Join Me On Night Shift
A therapeutic journey through darkness, designed for men. Redefine your place in the universe with a little help from midnight: stars, moon, owls.
Happy Friday!
And a warm welcome from the Palace.
For those of you new around these parts, welcome 👋 My name is David and I’m a writer, outdoor instructor, cyclist-at-large with Thighs of Steel, Expeditions Manager at British Exploring Society and trainee Advanced Wilderness Therapeutic Practitioner.
Yes, that is too many hats.
Normally, in this newsletter, I write stories that help you and me understand the world (and ourselves) a little better.
But today I am putting on one of the above hats and inviting you (yes, YOU!) to join me on Night Shift.
Night Shift: A Therapeutic Journey Through Darkness For Men
Today I am launching A Thing.
A Thing called Night Shift.
Night Shift is a therapeutic journey through darkness, in one of our most beautiful National Parks. It is designed for men to help them redefine their place in the universe, with a little help from midnight: stars, moon, owls.
I would LOVE your support getting this Thing off the ground. Please share abundantly — or apply to join us!
The mission of Night Shift is to reveal the awesome mystery of nighttime, and support men to:
Redefine your place in the universe.
Commit to your deep purpose.
Restore your resilience.
The programme consists of three stages:
Four evening preparation sessions at our woodland base camp.
One 15-25km therapeutic night hike from dusk until dawn. (Yep: an all nighter.)
One evening integration session back at our base camp.
This first trial will be held in the New Forest National Park — but keep reading if you are interested (or know someone who will be).
There is a waiting list for future editions, held literally anywhere there are enough people who need the journey.
Stage 1: Preparation
These 3-hour preparation sessions will take place on four consecutive Thursday evenings in July at our woodland base camp in the village of Burley in the New Forest, Hampshire.
The activities will be tailored to the therapeutic needs of the participants and will cover a range of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ skills, which we will use during our night journey.
Soft skills may include:
Self-reflection: who am I?
Intention-setting: who do I want to become?
Mapping our past, present and future and our spheres of influence.
Working with our archetypes.
Looking into the Wilderness Mirror.
Hard skills may include:
Foraging and plant identification.
Fire-lighting and management.
Wood craft, including knife work if appropriate.
Astronomy and natural navigation.
The final session will end with the Fear Council: what are you afraid of?
Stage 2: The Night Shift Journey
Starting at dusk on Saturday, we will hike 15-25km overnight across the New Forest, arriving at a sacred space at dawn.
Along the way, we will use all the skills and awareness that we developed together during our preparatory sessions.
There are no guarantees with this work, but expect to be tested, not only physically, but psychologically and emotionally, as darkness and wilderness work their magic.
These conditions are perfect for finding those ‘thin places’ where we might catch a glimpse of something far greater than ourselves — and return home changed.
Stage 3: Integration
A few days after our night journey, we will gather for one final evening back at our woodland base camp.
Through a series of collaborative and individual meaning-making exercises, we will integrate our nighttime experiences into our everyday lives.
What lessons will I take home with me?
What wisdom did I glimpse in the darkness?
How have I changed?
If you choose, things will never be the same again. This is your opportunity to decide for yourself: where will you go now?
There are still a couple of places available on this first trial Night Shift. The participation fee is £75, which just about covers my costs.
I will never have the opportunity to run this course so cheaply again (unless I get a big fat grant to do so 😂).
Why not take a step into the unknown? (Or share with someone who might need that kinda thing 🙏)
Thank You
Huge thanks to all the paying subscribers who helped make this story possible. You know who you are. Thank you. 💚
If you enjoyed this one, then go ahead and tell me. It’s the only way I’ll know. You can tap the heart button, write a comment, share the newsletter with friends, or simply reply to this email.
If you’re not into the whole Substack subscription thing, then you can also make a one-off, choose-your-own-contribution via PayPal. That’d make my day.
As always, thank you for your eyeballs and thanks for your support.
diwyc,
dc:
What a fantastic idea and I’m looking forward to see how this evolves :-)