The Enclosed Garden is one of the oldest expressions of civilization, and possessesa long and direct relationship to symbolism and mythology. Such a garden creates afertile place of verdant abundance, a haven of peace and quiet, shade and water,order and pleasure and a retreat from a hostile, threatening and chaotic wilderness.The world beyond the wall is boundless, expansive, universal, timeless and chaotic.By contrast, the world within the wall provides us with a sense of palpability of therich dark earth or the ‘erotic’ sense of space; senses and feelings of safety, finitudeand individuality: a Temenos for the soul. This lecture explores three images of theEnclosed Garden: the Garden of Eden, the Islamic Garden and the Taoist Garden.The enclosed garden symbolises not only our coming into being, but also our journeyof becoming.

This talk explores ways to engage in climate change conversations to facilitate conscious change. Sally draws on stories from facilitating in depth discussions in a research group, where participants shared their dreams, imaginings, frustrations, grief, hopes, fears and inspirations in relation to climate change. This process enabled participants to reflect on their changing personal and collective myths, while nurturing the awareness required to sustain ongoing climate engagement and action. Engagement with the emotional and existential dimensions of climate change, can open space re-conceptualisation of the problems and innovative solutions.

This lecture discusses the loss of feminine representation, including in the changing myths and religious stories, and its impact on society. It explores challenges for women when they feel alienated from their instinctive femininity and for men when they are only able to connect with their femininity in private. There is a strong call to re-personify the feminine values, for all genders, through the re-evocation of the goddess archetype.