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76 Educators providing Arts & Crafts courses near South Oxfordshire

The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL)

the museum of english rural life (the merl)

4.6(146)

Reading

The Museum of English Rural Life is owned and managed by the University of Reading. We use our diverse and surprising collection to explore how the skills and experiences of farmers and craftspeople, past and present, can help shape our lives now and into the future. We work alongside rural people, local communities and specialist researchers to create displays and activities that engage with important debates about the future of food and the ongoing relevance of the countryside to all our lives. We were established by academics in the Department of Agriculture in 1951 to capture and record the rapidly changing countryside following World War II. The Museum is based on Redlands Road in a building originally designed by Sir Alfred Waterhouse in 1880 for local businessman Alfred Palmer, of the Huntley & Palmer biscuit company. The house then became St Andrews Hall of Residence in 1911, and in 2005 a modern extension was built onto the house for the Museum. The Museum was awarded £1.8million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in 2014 for the redevelopment of the galleries, reopening in October 2016. The redevelopment strengthens and renews our links with agriculture as well as enhancing our position in supporting engagement opportunities for students and academics across a wide variety of disciplines, nationally and internationally. The MERL and Reading Museum are currently in a strategic partnership as part of the Arts Council England National Portfolio 2018-2022. As Museums Partnership Reading we work together to provide cultural opportunities for Reading’s young people and diverse communities, through schools, volunteering, digital engagement and exhibitions. PLANS AND POLICIES

Reading - Kadampa Meditation Centre

reading - kadampa meditation centre

Reading

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful we shall be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we shall experience true happiness. By training in meditation we can gradually learn to stay peaceful all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances. If we practice meditation we will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve. Kadampa Meditation Centre Reading offers introductory meditation classes and courses in Reading and the surrounding area. Our beginners classes include guided meditations, a short practical talk about how to use meditation to solve daily problems, and an opportunity to ask questions and discuss. Our meditation courses and classes are open to everyone, whatever level of interest or experience, and give people the opportunity to learn more about meditation, Buddhism, and finding peace & happiness from within. The benefits of meditation include: Improved concentration and focus in daily life Less stress, worry & anxiety Reduced irritation, anger & frustration Greater inner peace & happiness Increased confidence & self-esteem Improved mental and physical well being A positive outlook on life & better relationships These beginner Buddhist meditation classes and courses provide practical advice for the problems of modern living. Through attending our classes you can learn to view everyday situations in the most beneficial and constructive way leading to greater happiness for yourself and others. “When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. If we train in meditation our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we shall experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.”