The Call of the Wild Geese – Online Service

Zoom Service. Taking place at 11am on Sunday 3rd May. If you wish to access the serivce the code is as follows: Meeting ID: 841 9082 8195 (No password required)

Hosted by Altrincham and Urmston Unitarian congregations

It explores the many and varied sources of inspiration and encouragement that are available to us if we have our eyes and ears open to them. How we too can be those sources. It will look closely at one of my favourites the Canada Geese and their wild honking. We need to honk together and honk and on and on. sorces of inspiration include Wendell Berry, Parker J Palmer, Mary Oliver, The Gospel of Mark, a Story from the native american tradition, Angeles Arrian, Wild Geese and ordinary folk.

All are most welcome…Come as you are, exactly as you are…but do not expect to leave in exactly the same condition…

The following is an extract from the service…

“Lessons from Geese” by Angeles Arrian

It is adapted from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the organisations Development network in 1991 and is based on the work of Milton Olsen

When flying in V formation each goose creates uplift for the birds flying behind it, by flapping its wings. The whole flock together creates 71 % greater range than if each bird flew alone.

People who share a common sense of direction and community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to lead position.

It pays to take turns doing the hard work and sharing leadership, as with geese, people are interdependent on each others skills, talents, understanding and capabilities.

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those at the front to keep going.

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. Groups where the honking is encouraging work much better. The power of ‘encouragement (to stand by one’s core values and beliefs and encourage the core values and beliefs of others in the group) is the quality of honking we seek.

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay until it dies or can fly again. Then they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock. .

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

May we have at least as much sense as geese.

from a speech given by Angeles Arrien, based on the work of Milton Olson

May we have as much sense as geese. These words came to me as I sat in silence the other morning. Each day as part of my daily spiritual disciplines I share a Zoom meditation, with many other people on line. During the silence that morning I heard that familiar sound of geese honking through my open window. It brought a smile to my face and lifted me up when I felt a little dispirited, it re-connected me in so many beautiful ways. It felt like they were honking for me, when in fact they were encouraging one another. I have been honking along and encouraging others to honk on ever sense.

We humans can and do have the same sense as the geese, certainly the folk in my meditation group do as they do in fact take it in turns to encourage each other, when they need it, each takes their turn in leading and when one gets tired and even falls they help one another. This is the basis of any spiritual community, actually any community even one that does not physically meet.