MEDITATION

A 6-Week Meditation Course In person or live online via zoom

The Art & Science of Inner Calm

Thursdays, 8th October – 19th November 2026

( Please note there is no class on Thursday 15th October)

Would you like to feel calmer, less overwhelmed and more able to find a little space amid the busyness of everyday life?

Meditation can give us practical ways to pause, settle the mind and become more present. With regular practice, it can also help us develop greater awareness of our thoughts and emotions, improve focus and concentration, and become less reactive when life feels challenging.

The Art & Science of Inner Calm is a practical and experiential six-week course exploring both the practice of meditation and some of the research behind its benefits.

Whether you are completely new to meditation, have tried it before but found it difficult to maintain, or already meditate and would like to deepen and broaden your practice, the course will introduce you to a wide range of meditation techniques so that you can discover which approaches work best for you.

Over the six weeks, we will explore practices including breath awareness, visualisations, mantra, mindfulness, sound, heart-focused meditation, walking meditation and iRest Yoga nidra.

Alongside meditation, I will introduce complementary practices to help you quieten the mind for meditation including breathing practices, mudras and gentle movement, as well as sharing relevant research and practical ways to establish and maintain a regular meditation practice.

There will also be plenty of time for questions, discussion and group reflection.

What we will explore:

Week One: Mindful Breathing

Exploring the breath as a focus for meditation and, across many traditions, as a gateway to the quiet space within us all. Through mindful breathing and breath awareness, we will explore ways to settle the mind, become more present and connect with this inner stillness.

Week Two: Creative Visualisation

Exploring guided imagery and visualisation as a way of focusing the mind and encouraging relaxation.

Week Three: Mantra & Singing Bowls

Exploring sound, repetition and vibration as different points of focus for meditation.

Week Four: Heart-Focused & Expansiveness Meditation

Practices that invite us to move beyond our usual thinking mind and cultivate qualities such as kindness, connection and spaciousness.

Week Five: Chakra & Walking Meditation

Exploring chakra meditation, together with walking meditation for those who enjoy bringing mindfulness into movement.

Week Six: iRest Yoga Nidra

We finish the course with a deeply restful guided iRest Yoga Nidra practice, including body sensing and breath sensing.

What could meditation do for me?

Meditation isn't about emptying your mind or stopping your thoughts. With regular practice, it can help us develop a different relationship with our thoughts, emotions and everyday experiences.

Research into meditation and mindfulness suggests that regular practice may support:

**Reduced stress and anxiety

**Greater calm and a reduced sense of feeling overwhelmed

**Improved focus, attention and concentration

**Greater self-awareness

**Becoming less reactive and more able to respond thoughtfully

**Improved emotional regulation and resilience

**Greater patience and compassion towards ourselves and others

**Improved sleep and relaxation

**A clearer mind and greater perspective

**an increased sense of balance and wellbeing

**Regular meditation can also help us develop greater consistency and self-discipline, which may support other positive habits in everyday life.

**Yoga Nidra and other guided relaxation practices can be particularly helpful for encouraging deep rest and relaxation and may support sleep, stress management and an increased sense of wellbeing.

I share with you the actual research that backs up these claims

So many meditation techniques – which one is right for me?

There isn't just one way to meditate.

Some people connect immediately with following their breath, while others find visualisation, mantra, sound, movement or a guided practice much more accessible.

That's why we won't spend six weeks practising just one technique.

By experiencing a range of approaches, you can begin to discover the practices that resonate with you. Finding an approach you actually enjoy can make it much easier to establish and sustain a regular meditation practice.

Do you find it difficult to sit still or quieten your mind?

You're certainly not alone.

You don't need to sit cross-legged on the floor, and you don't need to stop your thoughts in order to meditate.

Throughout the course, I will share practical ways to make meditation more comfortable and accessible, including different sitting positions and the use of cushions, chairs and other supports.

We will also explore breathing practices, mudras and gentle movement that can help prepare the body and mind for meditation.

You can sit on a chair or on the floor with cushions and supports – whatever works best for you.

Have you tried meditation before and then given up?

Or perhaps you've been meaning to start but have never quite managed to establish a regular practice.

We'll look at some of the common obstacles that can get in the way of meditation and explore practical tools, hints and tips to help you build a practice that is realistic and sustainable within everyday life.

The aim isn't to become a "perfect meditator". It is to find ways of practising that you can actually incorporate into your life.

Supporting your practice between sessions

I will share recordings of each practise as well as extensive notes to support your meditation between our weekly sessions and help you continue practising at home.

Each session will include meditation - this is usually 2 x 8-10 minutes each session - and other practices together with opportunities for questions, discussion, reflection.

Who is the course suitable for?

The course is suitable for complete beginners as well as those who already meditate and would like to explore different techniques or deepen their existing practice.

Meditation as taught on this course does not require any particular religious or spiritual belief and everyone is welcome.

Does it matter if I am going to miss a session(s)?

I send recordings of the actual practises as well as extensive notes so that you can catch up on what you missed.

Price : In Person - £95 or £80 online via zoom

Your place covers all six live sessions together with the supporting follow up recordings and extensive notes.

What do I need to bring?

Just yourself. When joining online, I will give you simple guidance beforehand on anything you may find useful to have nearby.