Wilderness Spiritual Journey

[Non Religious}

‘WALKING YOUR SACRED PATH- A S
‘Walking your sacred path – a spiritual wilderness journey of self-discovery’

In today’s modern world where change is evident within every aspect of our lives, this is never more felt than by those of us who find ourselves ‘lost’ amid the chaos which sometimes surrounds our every day lives. In addition to struggling in order to keep up with a demanding and changing world, we sometimes struggle daily with trying to better understand ourselves within the context of our lives and the social situation we frequently find ourselves in.

Whether we are aware of it or not, we are in reality engaged continually in exploring what it means to be human. Life is in essence, a spiritual journey through which we struggle to come to terms with mysteries and uncertainties of human existence whilst trying to establish meaningful standards and values by which to live by.

Many of us travel paths along our life’s journey and whilst for some, we find our ‘true path’, many do not due to the many distractions and diversions that are encountered along the way. It is our belief, that the ‘path’ that works for an individual ‘is’ the right one for that individual irrespective of the journey they make, both internally or externally.  We also believe, that in to-days ever  demanding changing world, many individuals are exposed to lifestyles that prevent them from experiencing an inner peace and connectedness, which inevitably may well lead to a negative well being state, both physically and emotionally. In essence, they struggle to find their ‘right path’.

It is our aim through our Spiritual Self-Discovery Journeys, to assist individuals to find their ‘right path’ through:-
recharging their inner life force ‘batteries’,

supporting the individual whilst walking their own [internal & external] sacred path in order to obtain their own understanding and interpretations of spirituality in a non religious sense,

assisting individuals to explore their inner beliefs and psychological constructs,

seeking an understanding of personal and Natural chakras through which life force ebbs and flows,

introducing the individual to the concept of Driver Behaviour mechanisms that dictate and influence our everyday behaviour responses,

leading the individual through a series of therapeutic challenges whilst physically walking their ‘sacred Journey’.

Led by experienced and knowledgeable practitioners (an Englishmen and a Hungarian) our main Journey which we undertake each year, takes us to the Pilis Forest [north west of Budapest in Hungary] passing through Dobogoko in the middle of the forest and which the Dalai Lama once referred to as being ‘one of the major central Chakras of Mother Earth’.

Throughout each year, similar Journeys will take place in other Natural Forests within Europe as well as a unique Journey to Argentina and Natal, and one Journey a year to the Scottish Island wilderness areas.

Our programmes will take you on a spiritual wilderness Journey through Nature and the Natural Environment giving you the opportunity along the way to experience a variety of spiritual moments within Nature. A major part of all Journey’s will involve each individual passing through Nature’s Jehari Doorway in a ‘rite of passage’ experience.
This potent and mystical symbolic ritual, will allow the individual to cleanse their inner self through passing through their own doorway, ‘off loading’ as they pass through, negative issues whilst taking on board, new understandings of their positive inner self.

It should be understood, that our Journey’s are not a ‘walk in the park’ nor are they an adventure holiday but a Journey through Nature and the Natural Environment with the intention of seeking to re-connect to your own idea and understanding of your spirituality. The Journey’s will be demanding especially as we travel through wilderness terrain although you will only be required to carry with you, a day rucksack as all other equipment will be transported from camp site to camp site allowing you the freedom to Journey without the added discomfort of a heavy rucksack. During the Journey, there will be one twenty four hour solo and one all night camp fire story telling session where individuals will be able to experience the uniqueness of the CAMBERT approach.

We acknowledge and accept that each individual has their own understanding, belief system and interpretation of what is meant by ‘spirituality’ and as such, we have no wish to change this viewpoint. However, we hold dear to the belief that spirituality and personal well being does not necessarily involve a religious element but rather involves each individual having an understanding of their own connection with their inner true self, and, being at peace with their individual chakra’s paying due regard to the chakra of Mother Earth. In this context however, your own God is welcome to join you on your Journey.

The CAMBERT approach, which is one ‘corner stone’ of our spiritual Journeys, was devised many years ago by Frank Grant [co-founder of AMSJ – Anglo Magyar Spiritual Journeys] through his work with victims of child sexual abuse where he utilised the Natural Environment as a working metaphor to aid partial or full recovery from unresolved inner trauma issues. This approach assists the individual to explore their ‘mirror image’ through Nature so as to allow them to begin to understand the complex psyche of this image that others see, so that they can make informed choices to change aspects of it if they so wish.

CAMBERT is an anagram of Connecting; Awareness; Meaning; Becoming; Ethics; Realisation and Transcendence and represent the stages an individual needs to go through in order to connect with their inner spirituality.

Connecting with the inner self – gaining an increased awareness of a connection with the self and others through aspects of mother earth and her natural mantle of life.

Awareness – understanding the meaning of individual spirituality in relation to Nature’s life rhythm and its significance to a spiritual [non religious] existence.

Meaning –understanding the significance of life within the context of this modern ever changing ever demanding world - making sense of personal situations, life styles and our very existence.

Becoming – an exploration of an unfolding life that demands reflection and reviewing in order to seek a spiritual path forward.

Ethical values – exploring beliefs, standards, morality and a life philosophy that needs to be cherished in order to develop and move towards total spiritual freedom.

Realisation -  that we are responsible for our own spirituality, our own life’s journey and more importantly, the sacred path we are free to choose throughout life. Of course, this area looks at those barriers we ourselves and others put in our path.

Transcendence – to experience and appreciate life outside and beyond the self. This in is itself total self-actualisation of the body, mind and spirit.

The Journeys abroad are usually of twelve to fourteen days duration but for some Journeys it may be longer. The UK journeys are usually over a weekend but can be five days in certain circumstances. The cost is all inclusive although on those journeys abroad, we expect individuals to make their own way from and to the airport of departure/arrival within the United Kingdom. For those individuals living outside the U.K., if they choose to make their own way to the meeting point in the country of the Journey, then this will be reflected in the cost.

Because we feel that being close to Nature brings its own sense of spirituality to each individual, there will be occasions along the Journey when you will have to use bush craft skills to sustain yourself. For example, we will show you how to catch, clean and cook your own fish* over an open fire, bake and cook your own bread, cook meals, boil eggs in oranges and many other bush-craft approaches to survival techniques in the wilderness. The Journey will align itself to an holistic eco friendly approach with natural bivvy shelters being used on occasions as well as sleeping in single person tents.

* This of course, will depend on the availability of water suitable for fishing and so may not occur on every Journey.

Each individual participant will of course, only get out of their Journey what they put in and so we expect that all those who come on any Journey, will come with an open mind with motivation to explore their inner self with help from experienced practitioners. Before starting the Journey, each individual will have an opportunity to assess their own internal Driver construct which ‘drives’ their behaviour and more importantly, influence and sometimes dictates their responses to daily situations they find themselves in.

As we develop Drivers in our infancy, we learn about how we should behave in order to get the approval, love and recognition that we feel we need from others, usually parents, family members etc. These messages taken in during our infancy can be particularly powerful in shaping later behaviour especially when as infants our “thinking” argues that our very survival could be at risk unless we have the love and approval of caring adults around us.

In essence, we take on board those messages about what we must do to please adults and in particular, parent figures and those in authority. These messages we take on board, can be either verbal or non-verbal in origin. In later life, we develop and shape our own behaviour by ‘modeling’ from such adult/parent figures and from the ideas we develop about life from the rewards and punishments we have received whilst growing up.  

In reality, individuals rarely fit into nice neat boxes as each of us have personal patterns which involve to some degree, a combination of some driver characteristics which may in design, be very similar to that exhibited by individuals harbouring unresolved trauma issues.

Whilst our preferences for how we behave are dependent on the strength and interpretation of the messages we received in our childhood, there are similarities in the messages we may have interpreted from those adult who have the responsibility of caring for us through our developing childhood. These Drivers operate as working styles, or a preferred approach to life. Each driver has both strengths and weaknesses and it is the contamination of these strengths and weaknesses that allow one or more Drivers to be more influential in our everyday responses and interaction with other individuals.   

When we become stressed, we feel compelled or “driven” to behave in a particular way or manner.  Driver Behaviour, is therefore rather like a superstition: i.e. we will operate as if certain styles of behaviours will ward off problems and earn us the respect and ‘love’ of others.




Unfortunately, we can never do quite enough of what any particular Driver calls for and in seeking to be more and more as we think we should be, further problems are created. We can become stressed and so we put even more effort into our ‘Driver Behaviour’ which again, creates even more problems leading to even more stress. Before long, we get caught in a vicious cycle that we can only get out of by having an insight and awareness into our ‘Driver Behaviour’.

During the Journey, not only will we discover our own internal ‘Drivers’ [Hurry Up, Be Strong, Be Perfect, Try Hard and Please me/Please Others] but more importantly, come to understand how they can affect our internal emotional state as well as everyday presenting behaviour patterns which. In addition, we will explore the drama Triangle with the view of understanding our own ever changing position between being the victim, the rescuer and the persecutor.

Because of the demands such journeys take on the individual, potential participants will have to complete a full medical questionnaire before a firm place is offered. Journey leaders carry appropriate current first aid certificates as well as other professional and appropriate qualifications suitable for the task of each Journey.

Most Journeys involve walking as a mode of transport but there may be occasions when we will use Canadian canoes. We will of course, provide all necessary equipment needed for every Journey and can if required, loan certain items of equipment.




































The costs of Overseas Journeys includes:-
Return flight from U.K. to Country of Journey
Hotel accommodation
All necessary equipment use
All food during Journey
Transport when in Country of Journey
Equipment/gear carriers during journey
Last evening meal in Country of Journey
CD record of Journey
Journey camp site coordinator
Experienced and professionally qualified Journey leaders
Daily programme centered around self-discovery and spiritual connection through nature.
One day sightseeing in Country of Journey (but does not include personal souvenirs etc) although there will be some Journeys which will allow for two sight seeing days.

Please Note: A non refundable deposit of £288 is required to guarantee a place along with a completed medical form for all overseas Journeys.


The costs of U.K.Journeys includes:-
Accommodation
Food/meals
Use of equipment if necessary
Bush craft training
Experienced and professionally qualified Journey leaders
Participation in a variety of Nature therapeutic activities.
Daily programme centered around self-discovery and spiritual connection through nature






“I am a ray of Sunlight;
I am the breath of Life;
I am the whisper in the wind:
Yet I know not myself”.
anon– circa 1650








                     An Example of a 14 Day Journey Programme  

Due to the nature of the programme, it is not possible to say what the group will be doing on any specific day. The weather will play a large part in the programme delivery as well as the emotional and physical state of the group.  Given that we will be Journeying through some very aesthetic and spiritually moving natural environments, it is possible that we may spend more time in one area than in another. However, the following programme gives an indication as to what to expect along the Journey.

Before the Journey, complete a Driver Behaviour questionnaire.

Day 1: Arrive at Country destination – stay in Hotel for the night. Evening talk about the journey with questions answered.

Day 2: Set off for camp 1 - sleep in single person tents.

Day 3: Some group sessions – team building and ice breakers using the Natural Environment.

Day 4: Walk to 2nd camp site – with a spiritual dimension along the way.

Day 5: Walk to 3rd camp site, individually doing Nature’s life story work along the way – evening session looking at Driver Behaviour and how this plays a significant role in our every day lives.

Day 6: Therapeutic work using trees in the forest or if in a desert, at an Oasis. Preparing and cooking evening meal on open camp fire. All night camp fire ritual-story telling.

Day 7: Late start to day – preparing for 24 hour solo journey.

Day 8: Walk to 4th camp site - with spiritual overtones along the way.

Day 9: Go out on 24 hour solo journey Overnight stay in self-prepared bivvy.

Day 10: visit by group leader. Return to camp site. ‘Tacky’ camp fire ritual

Day 11: Walk to 6th camp doing ‘Right of Passage’ Nature’s Doorway ritual during the Journey. This will take up the whole day and the early part of the evening.

Day 12: Journey ends with transportation to host City. Stay in a Hotel. Opportunities for the group and/or individuals to evaluate their Journey and to give and receive feedback from the Journey leaders.

Day 13: Free sightseeing day with final group evening meal.

Day 14: Return home.

Of course, the above programme may alter due to circumstances arising that make it appropriate for such a change, although generally, all of the above will be followed and included in all programmes at some point in the Journey.

Every morning around 7am, there will be opportunities (not compulsory) to attend a ceremony within Nature which involves meditation, breathing exercises, and a ‘space of solitude’. These sessions will be led by the two Journey Leaders alternately.




Participants are asked to bring with them the following items* which will play a significant role in the self-discovery process that each individual will be introduced to.

Not compulsory but it would benefit an holistic understanding of the therapeutic and spiritual purpose of the overall Journey.

An early baby photo (one that does not indicate that it is you)

An old favourite childhood (small) toy or something that represents such a toy

Some clothes that represent who you are or what you do in life [these will not be returning with you so ensue that their loss is acceptable]

A photo of yourself that you do not like and would be happy for it not to exist

A thin piece of string approximately 4 – 6 feet in length.

An open mind that is willing to explore the inner self through connecting with Nature using a wide variety of therapeutic exercises within the Natural Environment.
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Because the Journey will be essential a Journey through Nature, you are asked NOT to bring the following items on the Journey with you although they may be brought and left in a safe place until the end of the Journey:

Mobile phone
Pocket computer
Watches
GP’s
Lap tops
Radios
Personal cd players or any other technological items that may detract from living with Nature whilst travelling through it.

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Journey Sticks:
During the Journey, each individual will carry with them a self-made Journey stick that will record their own experiences and feelings along the Journey. They will be made from natural items in nature and as such will celebrate and crystallise experiences and change and bring to the memory after the Journey, moments of Spirituality that the individual has experienced.  

Nature’s Life Stories:
Several times along the Journey, each individual will have the opportunity to design in Nature a story of their life. This will form a significant part of the overall Self-Discovery and Spirituality process.

Respect:
All participants on any Journey, will be expected to accord unconditional respect for Nature, the Natural Environment and each other.






                     An Example of a Weekends Journey Programme  

Meet Friday evening – complete Driver Behaviour and Learning Style questionnaires; camp fire discussion about the following two days programme.

Saturday [in no order of sequence]
Practical session building and using Nature’s Jehari doorway (or window)

Nature’s Life Story - each individual will have the opportunity to design in Nature a story of their life. This will form a significant part of the overall Self-Discovery and Spirituality process.

Reflection and reviewing childhood in relation to connecting back to the central charka of nature and birth.

Solo reflective time to write self re-connecting letter.


Sunday [in no order of sequence]
Physical journey using trees along the way to re-connect back to the inner self and to address unresolved internal issues preventing positive development and progress.

Changing the image (using an old photo that you do not like of yourself)

Story telling as a metaphor for raising issues within the self.

Final debrief and evaluation process.






























Spiritual Journeys Content

Your individual Journey will start when you have registered for a place on one of our Journeys. You will be sent a questionnaire before coming on the Journey which will identify your current daily Driver Behaviour mechanisms [Transactional Analysis].

This is the psychoanalytical approach to understanding what internal Drivers you have developed during your early childhood, refined during your adolescence and adulthood, and, which ‘drive’ you to do what you do, react and respond the way you do in order to get through your daily life routine. There are both positive as well as negative aspects to your Driver Behaviours and an understanding of these will help you assess and evaluate aspects of your current and past life experiences with a view to changing how you react and respond in the future, if this is your chosen aim.

This exercise is done individually and the results will not be shared with anyone else as they only relate to your own responses to the 25 questions asked. This understanding will assist you when on the 24 solo bivvy as evaluating and connecting with your true inner self will be the main purpose during this solo activity.

In addition, during the whole journey, we shall make attempts to undertake some if not all of the following during the Journey itself although some of the content listed below, may well be adopted and implemented during the pre-Journey weekend (which of course, is included in the overall cost):-

*Using Trees to connect with the inner self.
*Using string (with/without trees) to define connectedness with others and the self.
*Going on a 24 hour Solo Bivvy with individual therapeutic input from facilitators.
*Write a letter and address to self (during 24 hour solo experience)
*Using the Natural Environment to represent your understanding of your own life story.
*Ancient Rite of Passage – a symbolic ritual of self-discovery for change using Nature’s
  Doorway ritual.
*Viewing your life, past, present and future through Nature’s Jehari window.
*Making a mask of your spirituality both internal and external.
*Driver Questionnaire (before Journey starts)
*Story telling using metaphors and reality during camp fire ritual.
*Re-inventing the new you - (photos and old clothes ceremony)
*Re-connecting to a magical and special awareness - (toy or toy representation)
*Journey memory sticks.
*Toon cards – giving and taking to/from self and others.
*Self portrait in poetry.


Of course, we will be interacting continually with Nature and the Natural Environment and will be using many aspects of this as we Journey through it in order to participate in many aspects of the above programme content.our solo bivvySolo












APPLICATION FORM – Wilderness Self-Discovery Spiritual Journey

PLEASE  COMPLETE AND SEND TO:
F. J. Grant, Sebergham Castle House, Welton, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA5 7HG

Personal Information required:-
Full Name:

Gender:

Date of birth:

Home Address:





Tel:
Fax:
E-mail:


Lifestyle Information required:-
Vegetarian:                        Yes         No

An eating issue (anorexia/bulimia etc)         Yes        No

If Yes, please explain:


A sleeping issue (insomniac/restless/night terrors etc)   Yes       No



Fears/phobias:





















Medical Questionnaire:-

Name:


[1] Do you suffer from any of the following to such a degree that it affects you every day: [please tick]
i)asthma
ii)diabetes
iii)heart trouble
iv)high blood pressure
v)low blood pressure
vi)high cholesterol
vii)anxiety
viii)stress
ix)depression
x)hearing impairment
xi)visual impairment
xii)speech impairment


[2] Are you currently under the supervision of any medical practitioner?    Yes       No


[2a] If Yes, please explain:




[3] How would you describe your level of fitness:
i)exercise regularly i.e. more than three times a week
ii)exercise once or twice a week
iii)exercise infrequently
iv)         have not exercised in the past year
v)        am slightly over weight for my height
vi)       am slightly under weight for my height


[4] Do you have any allergies?     Yes         No


[4a] If Yes, please list


[5] Is there anything we should know regarding your medical history that may preclude you
     from participating in a Journey?      Yes                       No


[5a] if Yes, please explain.



Signed and dated:

Witnessed: [Please print name and relation to applicant].



EQUIPMENT

Do you have the following [Please tick if you have]
Walking boots

A sleeping bag

Sleeping bag liner

Day rucksack

Walking poles

Cagouls or any other appropriate wet weather gear

Head torch

Karrimat

If you do not have any of the above items, we will provide them for you.


You will need to provide the following:-
Sun cream

Washing equipment

Towels

Appropriate clothing for forest walking

Warm hat (for sun and rain)

Thermal gloves

Change of underclothes

Water bottle

Sun glasses

Fleece/warm woolen jumper

Waterproof jacket and over trousers












AMSJ staff team

Frank Grant – Born Plymouth UK 1944.  School failure. Royal Air Force-Civil Service-Youth Worker-Residential Social Worker-Independent Therapeutic Adventure Counsellor – Child Care Consultant and Nature Therapist.

Author:
“The Silent Victims” (Child Sexual Abuse-Issues & Consequences for victims),
 Two poetry books (Thoughts & Feelings and Lyrical Lakeland)
“The Skilled Practitioner” (A Resource for Practitioners working with young people)
 Numerous articles for Horizons Journal (Institute for Outdoor Learning)
“Pandora’s Box Re-opened” a ten year research project into self-harming behaviour issues.
“Climbing with Angels & Ghosts” a look at the author’s five near death experiences whilst
  involved in adventurous activities along with a autobiographical account of his life of
  adventure from the age of 4 until his 60th birthday.

Some major Training Seminar/Workshops delivered:-
Chicago; Oslo; Stockholm; Victoria[B.C. Canada]; Vancouver, University of Victoria[B.C. Canada]; Czech Republic; Moscow; Turkey; New Zealand; Germany; Hungary; Estonia; Republic of Ireland and venues throughout the United Kingdom.

Aspirations: Climbing Everest – growing very old – continuing to learn and to assist others in their journey to connect with their inner self and non religious spirituality.

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Szabo Gabor  – Born Budapest, Hungary 1972. Psychologist, Outdoor Trainer and Adventure Based Counsellor,  Adventure Therapist, Family Mediator and self-trained in psychodrama.

Author:
Articles on sensation seeking and anxiety and therapeutic adventure.

Some major Training Seminar/Workshops delivered:-
Vienna; Budapest(Hungary); Turkey; Slovenia; Miskolc(Hungary)[2005 & 2006]; New Zealand.

Aspirations:
To be a good loving father and partner. Undertake expeditions to untouched environments and to continue to help other individuals respect Mother Earth, Nature and the Natural Environment as well as themselves.   


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