Creative mindfulness one-day retreat
29 November at 10:00 to 16:00
A one-day mindfulness retreat, including meditation practices, creative expression and journaling. Experience of creative expression is not necessary.
Background to the day
We are sometimes advised in retreat situations to not do anything, including not to draw, paint or write. Simplifying, and completely letting go of any kind of doing has so much value. However, it can also be very rich to be with and express what comes up creatively, allowing that to further enrich our practice. Creating can help us connect with less conscious, less rational parts of ourselves. It can also help us to trust and receive the unfolding of our experience through whatever medium we are using. This can help us come alive and connect with ourselves and the world, to express what emerges from our practice and to deepen it.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, a well-known and highly-respected meditation teacher says:
“Art can be the most supportive part of what one does in life with meditation practice. Art enriches the practice, and in the end, meditation practice and art become united. This is the goal of all practitioners: what we practice in meditation becomes our life…..there is no reason to see a conflict between art and meditation practice. Of course, you might want to spend more time doing one or the other but, please, never see them in conflict. See them as supportive of one another. Both have connections, passions, fulfilment and joy which, together, make us whole. This wholeness of being is the true accomplishment of a full life.”
Content of the day
This day will be held as a mostly silent retreat day with mindfulness practices interspersed with creativity, using clay, drawing/painting and journaling. Some meditation experience (such as having done an eight-week course) is required but no experience of artistic or creative work is needed. Materials will be supplied. The day will be held at the Sussex Education Centre in Brighton.
Why a one-day retreat?
A one-day mindfulness retreat is an important part of the eight-week mindfulness course. It also offers an opportunity to extend your practice within a supportive environment. For people who meditate regularly the retreat offers a great way to deepen and refresh your practice. Read more about the benefits of a day long retreat.
Who is it for?
This day is right for you if you have attended an eight-week Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness for Life or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course and are:
- a current or previous Sussex Partnership service user,
- a current staff member,
- a current or past participant of an eight-week mindfulness course provided by NHS England, or the Sussex Health and Care Partnership;
- a current or past Sussex Mindfulness Centre or MBCT in NHS Talking Therapies trainee, or
- an alumni of a Sussex Mindfulness Centre training or of the MBCT in NHS Talking Therapies services training.
Retreat leaders
Robert Marx
Robert Marx is Co-Lead for the Sussex Mindfulness Centre. He is a consultant clinical psychologist and Cognitive-Analytic psychotherapist, mindfulness (MBCT) and compassion-based (MSC) teacher. He has been co-running day retreats in Sussex Partnership twice a year for around 15 years and more recently, 5 day residential mindfulness retreats. Painting and writing have also been important to him and he has incorporated both into his own personal retreats.
Sarah Marx
Sarah Marx has been working therapeutically with adults, children and families for the past 20 years. Originally trained as an adult therapist and then as a Child and Adolescent psychotherapist, Sarah has worked in the NHS, university counselling services, schools, colleges and private practice. She has trained in multiple therapy modalities, including psychodynamic, Cognitive-Analytic and mindfulness (MBCT), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), EMDR and Theraplay. Wanting to incorporate the transformative nature of creativity into her clinical work, Sarah qualified at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE) where she went on to teach. She has worked as a trainer for Trauma Informed Schools UK and is part of the leadership team at Beacon House. She is also a ceramicist and has exhibited locally.
How to book?
Bookings for this course will open in May 2025. You can register your interest in the meantime by emailing us at spft.smc@nhs.net, and we will send you a booking link as soon as the tickets for this event have been released.
The cost for the day is £30 to help us cover materials. If this is prohibitive let us know and we can make a few spaces free, or by a small donation.
Please note, you’ll need to attend for the whole day. It’s not possible to only come for a portion of the day. The retreats run from 10am to 4pm, and we ask people to join from 9.45am to ensure a prompt start.
Certificate of attendance
Certificates of attendance can be supplied on completion of the day, if requested.
