Spirit of the margins is an exploration of what is pushed out of the centre of our being – and yet which often is what makes us human.
It’s an enormous topic. Margins may be psychological, spiritual, social, economic, political, geographic, historical and ecological. We can explore margins as individuals, groups of people (communities and organisations), society or the world as a whole.
Margins are places of change and creativity, paradox and possibilities, mystery and truth. Margins are places where differences meet. Margins separate and connect difference – just as the margin in a book separates and connects the text and the edge of the page. Profit margins separate revenue and costs. Safety margins separate safety and danger.
To be in the margins is to be away from the centre, often forgotten and ignored by the mainstream who are busy with their own affairs; we often push shadowy thoughts and feelings into the margins; we often marginalise people we fear or who challenge us. Margins are often places of diversity, fluidity, fruitfulness and change.
Marginal states of being – for example between sleeping and waking, light and dark, life and death, material and spiritual – are often places of change and transformation, where we can experience ourselves and the world in creative and compassionate ways, often filled with paradox and possibilities, mystery and truth. ‘Thin places’ exist where the margin between ‘us’ and ‘not us’ is slight and often fragile.
‘Spirit of the margins’ offers a series of experiences and processes designed to help people to explore the theme of margins in a safe and secure way. They range from short 20 minute presentations through to workshops of a couple of hours to a couple of days, and presented as workshops, retreats and awayday.
The central question is how we – as individuals or as members of communities, organisations or society as a whole – can recognise and integrate what we place in the margins. This then becomes a process of healing and wholeness.
The theme of margins is deeply embedded in all religions and in the history and psychology of humankind. As such, workshops can be offered both in religious and secular settings.
For further details on what we can offer please email chrisbemrose@gmail.com or phone 07910 130415.
An occasional blog on the margins is available here. Despatches from the margins gives thoughts from people with whom I have conducted marginal walks. Marginal comments gives feedback from various events I have run. Information on me, my other work and how to contact me is given on my general website at chrisbemrose.org.