and also the writing of Charles Eisenstein.