ABOUT

After months in the making, the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre in collaboration with, Sophie O’Brien – a local Yoga and meditation teacher, who focuses on the therapeutic side of these practises – are delighted to launch the Community Mindfulness Project. Each session will run throughout the year for a block of 6 weeks, and will be offered to all participants for free.

Space for You

The world we live in today can be challenging at the best of times, but thanks to events in the past few years we have collectively faced an unprecedented amount of stress. Many of us experience stress in our daily lives, yet so rarely are we given effective tools to combat these complex emotions.

This is where we would like to step in.

We believe, and studies have shown, that practicing mindfulness can help to combat the effects of stress on the body and mind. Through this project, Sophie would like to lead you through the basics of mindfulness, teach you a little about how your body and brain connect, and overall arm you with helpful tools which could lead you to feel more relaxed and less overwhelmed in your everyday.

Mindfulness, Your Way

One of the main aims of this project is to make mindfulness and meditation accessible. Throughout the 6 weeks, we shall explore a myriad of different techniques and ways to be mindful; from gentle movement, to sensory meditations, journaling, and breathing exercises.

Meditation and mindfulness does not have to mean sitting still for extended periods of time! The narrow view of what we often expect meditation to be, vs what it could actually mean for you are worlds apart. There are endless ways to be mindful, and Sophie is here to share and explore those techniques with you, to find something that works.

Whether you are totally new to the concept or not, we would love to be able to show participants that anyone can meditate or be mindful.

Course Structure

Each week, we will meet on Friday afternoons at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre; the session itself will last for 45 minutes to an hour, but there will be time after class to socialise or take a little time for yourself.

These sessions will begin with an introduction to the week’s topic, followed by a practical exploration of it through a meditation and/or very gentle movement practise. The session will close with Yoga Nidra – a form of guided meditation to relax your entire being – followed by an optional journaling time at the end, and a complimentary cup of herbal tea in our historic tea room. This time is left open for you to speak with Sophie about the practise, and get to know your fellow members in our mindfulness community.

In our last week, the session will look a little different – we will close with a beautiful sound bath; a sensory meditative experience lead by local practitioner Kirsten Green of Greens Holistic Therapies.

To give yourself the opportunity to benefit from this course as much as possible, we would ask for your commitment to attend all these sessions*

** We understand things can happen; under extenuating circumstances such as illness, we would be able to offer attendees a space for that week over zoom. Similarly, if you had a scheduled event (such as an exam or a wedding etc.) that may mean you missing one week, we are more than happy to accommodate that if you could tell us in advance.

About Sophie O’Brien

With emphasis on embodiment and a true belief in the therapeutic potential of this practise, Sophie’s aim as your guide is to help you feel more comfortable and content in the body you live in.

Her teaching style – as much as a fragmented representation of an ancient, multifaceted spiritual practise can – aims to honour the history and tradition of Yoga & meditation. Combining this with solid grounding in anatomy and human variation, Sophie aims to support every body, as they are, who shows up to practise; hopefully creating an environment where students can feel safe, supported, and welcome.

In 2019, Sophie completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in Goa, India. Since then, she has taught for over 1000 hours, and accrued almost 100 further hours of additional, certified training across a variety of topics; the most important – to her – being body positive/inclusive Yoga, Yoga therapy, trauma-informed teaching, and most recently teaching Yoga in community settings.

“Learning Yoga in its birthplace in India gifted me knowledge of the authentic practice; the spiritual in harmony with the physical. This marriage of the philosophical side of Yoga with anatomy and therapeutic modalities is where the magic happens. My aim is to show my students – no matter their ability, body type, or background – their divine power and potential. Because I believe this magic is in all of us.”

About Kirsten Green