The gift of Wayapa Wuurrk

Last year I had the privilege of spending a week on the Land of the Gundungurra and Thurawal People, living in community, sitting in circle, amongst gum trees, Triassic volcanic rock, a plethora of wildlife and birdlife, learning Wayapa Wuurrk ways, and the beautiful Wayapa movement practice.

Wayapa Wuurrk is an indigenous earth-based wellbeing practice that connects us to the Land and the 14 elements essential for life an invitation to consider all of the ways we are disconnected from ourselves, each other and the planet.

This is not culture training, it is an indigenous earth-based wellbeing practice, designed and co-founded by Jamie Thomas, a knowledge holder for his Whurrung Gunditjmara and GunnaiKurnai communities and his partner Sarah Jones in 2014. Wayapa Wuurrk is certified by the International Institute for Complementary Therapists.

What I loved most about the training is the focus on remembering the importance of earth connection for our wellbeing. Having trained in a plethora of mindfulness-based wellbeing modalities, yoga and tai chi, Qi Gong and meditation, how Wayapa stands out from all of these practices is its emphasis on connection – with each other, with the earth, all living creatures and to remember the children of the next 7 generations. There is no individualism, no room for self-reliance, self-sufficiency, but a call to interdependence, the truth of our existence, we can't be well if our planet is not well, we can't be well if we are not connected to community.

The training invited me to consider my own ancestry, something I have struggled with as a white settler on stolen Land, but the holding of space to support my deep healing in relation to my ancestors was an unexpected outcome of this training, healing the mother wound, being held by a circle of wise women and the beautiful Country, diverse wildlife coming with messages from beyond. It was very special and life changing.

Living in community and noticing the generosity of sharing, kindness and inclusion in this community, the sense of welcome and belonging, respect and reciprocity was touching. I had big belly laughs that brought tears to my eyes, and made lifelong friendships with sisters who share a love of this Land and a passion for sharing how nature can bring wholeness to us all. 

There is so much wisdom in indigenous way of life, connection to community, appreciation of all the ways we are interdependent with the sun, moon, land, waterways and all living things.

I am now a licensed Wayapa Wuurrk practitioner and look forward to integrating this into my life and work and sharing Wayapa ways through workshops in the new year.

It is time to reflect on all of the ways we harm Mother Earth; our consumerism, capitalism, fast fashion, landfill, plastic, fossil fuel dependence, extraction and greed all harming the only home we have.

We are all earth people! 

We all come from the earth and will return to the earth, we belong, and we have a responsibility as contemporary custodians to care for this incredibly miraculous planet of perfect conditions for life.

We need Wayapa Wuurrk, this is wisdom for our time, it is my hope there will be a Tsunami of Wayapa Wuurrk practitioners sharing this wisdom for wellbeing and connection back to nature, each other, collaboration in our efforts to stop harming our beautiful life support for all living things and reconnecting to the truth of our interdependence.

Check out Wayapa Wuurrk, we need more practitioners, and more humans aligned to the wisdom of these ancient ways for our health and wellbeing and the wellbeing of the planet.

If you want to book me in to run a Wayapa Wuurrk session with your team, please get in contact with me - jen@jenthompsonconsulting.com or contact Wayapa Wuurrk

We are all earth people, we are all custodians of this planet earth

Wayapa Wuurrk website: Home - Wayapa Wuurrk