The treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand, said Henri Nouwen, a well-loved twentieth-century writer of spirituality. It’s similar to what another such writer Gerry Hughes meant when he said that we can find our direction in life through our appreciation of the world around us. In other words, we don’t have to go far in order to find what we’re looking for, or what matters to us, or what we need. It’s something which inspires RHC in our community project Reflective Chester (see our Reflective Chester page) as we seek to discover what’s ‘good for the soul’ right where we are.

Whatever our faith or beliefs, folk recognise that ‘good for the soul’ means things that uplift us, things that inspire us, things that speak to the heart. Reflective Chester activities use our city as a springboard for recognising those things and, importantly, having the chance to share such inspiration with others. All too often, the loudest voices around are far from ‘good for the soul’, so it’s refreshing to share in the quieter, gentler, joyful things we find in life.

To ‘re-launch’ Reflective Chester in person after the online living of 2020 and 2021, we celebrated ‘Reflective November’, with weekly events and a pop-up stall. Using the large top-floor room of Chester’s Bluecoat Building gave us all the benefits of comfortable social distancing, a historic community building (first a hospital, then a school and now home to almshouses and many of Chester’s charities), and wonderful views of the Welsh hills on the horizon. A city setting with a difference.

sunset view of the distant hills above the rooftop of the Bluecoat Building

In our Writing Workshop, our first event, we drew inspiration from local places, letting our imaginations wander through their stories and details, and also from the ‘small things’ of life. After playing with words, and a consideration of how poetry plays with words to help us with fresh perspectives or to make something real, we tried our hand at our own poems – with folk choosing themes ranging from a special memory, to a beloved family dog, to a favourite pen, and more. The work of just a morning, all the poems were beautiful and poignant, capturing the treasured essence of places and small things, and sharing that treasure.

the image of Grosvenor Park that inspired one of the poems in the workshop

Another week, it was the turn of the crafters. Collage, to be precise – with paper collected from the everyday – pages decorated with prints of local autumn leaves, or from charity-shop finds of music manuscripts or old poetry. We tore, glued, daubed, cut, stamped – and so on – very happily for our two hours, adding words taken from previous Reflective Chester activities as we put the finishing touches to our fun and mindful pieces. The suggestion was that we could make these collages into cards and gift tags for others – all part of the ‘rippling out’ effect of sharing in things that are good for the soul.

Our final morning in the Bluecoat was Conversation. Taking as our starting point that idea that our treasure is hidden in the ground on which we stand, we used our big Reflective Chester map, photos, sayings from others, and a few readings, to inspire our reflection and conversation. By the time our two hours were over, it felt like there was still so much to explore and discover, as we unearthed those treasures.

“…the city, the river and the hills holding a space for people”

”…the value of the chance for a different perspective”

”…permission to be purposeless”

— some of the things participants took away from the conversation

Our fourth week saw us outdoors, on a Reflective Chester walk. Our route took us from Abbey Square to Grosvenor Park, via the Eastgate Clock, the Cross, the weir, the Roman Gardens and the Groves, with pauses along the way to really notice what was around us, and how these places and their details might be inspiring. Again, it was good to be able to hear what others have said about our city in other Reflective Chester activities – for example, how the weir is a special place for so many, or where they find peaceful places. Ending our walk amidst the trees of Grosvenor Park, we recognised how fruitful it is just to take a little time to take notice, and the joy there is in doing this with others.

the much-loved weir: ‘the sparkly river’… ‘the sound of the water over the weir always lifts my soul’…

November also saw our pop-up stall at the Cathedral COP26 Fair, an event organised by Chester Sustainability Forum. One of more than 20 stalls with a range of environmental concerns, we invited folk to tell us what was good for the soul about Chester, by adding a sticker to our map, or writing us a postcard, or stopping for a chat – or all three. Within the context of this Fair, and the need for us all to take care of our world, Reflective Chester has a part to play by suggesting that we love the world well by starting right where we are. Find what’s good, and go from there. Treasure it.

We’re thankful for all the contributions - more than sixty - in the events of Reflective November, from those who came along and our volunteers who hosted. Gradually, more and more people are hearing the invitation to unearth the treasure hidden beneath their feet, and leave their own mark, their own footprint, on Reflective Chester so that this really is a community project, giving voice to what’s good for the soul.

Grateful thanks to...

... the Local Connections Fund of the National Lottery for funding to support the Bluecoat workshops and walk, bringing folk together from across the community.

... and the Jesuit Fund for Social Justice for funding to support the pop-up stall, and also the training of Reflective Chester volunteers and ongoing workshops with local groups, as well as our online presence, bringing reflective opportunities to people who need them.