"What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. "


Posts tagged with 'personal'

Peer groups, Cumbria spring group – first morning: beginning, why are we here, & how do I know what I feel?

5th May 2011

First morning of the "Mixed Group". This last week has been such lovely weather. People arriving yesterday evening looking so brown. The forecast had predicted a change to more cloudy weather, and it certainly seems accurate for this morning's rather colder, overcast feel. Good weather to stay indoors for "group …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 7 - feedback, ecology & goodbyes

18th November 2010

In yesterday's second reflection on the Ravenstor residential group, I wrote about friendship and flourishing. This last morning of the residential now moved on to a final meeting of our 11 person, medium-sized group. Checking in. Reviewing. Checking out. Deeper now. Touching. I'd come into this four day group very …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 6 - respect & friendship

17th November 2010

It's a couple of days since we drove back up to Scotland from Ravenstor. I blogged yesterday about the last morning of the group and I was thinking a bit about judgements and who we choose as closer friends. I feel a bit uncomfortable exploring this issue as I don't …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 5 - valuing, connection & disconnection

16th November 2010

It's "the morning after", back home, reflecting on the group that finished yesterday at lunchtime. "Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 4 - nature, father-son, flow & celebration" took us up to the beginning of the group's final half day together. This last morning was pretty compressed. We'd agreed to meet …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 4 - nature, father-son, flow & celebration

15th November 2010

So the fourth and last morning here at Ravenstor. Didn't get to bed till after midnight and was up "late" this morning a little before 7.00am. The dawn mist is already clearing on a beautiful day with the sun's glow just beginning to emerge over the ridge. It reminds me …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 3 - depth & confrontation

14th November 2010

The third morning. So moving on from where I'd described to in yesterday's blog post, we began again in the full group at around 9.30am. Almost immediately a good friend moved very deeply into distress about fathering - his relationship with his own father & fears about passing on some …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 2 - warming up

13th November 2010

It's the second morning. I wrote yesterday about our arrival at this group. Didn't get to bed till later last night and slept in for longer. The conversations are beginning to "ignite". As we spend more time here, get into it, hear how deeply & openly others are prepared to …

Peer groups: Ravenstor autumn group 1 - arriving

12th November 2010

It's the first morning of this four day, peer-run Men's group. We've been meeting like this every autumn since 1993 - a collection of friends & friends of friends & friends of friends of friends! I've written extensively about these peer groups on this blog. For example, five posts on …

30th wedding anniversary ceilidh: celebration, social networks & gratitude

31st October 2010

Yesterday, Catero and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a ceilidh. This is Auld Lang Syne at the end of the party. I'm the loudmouth (on one glass of wine), with dear Catero on my left (to the right in the picture). Laura, precious stepdaughter, is three places to …

Peer groups, Cumbria spring group – final reflection

10th May 2010

I wrote yesterday about "The fourth morning: honouring my mother". Now at home again. Lying in bed this morning feeling happy. Warm and content. Such heart-warming memories. Meditating yesterday. Plunging again in the stream. Cold, climbing the small waterfall and walking along the rocks. Going to the main group room …