Sempervivum is an informal network of like-minded people who meet up to explore and celebrate being together and being alive. It’s open to anyone. The main event each year is a residential week at Easter. During COVID at the start of 2020, meeting up for residential events had to be suspended. An online event took place that year. As the pandemic continued, we also met informally for walks down the River Almond and safe distance meet-ups on Portobello Prom. As things stand in 2025 we are currently re-grouping, and the Committee are actively planning a new and positive future for Sempervivum.
Our October event: Sempervivum at Queens Hall
A few of us who were willing and able on the day, went to Charlestown, Fife, in early October. We’d booked the Queen’s Hall, a lovely Victorian village hall which is cosy, beautifully modernised and maintained, with a garden and neighbouring woodland.
After a cuppa, (great kitchen too!) we had a chat about Sempervivum’s way of doing things and after a brief physical warm up and energising session, split into two groups: one for the woods and the other for a sea view walk, cafe coffee and get to know each other. Both groups enjoyed an enriching and satisfying morning with fulfilling discovery.
We shared delicious and nutritious lunchtime food in the hall and began the afternoon with feedback from morning groups and planning the afternoon. We started with ‘Moth Radio’ ie. sharing meaningful stories from our lives which was followed by an enlivening Laban movement session to end the day.
We spent the afternoon together, and our first activity was to collect and gather from the surroundings naturally items and then create an art piece with them. We ended up with a rather beautiful mandala (pictured) which we could leave in situ.
Charlestown is a picturesque village only a brief drive N West from North Queensferry. It is packed with fascinating history having been a very successful limestone quarrying area. There is much to be said in favour of another foray there.
Sally.
Sempervivum @ Lauriston Castle April 2025
The most recent event took place on Sunday 6th April 2025 at Lauriston Castle in the Silverknowes/Cramond area of Edinburgh. We have called it ‘A Sempervivum week in a day’ to reflect the spirit of allowing the day to unfold and evolve from within the group that are present. We were treated to a lovely physical warm up by Sally using the letters of ‘L A U R I S T O N’ to focus on parts of the body. This was followed by a check-in by Gary, inviting people to choose images to represent strengths ‘Personal’, ‘Interpersonal’ and Trans-Personal’.
New member to the group Jackie then gave us an experience of ‘Biofield Tuning’ as a way of relaxing and connecting to the energy field of the group. We then took ourselves outside into the lovely grounds of the castle and what a beautiful sunny day it was. One small group found a shelter in the Japanese Garden for a process sharing. Others spent some time walking around the estate.
Lunches could be pre-ordered and collected from Mimi’s cafe on site. A small writing group emerged led by Sally and Helen provided materials for collage making. We rounded off the day with ‘Moth Radio’ facilitated by Marion. A lovely way to share personal stories within a containing structure. I think we managed to have meaningful connections with each other in a beautiful setting on a wonderful Spring Day.
Gary
Quotes:
It was like a day out of time. I felt privileged to have been part of it. Thank you.
Jackie
Dear friends, thanks for enabling a small Sempervivum shoot to emerge and open last Sunday. May there be more to follow.
Kerstin
With this in mind we are welcoming new people to make contact, and to join us in some of our events going forward. Please contact us via the contact form to get an update.
Previous Events
The Easter 2020 event could not take place due to the coronavirus outbreak, so there was a virtual event on Embracing Uncertainty. Participants produced work on the theme of ‘Embracing Uncertainty‘. The work has been collected together by Ed Tyler and can be viewed online.
During our gatherings, a wide range of activities and workshops are on offer, generated by participants themselves and by members of the communities where our events are held.
In past years we have enjoyed: singing and song writing, art events in the woods, making fire sculptures along the river, spoken word and music performance, open-air poetry, stand-up comedy and cabaret, peace dances, yoga and circle dance, equinox bonfire celebrations, labyrinths in the landscape. You may be inspired to try something new and discover the shoots of a hidden talent, or you may just want to relax in good company.
Sempervivum means “always alive”, expressing a wish to celebrate those impulses which regenerate and enliven us all. Our focus is on community building through creative collaboration and gentle self-enquiry, providing a safe, open environment in which to connect with the self and others in a real way.