Walking the Wildwoods currently takes places over a one month intensive residential followed by six months of online tutorials and then an in-person graduation week.
There are quests to complete, riddles to solve and exercises to be undertaken which form an intrinsic part of the training.
Shonaleigh welcomed her first cohort to the Wildwoods in 2009 after her son pointed out that “If you fall off a cliff Mum, the whole tradition goes with you!” Shonaleigh’s aim is to pass on the Drut’syla midrash method and, by sharing it, to keep it a living tradition that will enhance the work of other creatives. This course is suitable for anybody – from librarians to storytellers – who hold narrative at the heart of their practice.
“People keep reinventing the wheel, but if we learn from tradition we can use a wheel we know works to reach new places.”
This course invites participants to walk with the Druts’yla tradition and discover a new way of thinking about story. We will investigate key points of the midrash and learn how stories are held, unpeeled, understood and internalised on both a practical and holistic level.
Booking
Due to the nature of the course, Wildwoods is by invitation and application only.
If you haven’t trained with Shonaleigh before, start with one of our shorter online or in-person courses with Shonaleigh that will introduce you to the midrash technique, and enable you to get to know how she teaches and whether this approach would be right for you.
To apply for ‘Walking the Wildwoods’ click here to get in touch. Our next cohort will start their journey in November 2026.
Walking the Wildwoods – Course overview
Part 1: Root to Branch
- Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
- Folk Tale
- Midrash 1 & 2
Part 2: Branch to Bud
- Seeing the Ordinary in the Extraordinary
- Wonder Tale
- Midrash 3 & 4
Part 3: Bud to Bloom
- Walking the Bridge
- Myth or Legend
- Midrash 5
Part 4: Seeds on the Wind
- Re-visiting 1, 2, 3 & 4
- Nursery Rhyme or Ballad