This year, we at Leeds Sanctuary are acknowledging that the Christmas season can be a complicated time. We recognise that for many people, Christmas creates challenging and tangled emotions. It can be a very exciting time with opportunities for much joy, but it can also enhance feelings of grief, anxiety and loneliness. Mass celebration at a time when many are unable to celebrate, perhaps due to poverty or war, can also raise feelings of guilt, and holding these emotions together can be overwhelming and exhausting.
With this in mind, we are hosting two opportunities for you to acknowledge and reflect on these emotions, and we have created some digital resources you can use privately too.
The first in-person event is on Tuesday 10 December at 5.30pm, at Mill Hill Chapel (follow this link to find out more and register your interest).
The second is an online Workshop which will focus on acknowledging complicated feelings, and how we might be kind to ourselves at the same time. This Workshop was rescheduled due to illness and will now take place in January 2025 – please contact Emily to let us know you’d like to attend.
In addition to these in-person opportunities, we have recorded a meditation which you can listen to below, or through Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Music, or your usual podcast platform.
You might also appreciate this conversation about Suicide Prevention, with the Founder of The Jordan Legacy, Steve Philip (Trigger Warning: Suicide).
You might also find it helpful to look through these resources from Mindwell: Looking after your wellbeing this Christmas – MindWell, and details of their Support Helplines can be found here should you need them: Mental health support: Christmas and New Year opening times 2024 – MindWell
We would love for you to connect with us in 2025. Please visit our Events page for more information about what’s coming up, and sign up to our monthly Newsletter here to keep up with what’s going on.