In June, we celebrate our fantastic register member Sophie Lacey. Sophie is based in Chinnor, Oxfordshire where she runs her meditation business ‘Linden Tree Meditation’.
We asked Sophie to share some information about her business, her teachings and her own meditation experience, so that you can get to know her better.
Here is what Sophie told us about her own meditation experience…
“I’ve been meditating seriously for about 8 years, dabbling around the edges for some years before that. I’ve always being interested in philosophy, comparative religion, spirituality and wellbeing (my A levels and degree are all in ancient studies). I picked up meditation initially through yoga classes and guided visualisations.
Most of my own meditation is based in nature, whether that’s real nature outdoors, natural imagery, natural elements, sun/moon cycles, essential oils, or chakras. I prefer to meditate with images and objects or some sort of sensory invitation rather than with breath alone – although I do practise traditional mindfulness meditation sometimes too”.
Sophie trained with BSoM to become an externally accredited meditation teacher because…
“I wanted robust, evidence-based training offering a proper qualification. But also because I didn’t want to be limited to one meditation style or tradition….
I trained in 2018 because by then I was doing enough meditation myself to know how much it was helping me with my own mental health and wanted to share it. But also because I knew I had enough interest in the philosophy, science, and spiritual traditions of meditation to be able to teach it to others (with discussion added in).
Meditation brings together all the things I naturally gravitate towards and have done for most of my life: nature, the cycles & seasons, natural health & wellbeing, comparative spirituality/philosophy, and communities.
My big motivator is (re)connection to nature because it underpins everything that matters for our life on Earth: ‘soil, soul and social’ health.
When I trained, one of the groups I wanted to help was women going through menopause because that was starting to affect me too and I found meditation useful (I did my diploma presentation on this subject), but I also had ideas that were a lot broader and not just for women”.
What she loved about the training was…
“I loved it all to be honest! Probably the group work and discussion most of all and making friends with a lovely bunch of other trainees that stayed in touch after the course. I’m a bit of a nerd, so I loved researching the coursework too”
About Sophie’s business ‘Linden Tree Meditation’
Linden Tree Meditation offers meditation classes, courses, workshops, and one-to-one lessons covering a wide range of meditation techniques and themes all drawn from nature or inspired by it.
These include breathwork, mindfulness with breath, guided visualisation, mindful journalling, plant & aromatherapy meditation, forest bathing, Yoga Nidra, chakra meditation, mantra/chant, natural elements/Ayurveda, mandalas, seasons and sun/moon cycles.
Sophie set up Linden Tree Meditation in 2019, pretty much as soon as she got her diploma.
She had a vision from the beginning that she wanted to have a regular circle of students, not necessarily women (although it has been largely, by default).
Over time the group has flourished through learning and sharing experiences across different generations and between sexes (although Sophie say she think it’s healthy for people to have single-sex circles if they want them too). She also loves doing one-off events and workshops where there is a deep dive into a particular subject. A highlight so far was a field trip to Glastonbury last summer.
The unifying principle for Sophie’s business is nature, whether that’s indoor or outdoor practice. She says “People are typically so disconnected from the natural world and from the reality that human beings are part of nature. Natural mindfulness and nature-connected meditation are key to helping people ‘back to nature’ through their senses and general awareness…
I’ve seen lovely results with it giving people more connected, more embodied, more complete lives.
It’s also a vital aspect of the eco/regenerative movement because without understanding we are part of nature, people won’t actively seek to protect it”.
Sophie’s favourite aspect of teaching is…
“I just love bringing people together in circle and seeing what happens when people’s internal and external worlds open up through meditation and they start to live fuller, richer, more nature-connected lives. And I love discussing meditation techniques, spiritual philosophies and ideas”.
In addition to teaching meditation….
Sophie has a career as a creative copywriter and writing coach for architects, interior designers, landscape designers and placemaking professionals. For a long time, her two roles weren’t connected at all, but increasingly she has found there has been more of a crossover between natural mindfulness and the design world via regenerative design and biophilia (‘love of natural life’).
Sophie has recorded two podcast interviews on this intersection and is now looking for more ways to draw her two worlds together, including a mindfully creative writing course for people in design, so they can tell their audiences powerful multi-sensory, nature-connected stories.
How you can work with, or find out more about Sophie and her meditation sessions:
- Sophie has a regular local circle on Saturday mornings where the group practise all different kinds of meditation, often tying themes to seasons of the year: breathwork, traditional (Buddhist) mindfulness meditation, chakra meditation, mantra/chant, aromatherapy meditation, guided visualisation, mandalas, mindful journalling, moon cycles, wheel of the year, all sorts!
Classes in Chinnor start again in September and you can keep in touch via Sophie’s Facebook page or website (links below) for details of events or private & corporate bookings.
- In the summer, Sophie teaches plant & aromatherapy meditation at University of Oxford Botanic Garden and forest bathing (with a yoga teacher) at the University of Oxford Arboretum.
Oxford classes are booked through the University of Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum website (they are full for this year, but dates for 2025 will be published soon).
- Also on offer are one-to-one lessons online as well as corporate/private events.
For anything to do with creativity coaching, creative copywriting, or biophilic storytelling, please contact Sophie on LinkedIn.
Social media and website links:
Website: www.lindentreemeditation.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindentreemeditationdotcom
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sophielaceycopywriting/