Opening our minds to new experiences
In February 2023, staff and Pythian Ambassadors from The Pythian Club went to visit the ‘Journey of the Mind’ exhibition at the New Art Exchange, in the heart of Hyson Green in Nottingham. We loved learning about how Sikh teachings can support us to understand our own minds and help improve our mental wellbeing.
As well as enjoying the exhibition we also attended an informative workshop learning how to implement ‘Simran.’ This is a form of contemplative meditation which uses repetition of a word with every breath and while it was challenging, most of us successfully managed to temporarily reduce our internal chatter to find peace. Callum Hayes, one of our sports coaches, commented, “Days like this are why I love The Pythian Club. I did something I wouldn’t normally do, and learning this focussed practice was fun and relaxing.”
The exhibition and workshop were conceived and delivered by Without Shape Without Form (WSWF), an arts’ organisation who look to go beyond racial and religious boundaries ‘to spark conversations and encourage exchange.’ Continuing this theme, WSWF attended several of our Friday Football sessions at the Forest Recreation Ground, engaging with the young people who love attending these sessions on a weekly basis to share their passion for the game.
Ben Rosser, our CEO, said “It’s wonderful working with external organisations such as WSWF who so willingly give up their time to support and engage with the diverse young people from all over Nottingham who attend our sessions. While we get to see these young people coming together week in and week out, it’s always wonderful to enable others to share in this experience where they see so many of our young people, smiling, laughing, and enjoying the beautiful game.”
The Pythian Club hosts many fun, friendly and free or low-cost activities for young people across Nottingham including basketball, boxing, football, gardening, and multi-sports. Browse our activity programme here.
The ‘Journey of the Mind’ travelling exhibition runs until 22 April 2023 at Nottingham Arts Exchange.
