Introduction

This writing cannot do any more than scratch the surface of what has been one of the most intricate, delicate, powerful, demanding and rewarding experiences of my life, for which I humbly, joyfully and gratefully thank all of those powerful, apprehensive, exquisite and growthful people who have chosen to come on this amazing journey with me. It is because I would like to continue to share this journey with more of you that I am making these notes public.

This was my experience with one of the most creative, challenging, wise and funny people in the universe, and my eternal thanks go to Gretchen Pyves, who chose to share all those moments with me. We were equal partners in all our planning, discussions, co-teaching and feedback that made our courses so fruitful and so well received.

I cannot share those hours directly with you, but I can share the shape of our Teacher Training Course and some of the thinking behind our approach so that your own process might be sharpened by reflection on some of our ideas. I do not expect you to studiously copy this approach, rather, I hope that you will be able to sense what rings true for you in all of this, and that you can take and use the useful bits, and happily discard the rest.

This material is NOT a Teacher Training Course; our course was an immensely practical experience where every participant shouldered a major share of the running of the course. It was fully “Hands On”, and in addition each “teacher” had feedback from the entire group on each piece of work that they did, plus constant challenge to reflect further on what they were attempting to do. The gap between WHAT I INTENDED and WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED is hugely valuable as a learning tool if I have the opportunity to stop and look at it. This article cannot begin to replicate that practicality or the group feedback - it’s just a series of written ideas. It is not meant to duplicate the experience of being in a room with a working group of people. If these ideas do speak to you, please find a way to make them an actual experience for you; even if you do it very differently, it will be so much better than anything that I can write!

With love to you on your journey!

Mike Bray.
Summer 2022