The Summer Day
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean—
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
—Mary Oliver
I hope that your plans for living this one wild and precious life have been stimulated in some way through your exploration of this website.
Please contact me at chris.breen@uct.ac.za if you think I might have something more to offer you or your team. The list below indicates some of the options I have generated to date. Maybe you can create and propose something else?
I am available to explore running (or co-facilitating) a version of the modular programme as described in this website as currently offered for Exco teams and EMBA’s.
If there are any ideas or topics on this website that have piqued your interest, please let me know so that I can add an appropriately targeted podcast to this website. Alternatively, we can explore the possibility of an online conversation.
A deeper Magician’s exploration of a familiar situation where you have over- or under-reacted. What happened? How else might this be explained? What possible thought-filled actions could be taken to seek a win-win solution?
I don't think I am patient enough to be a good coach. As a result, I have only occasionally offered short term 3 session interactions with past students. Recent experiences have encouraged me to change this drastically in line with Varela and Maturana's 1986 description of the importance of a disturbing agent/perturbator which challenges taken-for-granted assumptions and behaviours. The crucial idea is that any changes are determined solely by the client.
This means that I now offer a one-off hour's interaction where you take responsibility and present your situation/question and I listen and respond as we engage.
At a late stage in my life I trained and qualified as a Biodanza facilitator. This strongly influenced my belief in the power of heart and body wisdom as crucial ingredients in learning. I have developed a series of 90-minute themed sessions that deepen learning by inviting participants to quieten their minds and access their emotional and somatic wisdom through movement.
I'm available to give short presentations or keynote speeches on topics of interest from my teaching to seed future possibilities and growth.
I started off as a teacher of teachers where supervision was an integral part of individual growth. I am very happy to assist others' growth through feedback conversations after seeing them in action (or working with them on a project).
This is an amazing and strongly recommended exercise at a Cape Town site for leadership awareness and team building. Teams of 6 or 12 can be accommodated but early booking is essential to ensure the facility is available.