Hope as a Practice

This course offers a firm grounding in the concept and process of 'active hope', drawing on the book Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone and Joanna Macy's 'Work that Reconnects'.

The live sessions will provide an opportunity to explore some hope-sustaining practices in a supportive group, while online materials will support you to deepen and extend your practice of hope beyond the course, to use in your everyday life, either by yourself or with others.

We will begin by re-imagining ourselves as vital players in a 'Great Turning', away from current destructive economic, social and environmental systems, towards a more loving and peaceful version of humanity. Throughout the course, we will look for signs that the Great Turning has already begun, despite the apparent wealth of evidence to the contrary. Then, over the four weeks, a series of guided activities will provide an experience of the Active Hope process. Here we will equip ourselves with practical tools to find hope and strength in seemingly hopeless situations, and develop a vision for meaningful personal action:

The weekly live sessions will include varied activities, providing opportunities for individual reflection, deep sharing and listening in small groups, and discussions together as a full group. Between sessions, there will be a range of engaging writings, audio and video available online to reflect on and you will be encouraged to use discussion forums to share your thoughts and experiments with the practices.

There will be a reflective follow-up session 2 months later [date], when we will gather again to reflect on where each of us has got to with the practice and our commitments – what ways have opened and what obstacles we are facing.

This course is suitable for anyone who has concerns for our world and a desire to make a difference. Although the Active Hope process is not specifically Quaker, it has many resonances for Friends, which we will highlight during the course. These include a sense of outrage at injustice, violence and environmental destruction; belief in the possibility of transformation, even in the most unlikely circumstances; a sense of responding to our individual calling to take action for a better world; and a willingness to 'live adventurously'.

The live Zoom sessions are at 18:30-20:30 (UK time) every Tuesday with a follow up session on Tuesday 24 November.