CREATIVE mINDFUL group Classes- aDULTS
Group Classes
Sessions are 2 hours and are small and intimate (maximum 12 people) where we have the opportunity to connect with others and to be truly seen and heard. Sessions are bookable in blocks of six to enable people to form these bonds and share the experiences together.
The session will start with a mediation to ground us from our busy daily lives and allow our bodies to come into stillness. We will learn each week about our nervous system and how to embody it. I will then set the creative invitation for the session, you will have an hour of self creative expression linked to our invitation. All art materials are provided for in the session, I just ask you to bring a note book for noting anything that comes up for you in the session, as you will want to keep all your messages in one place to look back upon.
I was taught by Nick Cooke founder of the UK Collage of Mindfulness, which is approved by the British Psychological Society. I deliver a fusion of MBSR (Mindfulness Base Stress Reduction) and MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy). It is scientifically proven to help people with anxiety, stress, chronic fatigue, emotional and physical pain and chronic illnesses. Scientists have found that through practising mindfulness techniques it promotes positive changes in the brains pathways involved with focus, attention, memory, empathy and mood. You have the power to literally redesign your brain!
The Seven Key Pillars of Mindfulness
In the sessions we will be delving into and developing the pillars which underpin this deep transformational work. These are: non-judging, patience, beginner's mind (having an attitude of openness), trust, non-striving, acceptance and letting go. We will also incorporate some small gentle movements from Thich Nhant Hanh which is a gentle fusion of yoga and tai chi. It focuses on conscious breathing which brings the mind and the body together, so we can live more presently with more fulfilment.
See here if you would like to have a try- Bing Videos
We will use pencils, pens, oil pastels, chalks, water colours and acrylics over the six weeks. I often get asked, I can't draw and I haven't done art since primary school can I still come?
YES, YES YES! This is not an art class, and I'm not an artist. I will guide you step by step how to use creativity as a form of expression. We will use art materials to have fun with colour and texture, and all the work we produce will be abstract and unique. When we are creating we never know what the outcome will be, that's the fun of this way of working. How often do we do something with no end goal pushing us forward? It is that pushing forward that stops us seeing what is happening right now. We can say goodbye bye to judgement, self sabotaging talk, perfectionism and just go with the flow and have fun; key transferable skills for a happy content life.
It is not a requirement to share your work at the end, as its a very personal deep journey. I will ensure we will have time at the end to reflect and discuss anything around what we have created, including how the exercise went and what we learnt. We hold a safe space for people to share as much or as little feels right for them. It is with this connectiveness we form through feeling safe enough to be who we really are that we can nourish our nervous system to enable it to be in ventral vagal, our state to feel true happiness.
I look forward to sharing this healing creative mediative practise with you.