Following the success of previous years, Manchester Mindfulness Festival is back at the Bridgewater Hall on Saturday 21st October, with this year’s theme centring around ‘Keeping mindfulness relevant’.

Manchester Mindfulness Festival is the second biggest mindfulness event in the UK, with guest speakers and participants travelling from all over the country to strengthen their practice or learn new skills.

Christoph Spiessens, founder, who lives in Sale, wants to draw attention to the practical and applicable uses of mindfulness in everyday life, including how it can improve mental health and help people living with pain and long-term health conditions.

Notable speakers of the day include Professors Mark Williams, Willem Kuyken, and Rebecca Crane, who have been instrumental in making mindfulness mainstream, and introducing it to the NHS, with their research on mindfulness and depression.

MS Nurse Sue Tibbles will deliver a talk titled ‘Nobody ever said it would be easy’ in which she will discuss life living with multiple sclerosis and the dedication it takes to practice mindfulness, but how it has helped her, and many others manage their condition.

Many compelling talks and sessions will run throughout the day. This includes MSc student and guest speaker Kalyana Bliss, who be running a session with a focus on trauma-sensitivity, providing an opportunity to cultivate embodiment (the physical sense of inhabiting the body). And MBSR mindfulness teacher and guest speaker Louise Haynes, who will teach guests about how mindfulness practices can support you when falling down online rabbit holes and facing the ‘online arena’.

In addition, Imani Nia Sorhaindo (also known as Auraum Benneurt), who is the programme Manager at Mindfulness Network for People of Colour (MNPC), will be sharing a cultural perspective on how Mindfulness principles and practice can personally and collectively move us beyond feelings of cultural or racial separation.

There will be five mindfulness sessions on the day, and the festival welcomes all experience levels. The festival encourages guests to explore either introductory or more advanced sessions, to provide an inclusive and accessible environment for all.

Tickets are £50 (+booking fee) for a full day single ticket, or £90 (+booking fee) for a full day duo ticket and these can be purchased on Eventbrite. There will also be a discretionary discount available to those who email the festival in advance.