How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
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Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
How can we live meaningful lives?
Meaning comes from moments
of creativity, collaboration and connection
~
We share a world full of meaning
We experience a world that is creative,
Where every moment has unique creative potential
and is constantly developing into something new
~
We all experience meaningful moments
The more we reflect on, develop and share those moments
the more meaningful they become
The first step to a meaningful life
is to value your experience
~
All meaning comes from experience
from the richness, quality and diversity of life
~
You are the only you there has ever been, or will ever be
and you are here right now
in this moment
“At the still point of the turning world”
Life is a creative process
~
The universe unfolds like a dance
where every step
every moment
plays its part
Creativity builds capability
~
The world needs you to be yourself
to give expression to your uniqueness
In being ourselves we encourage others
and the dance goes on
Collaboration adds value
~
We are in this together
our intentions matter
We are better together
our interests are aligned
Helping may not help
~
If we value experience, we will value each other
We all have a unique perspective to share
Sometimes all we need is someone to walk beside us
No one is an island
~
We are never alone
Every moment contributes to our long-term development
as individuals, groups and communities
~
Life is meaningful when we value our connections
Every moment matters
~
We find meaning by paying attention
to the moments we experience
and looking for ways to
create collaborate and connect
~
All change happens in a moment
Let’s get started!
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
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Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
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When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
A venture into ideas
Introducing the philosophy of process
in development
Where do ideas come from?
One thing I know is that they are not my ideas
we cannot own them
~
Ideas occur to us
When we venture into the world of ideas
we know there is nothing new under the sun
~
“There is only the fight to recover what has been lost and found and lost again and again”
Yet when we read for the first time
ideas that have shaped us
we experience a moment
as fresh as the dawn
and as ancient as the earth
I feel this way when I read about Alfred North Whitehead and process philosophy
~
I recommend This video introduction
The first 45 minutes is an excellent background to the history of philosophy
after that Matt Segall launches into a passionate and inspiring introduction to Whitehead’s work.
~
Here are a few moments that caught my attention…
‘Actual occasions of experience’ – moments – are the fundamental constituents of the universe
Each moment inherits the past and anticipates the future
~
Who I am is a gift from others that I have entered into a relationship with.
~
In each moment I inhale the experience of others and exhale my own unique integration of that experience
The universe is an orchestra
full of many different kinds of instruments
~
Over the course of cosmic evolution new musical scores are produced
as the orchestra gradually intensifies the beauty of the music that is playing.
Human consciousness is an expression of this cosmic music
~
Our experience of actuality is a value experience
~
When we experience a moment we are conscious of a vague sense
that there is ‘something that matters’
when we attend to this experience
the meaning in the universe is revealed
Consciousness emphasises by abstraction
~
There is a three – fold character to the ‘something that matters’
internality
externality
totality
our sense of this three-fold character can guide us into rising clarity through:
the internality of our experiencing
the externality of many facts
the totality of actual fact
Each moment has intrinsic importance
for itself
for others
for the whole
~
Creativity (Whitehead’s ultimate principle) is the expression of harmony in these three fields of experience.
“Every moment is a dance in the choreography of co-existence”
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
We start by letting go
Reflections at the turning of the year
As I stood at Stanton Drew and watched the sun go down on 2025
it occurred to me that this was a simple example of what it means to be in development
– in development we support each other to live meaningful lives.
Experiencing the gradual shifting of light
in a place that’s held significance for thousands of years
felt deeply meaningful
– so much more than any turning of a clock counter
(or the fleeting flash of fireworks).
However we mark it there is meaning in this new year moment.
Perhaps this is the one time when we recognise how opposites inhabit each other?
When our thoughts naturally to turn to endings and beginnings,
we can see the truth in TS Elliot’s suggestion that
“the end is where we start from”
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment
– each step on the journey of life –
is both an end and a beginning
and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Many journeys start on uncertain grounds
along the borders of anxiety
but I’m practiced enough now to wait
for the deep sigh that comes like a welcome breeze
with a reminder that in development
we have to let go
There is no movement without release.
If you’re not sure of this, try this little experiment that I read about this morning:
Clasp your hands tightly and at the same time think as hard as you can that you cannot not take them apart.
Then, whilst concentrated on that thought, try to separate them.
You can try as hard as you like but you’ll find it impossible
until you dismiss the thought
and accept that there is no reason in the world
why you should not let go
So I’d like to invite you to start the year
by stepping out from your front door,
to see what you can let go of
and if you can find the freedom
to begin again
in development.
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice”
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
Remember
a walk in development
In the Autumn stillness
a blackbird’s whistle
echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass
while the steam from long-departed trains
fades to morning mist
Layers of memories
like fallen leaves
sink back into the land
The wheel has turned.
What once stood tall
now leans into the ground
and lifts up those behind
to take their turn.
What is lost still feeds us
and gives us space to grow
This aged willow
resilient beyond reckoning
cradles the tenderest memories
in its time calloused shell
The endless, senseless sadness
of glory abandoned
is a silent, stark reminder
of all that we are missing
Then a family outing passes
with cries of wonder and delight
and a new generation
is seen through the eye
of a fallen tree
Where can we find hope?
Water drips
from the doomsday mill
flowers still bloom
time is held
only when released
Though the curtain has fallen
on this forever place
and the players have withdrawn
we can still feel their struggles
and sense the raw taste of history
Wisps of mist
float on the breeze
over a patchwork of hedges
and the hidden worlds below
Step for a moment between the worlds
walk in another dimension
until this fleeting glimpse of mystery
slips through your grasp
A serendipitous meeting
as moments are shared,
the sky cracks open
and radiance is released
Open
only for the birds
The heart sings along
In a world renewed
At the peak
nestled in the rocks
is the space I carry with me
and the hardest one to leave.
Always on the cusp of transformation
always measureless, ethereal
as glints of gold and silver slivers
shine through the cobweb land below.
Turn by turn
we breathe in the endless restless wind
and gasp at the ever changing vista
’til we too must leave
and take only this sweeping moment
and the knowledge
that this next unseen revelation
will reach us from afar
Take in all we can
At the edge of the earth
then sink into the dark
and walk through the netherworld
where everything is possible
and imagination free
We may face forward
but why hurry on
when all we love
is here, or behind?
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
Walks in Development
Walking is our natural guide
to all of our development
a walk has a natural flow
that follows the process of development
our attention shifts
as we walk through three phases
beginning
middle
and end
we consider different perspectives
reflect on open questions
and gather moments we can learn from
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
How can we foster interaction?
This small park in Perranporth is a regular meeting place for locals.
I felt honoured to be taken into their world
while I waited to get into church behind the park
– my resting place for the night.
Go slowly enough to notice
The different kinds of time
The changing light
The weather
The phases of the day
The time it takes for geese to eat grass
For a seagull to land and the surface to settle
For a sleeping duck to drift to the end of the lake.
Some of my most memorable interactions have taken place in the open air.
Often this is because I have stopped, to take in a view perhaps, or notice something moving.
Maybe it’s because I’m more relaxed outside
Where no introduction is required
and it’s enough to be ‘just a guy taking a walk’ –
but I’ve met some lovely people this way
and shared some special moments.
I’ll keep walking
and sharing moments
outside
and perhaps our paths will cross
Where are you most at home?
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
Will we recognise each other?
I took this picture in Love Harbour during a walk along the Cornish Celtic Way
Coming down the hill into crowds of shoppers was quite a shock after a morning walking alone
I felt very out of place as I struggled through the crowds with my heavy pack.
However, when I reached the bridge where this picture was taken
I could see that there are two contrasting sides of the harbour
cars and crowds to the left
boats and quiet to the right.
The moment reminds me that
I am not the only one walking against the tide.
that other people may be feeling equally alone
and we would do well to look out for each other.
I see the moment as an invitation to map our network
to seek out our fellow travellers
and explore how we can support each other.
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
Open
A long walk in once familiar lands
11 August 2021
A walk begins with stepping out
into the open
where development occurs
To walk in development
we allow uncertainty
to lighten our load
and remove excess baggage
we walk
until we’re open
and receptive
Here I walk alongside
a much younger me
who could delve deep into the hills
and listen
with dipper and swallow
to solemn secrets
carried on streams of time
I like to think
that we might recognise each other
be glad
that we are still
in development
that what is not forgotten
is not lost
At last, I stop to still my thoughts
and pool my memories
take one last deep drink
then turn back towards the bustling, confident city
Although the gathering clouds presage an uncertain future
I know the moments I have stored
will stand me in good stead
Development is an open process
where nothing is fixed
or finished
Let’s try and stay open
Open to ourselves
Open to each other
Open to the wider world
Open to the unknown
Open to uncertainty
Open to explore
Open to possibility
Open to potential
Open to development
Open to question
Open to learn
Open to the moment
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
Who can we walk with?
The path leads out of the town and up into the hills,
a hedge runs beside the path,
trees grow out of the hedge,
all connected,
though some perhaps too close together
I came here looking for a place to call home,
a place I could connect to,
that would speak to me and nurture me.
I knew I needed to leave the town
in order to connect
as we contribute best
by being ourselves
Where are we most at ease?
What do we need to flourish?
Where can we find fellow travellers?
How can we support each other?
We are not alone
There are more of us that we are led to believe
We have more in common that you might think
Who can we walk with?
Some suggestions:
Map out your network.
Consider the people you can connect with.
Describe the places where you can meet people.
Identify platforms that can bring people together.
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time
What can we deliver?
The sun sets on a clear winter day
Overhead wires carry messages out into the distance.
We look back at the path we have taken
What have we learned on our journey?
How can we learn from our experience?
How can we make our learning available to people?
Nature is a great teacher
We all have unique experiences to share
The universal reveals itself in particulars
Let’s carry on
Reflect on what you have learnt
Describe how you can deliver your messages
Consider how you can provide opportunities for others.
How can we live meaningful lives?
March 16, 2026
No Comments
Our lives are meaningful when we create, collaborate and connect
A venture into ideas
January 8, 2026
No Comments
Introducing the process philosophy of A N Whitehead
We start by letting go
January 2, 2026
No Comments
The turning of the year reminds us that each moment – each step on the journey of life – is both an ending and a beginning and we cannot begin anything without letting go.
Remember
October 22, 2025
No Comments
Remember a walk in development In the Autumn stillness a blackbird’s whistle echoes childhood voices and the crunch of broken glass while the steam from
Walks in Development
August 15, 2025
No Comments
When we walk in development the moments we experience inform our long-term development
How can we foster interaction?
August 13, 2025
No Comments
How can we foster interaction?
All life has its own pace
Let’s take our time