A group of people working in St Peter Port have taken over a library run meditation session, now the original organiser has left the island.
The sessions at the Guille-Allès Library help with focus and mental energy, and aim to improve one’s mood.
They became so impactful that regular attendees felt they “couldn’t let it go” from their weekly wellbeing calendar when the organisers stepped back.
Marc Cohen takes turns with others in running the session.
“Lunch Time Meditation was originally run by the library but when the person leading it moved back to Australia, it was either let it die or turn it into a community-led programme.
“Nick Falla, Tamiza Pledge, and I decided to step in. None of us are trained meditation teachers, but we’ve all been practising for years. We take turns hosting, and anyone who comes along is welcome to lead a session if they want to. It’s something we’ve found valuable – and we know others do too. We didn’t want to let it die.”
Francesca Perselli, a lawyer and attendee said: “I practice buddhist meditation at home, and it’s really nice and important to be able to practice with other people. I’ve been attending for about a year on and off, and now with it being volunteer led, I got the opportunity to run on the sessions myself. The sessions are creating a really lovely community, we are all co-responsible now for keeping it running, and we get to try out a range of styles of meditation.”
The sessions involved having to dismantle tables and chairs and are pretty much a DIY job on set up, but when the clock strikes 12:30 calm descends.
Adam Bayfield, Head of Marketing & Customer Services, at the Guille-Allès Library said he is pleased the library is able to offer space for such community-led activities.
“Supporting wellbeing is an important part of what we aim to do at the Library, and we’re glad that so many people are coming together to enjoy meditation at these sessions.”
Another attendee who is suffering from stage four cancer said: “I find that meditation is something I’ve really come to rely on for my own piece of mind and helping me to cope.
“We started about three or four years ago, and they were in the Story Tower originally and were run by Be Inspired. The reason we moved out the Tower was that we needed a bigger space as they were becoming so popular.”
The group aim to run the session every Tuesday and say to check their Facebook page for details.
The free 20-minute meditation sessions run on Tuesday lunchtimes between 12:30 and 12:50 in the Dorey Room on the second floor of The Guille-Allès Library.
They are suitable for all, even if you’re trying it for the first time.