The Poetry of Mindfulness, Dreams, & Reflections

Dreamscapes, stillness, and self-discovery; join us as we dive into the world of mindfulness and poetic craft.

* This course will take place on the video-conferencing platform ZOOM *

Join us in this poetry workshop to slow down, look within, experiment, and explore the subconscious. You will learn to use dream images, mindfulness and surrealism techniques, and reflective writing to create unique and memorable poems. You will also participate in reading and discussing contemporary poems to inspire your writing.

The sessions will happen every two weeks, allowing ideas to grow and develop between classes. Whether you are new to poetry or returning to it, you will leave with fresh work, helpful creativity tools, and a deeper understanding of how your inner life can influence your writing.

Session 1: Stilling the Mind – Writing from stillness and presence
Through practical mindfulness and sensory exercises, and creative prompts, you will learn to observe and recognise the details that can strongly influence poetry. You will read poets who evoke peace and presence, such as Mary Oliver, John Glenday, Jane Hirshfield, and Alejandra Pizarnik, among others, and write pieces that emerge from moments of calm observation.

Session 2: Dreamscapes, Surrealism & the Subconscious – Tapping into imagery and imagination
This session explores the unique and imaginative aspects of the dream world and surrealist art. You will examine the works of Federico García Lorca, André Breton, and contemporary writers such as Tracy K. Smith, Billy Collins, and Ocean Vuong. Through discussion, playful prompts, and free writing, you will experiment with relinquishing control, trusting your subconscious, and welcoming surprise into your work.

Session 3: Reflections & Self-Discovery – Memory, journaling, and personal discoveries
Here, you will turn to personal reflection, journalling, and memory as sources for poetry. You will explore the work of poets who transform the individual into the universal, including Imtiaz Dharker, Fiona Benson, Michael Donaghy, and Jonathan Davidson, among others. You will practice techniques to peel away layers of ‘the self’ and transform everyday moments into creative material, exploring how reflection can reveal clarity and complexity in poetic voice.

Session 4: Weaving it Together – Creating poems that balance inner and outer worlds
In our final session, we’ll combine stillness, dream-imagery, and reflection into finished poems. We’ll draw inspiration from poets such as Natalie Linh Bolderston, Adrienne Rich, Pascale Petit, Ada Limón, and more. You will broaden the reach of your narrative, from inner to outer landscapes. You will draft, experiment with structure and form, and have the opportunity to share your writing with the group.

Please note: this an inspirational, reading and discussion-based course, rather than a feedback-based course, meainng there will be no workshopping of students’ poems in the sessions.

4 fortnightly Zoom sessions on Tuesdays, 7–9pm (GMT), starts 10 Feb 2026.

Concessions & Accessibility

To apply for a concession rate, please send relevant documentation showing your eligibility for one of our concessions to [email protected]. Conditions of eligibility are detailed here. If you have any questions or wish to be added to the waiting list of a sold-out course, please email [email protected].

What to Expect

Please check the left hand side of this page for information on how this course works in practice, under the heading ‘Course Style‘. If you’re unsure as to what any of the terms there mean, or if this course is a good fit for you, then please take a look at our What to Expect page which includes some further information on how our courses function.

Image Credit: Robert Șerban

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