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Taster Sessions

Mental Wealth
Festival 2024

Embroidery

Date: Monday 7 October
Time: 10:00-12:30
Location: Online
Tutor: Renata Minoldo

In this online workshop, we will freehand embroidery together and use this practice as a way of grounding, connecting with each other and slowing down while learning some basic embroidery stitches and gathering in conversation.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Writings on solitude

Date: Monday 7 October
Time: 13:00-15:00
Location: Online
Speaker: Kate Wilkinson

'What does it mean to be alone? This online literature class focuses on solitude and wellbeing. We’ll read and discuss extracts from two books – non-fiction and fiction – to think about experiences and representations of solitude, its history of creative and spiritual significance, and the meanings solitude has for us today.'

This workshop is now fully booked.

Self-reflection through acting

Date: Monday 7 October
Time: 13:15-14:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Cara Jennings

Explore the self through playful and fun acting exercises.

On reflection: how art history helps us see

Date: Monday 7 October
Time: 16:00-17:00
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Sarah Jaffray

Why study art history? This workshop introduces students to some of the methods used by art historians when interpreting art. Working through these methods we will reflect on how our individual perceptions might block or, perhaps, open us up to new ways of seeing

Ukulele

Date: Monday 7 October
Time: 16:15-17:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Jake Rodrigues

Discover the joy of playing simple well known songs together on the ukulele (instruments are supplied). A fun, practical and interactive session where you will learn to play well known songs on the ukulele, singing along and celebrating the joy of making music together. 

Singing: Discover your Voice

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 10:00-11:15
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Richard Hartley-Wilson

Come and discover your singing voice in a small friendly introductory workshop. Learn some basic techniques for using your singing voice safely and effectively, managing breath, pitch, tone and range. Discover the physical and psychological benefits of singing with confidence!

This workshop is now fully booked.

Acting for Wellbeing

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 10:30-12:00
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Juliet Prague

Increase your physical and emotional well-being through playful and fun acting exercises. Connect, take notice, be active, learn new skills, become more present and engaged with others using tools drawn from actor training.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Mindful self-care for mind and body

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Hilary Lyons

How often do you make time to take care of yourself? This session provides simple, practical tips and techniques that will help you take better care of yourself. Learn ways to relax your body, calm your mind and enhance your wellbeing.

Celebrating and reflecting on the film remake

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 15:00-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Paul Sutton

Film remakes often get a bad press, but there is frequently more to them than meets the eye. Whether a remake of an older classic, as in the case of Gus van Sant’s reworking of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, for example, or the Hollywood remake of a cherished European film, these types of film reveal a set of complex cultural, national, industrial and perhaps even psychological connections. Join us to celebrate and to reflect on the film remake as we explore what makes a remake and we critically analyse some filmic examples.

Reflect through storytelling

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 15:15-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: John Eastman

Since long before we could write, the most effective way of describing events and experiences has been through Storytelling.

Celebrate through dance

Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 15:30-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Francis Angol

Introduction to learning how to focus on deepening one’s awareness of the body and connect with the processes going on within through engaging with internal physical perception and experience. The course is underpinned by Somatics practice, a field within bodywork and movement practice.

Celebrate through singing Welsh songs

Date: Wednesday 9 October
Time: 12:00-13:00
Location: City Lit
Tutors: Clare Whitehead

Energise yourself singing and connecting with others in the Welsh language. You do not need to speak Welsh.

The Healing Power of Dionysian celebrations

Date: Wednesday 9 October
Time: 12:30-14:00
Location: City Lit
Tutors: Maria Contos

Nietzsche in his book ‘The death of tragedy’ claims that by not experiencing Dionysian festivals in the modern world, we have lost the capacity to truly affirm life. In this session, we will explore the Healing Power of Dionysian celebrations; dance, music, singing and Greek Tragedy: the path to emotional renewal and catharsis.

Spanish for fun

Date: Wednesday 9 October
Time: 14:00-15:30
Location: City Lit
Tutors: Virtu Tomás Rodríguez

Get a flavour of a new language and its basic sentence structure. Learn some useful phrases and some pronunciation guidelines. A fascinating introduction for complete beginners. 

Flower Printing

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 10:00-12:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Renata Minoldo

Flower printing can be used in fabric or paper and it is also a very easy, fun and economical way to extract pigments from flowers, transfer shapes and make patterns and textures from natural dyestuff. It is great for those interested in exploring natural dyeing and printing techniques in a sustainable way.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Breathe to the sense of oneness

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 10:00-11:00
Location: Online
Speaker: Sarah Scott

For those seeking a practice to draw on to change a state and expand perspective towards a sense of oneness.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Mosaics workshop (Morning)

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 10:00-12:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Vanessa Benson

Join us for this introduction to the world of mosaics. Working with mosaics can be a mindful activity for many of our learners. The repetitive sequences of shaping and placing the tiles to form the final composition can be a meditative process that can help to focus and calm the mind.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Meditation Demystified and Made Easy

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 11:00-12:30
Location: Online
Speaker: Sally Page

Meditation is simple, but the mind complicates it, and we’ve learnt to listen to the mind. Find out how to make meditation easy with a couple of guided exercises and a mantra based meditation technique. We will also cover why we take on stress and how to counteract this, the theory behind meditation and what it can do for us, plus the difference between mindfulness and meditation and why both are useful.

Celebrate in Song

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 11:00-12:15
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Trish Shaw

Celebrate in song in this fun session, learning how to unleash your singing voice.

Community Yoga

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 12:00-13:00
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Madlyn Ray-Jones

Support your mental and physical health with mindful movement, asanas, breathing practices, meditation, and relaxation. We will also develop our connection with others through partner yoga. Expect a fun and accessible class, suitable for all. Come alone or with friends, all equipment is provided.

French 4: La joie comme choix

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 14:00-16:00
Location: Online
Speaker: Silvana Avram

Ce cours de 2 heures explorera le concept de choisir la joie comme antidote à l'inquiétude et à la négativité.
Les participants apprendront des étapes pratiques pour déplacer leur attention de l'anxiété vers la positivité et des astuces et techniques pour intégrer la joie dans leur vie quotidienne.
À travers des discussions, des exercices et des réflexions, les participants comprendront pourquoi choisir la joie est important et comment cela peut transformer leur vie et celle de ceux qui les entourent.

Reflecting and writing about musical memories

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 16:00-17:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Edward Breen

Write a favourite musical memory in this workshop. Articulate the feeling of joy or happiness you get from a particular music track.

French 4: La vie comme une fête

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 18:00-20:00
Location: Online
Speaker: Silvana Avram

Cet atelier de 2 heures guidera les participants à embrasser la vie comme une célébration en changeant leur perspective pour apprécier la beauté d'être en vie, se reconnecter avec la nature et comprendre notre place dans l'univers. Les participants exploreront des techniques pratiques pour profiter de chaque moment, reconnaître la beauté et l'unicité en eux-mêmes et chez les autres, et favoriser un sens de la communauté, de la solidarité et de la fraternité.

Painting with natural inks

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 14:00-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Renata Minoldo

In this workshop we will explore the beauty of natural inks on paper. We will playfully and mindfully submerge in fields of colour allowing time and natural chemical processes to do their magic. This workshop includes some breathwork, tapping and painting techniques as meditation.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Mosaics workshop (Afternoon)

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 14:00-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Vanessa Benson

Join us for this introduction to the world of mosaics. Working with mosaics can be a mindful activity for many of our learners. The repetitive sequences of shaping and placing the tiles to form the final composition can be a meditative process that can help to focus and calm the mind.

Ballet for the mind and body

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 15:45-16:45
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Martin Wimpress

Besides the joy that comes with dance, the benefits of dancing to your mental health and wellbeing are well documented. Dance and movement can improve confidence, heart health, balance, strength, and memory, and serve as a healthy mode of emotional expression.

Drumming

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 16:00-17:15
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Paul Chivers

A fun session in which you will explore different playing techniques and sounds on the various types of drums, exercising the body, mind and ears.

The Holistic Voice

Date: Thursday 10 October
Time: 17:30-18:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Kate Montague

An introduction to accessible and empowering mind-body techniques that can deepen your awareness and connection to your voice so that the message you give out is true to your intention.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Connect to your clothing, restore and repair

Date: Friday 11 October
Time: 10:00-12:30
Location: Online
Speaker: Lara Hailey

Learn and practise the Japanese mending techniques of Boro and Sashiko to repair your clothes. Learning these skills encourages sustainability and allows us to consider the transformations possible with what we have.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Haiku for wellbeing

Date: Friday 11 October
Time: 13:00-15:00
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Pearl May

Writing Haiku poems can provide a peaceful distraction from life's challenges by focusing on creative writing. Composing Haiku can produce a feeling of achievement, and help you to get in touch with the natural world and show us our place within it.

Ready Steady Retire

Date: Friday 11 October
Time: 14:00-16:00
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Jenny Bardwell

Come along and find out how your peers are coping with their newfound freedom in retirement - or perhaps you are approaching retirement and are wondering how to create structure and meaning in your new weekly routine? Maybe you will miss the deadlines and frequent communication you had with colleagues.

In this two-hour workshop, we will explore the pros and cons of retirement and find out how to combat isolation through forging new contacts and finding mental stimulus in a variety of ways from volunteering to lifelong learning.

Chinese Character, The Balance of Life

Date: Friday 11 October
Time: 14:00-15:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Xiaolan Bi

Get to know Chinese characters, beginning with the ancient ‘oracle bone script’, and understand their basics while exploring their roots in nature and tranquility.

Ikigai - The Japanese secret to a long and happy life

Date: Friday 11 October
Time: 14:30-16:30
Location: City Lit
Speaker: Hilary Lyons

The people of Japan believe that everyone has an Ikigai or a reason for being. Finding it can lead to a hap-pier, more fulfilled life. Explore your existing talents and future potential within a framework of purpose, vo-cation and passion.

This workshop is now fully booked.

Feldenkrais: mind-body connection through gentle movement

Date: Saturday 12 October
Time: 10:00-11:30
Location: Online
Tutor: Charlotte Seirberg

Learn how to reduce tension and move with more ease, and notice improvements in your mobility, posture, breathing, balance, coordination and quality of life. This course helps you to reconnect with how your body moves.

This workshop is now fully booked.

French: Sing for happiness

Date: Saturday 12 October
Time: 10:30-12:30
Location: City Lit
Tutor: Trista Selous

Let’s sing in French with a smile! Combine your love of singing with the French language in this fun workshop based on simple songs that French speakers learn as children. You do not need to speak French.

Upcycled textile jewellery

Date: Saturday 12 October
Time:

14:00-16:30

Location: City Lit
Tutor: Tanvi Kant

Learn how to hand twist your own colourful bracelets from fabric remnants, ribbons, shoelaces, or that old tee-shirt! Be inspired by this workshop led by textile artist Tanvi Kant who will show you how to repurpose textiles at home into something special to gift to yourself or a loved one. You will experience how acquiring new skills creatively helps you focus to maintain general well-being.

This workshop is now fully booked.

More things happening this week...

Thursday 10 October

Friday 11 October

Saturday 12 October