Existential labrador walking
An introspective winter can be followed by a sort of metaphysical ambiguity or disconcerting feelings of ennui.
Like a favourite shirt that no longer sits right, it’s as if the foundation story that’s made sense of our world no longer fits.
The natural response is to pull the curtains, retreat, listen to particular songs on loop, read books we’ve been putting off, consult predictive oracles and Google searches like Depression vs Melancholy vs Meaninglessness.
These times also can include ownership of something that could best be described as an existential labrador – a type of large annoying invisible entity that insistently nudges us until we get off the couch and take it for a walk out in the uncomfortable world.
CERES has long been a favourite walking spot for existential labradors and their owners.
It’s hardly surprising; CERES is constantly trying make sense of itself – from Wurundjeri land to bluestone quarry to rubbish dump to outdoor classroom to chicken collective to solar generator to bicycle resurrector to heirloom tomato collector to harvest celebrator – the place is a magnet for meaning-seeking.
Which is maybe why so many teachers come to CERES to share their wares.
I don’t know if it’s intentional or just cosmic coincidence, but many of CERES transformational courses also begin in Spring.
Kicking off over the next month are Indigenous Ecology (8 weeks), Intro to Working in Therapeutic Horticulture (8 weeks) and the Complete Urban Farmer (14 weeks).
These courses are very grounded and practical and give people a whole suite of specific skills to revegetate land or teach in gardens or farm in the city.
But these courses also give us a new lens to look at the world through.
Whether it’s embracing reciprocity with Mother Earth, healing with nature or understanding ourselves by growing food and caring for soils – they all help tell a new story that makes sense of ourselves and our place in nature.
And the bonus is that you get to do them with people who may also be out walking badly behaved existential mutts.
Have a great week
Chris
