Symbolic space

Symbolic Space is a novel approach to exploring and developing the self. This circle is offered through The Salisbury Centre’s community programme.

Participation in a Symbolic Space Circle allows individuals to experience a way of exploring their intentions and connections with the self and the world.

A Symbolic Space Circle offers an opportunity to explore a relationship with a creative, spiritual, or everyday-life situation, a goal, or an intention, using bodily awareness and movement in space. This may help activate forms of perception, association, and processing that are not easily available to conscious thinking alone.

The circle begins with a grounding exercise. Then an individual or group intention is formulated. Sharing an individual intention with the circle is optional.

Each session is adapted to the formulated intention(s). Guidance for a session consists of prompts or a series of simple, non-suggestive questions. Usually, the goal is to externalise the intention and the situation surrounding it, and to explore a relationship with them through feeling into bodily sensations, becoming aware of any images and associations coming to mind, working with provided objects, and/or moving through the space of the room. The process might be individual or involve a group dynamic, depending on the intention(s).

Optional sharing is done throughout the session.

Facilitator

Ekaterina Shurkova, PhD, facilitates this circle as a volunteer at The Salisbury Centre. She developed the Symbolic Space approach, drawing on her background in cognitive neuroscience and her interest in how people connect with the world: how we learn, play, communicate, solve problems, and change our minds.

In this circle, Ekaterina brings together creative problem solving, relational ways of seeing, and the role of symbols, metaphors, and spatial awareness in reflective practice.

Practical Information

The circle is limited to 6 participants. Please make sure to book your place.

Please arrive on time. As the session begins with grounding, the door will close a few minutes after the start time. Unfortunately, late arrivals cannot be admitted once the session has begun.

Contact Info

With any questions, please email info@symbolicspace.site.

Artwork by Olga Vornava

Description supplied by the event organiser.