Mindful Massage Heartmind Meditation Unplug the phone Unplug the Computer Unplug from work Movement Medicine Feldenkrais Hakomi Daily Yoga Daily Meditation The Stillpoint Practice, 25 Montgomery Road, Sheffield, S7 1LN www.stillpointpractice.com
The hallmark of our culture is that most of us speed through the day, fitting whatever we can into already full schedules. Even when we re not plugged into our mobile phones and computer screens, or rushing from obligation to obligation, our minds are still cooking away. Creating some time and space to be with our inner life is counter to the currents of the world around us ~ Tara Brach, True Refuge Mindful Currents ~ Daily Yoga Mindful Currents ~ Daily Meditation Mindful Currents ~ Daily Workshops Mindful Currents Retreat Cost: 415 for Mindful Currents (non-residential with daily lunch provided).
Over the past twenty years we have learnt more about the brain than in all of recorded anatomical history. There is much evidence now to show how essential it is to find refuge and a sense of retreat. Finding time to take a breath and pause does not only feel good it changes the circuitry of our brains. As you rest increasingly in a background sense of refuge, neurons are quietly stitching a safety net for you. ~ Rick Hanson, Buddha s Brain BE Well @ Stillpoint BE Well Team: Vicky Gaughan, Susanna Grace, Leon Moore, Margaret Davies, Raewyn Morrison & Ginny Bennett. Daily Currents: Opening the Flow ~ Yoga Daily Currents: Seeing yourself reflected in a poem ~ Reflection/Meditation/Relaxation/Visualisation Daily Currents: Mindful Massage, Heartmind Meditation, Feldenkrais Method awareness through movement, Movement Medicine, Hakomi assisted self-discovery. We offer both consistent activities and creative workshops along the retreat theme. Participants are encouraged to attend all activities to deepen their experience. The whole retreat is intended to be a space to practice mindfulness. Each participant will undertake the retreat at their own pace. If retreat from retreat is required there is a space provided and support by a suitable person arranged by us. We are providing an outdoor space for peaceful activities. Mental as well as physical health will be borne in mind. To take full advantage and flow easily in the Mindful Currents retreat please read this brochure carefully. Please bring comfy clothes to move around in and slippers or socks as the space is shoe free. Be Well will provide refreshments, organic lunch and delicious baked goodies for an afternoon cake break. Please bring snacks to keep you topped up and bottled water to keep you hydrated. Please also bring an openness to participate in all activities. This is an enclosed retreat within the Stillpoint Practice; a working complementary therapy centre. Only workshop leaders & group members will be present in the retreat spaces. Whilst we make every attempt to provide safe, comfortable and non-interrupted dedicated spaces, there will be practitioners and clients around the building on weekdays. Disclaimer: If you are aware of being in a fragile state please consider carefully whether this retreat is suitable for you as the nature of the five days will mean that you may be touched deeply by your experience. There will be support onsite should you find yourself unsettled by the retreat, however you are ultimately responsible for your own physical & mental health and should seek medical advice if you are affected by any of the Mindful Currents activities. Spaces limited to 6 10 participants, please book early to avoid disappointment. For more information or to book a place contact vicky@stillpointpractice.com or Susanna on 0114 2589745 / 07586 322214
BE Well @Stillpoint who are we? Susanna Grace & Vicky Gaughan Separately and at the same time we had a vision to create a retreat space. Our paths crossed and that s why we are now offering the BE Well @Stillpoint Urban Retreats. We are delighted to offer you this unique retreat facilitated by a group of talented and passionate teachers. Mindful Currents Every Morning: Opening the Flow ~ Daily Yoga with Susanna Grace 10 am 11.30am Yoga is the art, science and practice of Connection Each morning of your Retreat will start with a gently powerful 90min Yoga session to stretch and soften the body, centre the mind and deepen the breath. We ll tune into, explore and start to embody the current of each particular week: the yoga of the flowing body, the yoga of the alert, calm mind and the yoga of juicy, celebratory, creativity. Each participant will be accurately supported to work within their own safe limits and sensitively guided to experience new and enjoyable ways of releasing tension and re-membering ease. Hatha Yoga is uniquely adaptable to all ages, stages, body types, health histories and levels of experience. Susanna is a wonderful teacher and facilitator. Her yoga classes have been of great benefit to my lower back problems and general well-being, and I often use her breathing techniques if I can t sleep at night. She offers much more than a physical work-out. Amanda C. Susanna has practised Yoga for 42 years and has taught it full time for the past 10 years. She is qualified in both a classical Indian tradition and a rigorous Western one, and teaches in a variety of settings, including a residential Eating Disorders Unit and at a charity for people with severely limited health and mobility. She was previously a Social Worker and has a life-long love of working to unfold potential and purpose. Mats provided. All levels of experience and none! All welcome. Daily Meditation/Reflection with workshop teachers different everyday. This hour long activity centres around a different inspirational poem each day and the words will help deepen your experience of your mindful currents. Both beginners and regular meditators will find this daily practice supportive and spiritually nourishing. A state becomes a trait Daniel Siegel
Mindful Currents, Every Afternoon: Thursday 14 th August 2014 2.30pm 5.30pm Touching Heaven & Earth Mindful Massage with Vicky Gaughan I want to be touched as a prayer, praise me, praise yourself, discover emerging acceptance of this sacred life. If you listen with your hands, my body will tell the secret, when you touch me, you touch heaven and earth. Vicky Gaughan In this workshop we ll use simple massage techniques to nourish and fortify. We ll bring an attitude of curiosity, openness, acceptance and love through our hands as an offering to another human being. Can you massage without trying to make something happen? Can you massage without trying to fix, change or heal? Can you be present as you touch another? In the ancient Eastern medical system of Ayurveda the practitioner recognises that there is a direct connection between the heart and the hands. When we tune into this connection we offer a profound form of medicine. No previous skills are needed. Vicky is Principal of Sheffield Centre for Massage Training. She has been practising and teaching massage for 25 years. Trained also in many forms of body psychotherapy she deeply acknowledges the connection between our body and our emotions and the eternal struggle to be embodied. Friday 15 th August 2014 2.30pm 5.30pm Awakening the wisdom of the Heartmind with Leon Moore Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all ~ Aristotle In this workshop we will explore the energetic nature of the body and the core function of the heart as the centre of our innate wisdom mind; the Heartmind. We will examine the nature of awareness, human consciousness and the relationship of both to our emotional, mental and spiritual development. Through gentle practices, we will begin to uncover some of the blocks and obstacles to awakening ones Heartmind, and how we might work mindfully with those as we follow our own life path in living peace and wellbeing. Absolutely amazing, really helped me to gain my inner strength to deal with all of my life, taught me of the need to just sit comfortably with your own thoughts and emotions...gave me inner strength, I am nowhere near perfect on this but the knowledge gives me so much strength to know I can deal with anything...leon is a great teacher and the atmosphere in class is one of openness and warmth. Carolyn S. 2014 Leon is the director of Heartmind, a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to promoting peace and wellbeing in society, and a qualified yoga, qi gong and mindfulness instructor who has been practicing meditation since the age of 18. He has worked in the field of mental health for the past 20 years and is a practicing Buddhist Chaplain with a deep interest in the science and philosophy behind health and wellbeing. He runs a four week introductory course in heart based mindfulness practice, along with a regular weekly mindfulness group and going deeper workshops.
Saturday 16 th August 2014 2.30pm 5.30pm Movement Medicine with Margaret Davies Movement Medicine is a form of freestyle, selfexpressive dance. I facilitate Movement Medicine with a welcoming acceptance of each participant, however and whoever you are, and however you move. You will be supported by my guidance and lovely music to find simple ways into movement. We will use a mindful focus on each part of the body, and follow our own impulse to move. As we become fascinated by our emerging dance, and relax into the movement, we can find more pleasure, more self-acceptance, more support and compassion for ourselves and each other. As our self-judgement drops away, we can become creative dancers, able to make art with our bodies, and expression beyond words. A typical session is nourishing, relaxing, satisfying and healing. Movement Medicine comes from an integration of artistic, scientific and therapeutic wisdom, weaving together many strands to form a coherent approach to increase emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. I am really grateful for the opportunity to dance like this, and be accepted. That s real freedom! ~ Workshop Participant Margaret has been a student of expressive dance for 21 years, and has studied intensively with the School of Movement Medicine for the last 6. She is also a social worker with more than 25 years experience working with individuals, families and groups. She has an earthy, embodied and light-hearted approach, which makes it easy to follow her guidance into your own dance. She has the integrity, sensitivity and experience to create a safe and supportive space for personal growth and healing. Sunday 17 th August 2014 2.30pm 5.30pm Feldenkrais-Awareness through Movement with Raewyn Morrison Movement is everywhere. We can choose any movement we are already doing in our life and bring attention to it. By combining attention and movement we activate millions of brain cells. We can also bring more and new movement into our lives. Movement involves our bodies, our thoughts, our feelings and our emotions. -Anat Baniel -Feldenkrais Teacher Feldenkrais uses movement to re-educate the mind and body to help break down established patterns of behaviour and initiate change. Feldenkrais is described as somatic learning- from within reawakening mind, movement, flexibility and wellbeing. In this workshop the focus is on the mind body connection. I will guide you through a series of movements which will be gentle and bring your awareness to the quality of the action, different areas of the body and your breathing. It is suitable for everyone and is wholesome & enjoyable. Years of back and hip problems made it a struggle to walk, Raewyn has helped me pay attention to how I walk and introduced me to more efficient ways of moving, and this has given me relief from pain. Judy Raewyn initially came to body work through her own experience of physical pain, and found a learning journey, that has enriched her life. She continues to grow and learn and has trained in a variety of forms of body therapies, over the last 26 years; Massage, Ortho-bionomy, Feldenkrais and Craniosacral therapy. She chose these disciplines because of their non-invasive nature and the philosophies behind the therapeutic process. Raewyn sees individuals; and has a practice in London & Sheffield.
Monday 18 th August 2.30pm 4.30pm Hakomi assisted self discovery with Ginny Bennett We will do some very simple experiments in mindfulness in the context of loving presence. You will almost certainly be surprised at what you discover about yourself and your unconscious beliefs and how quickly this gentle method touches hidden depths. Our experience is organised by habits. Habits can help us to function but sometimes they are outdated reactions to situations that occurred in childhood and cause unnecessary suffering. If you see a stick and react in fear as if it were a snake and then realise your mistake you can adjust your response. However, if you continue to assume the stick is a snake, you will be trapped within the fear of that mistaken belief. As we study our experience in mindfulness and become aware of our inner workings we can make new choices about how we meet the world. Hakomi creates a warm, safe, non-judgemental environment where there is absolutely no pressure on anybody. Just bring yourself and some curiosity! 'Huge gratitude for your fantastic wit, wisdom and compassion' ~ Workshop Participant Ginny did her first training in medicine and worked for many years as a GP. She has always been interested in the body-mind-spirit connection and noticed very early in her career that people often got better if she merely listened and attuned to them. She subsequently studied various therapies including massage and Hakomi. Ginny became a Hakomi trainer in 2010. She belongs to a meditation group and realises how much Hakomi and meditation enhance each other. Therapy and spiritual practice are on a continuum and seem to help provide a way to live life more skilfully. Overview of the Body Currents Urban Retreat Day Time Time Time Time Time Please arrive and Register from 9.30am Thursday 14 th August Friday 15 th August Saturday 16 th August Sunday 17 th August Monday 18 th August * 10 11.30 11.30 11.50 12.00 1.00 1.00 2.30 2.30 5.30 Yoga Break Reflection Lunch Mindful Massage Yoga Break Reflection Lunch Awakening the Heartmind Yoga Break Reflection Lunch Movement Medicine Yoga Break Reflection Lunch Feldenkrais Method Yoga Break Reflection Lunch Hakomi Method NB: We are allocating 90 minutes for lunch, to provide you with plenty of space to eat mindfully and digest both your food and the retreat. BE Well will be providing nourishing, organic food that can be easily eaten as a picnic in or away from Stillpoint. Our intention is that the whole 5 days together is retreat time. If you need to leave Stillpoint at lunchtime we hope you will use that time to continue your retreat mindfully. *On Monday we end the retreat at 4.30pm to give spacious time for participants to gather themselves for the homeward journey.
We look forward to welcoming you. Be Well @ Stillpoint