Baby Mindful - in the Octagon Room

Baby Mindful is back, in the awe-inspiring beauty of our Octagon Room. Choose from the option of a 4 or 8 week course, or individual sessions and spend quiet, quality time learning Mindfulness techniques from a qualified practitioner. Especially tailored to new or expecting parents and their bumps or babies (pre-crawling) this course will enhance bonding between you and your baby, promote calm and offer the opportunity to meet other local parents. Taking inspiration from the visual and emotional impact of the gallery’s artworks and surroundings, sessions will include mindful movement, creative mindfulness sessions and guided meditation practice.

The long-term health benefits of practicing Mindfulness include coping strategies, improved sleep, increased focus, deeper relaxation and feeling better equipped to deal with everyday stresses.

Sessions will explore practices from our previous Baby Mindful course, but it doesn’t matter whether you are brand new to mindfulness or well-practiced as the course will be suited to all levels. Sessions will provide parents with the opportunity to learn how to parent more mindfully, whist providing a sensory experience for babies. Resources on the course will also include take away practices for your growing children and to support family life in general.

Each session will build upon the last and you can choose to book the whole course at a discounted rate, or separate sessions.



Block 1:

Monday 1st October – Week 1: Mindfulness and the Stress Response I

Monday 8th October – Week 2: Mindful Movement I – Keeping the Body in Mind

Monday 15th October – Week 3: Creative Mindfulness I – Art as Meditation

Break for Half Term

Monday 29th October – Week 4: Mindful Self Compassion and Gratitude



Block 2:

Monday 12th November – Week 1: Mindful Communications

Monday 19th November – Week 2: Mindful Movement II – Keeping the Body in Mind

Monday 26th November – Week 3: Creative Mindfulness II – Colour me Calm

Monday 3rd December – Week 4: Family Mindfulness – Bringing it all Home


Session Timings:

10 – 10.15 – setting in, tea and coffee

10.15 – 11.15 – mindfulness session

11.15 – 11.45 – tea, coffee and social


Additional Information:
—The gallery is fully accessible to buggies and there is free parking onsite.
—A quiet feeding area will be available to anyone who would like one.
—Please use the baby change facilities on site as changing cannot take place in the session space.
—This course is not suitable for babies who can crawl or walk.
—Do ensure you arrive by 10am. If you arrive after the session start at 10.15am you may not be able to access the room so as not to disturb other participants.
—Please enter via the gallery’s main entrance adjacent to the Octagon Room.
—Please bring your own yoga mat and/or blanket if you are able. There will be a limited number of spare mats available.

Course of 4 sessions – £30 (discounted rate of £7.50 per session) book Block 1 here and Block 2 here.

If you are unable to make the whole course, individual sessions can be booked for £10 per session here.

The course will be run by experienced mindfulness practitioner, Sam Weerasinghe of SamMantra. www.sammantra.com