Dare to be - Manual for individuals and groups

 

DARE TO BE 

 

 A manual of practices, approaches and resources 

for individuals and groups 

 

 

 

 

Dissemination activity based on 

Youth exchange “Dare to be”, 

Slovenia, 21.-31.st of August 2025 

 

 

 

 

CONSCIOUS DANCE PRACTICE 

 

Dance in the morning as a way to surrender deeper into the body, become aware of what is currently present in us. A way to wake up the body, release weight and tension from the body and invite more pleasure, joy, love, strength into it...
In a dance they are invited to surrender to the rhythm and guided to connect with the feelings that are present in all parts of the body and at the same time awaken the wisdom that rests within us all. Using dance, authentic movement in this way has the power to nourish us, calm us, clarify us and bring us a step closer to ourselves.

Through movement, authentic body expression and sharing sensations that are present with others in the space, youngsters can strengthen their connection with one another and feel the community and support of the people around them.

Conscious dance practice we used in the Exchange draws inspiration from practices such as 5Rhytms, Movement Medicine, Kundalini dance. The main goal is not to follow any given structure, steps, but to listen to the rhythm that lives within the body of each one of us and allow the movement to happen from inside out. 

 

Proposed activity: 

 

Play some music that you enjoy.
You can also move to the beat of playlist that was created for Exchange Dare to be from favourite songs of participants: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2GGXpGvYpVo6YaIDgWW4Ew?

si=1yBcF00qQSK6w0Tgxv507w&pi=b_1YcMuGRxSwe

Make three deep breaths in and out.
Feel how your feet touch the ground you are standing on.
Observe sensations in your body and scan for any impulse of movement that wants to come through you. When one part of the body starts to move, invite other parts to join. Think of all the body parts and while moving go with your awareness through them all.
Try moving with childlike curiosity and wonder; “How would my knee (left shoulder, jaw..) like to

move right now?”.

There might be some thoughts coming to you that do not have to do much with your body now or with moving, dancing. That is ok. When they appear, remember to bring your awareness back to the feet and to the breath and continue moving.

Shaking your body can support you to release any tension you hold on to. Move as long as you feel you want to, or as long as you have time.

Once you stop music and moving, take some moments to place your hand on the part of the body that intuitively feels like it would appreciate some touch. Ask yourself: “How do I feel now? What do I need now? What am I grateful for now? etc.”. 

 

 

BODY-AWARE LISTENING AND WITNESSING 

 

In mindful, body-aware listening people are invited to listen not just with their ears, but with the whole body. Paying attention to body sensations that arise while they are witnessing another person.
It is a good add-on to the activity of conscious movement where we learn how to listen to the body sensations while listening to music. Here the awareness of body sensations stays similar, but rather than

music, we listen to the story of the person beside us.

Proposed activity:

Ask someone if they are willing to join you in a practice of mindful listening and reflecting.
Pick a question that you are interested in. It could be simple as: how are you, or anything else that sparks your interest: what makes you alive, what do you love the most, what is your favourite memory?

Ask the question and give the other person certain time (cca.4min) to answer.

While they are answering, you may close your eyes or keep them open and pay attention to what is happening in your body while you are listening. Observe if there is any sensation in your belly, shoulders, arms, face...

Once they stop speaking you can offer the person beside you your reflection of what was happening in your body while they were speaking.

Be aware that what happens in your body has to do with you and possibly it might have something to do also with the other person. You offer it as a reflection to the other and they are free to receive and take this information if it is something they feel could support them or leave this information to you as

something they do not connect with in themselves.

You might then also exchange roles and who was speaking now listens and vice versa. Express gratitude to each other for engaging in the practice. 

 

 

Vocal–Movement Improvisation  

 

Activity: Deep Listening

 Lie down on the floor and allow your body to settle.

With each exhale, let any sound emerge naturally from your body. Do not try to shape or control it— simply allow the voice to be released on the breath. Continue for a while, until you sense that your body has softened and the sound fades away on its own.

Then begin to listen to the silence that follows.
First, listen inwardly. Notice what arises within your body—physical sensations, thoughts, emotions. Observe how your attention moves from one to another.

Gradually shift your listening toward the threshold between your inner and outer world. Bring your awareness to the surface of your skin. Notice the sounds closest to you.

Slowly expand your attention outward, opening to the wider soundscape around you, until you can perceive even the most distant sounds. Listen both to individual sounds—their texture, tone, and quality—and to the overall composition of the sonic environment.

After some time, gently guide your attention back to yourself and return to your inner listening. 

 

Activity: Sounds of Nature

Find a place in nature where you can pause and settle for a moment.
Close your eyes, connect with your breath, and perhaps briefly revisit the deep listening practice.

When you open your eyes, look around and notice what in nature draws your attention right now. It might be a tree, a flower, a pinecone, a stone... Trust your intuition.

Approach your chosen object. Touch it. Observe it carefully. Then close your eyes again and listen to it.

Allow any sound, melody, or even words that arise in connection with this object to be expressed. If it could speak, resonate, or sing—what would it sound like? Let that sound come through you. 

 

 

ECO-DEPTH PSYCHOLOGY

(Bill Plotkin)

With this approach you are invited to explore different archetypes within you.
There are 4 main archetypes, which are based on the directions of the sky -south, north, east and west.

Each of these qualities bring certain characteristics which we can observe in nature as well as within ourselves.

Knowing that we are all part of nature, we understand that the things we see, observe and feel in nature are also part of us.

Below we represent a short glimpse of what those traits are and how we can explore them.

The map of wholeness serves to understand ourselves better and help us in the way of our exploration and healing.

By cultivating these aspects we can become more whole, integrated and healthy individuals and therefore bring positive changes to our communities. 

 

Archetypes and activities 

 

EAST Innocent/sage

SPRING
NEW MOON
SUNRISE
CHILDHOOD AND TEENAGE YEARS
QUALITIES:
LIGHTNESS, PLAYFULNESS, COMPASSION, WONDER, JOY, CURIOSITY, INNOCENCE, AWE, GRACE, PRESENT CENTEREDNESS, MINDFULNESS, MOUNTAIN-TOP VIEW ON

THINGS (FROM HIGHER PERSPECTIVE) ARCHETYPES: NEWBORN BABY BUDDHIST MONK INNOCENT SAGE – A WISE PERSON 

 

ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1: putting up appropriate song and moving with it, trying to feels these qualities within you What images, feelings, insights arise?

ACTIVITY 2: Going out into the land and introducing yourself to the land: who are you, seeing everything as if the first time: as if it is the first time you see a tree, the animal that crosses the path, everything anew – walk and put on the glasses of a newborn baby 

 

SOUTH
Wild indigenous one 

 

SUMMER
HEAT
MIDDLE OF THE DAY FIRE

FULL MOON YEARS:20S-40S

QUALITIES
RADIANT, SHINNING, WANTING TO GO OUT, EXPLORE THE BODY AND ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD, FIERCE, UNTAMED PASSION, SENSUALITY, LEADERSHIP, AUTHORITY, INTEGRITY, SELF MASTERY, EROTIC LOVE TOWARDS LIFE, EARTH, BELONGING TO EARTH, TO ONESELF, “EMOTIONALLY HOLLY”(FEELING ALL EMOTIONS AS VALID AND

IMPORTANT): RAGE, ANGER, JOY, SADNESS, SENSUAL, EROTIC, CARNAL LOVE...

ARCHETYPES
Green man, green woman, Tarzan, Pocahontas, Lover, Warrior

ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1: Go out in nature, find a spot and embody a certain animal you feel connected to, comes through you, letting yourself go wild or just feeling yourself as a butterfly...

ACTIVITY 2: Playing with your voice. What is the song that wants to come out of your being? Express, sing, hum, let the spontaneous voices come out. 

 

WEST
Dark muse-beloved 

 

SUN SETTING AUTUMN, LEAVES FALLING DOWN

QUALITIES:

LIBERATION, MYSTERY, INTEREST IN SPIRITUALITY, ESOTERICS, ECOLOGICAL CONNECTION AND WIDER WEB OF HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN LIFE, CREATIVITY, INSPIRATION, DEEP IMAGINATION (MUSE) TRANSFORMATION, DEATH,

DECOMPOSITION, SORROW AND GRIEF, ROMANTIC LOVE

ARCHETYPES: INNER BELOVED, OUR MUSE, A WITCH, A MYSTIC, DREAMER, VISIONARY, SHAMAN, SOUL GUIDE, POET, WRITER 

 

ACTIVITIES

- ACTIVITY 1: Go out in nature and connect with these characteristics: What symbols, metaphors, mysteries about your life, your journey, your next steps are revealed? Let everything speak to you as if it has some message for you and something to reveal. Inquire about your darkness and hidden secrets.

- ACTIVITY 2: Try to feel these qualities of west within you and then let yourself by guided by your muse, express whatever wants to be expressed with colors, by guided by your imagination 

 

NORTH Nurturing generative adult 

 

COLD MIDNIGHT DARKNESS WINTER DARK MOON

MID SIXTIES FORWARD, MATURE LIFE

QUALITIES: NURTURING, CARE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, DEVOTION, COMMITMENT, PERSISTENCE, LONG-TERM VISION
SERVICE TO EARTH AND THE PEOPLE, GENERATING, ORGANIZING, BUILDING,

MENTORING, PARENTING, STILLNESS

ARCHETYPES: REAL, WHOLE CONNECTED PARENT, MOTHER TERESA, JESUS, THE CROWN, ELDER WOMAN, HEALER, KEEPER OF ANCIENT TRADITION, TEACHER, LEADER

ACTIVITIES

- ACTIVITY 1: Guided meditation of connecting with your inner parent: What does it have to say? How can you feel more love? What is blocking you? What are some other messages to be revealed? How does it feel in your body? Make a clay sculpture of your it. Give it a voice to speak out.

- ACTIVITY 2: Love letter from nurturing generative adult: Write yourself a love letter. Embrace all your emotions and challenges, explore what they tell you about you. Embrace your strengths and weaknesses. Offer yourself advice. Write love letter to other person, the Mystery, River, Mountain, Forest 

 

PERMACULTURE 

 

Permaculture practices are sustainable, regenerative design systems that mimic natural ecosystems to meet human needs while improving soil, water, and biodiversity.

Key techniques include composting, mulching, water harvesting (swales), agroforestry, and using renewable resources, aiming to "produce no waste".

These practices focus on long-term sustainability.
They are focused on different areas: gardening, forestry, community building (soc. Permaculture).

Few main principles: Catch and Store Energy, Produce No Waste Use & Value Resources, Small and Slow Solutions, Observe and Interact and Community Sharing. 

 

ACTIVITIES

 

Some of the practices you can try yourself – with minimal steps to a bigger change

- In urban lifestyles, we generally buy most things that we consume. Maybe you do not have a garden or a way to grow food, but is there a way in which you can get in touch with your creative side to produce something of your own?

- Use public transport, cycle, study in the library rather than at home to save heating costs.

- Try to take advantage of all the multidimensional opportunities that exist where you live. Instead of sticking to the same routine, try participating in something local that you have never done before. Observe and evaluate the existing opportunities in your region which you may have previously

overlooked or written off.

- Think about where you put your energy on a day to day basis. Are there outlets which drain a lot of your energy which you could give less to? Are there things you gain energy from which you do not pay enough attention to? 

 

 

GREEN CRISIS: NETWORKS AND RESOURCES 

 

Resources

Bill Plotkin – Eco depth psychology Nature based soul initiation Work for wholing and healing Books like Wild mind, Soulcraft Online courses
Online community

Movement medicine -dance/psychotherapy/life school Movement practice, weekly workshops in all countries online gatherings, dancing hub

Joanna Macy – The Work That Reconnects
Deep ecology and spiritual activism to turn grief into action. Website: https://www.joannamacy.net/

The Work That Reconnects Network
Offers workshops, facilitator training, and online community built around Macy’s methods. https://workthatreconnects.org/

Active Hope (book & online course)
By Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone – a guide for finding resilience and purpose in turbulent times.
Book info: https://www.activehope.info/
Free online course: https://activehope.training/

Future Earth – Youth Voice – For young people reimagining planetary futures:

https://futureearth.org/youth/ 

 

Networks 

 

Yes to Sustainability
A youth-led initiative that brings together young people in eco-communities across Europe through international youth exchanges, training, and volunteering. It promotes sustainable living and ecological education through hands-on experiences: https://yestosustainability.org/

Salto youth
An overview of all the ERASMUS+ training opportunities Possibility of wide range of topics and nationalities

Global Ecovillage Network (GEN – Global)

https://ecovillage.org

Next GEN (Youth climate initiative – Connect4Climate)
While there isn't a specific organization named "Next GEN," the term often refers to initiatives empowering the next generation in climate action. One such initiative is Youth4Climate by Connect4Climate, which supports young climate leaders: https://www.connect4climate.org/initiatives/youth4climate

Transition Network
A global movement of community-led groups working towards a low-carbon, socially just future: https://transitionnetwork.org/

National Ecovillage Networks (Map on GEN Europe)
A visual map hosted by GEN Europe showcasing ecovillages and national-level ecovillage networks throughout Europe. It helps users discover local and regional projects and connect with existing communities: https://gen-europe.org/discover/ecovillage-map/

Global Ecovillage Network (GEN – Global)

https://ecovillage.org

Earth Guardians – Global youth-led organization using art, storytelling, and action:

https://www.earthguardians.org/

Extinction Rebellion (XR)
A decentralized movement using non-violent civil disobedience to demand urgent climate action.
https://extinctionrebellion.com/