I shared this idea a while ago and it is starting to spread so I thought I would publish it as a blog...
Chuddle- chat, huddle, cuddle, chums!
We need each other. We need each other for connection, for support, to be heard. We need help, to get the shopping in when we are ill, to make food when there’s death or new life. Sometimes we need signposts - to the online information or practices that might help. To be listened to with no advice or judgment, just to be held. To ask who is available for a phone call, or just leave a voice message and feel people holding us as we do.
More of us are struggling with our mental health and as things fall apart in the world, we can guess that more of us will find things difficult. Communities form around need and mental health is a need we all have. The crisis in our mental health may be the leading edge of our breaking together…and if we find ways to catch each other, this could be part of the way in which new life form, from the composting of old, anti-life systems.
A Chuddle forms around one person - invite people into your chuddle.
There are 3 to about 15 people in it
Use your platform of choice for organising, whatsapp, telegram, etc
Some people will bear witness, some will be more vocal, some will have more capacity at times and less at others, That's why more people is better, this is a sub unit of the village
We are modelling asking for help- so that others can too. We are modelling the offering of help within the capacity we have. We are noticing that with more people there is more flow, so more holding and capacity to catch each other. No one need feel burdened, nor ashamed to ask
You might not say much for weeks…and then just share a difficult day, ask for advice, ask who can chat that evening, leave a message when it feels too much, let people know you're facing a health crisis, gather your chuddle in closer when you're struggling. If it has meaning for you, ask for prayers, energy healing, protection spells.
As chuddles spread and grow there will be interconnections between them - a web of our aliveness for our co liberation.
Men may find it hard to ask for a chuddle.. We encourage our brothers and anyone feeling a barrier to ask and for everyone to do it their way. Neurodivergence may mean needs are different, we are all unique in what we need and what we offer- it’s all welcome!
Our chuddles will have more capacity the more we are informed and connected with the way systems of oppression work. What happens to us as disabled people, people of more melanin and outsided cultures, as gender queer folks and so on. Be a pro-active chuddler, find out more about the specific ways your chuddle chum might experience the world.
Chuddling is an open source idea, creative commons. There’s probably better or similar or complementary things out there - feel free to improve this.
Whatsapp / telegram friendly version
(Maybe share this message with an invite to the group you just set up for yourself… )
❤Let’s Chuddle! ❤
Chudldle- chat, huddle, cuddle, chums!
We need each other. We need each other for connection, for support, to be heard. We need help, to get the shopping in when we are ill, to make food when there’s death or new life. Sometimes we need signposts - to the online information or practices that might help. To be listened to with no advice or judgment, just to be held. To ask who is available for a phone call, or just leave a voice message and feel people holding us as we do.
More of us are struggling with our mental health and as things fall apart in the world, we can guess that more of us will find things difficult. Communities form around need and mental health is a need we all have. The crisis in our mental health may be the leading edge of our breaking together…and if we find ways to catch each other, this could be part of the way in which new life form, from the composting of old, anti-life systems.
⭐A Chuddle forms around one person - invite people into your chuddle.
⭐There are 3 to about 15 people in it
🌈Use your platform of choice for organising, whatsapp, telegram, etc
🔥Some people will bear witness, some will be more vocal, some will have more capacity at times and less at others, That's why more people is better, this is a sub unit of the village
💦We are modeling asking for help- so that others can too. We are modeling the offering of help within the capacity we have. We are noticing that with more people there is more flow, so more holding and capacity to catch each other. No one need feel burdened, nor ashamed to ask
You might not say much for weeks…and then just share a difficult day, ask for advice, ask who can chat that evening, leave a message when it feels too much, let people know you're facing a health crisis, gather your chuddle in closer when you're struggling. If it has meaning for you, ask for prayers, energy healing, protection spells.
As chuddles spread and grow there will be interconnections between them - a web of our aliveness for our co liberation.
☘Men may find it hard to ask for a chuddle.. We encourage our brothers and anyone feeling a barrier to ask and for everyone to do it their way. Neurodivergence may mean needs are different, we are all unique in what we need and what we offer- it’s all welcome!
🌿Our chuddles will have more capacity the more we are informed and connected with the way systems of oppression work. What happens to us as disabled people, people of more melanin and outside cultures, as gender queer folks and so on. Be a pro-active chuddler, find out more about the specific ways your chuddle chum might experience the world.
🍄Chuddling is an open source idea, creative commons. There’s probably better or similar or complementary things out there - feel free to improve this.
🌹Here’s my chuddle and I’d love you to be part of it… [LINK]