About Will
When I first met Will, I imagined him as a blue whale, coming up from a thousand feet underwater at the end of a Circle to deliver a poem, a sentence, a song that exquisitely spoke to the heart of where we’d been. I thought, "Who is this deep dude?". Through the following months, I discovered that this "dude" holds a PhD in Philosophy from Oxford University and, until recently, had worked there as a research manager.Â
Scholar, meditator, poet, musician, improv comedian, and so much more, Will left academia to focus his heart and mind on human connection, presence, and the mystery of being alive and in relationship. Lucky for us, he chose to work to become a gifted facilitator and to join us at Relateful.
Humble, brilliant, and wildly creative, Will invites us to sit together in the unknowing, to wonder together. The spaces between his sentences are as imbued with presence and transmission as his words. Recently, I was in a relateful session where he spoke each member’s name. As he spoke, I felt him holding and transmitting the person’s essence through the speaking. In Will’s hands, the ordinary becomes unspeakably beautiful/profane/profound and I am again reminded that we are always on holy ground. I whole-heartedly trust Will's leadership.
(Written by Valerie Daniel)
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1-1 Sessions with Will
What is your educational background?
I have a PhD in philosophy from the University of Oxford. My thesis topic was on the moral significance of empathy.
What are your areas of expertise/research interests within the self-development/awareness context?
I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail three times, and view long distance walking as a powerful crucible for truth.
What are your relateful personal interests?
I love finding ways to integrate other practices that are important to me, including: Nonviolent Communication, improvised comedy, poetry, storytelling and meditation.
Fun fact: Is there something fun or unexpected about you that you’d like to share with the world?
At university I got really, really good at pinball. I don’t recommend it as a way of dealing with one’s emotions.
Life experiences or challenges: Are there any significant life experiences that you have faced that have developed your character and may provide insight into who you are?
My father died suddenly from a heart attack when I was eleven, and it is taking me many years to process the impact that his death had on me.
Do you have a favorite book, movie, or a TV show that you would like to share, and say how/why it speaks to you?
The Swedish film Sa Som i Himmelen (As It Is In Heaven) gives a beautiful exposition of the healing powers of music and community.
