Words of others

The Words of Others is a relaxed, participatory discussion group – not a talk, lecture or presentation.
Each week, Rachel Jones-Wild and Alan Jackson facilitate a conversation around one of the attitudes of mindfulness.
We invite you to find and bring something written or spoken by someone else that connects, in some way, with the week's theme.
It might be:
· a poem

• a passage from a book
• song lyrics
• a quotation
• part of a speech
• an extract from an article or essay
• or any other words of others that have made you think or feel something.

It doesn't need to be profound, literary or obviously about mindfulness. Part of the enjoyment is discovering the different connections people make, hearing why someone has chosen their piece, and seeing where those words take the conversation.
During the session, we'll share our chosen words and explore the thoughts, feelings, memories and ideas they bring up.
This is an active discussion group rather than a session where you sit and listen to a facilitator. You don't need to be confident speaking in groups, and there's no expectation to have clever answers or to analyse the writing. It's about listening, sharing, being curious and contributing to the conversation in whatever way feels comfortable.
Along the way, there'll also be:
☕ Tea and conversation
🧘 Meditation
💬 Reflection and group discussion
✍️ Occasional creative writing and collaborative pieces
No knowledge of literature or mindfulness is needed – but we invite you to bring some words that have caught your attention, and a little curiosity about where they might take us