Experiencing mindfulness and practising meditation has become a popular lifestyle choice on the island over recent years.

Now, one of the island’s best-known practitioners of mindfulness, Mike Kewley, is to hold a one-day family festival dedicated to which will celebrating and promoting the themes of meditation, yoga, community wellbeing and positive mental health.

Mindful Mann 2018 is the island’s first well-being festival and will see workshops and classes held on mindfulness and meditation techniques and yoga, held at the Community farm on Saturday, June 30.

’Mindfulness is integral to any form of wellbeing,’ said Mike.

’There is now a thriving community of people on the island practising yoga, meditation and mindfulness as ways to actively reduce negative influences on their lives, and develop the superhuman qualities of focus, calm and emotional resilience.

’Mindful Mann 2018 is a response to the overwhelming interest our culture is now expressing in learning how to move away from helplessness, into a vivid and fresh experience of the present moment, where we can flow, thrive and create. ’

Mike said that Mindful Mann is geared towards the whole family, and is aimed to encouraging mindfulness and wellbeing in adults and children alike.

’Mindful Mann is a family-friendly event,’ he said. ’Wellbeing, positivity, creativity and resilience are not just skills for adults, but should be nurtured at a young age.

’Children can try a kids' yoga class run by Janet Bradley or Heidi Danaher, have their portrait sketched, get a henna tattoo, or have their face painted by Anna Clucas.

’There’s also animal feeding with the Community Farm staff, and a painted rock treasure hunt, as well as the chance to explore the conservation area.’

There will also be presentations from speakers, including transpersonal psychologist Steve Taylor, Zahir Khan, a spiritual teacher in the Islamic Sufi tradition, and yoga teachers and authors Nicole Schnakenberg, and Nathan Godolphin.

There will also be local speakers Graham Clucas, founder of the Manx trauma recovery community, Quing, and Philip Quirk, a London-based human performance coach whose clients include multiple Olympic and world champions, polar explorers and professional sports teams.

There will also be live music from Pete Lumb, Wild Hive and Biskee Brisht, and a range of artisan food outlets.

Tickets for Mindful Mann 2018, which is sponsored by the Year of Our Island initiative, are £25, available online from myfreemind.org

Under 16s are free to enter, but must be accompanied by an adult.

by Mike Wade

newsdesk:@iomnewspapers