Crynwyr yng Nghymru CALON No./Rhif.31 Quakers in Wales

.... Yn llawn daioni!

Newsletter of Meeting of Friends in Wales

Medi/September 2019 Cylchlythyr Cyfarfod y Cyfeillion yng Nghymru

We have a few extra pages this time – thank you to the clerk and treasurer for agreeing to this. There was quite a bit of interest in Bryn D Jones’ piece in the last Calon of the Welsh-language television programme Talwrn y Beirdd. In particular, Frances Voelcker produced a baker’s dozen! These were in English – no Welsh ones sent (as yet!). Since I have extra room I now have room for them in this edition. Many thanks to Bryn for sending his article.

David Harries’ piece was left out of the last edition – things change in government so I hope nothing is too out of date.

I do really like hearing your comments on the items included, and appreciate being offered pieces – keeping to roughly 800 words.

I was delighted to receive a piece by John Senior 0n Finding Inner Stillness – Spirituality without Supernaturalism. This is quite a lot more than 800 words, but I’m able to include it almost in full. Having read the report I wanted to see Dolobran – I’ve haven’t been there and I think probably a lot us in Wales haven’t either.

I was searching for photos online but couldn’t find many and none suitable – so the next step is to ask Jules. She had loads of photos of Dolobran, of course (I think Jules has photos of everything!).

So far I’ve been lucky in always managing to fill Calon. There’s always the time when it seems I having nothing, but items to include always seem to turn up just as I’m about to panic.

Gethin Evans has given me a number of items (in Welsh) to use when the panic sets in. I haven’t needed to use those for the last two editions.

Ros

Inspiring a new Generation of Peacemakers

Jane Harries: Bridgend Meeting

In the words of Eva I Pinthus: ‘Friends’ peace testimony challenges us all to be peace educators.’ (Qf&p, 23.84). But

what do we mean by ‘peace education’? Peace is a very broad term, and peace education can include a range of elements from mindfulness and relationship-building skills to conflict resolution, mediation and supporting people to be informed about present-day conflicts, think critically about them, and gain the confidence and skills to take action about them. Janet Gilbraith states: ‘I feel peace education is about teaching children to discover that they have the power to change things they see are wrong and developing the imagination to find alternative responses to conflict.’ (Qf&p, 23.85). Peace education is also about empowerment.

I feel we should go further and place peace education firmly within our vision for a more sustainable, just and equal world. This is in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 which aims to ensure that – by 2030 –

‘all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’.

More work is required to make the links between peace education and sustainability more evident, but we are all aware of countries where ongoing

2

conflict causes poverty, hunger, abuse, disrupted education and inequality.

Why now?

There are unique opportunities to promote and develop peace education in Wales today. The new curriculum for Wales rests on four key pillars, one of which is for learners to become ‘ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world’. The curriculum is organised into 6 broad Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs), meaning that it will be much easier to introduce cross-curricular themes such as peace into learning. There is also increased emphasis on critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and learning through experience.

Some initiatives are already happening. A core aim of the Wales for Peace project, based at the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) between 2014 & 2018 was to inspire the next generation of peacemakers. As this project was about uncovering Wales’ peace heritage over the last hundred years, this was done largely by working with learners to uncover inspirational stories and explore their significance today. This was most successful where learners were able to engage with the past in fun and creative ways.

During a workshop around conscientious objectors, for instance, young people were given roles of real COs and imaginary tribunal members and acted out court scenes. A group of learners from the Rhondda learned about the Cardiff women who set off to Greenham, interviewed someone who had taken part in the camp, and went to view some of the peace banners held at Sain Ffagan folk museum – then made their own film about the Greenham Women. A series of resources were made freely available bilingually

on Hwb (the website for teachers in Wales). These include packs on COS, on ‘Remembering for Peace’, on Refugees and Asylum seekers, and a toolkit for Young Peacemakers.

A major outcome of the Wales for Peace project has been the development of a Peace Schools scheme in Wales. The aim of this scheme is to create a network of schools in Wales who are actively embedding a peaceful ethos as well as learning and activities related to peace into their everyday lives.

To date six schools have attained Level 1 Peace Schools status, and their achievements have been truly astounding. Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, for instance, adopted a cross-curricular approach and integrated the theme of peace across the Humanities Area of Learning. This included work on ‘peace heroes’ such as Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela, cross-curricular work on conscientious objectors and a peace project for Year 8 involving critical thinking (including asking pupils to consider whether the UK should be involved in bombing Syria).

Two primary schools in Carmarthenshire integrated activities and events across the school year, including celebrating International Peace Day, running assemblies on peace, work around anti-bullying and an Erasmus+ project. Cyfarthfa High School’s starting point for becoming a peace school was looking at role models from Merthyr’s local history: “Learning that some great women came from Merthyr… shows we can do something too,” said Natalie Nawara (Year 8). Natalie has now become a Peace Ambassador. Assistant Head Tracey Griffith said: “The whole school is happier, more tolerant and more respectful”. In all participating schools young people themselves have played a key role in developing the scheme.

Although we have made a great start with the scheme, we are keen to recruit more schools. Could Friends help us with this? If you would be interested in promoting the scheme in your area, please contact

janeharries@wcia.org.uk.

3

Meeting of Friends in Wales Report – June 2019

Sue Shreeve, Dolgellau Meeting

It’s a ‘long way down’ to Milford Haven, but

worth the journey on a beautiful June day, for

Meeting of Friends in Wales. Milford Haven

Friends extending hospitality in their historic

Meeting House, founded in 1811 by American

Quakers fleeing persecution - an interesting story

of ‘reverse’ immigration.

The agenda included an item about another Meeting House, that in Cardiff, occupying a significant site in the city centre. Having received planning permission for much needed maintenance and improvement, plans for a new development next door caused Friends to consider the implications for their site. As a result they’re exploring the feasibility of something “bigger and bolder”. Open to ideas, Cardiff Friends will liaise with Friends in Wales and Friends House. Ideas given evoked enthusiasm. Our trustees will liaise with Cardiff Friends and others concerning this project.

The report from trustees spoke of discussions

between MFW / BYM concerning the relation-

ship between the two Meetings, simplifying our

structures and taking forward the vibrancy

programme. Report from Cytûn – it was noted we

need to pay attention to our relationship with

Cytûn; and from our Quaker Life Representative

about the meeting in April; ‘Building Inclusive

Quaker Communities’.

Other items included a ‘between meeting’

decision to send congratulations

to the first Minister of the Welsh

Assembly on declaring a Climate Emergency; a

note of the minutes from Meeting for Sufferings,

uniting with a statement sent from the February

MFW (2019:18) about Britain’s withdrawal from

the European Union. Pertinent to the reminder in

this statement, that the whole reason for the

existence of the EU was to keep the peace in

Europe, was the talk given by Jane Harries

“Peacemakers in Wales: past, present and

future”. Jane spoke about the ‘Wales for Peace

Project’ which came into being with the

understanding that Cofio Mawr would take place

across the country on the centenary of WW1, and

that The Temple of Peace was to commemorate

those lost, and is also central to the efforts of

those who work to promote the League of

Nations in Wales. In the library, treasures were

discovered, such as an appeal by over 390,000

women in 1923–4 to American women, asking

them to persuade their President to join the

League of Nations.

The Project’s central principle was to involve

communities and schools in considering how

Wales has contributed to peace in the hundred

years since WW1. Groups were supported to

discover stories relevant to their local

communities. Although the project has ended, its

final exhibition can be seen in the Temple of

Peace and has six themes, Remembering for

Peace, Opposing War, Offering Asylum,

Supporting Equality & Human Rights, Standing

with Others, and Inspiring Future Generations.

The Project has established a rich heritage of the

Welsh contribution over the years. Jane asked us

to consider how we can all do something for

peace, at a personal, community and

international level, reminding us that “World

Peace comes through the will of ordinary

people like you and me” (Lucy Behenna).

Peace begins in ourselves ~ Sydney Bailey

4

Holyhead Meeting’s 25th Anniversary Talk by Geoffrey Durham:

‘Reaching Out, Reaching In’

Nick Jewitt: Bangor Meeting

Introducing Geoffrey Durham, Gerald Hewitson

briefly reviewed Geoffrey Durham’s book: What

do Quakers Believe? Quaker Quicks Series.

Geoffrey introduced the concept of ‘inreach’ as

well as outreach. He spoke from his experience,

noting that outreach and inreach are intended to

be to our benefit as a community of Quakers.

Story telling is a great way

to communicate; experience

speaks. Geoffrey told us of

his Anglican school which

had regular services; how he

hung his religion ‘on a peg’

when he left.

In his forties, Geoffrey was

in the midst of a personal

crisis, needing … something. Returning to the

church of his childhood, he did not find it.

Experimenting with Buddhist meditation was

good, but didn’t lead him to what he sought. For

21 days running he was stuck in a traffic jam that

passed a sign outside a Friends Meeting House:

‘Peace is a process, not a goal to be reached’

(Sydney Bailey 1993 Swarthmore Lecture). This

resonated; he located ‘Quaker bookshop’, bought

and read several books.

It took some time of self-persuasion before he

entered that Meeting House. Never forget, he

reminded us, what it’s like to enter a place full of

people you don’t know for the first time. We

don’t know how we’ll be received and we may

fear attempts to proselytise. He was relieved that

they allowed him to not say

anything about himself. In time,

he became a part of them.

Quaker meeting can be found as better than

words can describe; Geoffrey spoke of a ‘shared

breathlessness’ and a ‘shared breath’, of

‘grasping the ephemeral’. Receiving George Fox’s

challenge ‘What canst thou say?’, the answer

took a while to come. We’re encouraged to ‘hang

on in there’, waiting for the Light that will surely

come. For Geoffrey, what eventually came

insistently was outreach. Quakers can be

resistant to outreach: many say ‘when they’re

ready for us, they’ll find us’. For an introvert, this

attitude can be a relief. Fox ‘outreached’ for

many years and was certainly not quiet!

Geoffrey became involved with what became

‘Quaker Quest’. Two themes emerged: 1. Speak

from your experience: what was it like for you

encountering Friends and Meeting for Worship?

What did you not ‘get’? How did that change? 2.

No evangelism: we do not pretend to answers,

but ask very good questions.

At some point in the 1600s, we’re told, one in

every 130 people in Britain was a Quaker.

Geoffrey suggested that perhaps this proportion

applies today, even if the people don’t (yet) know

it. The world, he feels, is full of spiritual orphans.

Membership of the now: 12,666.

Outreach / inreach feed each other. Clarity and

simplicity are needed. It’s been known for people

to think ‘Quaker Witness’ is a person; not for the

first time, we’re told to avoid jargon if we wish to

communicate – and we need to avoid being

mistaken for a secret society.

As Mahatma Gandhi said:

‘Whatever you do in life will be

insignificant, but it is important that

you do it, because nobody else will.’

How about some outreach in the form of (for

example) a coffee morning? Half a dozen people

could easily cover this. Acts of kindness speak;

the world is made of stories, and the world needs

to hear our stories – stories of disclosure and

discovery. Maybe that if we tell the right stories

we’ll live better stories. Intrigue people!

5

Notes on Cytûn David Harries ‘LASER’ Group Meeting

held at Church in Wales, Cardiff, January 2019

Opening remarks: Gethin Rhys, Cytûn’s Policy officer, quoted, at the beginning & end of our meeting, from the new Ladybird Book of Brexit, as (he said) “Brexit overshadows everything.” Re: Government and Assembly consultations

1. The WG’s Draft Climate Change Adaptation Date Plan for Wales. This was about adapting to climate change, not preventing it. A quick look led me to think that it was comprehensive and that it may be worthwhile for individuals or groups to respond, especially for those with relevant knowledge and expertise.

2. The WG’s Draft national violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence indicators, itself a follow-up to the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) 2015 Act, the National Strategy, and the Delivery Framework.

Re: Legislation and related consultations

1. The issue of “reasonable chastisement of children” issue (its use as a defence in law) continues: no early prospect of a bill. Thousands of responses were received – just over half in favour of change. There was a lack of responses from faith groups other than Christian – the WG wishes to hear from them too.

2. Having won an Assembly ballot on the right to propose a bill, Darren Millar AM is putting forward an Older People’s Rights (Wales) Bill, in order to create an Older People’s Rights Scheme, placing a duty on Welsh Ministers and public bodies to have due regard to the UN Principles for Older Persons when making decisions that may impinge on them. Civil servants will now assist with the drafting.

3. HMG is considering changes to the Marriage Act 1949. Moreover, there have been four private bills on marriage recently. Trying to change the existing law (itself very complicated) constitutes a major challenge. There could be implications for Quakers! Anyway, the matter has been referred to the Law Commission. So no changes soon.

(This affects both England and Wales, apart from the need for legislators to recognise (a) the disestablished status of the Church in Wales and (b) the legitimacy of the use of Welsh in Wales, alongside English.

4. Both HMG and the WG are considering leasehold reform – a cause of concern for the past sixty years or so. The Law Commission’s consultation on its proposals ended last November. The Supreme Court has clarified that both Wales and the UK can legislate, in certain areas, such as this one, but Westminster can over-rule Cardiff, if it chooses. Such a decision is a matter of political judgement not one of law.

Immigration debate

Gethin had briefed us, in advance of our Meeting, about a draft letter to an organ of the press, drawn up at Friends House, and to be sent out by Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, on behalf of Friends and faith leaders who are in sympathy with the arguments. The contents follow below:

As representatives of faith communities, we are dismayed by the current debate around immigration. The long-awaited Immigration white paper is misguided and disjointed, the promised engagement unclear, and the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination Bill a missed opportunity.

Urgent action is needed to create a more humane system. Refugee families must be kept together, and close family members allowed to join their children in the UK. The right to work after six months should be extended to all asylum seekers. There must be a time limit on immigration detention, an end to the detention of vulnerable people, and a genuine discussion about the often impossible standards of proof required by the immigration system. The first reaction to those arriving in boats should not be to disbelieve their stories.

Today is Epiphany; the flight of the Holy Family echoes the plight of refugees. We say to the government: let us help transform the hostile environment, not into a compliant environment, but into a culture of sanctuary.

Gethin informed us that a few church leaders in Wales had signed it (at short notice) and that it was published in the Sunday Telegraph. Good!

The centre spread on pages 6 and 7 shows material from a WCIA / Cymru Dros Heddwch flyer

circulated by Jane Harris alongside her recent talk at the Milford Haven meeting.

6

Gweithio dros Fyd mwy Heddychlon yng Nghymru heddiw

Beth fedra i ei weud?

Gyda chymaint o lanastr yn y byd a chynifer o broblemau gan gynnwys rhyfeloedd a newid hinsawdd,

mae’n hawdd mynd yn ddiobaith. Ond medrwn ni i gyd wneud rhywbeth. Gallwn ddilyn y newyddion, gan

aros yn feirniadol ac yn agored ein meddyliau. Gallwn fod yn gadarnhaol ac yn ymrwymo i wneud un peth

bach i newid y byd! Cewch isod ychydig o syniadau am bethau gallwch ei wneud i greu newid. Gadewch i

ni i gyd ddod yn Heddychwyr, ac ysbrydoli eraill i wneud yr un fath!

Cofio dros Heddwch

Ymunwch â’r ymgyrch ‘Collateral Damage’ (http://www.ppu.org.uk/collateral-damage/ ) – gan greu

pabis gwynion i anrhydeddu’r rhai sydd yn dioddef oherwydd rhyfel.

Gwisgwch pabi gwyn dros heddwch (http://www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/index.html

Trefnwch wasanaeth yn eich ysgol leol (gofynnwch i Gymru dros Heddwch am syniadau)

Gwrthwynebu Rhyfel

Ymunwch â grŵp heddwch megis CND Cymru (www.cndcymru.org ) neu Gymdeithas y Cymod

(www.cymdeithasycymod.org.uk) gan ymgyrchu dros heddwch

Cefnogwch Conscience, Taxes for Peace not War sydd yn ymgyrchu dros yr hawl gyfreithiol i neilltuo’r

ganran o’n trethi ar gyfer creu heddwch yn lle paratoi at ryfel.

Cefnogwch Gytundeb Gwahardd Arfau Niwclear ICAN (http://www.icanw.org/action/nuclear-ban-

treaty-anniversary/ )

Cynnig Lloches

Dewch yn wybodus am y ffoaduriaid a’r chwilwyr lloches yn eich ardal. Pwy ydynt, o ble maen nhw yn

dod a sut gefnogaeth gân nhw? Sut medrwch chi helpu?

Ymunwch â’r ymgyrch i Gymru ddod yn Genedl Noddfa

(https://welshrefugeecouncil.org/news/04012016-1826/wales-nation-of-sanctuary

Cefnogi Cydraddoldeb a Hawliau Dynol

Ymunwch ag Amnest Rhyngwladol gan ymgyrchu dros hawliau dynol ledled y byd

Arwyddwch ddeiseb ‘Heddwch Nain/ Mamgu’ dros ddychwelyd y CU i’w fwriad heddychlon gwreiddiol

(www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/news-article.html?id=94)

Cydsefyll ag Eraill

Cefnogwch Fasnach Deg, a byd mwy cyfiawn a chynaliadwy (http://fairtradewales.com/)

Cefnogwch Gymorth Cristnogol ac Oxfam yn eu gwaith dros bobl sydd yn byw mewn tlodi

Cefnogwch grwpiau sydd yn creu cysylltiadau gyda gwledydd eraill a’u cefnogi

Ysbrydoli Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol

Anogwch bobl ifanc i ddysgu am dreftadaeth heddwch Cymru

Hyrwyddwch Neges Heddwch ac Ewyllys Da’r Urdd bob blwyddyn

(www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/theme_peaceandgoodwill.htm)

Dysgwch am Ysgolion Heddwch yng Nghymru a deunyddiau a all eu cefnogi (cysylltwch â

janeharries@wcia.org.uk)

Hyrwyddwch Senedd yr Ifanc ymhlith pobl ifanc (www.youthparliament.wales/)

Cydweithio ag Eraill

Mae’n iawn gwneud pethau ar eich pen eich hun ond – os medrwch – ymunwch â grŵp a gweithio dros

newid gydag eraill. Wrth sefyll gyda’n gilydd, rydym yn gryfach!

7

Working for a more Peaceful World in Wales today

What can I do? With the world seemingly in such a mess and so many problems from wars to climate change, it’s easy to

despair. But there’s something we all can do. We can all keep ourselves informed, be critical and open-

minded. We can all be positive and resolve to take at least one small action to change the world! Below

are just some suggestions for working for positive change. Let’s all become Changemakers for Peace, and

inspire others to do the same!

Remembering for Peace

Get involved in the Collateral Damage campaign (http://www.ppu.org.uk/collateral-damage/ ) –

making white poppies to honour the victims of war.

Wear a white poppy for peace (http://www.ppu.org.uk/whitepoppy/index.html

Run an assembly in your local school (contact Wales for Peace for ideas)

Opposing Conflict

Join a peace group such as CND Cymru (www.cndcymru.org ) or Fellowship of Reconciliation /

Cymdeithas y Cymod (www.cymdeithasycymod.org.uk) and campaign for peace

Support Conscience, Taxes for Peace not War which campaigns for the legal right of those who object

to war to have the entire military part of their taxes spent on peacebuilding.

Support ICAN’s Nuclear Ban Treaty to abolish nuclear weapons

(http://www.icanw.org/action/nuclear-ban-treaty-anniversary/ )

Offering Sanctuary

Find out about refugees and asylum seekers in your area. Who are they, where are they from and how

are they being supported? In what ways can you help?

Join the campaign for Wales to become a Nation of Sanctuary

(https://welshrefugeecouncil.org/news/04012016-1826/wales-nation-of-sanctuary

Championing Equality and Human Rights

Join Amnesty International and campaign for human rights worldwide (www.amnesty.org.uk/ )

Sign the ‘Heddwch Nain/ Mamgu’ petition to return the UN to its original peaceful purposes

(www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/news-article.html?id=94

Building Solidarity

Support Fair Trade, for a more equal and sustainable world (http://fairtradewales.com/)

Take a look at what Christian Aid and Oxfam are doing to support people who live in poverty

Find out about groups that work to create links with other countries and support them

Inspiring Future Generations

Encourage young people to find out about their peace heritage

Promote and spread the Message of Peace and Goodwill each year

(www.walesforpeace.org/wfp/theme_peaceandgoodwill.htm)

Find out about Peace Schools in Wales and materials to support them (contact

janeharries@wcia.org.uk)

Encourage young people to get involved in the Youth Parliament (www.youthparliament.wales/)

Working Together

It’s fine to do things on your own, but – if it’s right for you - join a group and work with others to make

change happen. Together we are stronger!

8

Addysg Heddwch i Ysgolion

Jani Evans / Eluned Lee: Bangor Meeting

Hoffwn ddiolch i’r aelodau o Brosect Addysg Heddwch Canolbarth Cymru am ein hysprydoli i ddechrau ein prosiect yng Nghyfarfod Ardal Gogledd Cymru.

Cawsom hyfforddiant amrhisiadwy, a’r cyfle i gysgodi eu rhaglen i gyd, gan gynnwys eu holl nodiadau.

Dechreusom ein rhaglen ein hunan yn lleol ar Ynys Mon yn Hydref 2018, ac erbyn hyn ryda ni wedi cyflawni y rhaglen mewn pedair ysgol. Mae’r adborth oddiwrth y plan a’r athrawon wedi bod yn bositf iawn, a rydan ni yn teimlo ei fod o’n fraint cael

gwneud y gwaith yma. Rydan ni wedi cysylltu a grwp Penaethiaid ysgolion Ynys Mon, ac yn gobeithio trefnu rhaglen i ysgolion erbyn y flwyddyn academaidd nesaf.

Rydan ni hefyd wedi cael gweithdy i hyfforddi gwirfoddolwyr newydd.

Mae’r rhaglen Addysg Heddwch yn cynnig awr yr wythnos mewn ysgol am chwe wythnos. Yn cefnogi’r rhaglen Cyfarfod Rhanbarth y Crynwyr yng Ngogledd Cymru, ond does dim sôn am Grynwriaeth ynddo.

Y brif nod ydi cynorthwyo’r plant i ddatblygu heddwch mewnol. Mae hyn yn eu galluogi i wneud perthynas heddychlon hefo eraill, a fedr arwain at gymunedau mwy heddychlon, ac yn y pen draw yn helpu i greu byd mwy heddychlon.

Bwriadwn wneud hyn drwy roi cyfle i’r plant fynegi eu teimladau ei hunan, bod yn ymwybodol o deimladau eraill, ac i ddatblygu cydymdeimlad.

Rydan ni yn dangos ffyrdd i helpu nhw wella eu perthynas ag eraill; sut i ymlacio drwy dechnegau meddylgar; a sut i ddelio hefo teimladau o ddicter a sefyllfaoedd lle mae gwrthdaro yn codi; sut i werthfawrogi gwahaniaethau rhwng pobl a dechrau dysgu sut i gyd-weithio.

Gwneir y gwaith o fewn cylch, lle mae pawb yn gyfartal, a pheth gwaith mewn grwpiau bach.

I weithio hefo’r plant, defnyddiwn gemau,

storiâu, actio a thrafodaeth.

Rhwng y gweithgareddau, defnyddiwn dechnegau meddylgar, canolbwyntio ar ein hanadlu, gwrando ar sŵn arbennig neu wrando ar stori, a hefyd defnyddio “Techneg Hafan”, ffordd o ymlacio drwy gyffyrddiad ysgafn.

Defnyddiwn amrywiaeth o gemau i anelu at wella sgiliau gwrando, datblygu cyd-weithio, ac adeiladu hyder.

Ar ddiwedd y rhaglen gofynnwn am adborth ysgrifenedig gan yr athrawon a’r disgyblion.

Tîm bach o wirfoddolwyr profiadol, wedi ein hyfforddi yn y maes ydan ni, a rydan ni yn gweithio mewn parau.

Mae’r rhaglen a’r nodiadau ysgrifenedig yn cael eu cynnig yn Gymraeg i ddisgyblion mewn ysgolion cynradd; dosbarthiadau 5 a 6 mewn ysgolion mawr, ac i ddosbarthiadau 3,4, 5 a 6 mewn ysgolion bach.

*********

Jani & Eluned, after training for the 6-week Peaceful Schools Programme, have since run the course in four schools on Anglesey. They are grateful to the Mid-Wales Peaceful Schools Project who inspired them and provided invaluable training. They are now training new people to run the course in other schools.

For more information contact:

Jani Evans janievansmac@gmail.com rhif ffôn 07814892320 Eluned Lee elunedlee@hotmail.com rhif ffôn 07773473443

Quaker Studies: Gethin Evans’s article

‘Our Quaker Dead’: A Forgotten Quaker History is available at https://online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/toc/quaker/24/1

This article studies Quakers who died in the First World War, and seeks to uncover the story of a group of men whose sacrifice has been over-looked and largely forgotten.

9

Finding Inner Stillness -

Spirituality without Supernaturalism

John Senior

On a sunny day in May Friends gathered at tranquil Dolobran MH for a day of ‘Finding Inner Stillness – an Experiential Exploration following leads given in A&Q 1 & 3’.

This was the culmination of thoughts I first expressed in a short article ‘Words killeth’ published in the Friend, 8 June 2018, and subsequently developed into a 20 minute talk 'Quaker spiritual practice – A&Q 1&3 shorn of supernaturalism' given at the Non-theist Friends Network Conference this year. I had become frustrated that discussion about the meaning of words used in Qf&p had become a distraction from our mystical experiential roots. There are however, in Advices and Queries at the very beginning of Qf&p, four clear pointers:

'All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness of the divine and to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness...

…even amid the activities of daily life’. (A&Q 3)

'Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Trust them as the leadings of God whose Light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life'. (A&Q 1)

'Hold yourself and others in the Light, knowing that all are cherished by God'. (A&Q 3)

Sadly, nowhere in Qf&p is there guidance on putting these instructions into practice. The response to my article was not encouraging – just a pedantic observation that ‘Words killeth’ is bad English: it should be ‘Words kill’ or ‘The word killeth’. Undaunted, I set about the task of uncovering practices behind these four instructions, starting by rewriting them shorn of their unhelpful veil of supernaturalism:

All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness…

…even amid the activities of daily life.

Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life.

Hold yourself and others in the Light.

Putting these directions into practice formed the structure of the day at Dolobran.

Geoffrey Hubbard (Qf&p 26.12, 1974) states that ‘…one approaches…by efforts which call for the deepest resources of one’s being…to the condition of true silence…not just of sitting still…but of a wide awake, fully aware non-thinking. The thinking me has vanished, and with it vanishes the sense of separation, of unique identity…one is conscious of being a participant in the whole of existence, not limited to the body or the moment… It is in this condition that one understands the nature of divine power, its essential identity with love, in the widest sense of that much misused word’.

We spent most of the morning trying out a range of methods for bringing the mind to stillness – methods widely used in the East, but less familiar to non-monastics in the West – to find one that worked best for each of us. First find a good posture and relax any tension in the body, scanning from scalp to toe (or toe to scalp). Then observe the breath, or look at a pebble, or chant a mantra – a short repeated word or phrase such as Maranatha (Aramaic: Our Lord comes) – under the breath with or without meditation beads, or practise a slow walking meditation taking a step forward on each breath. All are methods for focusing the mind so as to prevent wondering thoughts. Finally, once the mind had settled, watching thoughts as they arise and just letting them be: ‘Let through (into awareness), let be (without elaborating), let go’, or, perhaps more memorable, ‘Let unexpected visitors in through the open front door, let them out by the open back door, but don’t give them any biscuits!’ This is of little value unless we can maintain a degree of inner stillness ‘even amid the activities of daily life’. Although the discipline of a regular practice helps us respond to daily events in a non-judgemental manner rather than reacting on impulse, we need to be on the alert for loss of

10

equanimity. Reflecting on this was helped by reading two ancient stories http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/zen.html One, Taoist, compares the calm way an old farmer reacts when his horse escapes; returns with three wild horses; one of which throws the farmer’s son, breaking his leg; saving him from conscription. The other, Buddhist, compares the reactions of two monks when one helps a young woman by carrying her across a river: the other monk worries about the unseemly action of the first monk; who replies ‘I set her down on the other side, but you are still carrying her’.

Following a quiet lunch, the only distraction being a pair of redstarts feeding their young in their nest under the gable end, we took heed of the statement in A&Q 1 that ‘Light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life'. For this we are fortunate in having the guided meditation ‘Experiment with Light’: Rex Ambler’s carefully researched reconstruction of a practice referred to, for example, by Nayler (Qf&p 21.65), and in more detail in Fox’s letter of 1658 to Lady Elizabeth Claypole, and 24 years later in Penn’s ‘No Cross, No Crown’. The meditation is presented by Rex in the format ‘Mind the Light, Open to the Truth, Wait in the Light, Submit to the Truth’ – giving the acronym MOWS.

After the guided meditation we took advantage of the sunshine to spend half an hour alone in the garden absorbing what had arisen, and expressing it in words or drawing if inspired to do so, before gathering for a sharing session based on the guidance given in Qf&p 12.21.

Experiment with Light is a deep practice, best practised in a group that meets on a regular basis: for texts and guidance, and your nearest group, see www.experiment-with-light.org.uk

To complete the final admonition to ‘Hold yourself and others in the Light’ we wrote the names of those, including ourselves, whom we wished to hold in the Light on a small piece of paper which we folded and placed in a container – in our case a Tibetan ‘singing’ bowl. We lit a candle, and after declaring ‘We dedicate this time and space to the healing of all those who are named so that they may benefit from the Light’ we sat in the manner of Meeting. During the sit any other names that came to mind could be mentioned.

The day was brought to a close by declaring:

‘We wish all merits deriving now or in the future from these our practices to be distributed everywhere for the good of all’ shaking hands, and extinguishing the candle.

Thus we each found a PRACTICE for finding ‘an inner stillness’, considered our EQUANIMITY ‘even amid the activities of daily life’, engaged in EXPERIMENT WITH LIGHT to experience the ‘Light (that) shows us our darkness and brings us to new life’, and held ourselves and others in the LIGHT – giving the acronym PEEL. I hope that this will be of some assistance to all of us who are seeking to peel away outer delusions to find, and give life and expression to, the inward source of our strength – the Light within.

Down, griw annwyl, dan grynu At awel dawel o dy.

My efforts at an English version rather than a

translation – Frances Voelcker

In winds and wings and whispers

In stillness, spirit enters.

Come in, dear friends, to this quiet place

The breath of truth moves through us all

Welcome, friends, to this quiet place

Leave refreshed to work anew

Welcome to our waiting room,

Where mighty silence shakes the calm.

Come in, dear friends, for we have found

You hear more where there is no sound.

You hear better in a quiet place:

From this house the ripples spread.

11

Waiting till the word be given

Quaking on the verge of heaven

Come gather, friends, and welcome,

Together hearing heaven.

Sometimes an angel comes to

this house: might you be that angel?

Then meet to test our daunting aims

And strike out on the way we’re lead.

Who knows what’s in wait for you

So, welcome: we are waiting too.

Sometimes we’re shaken to the core

When we hear what we’re waiting for.

A Quaker haven, home – not strange:

A welcome waiting, friend or stranger.

Llongyfarchiadau Dafydd

Daeth Dafydd Jones, Cyfarfod Porthmadog,

Cyfarfod Rhanbarth Gogledd Cymru, i’r brig yn yr Eisteddfod

Genedlaethol yn Llanrwst gyda cherdd wedi’i llunio o chwe pennill telyn.

Dafydd Jones of Porthmadog Meeting, NWAM won a prize at the National Eisteddfod in Llanrwst with a six-verse poem, “Lleisiau” (Voices), about the voices of the countryside.

Vibrancy in Meetings Helen Oldridge

Britain Yearly Meeting and Woodbrooke trustees have made a decision based on the evaluation of our Vibrancy in Meetings Programme. The programme is a success and that was down to you, because of you and your meetings being willing to work with us. It’s through the interesting things that you have decided to do, your willingness to experiment, and to open your meetings to the programme, that this way forward has been discerned. We want to say that it has been a personal privilege to work in the Spirit with you all. I thank you for your trust with

time, thoughts and concerns. Sandra Berry, Director of Woodbrooke, and Paul Parker, the Recording Clerk of Quakers in Britain, have shared the following:

“The Trustees of Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre and Britain Yearly Meeting spent time together talking, listening and in worship. Together they took a decision to reshape the

way the two bodies work together, with the aim of improving the ways we serve

the needs of Quaker communities across Britain. First, they decided to extend and expand the successful Vibrancy in Meetings pilot programme. This joint pilot programme experimented with locating paid employees in different areas of Britain to test whether local support better enables Quaker communities to thrive.

After just two years, our evaluation told us that Friends in the Vibrancy areas felt more connected, confident and supported. A third of meetings involved were making changes to increase accessible or reduce demands on role holders. Others reported that the programme was helping bring meetings together as a community. Overall there was a clear message: locally based support helps Quakers not only be Quakers, but enjoy being Quakers. Based on this evidence trustees decided that within five years we should aim to have a local development worker in reach of each meeting.

The two Trustee bodies also agreed to experiment with hubs or clusters of support based outside London and Birmingham, moving the work closer to Friends. We’ll still need Friends House, and Woodbrooke has a programme of learning wider than support for meetings, but we can see many opportunities in thinking more flexibly. Our aim is to build better connections between local Quaker communities and the work being done for and on behalf of the yearly meeting. We hope to become more relevant to Quakers in all parts of Britain; to strengthen local resilience and reduce our carbon footprint.”

This means that not only is the work going to continue but that you have helped to show that we, as a yearly meeting, can move towards offering this to everyone over the next few years.

Vibrancy Local Development Workers at Woodbrooke

12

FOR YOUR DIARY Sat 21st September Mid-Wales Area Meeting Aberystwyth 10.00-16.30

Kindlers Workshop “Deepening Quaker Worship”: A day devoted to exploring the simple, radical and contemporary practice of Quaker worship

It will be helpful to have numbers in advance of those planning to attend.

28 September - 6 October Quaker Week 2019 -

Celebrate your Quaker work, faith and community. Local meetings can run events and share their faith on social media #QuakerWeek.

'Quaker Stories' is this year’s theme. What story can you tell? What is the story of your Quaker community? Find more information about organising a

Quaker Week event at www.quaker.org.uk/outreach

If you would like extra Welsh resources: leaflets, posters, books, or exhibition display boards, please contact MFW admin, Jules Montgomery,

admin@quakersinwales.org.uk

Sat 26th October Meeting of Friends in Wales

Newtown Methodist Church. 10.30 for 11am

A warm welcome to you. Our main speaker, Dr. Aled Eirug, explores the growth and impact of pacifist and anti-war movements in Wales; the role of Quakers and the development of a Christian based pacifism; and the conscientious objectors in Wales who led the charge against militarism and war at the time. Title: 'Opposition to the Great War in Wales'

Inhabited by Christ: the theology and spirituality of James Nayler: online Woodbrooke course

Tuesday, 22 October 2019 - Tuesday, 12 November 2019 £54.00 In this series of four purely online webinars running from 7.00pm to 9.00pm every Tuesday evening from 22 October to 12 November, we will focus on James Nayler, one of the most important leaders in the early Quaker movement.

https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/item/inhabited-by-christ-the-theology-and-spirituality-of-james-nayler-online/

19th November Seeking Sanctuary and Stillness

A time set aside to enjoy spaciousness and quiet in your own home and join with others online to share a sense of connection. Different spiritual practices will be offered, to help you to focus, and to settle into a place of deep peace and openness to all that is; the flowing vastness of presence. We will join together for silent worship and reflection during the day. £15.00

https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/item/seeking-sanctuary-and-stillness-november/

HOW TO CONTACT US

Please send your contributions to: Calon Editor: Ros Morley, 01248 601315

NB: email address: rosmorley3@gmail.com

THE DEADLINE FOR NEXT CALON:

Sunday 17th November 2019 We are keen to receive any articles, news,

events, poems, pictures, and feedback.

Please note the following updates:

Holyhead Meeting (North Wales Area Meeting) now meets in the Oratory (Prayer Room) of Holyhead Roman Catholic Church. Park at the RC school behind the church on Longford Road.

Ruthin Meeting (North Wales Area Meeting) now meets at The Red Lounge, 1–18 Llys Awelon, School Road, LL15 1JG. Follow signs.

Admin Notice – invitation to you Meeting of Friends in Wales has a general Quaker

emailing circulation community. Approximately

monthly, a range of events and news is circulated

including Quaker and Welsh concerns, interests,

events & activities. We are also able to circulate

your appropriate material via this network. We are

happy to add email addresses and remove email

addresses upon written request (i.e. by email).

To register your request, please email: admin@quakersinwales.org.uk

1998 issue 1 2002 issue 15 2004 issue 21 2004 issue 22 2004 issue 23 2005 issue 26 Any for 2006

Do you have any of these?

We can currently trying to locate past

issues of Calon for our archives. We

would be delighted to find copies of these. (contact admin email above)