Upcoming Events at Golden Braid Books
Community workshops and classes at Golden Braid Books are always free and open to all.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Awareness Put Me On: an author event with Nikki Walker
Awareness Put Me On: Leading By Choice, Thriving By Design
A book reading & signing by Nikki Walker, featured author
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
How has awareness put YOU on? The time has come to listen to the call and make a change. In Awareness Put Me On, you will meet over 20 leaders from diverse background to explore the profound impact of height and awareness on personal and professional growth. This book dives in real life stories, experiences, and insights that highlight the pivotal moments when increased awareness became a catalyst for change.
"STRONGER THAN PRIDE"
The theme of Nikki Walker’s chapter revolves around resilience, self-awareness, and the transformative power of confronting and embracing one's emotions, particularly in the context of mental health challenges. The chapter emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing personal struggles, seeking help and support, and finding strength in vulnerability. It also touches on the societal stigma surrounding mental health issues, highlighting the need for increased awareness and accessibility to mental health care, especially for underserved communities like Black women. Overall, the chapter underscores the journey of personal growth and healing through self-awareness, communication, and seeking assistance when needed.
About Nikki Walker:
Nikki Walker is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background in public relations, communications, and community engagement. Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, Nikki made the move to Lehi, Utah in 2017 and has since become an integral part of the local community.
With over 20 years of experience in the field, Nikki's career in public relations and communications on the east coast was marked by remarkable achievements and continuous growth. She began as an associate and steadily climbed the ranks to eventually reach the position of Vice President. Along the way, she successfully launched and ran her own PR firm for a decade and even served as an in-house PR director for a national ethnic hair care brand.
In 2017, Nikki's talents and expertise caught the attention of a multibillion-dollar wellness brand based in Utah, and she was recruited to serve as the Director of Global Brand Awareness. Her time with the company was highly successful, and she played a pivotal role in expanding the brand's reach and impact on a global scale.
Seeking new challenges and opportunities, Nikki transitioned into the tech space, where she currently holds the position of Director of Community Engagement and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) at a prominent tech company. In this role, Nikki is dedicated to fostering strong connections between the company and its community, while also championing diversity and inclusivity within the organization.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Nikki is deeply committed to making a positive difference in her community. She serves on various nonprofit boards throughout the state of Utah, including the State Workforce Development Board, Utah Foster Care, The Children's Center, The Road Home, The Utah Black Chamber of Commerce, and Women Who Succeed. Her active involvement in these organizations reflects her passion for empowering others and creating opportunities for growth and success.
Nikki's outstanding contributions have been recognized by numerous prestigious awards and accolades. She was named one of Utah Business Magazine's 30 Women to Watch and was honored as part of the W Collective's 40 Over 40. In 2022, she received a Stevie Award, acknowledging her exceptional achievements in her field. Additionally, Nikki was a recipient of the 2021 Women Tech Change Catalyst Award, recognizing her significant impact in the technology sector. Most notably, she was a 2023 candidate for the Utah State Senate, reflecting her dedication to public service and her desire to make a positive impact on a broader scale.
Garbage Bag Girl: an Author Event with Celeste L. Edmunds
Garbage Bag Girl: an unforgettable story of hope and resiliency
A book reading, signing, & interactive community event with Celeste L. Edmunds, Author and International Executive Director of The Christmas Box
Thursday, May 2, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
Garbage Bag Girl is Celeste Edmund's story of being raised by addicted parents and, at a young age, learning to survive and protect her siblings from rapists and drug dealers. Eventually, the state separated their family, and Celeste was adopted alone into a dysfunctional, fractured home where a sadistic and manipulating mother treated her as an unwanted outsider. Contemplating taking her abuser's life, Celeste eventually ran away, finding shelter wherever she could, until a compassionate woman stepped in to give her home and love.
If you have any questions you would like Celeste to answer during the event, you may submit them openly or anonymously to celeste@thechristmasbox.org
About Celeste L. Edmunds:
Christmas Box House Executive Director Celeste Edmunds understands what the children she serves at The Christmas Box Houses are going through. She went through it herself. Her biological parents were addicts, and her childhood was an ongoing cycle of police calls, fighting, and physical, sexual, and mental abuse. At age 7, Celeste was taken from her home and placed into a child welfare system, where moving every few months to a new environment became normal. By age sixteen, she had lived in more than 30 cities.
Celeste views her childhood as a difficult but essential growing experience. There were terrible things, but there were also caring people along the way who did what they could to protect and nurture her. She was author Richard Paul Evans’ assistant when he founded The Christmas Box International. She quickly became an integral part of its creation, helping to build and refine the original shelters for a decade before taking a new position in Corporate America. Working in the corporate world gave her valuable knowledge of a different kind, with experience in marketing (receiving Marketer of the Year by Utah Business Magazine), public relations, community giving, and team management. Combining her nonprofit and corporate experience, Celeste is uniquely fit to guide The Christmas Box International. Celeste is passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth and the child welfare system so that others may not have to go through the same experiences she had.
The Christmas Box International celebrates 28 years of defending more than 155,000 children. That is enough to fill Madison Square Garden more than seven and a half times.
Celeste believes that The Christmas Box International is more than a place–it is a concept where community, government, and nonprofits come together to bring the resources to children that they need. As a child who grew up in the system, Celeste understands the importance of providing these youth the opportunity for a better life by providing them with safety, dignity, and hope. Her goal is to give these beautiful children everything she wished for as a child, including hope for a better future.
Celeste released her book this fall titled Garbage Bag Girl. She hopes to bring more awareness to the issues that face children in the child welfare system and help them know that they deserve a childhood and are worthy of safety and love.
Click here to learn more about The Christmas Box International and for information about how you can get involved and/or donate.
Buy the Book Here
Writing Workshop Series: Writing From Perspectives
Writing Workshop Series: Writing From Perspectives
Thursday May 9, 7-8:30pm
Join us for a workshop on expanding your writing (and your mind).
The world is full of all sorts of people from different walks of life. Being a great writer means being able to step into another’s shoes and tell a story from their viewpoint, even when it is drastically different from your own. Join us for an evening of inspiration, prompts, and encouragement in a safe and non-judgmental space. Just bring your notebook, a pen, and the willingness to dive in. Not only will your writing expand, but your mind and heart just may open up as well!
This is a free community event open to all.
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday May 15, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
JILLIAN: Tarot/Oracle https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/jillian
MILA: Tarot and Astrology https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/mila
ANGIE: Angel Cards https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/angie
Cultivating Spring: Ayurveda Seasonal Circle
Cultivating Spring: Ayurveda Seasonal Circle
Thursday, May 16, 7-8:30 pm
Join Courtney to celebrate what’s sprouting for you this spring. We’ll explore the early summer call toward expression, and activate our senses to commune with nature and explore harmonizing diet, lifestyle, and movement with the season. Finally, the beat of the drum will drop you into a renewing Shamanic journey.
Please bring pen and paper for the complete integrative experience. Chairs will be provided, but feel free to bring a blanket, eye cover, or cushion if you’d prefer to relax into the journey experience.
About Courtney:
Courtney Lasker is a certified Ayurvedic Health Coach and Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher. Courtney weaves her experience and training as an intuitive guide and energy healer with practical Ayurvedic wellness to provide profound and sustained healing support. Courtney offers healing circles, tea ceremonies, and private sessions. You can find out more about Courtney and her offerings on her website: www.courtneylasker.com
Intro to Sound Healing: An Exploration of Sound with Elizabeth Jensen
Intro to Sound Healing: An Exploration of Sound with Elizabeth Jensen
Thursday, May 23, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
Join Elizabeth Jensen in the exploration and healing power of sound. This experience will invite you to feel the effects of different sounds and frequencies on your body and mind through meditation and a variety of instruments.
Please bring pen and paper if you wish to take notes or explore the concepts that will be given. Chairs will be provided but feel free to bring a cushion if you’d prefer for the experiential portion of the evening.
About Elizabeth Jensen:
Elizabeth Jensen is an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher, meditation/Yoga Nidra teacher, and a Reiki master. Over many years she has been enjoying and experimenting with music and sound healing. Since 2015, Elizabeth has offered sound healing classes as well as private sessions. You can find out more about Elizabeth and her offerings on her website: www.empoweryourpath.com
May Book Club: When Women Were Birds
May Book Club: When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams
Thursday May 30th, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
This May, the Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is reading When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams.
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
"I am leaving you all my journals, but you must promise me you won't look at them until after I'm gone." This is what Terry Tempest Williams's mother, the matriarch of a large Mormon clan in northern Utah, told her a week before she died. It was a shock to Williams to discover that her mother had kept journals. But not as much of a shock as it was to discover that the three shelves of journals were all blank. In fifty-four short chapters, Williams recounts memories of her mother, ponders her own faith, and contemplates the notion of absence and presence art and in our world.
When Women Were Birds is a carefully crafted kaleidoscope that keeps turning around the question: What does it mean to have a voice?
The Law of Attraction Formula: A Workshop on Manifesting the Life You Want with Christiane Turner
The Law of Attraction Formula: A Workshop on Manifesting the Life You Want with Christiane Turner
Thursday, June 6, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
Join us for an evening of manifestation and The Law of Attraction. Learn how to attract what you want into your life. This workshop will include an introduction to the principles, hands-on exercises, and guided meditations.
About Christiane Turner:
Always exploring the next possible threshold of human consciousness, Christiane easily navigates the constantly shifting landscape of Training, Coaching, and Consulting. Moving between ancient wisdom and modern technology, Christiane bases her teachings on the models and techniques of the many cultures she has encountered in her global traveling, as well as the basic principles of Quantum Physics and the newest scientific discoveries related to consciousness.
Christiane has been perfecting her training and coaching skills for over 25 years. Her books are available globally in bookstores and online stores. She is the founder of Quantum NLP LLC, through which she offers high integrity Quantum NLP-based Training, Coaching, and Consulting in the USA and internationally.
She is a natural leader – her dynamic combination of strength and gentleness helps her to lead clients and groups to break through change and lasting transformation. Christiane is a leader who highly values community building. She has initiated and organized community projects; for example, the annual New Consciousness EXPO in Salt Lake City since 2005, and the Law of Attraction Club, which started in 2006, and the Law of Attraction Summit.
For Christiane to stay in integrity with her purpose, she puts great emphasis on creating balance between being a family person and being a teacher at the same time. She just celebrated the 33rd wedding anniversary with her husband Shawn. Together they have two sons and three granddaughters.
For more information about Christiane and Quantum NLP, visit her website: https://learnquantumnlp.com/
Writing Workshop Series: Write Your Memoir!
Writing Workshop Series: Write Your Memoir!
Thursday April 11, 7-8:30pm
Your story matters – it’s time to share it! Join us for an evening of inspiration, prompts, and encouragement in a safe and non-judgmental space to support you in writing your memoir. Just bring your notebook, a pen, and the willingness to dive in.
This is a free community event open to all.
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday June 19, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
DIXIE: Palmistry https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/dixie
ANGIE: Angel Cards https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/angie
HRAEFN: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
What is Yoga Nidra?
What is Yoga Nidra? An introduction to Yoga Nidra and guided meditation with Elizabeth Jensen
Thursday, June 20, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
Join Elizabeth Jensen as she teaches the fundamentals of Yoga Nidra and guides us through the practices and a meditation.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation. This particular style of meditation allows you to process emotions in a healthy way, to experience your life to the fullest, and to rewire your brain and life to be present and find peace in the here and now.
During this evening, we will learn about the benefits of Yoga Nidra, including the ten stages and how to use them in practice and everyday living, and conclude in a short guided Yoga Nidra meditation. Please bring pen and paper if you wish to take notes or explore the concepts that will be given. Chairs will be provided but feel free to bring a cushion if you’d prefer for the meditation portion of the evening.
About Elizabeth Jensen:
Elizabeth Jensen completed her first Yoga Nidra training in 2015 and her second training in 2016 through the Integrative Restoration Institute (iRest). Elizabeth has been teaching Yoga Nidra classes since 2015. Elizabeth began her practice and studies when she was a caregiver for her mother to help her process and heal. Elizabeth is also an asana teacher (yoga), a sound healer, and an energy healer/Reiki Master. You can find out more about Elizabeth and her offerings on her website: www.empoweryourpath.com
June Book Club: When the Emperor Was Divine
June Book Club: When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
Thursday June 27, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
This June, the Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is reading When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka.
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
From the bestselling, award-winning author of The Buddha in the Attic and The Swimmers, this commanding debut novel paints a portrait of the Japanese American incarceration camps that is both a haunting evocation of a family in wartime and a resonant lesson for our times.
On a sunny day in Berkeley, California, in 1942, a woman sees a sign in a post office window, returns to her home, and matter-of-factly begins to pack her family's possessions. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans they have been reclassified, virtually overnight, as enemy aliens and are about to be uprooted from their home and sent to a dusty incarceration camp in the Utah desert.
In this lean and devastatingly evocative first novel, Julie Otsuka tells their story from five flawlessly realized points of view and conveys the exact emotional texture of their experience: the thin-walled barracks and barbed-wire fences, the omnipresent fear and loneliness, the unheralded feats of heroism. When the Emperor Was Divine is a work of enormous power that makes a shameful episode of our history as immediate as today's headlines.
April Book Club: Dandelion Wine
April Book Club: Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Thursday April 25th, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
This April, the Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is reading Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
Ray Bradbury's moving recollection of a vanished golden era remains one of his most enchanting novels. Dandelion Wine stands out in the Bradbury literary canon as the author's most deeply personal work, a semi-autobiographical recollection of a magical small-town summer in 1928.
Twelve-year-old Douglas Spaulding knows Green Town, Illinois, is as vast and deep as the whole wide world that lies beyond the city limits. It is a pair of brand-new tennis shoes, the first harvest of dandelions for Grandfather's renowned intoxicant, the distant clang of the trolley's bell on a hazy afternoon. It is yesteryear and tomorrow blended into an unforgettable always. But as young Douglas is about to discover, summer can be more than the repetition of established rituals whose mystical power holds time at bay. It can be a best friend moving away, a human time machine who can transport you back to the Civil War, or a sideshow automaton able to glimpse the bittersweet future.
Come and savor Ray Bradbury's priceless distillation of all that is eternal about boyhood and summer.
Where There is LOVE... There is LIFE: An evening of inspiration with LaVonne Wells
Flyer for event with the information:
Join Us for an Evening of Inspiration!
*Where There is LOVE…There is LIFE*
Experience the transformative power of LOVE and resilience in our upcoming event, where we’ll explore the profound topic of ‘life after the passing of a loved one’ in a heartfelt conversation with LaVonne Wells.
After the passing of her daughter Kiva, LaVonne’s heart was shattered, but through courage and determination, she found healing, purpose, and a renewed zest for life.
Join us for an evening of support where you’ll gain valuable tools and insights to navigate your journey. Let’s explore together how love can be a guiding light through the grief process.
LaVonne Wells
Global Speaker
Love Activist
Life and Grief Support
Cost: FREE
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Golden Braid Books
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday April 17, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
DIXIE: Palmistry https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/dixie
MILA: Tarot and Astrology https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/mila
HRAEFN: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
Writing Workshop Series: Journey in Through Journaling
Writing Workshop Series: Journey in Through Journaling
Thursday April 11, 7-8:30pm
Have you wished for the motivation to begin your journaling practice? Do you occasionally journal but long for a more consistent and fulfilling flow? Join us for an evening of inspiration, prompts, and encouragement in a safe and non-judgmental space.
Runa-Hraefn Rune Series: The Making Of Runes
Runa-Hraefn Rune Series: The Making of Runes with Hraefn Wulfson
Thursday, April 4, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
In this third workshop, rune master Hraefn Wulfson bridges the gap between theory and practice through rune creation. He will explore materials, techniques, and ritual, as well as elements of basic rune oracle. For those interested in using runes intuitively, this final presentation in his three-workshop series will provide a working foundation.
About Hraefn Wulfson:
Hraefn Wulfson is a mystic, clairvoyant and rune master based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Through rune readings and other personalized insight, he offers guidance to help you and your loved ones navigate life’s mysteries and complexities.
Hraefn has, since childhood, been a person who sees images and details about events and places (near or distant, in the past, present and future), without witnessing or hearing about them firsthand. Hearing essential phrases and key words uttered by deceased loved ones or others not physically present are experiences he’s also had from a young age.
AND —
The pronunciation of Hraefn (it’s Anglo-Saxon) is “Raven”.
Mythopoetic Theater: Group Storytelling of an Original Fable
Mythopoetic Theater: Group Storytelling of an Original Fable (a workshop for kids of all ages)
Thursday, April 4, 2024 4:00 - 6:00pm
This interactive, performative workshop is for kids or families interested in creative writing and/or drama. Attendees can choose to participate as a member of the audience or as a part of the story-telling cast! Upon meeting, we will find our roles (even the audience is a crucial role!) and briefly go over the story to get a sense of our characters. When we are ready, we will enact the script, ultimately sharing an original fable called Seeds to Heaven about the power of free thinking and community.
About Jenna Talbott:
Jenna Talbott has an MA in Depth Psychology and Creativity with an Emphasis in the Arts & Humanities. (What a mouthful, she knows.) Ultimately it means she spends a great deal of time and energy finding creative ways to instigate creativity. A performance artist, musician, journalist and creative writer, Jenna finds the greatest gift a good story. “Stories can’t tell themselves,” she says, although she’s not sure. She is sure, however, that whether or not they need us, they appreciate the company.
March Book Club: The Vanishing Half
March Book Club
Thursday March 28th, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
This month, the Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
From The New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.
The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other secretly passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing . Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.
As with her New York Times-bestselling debut The Mothers, Brit Bennett offers an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.
Craft Workshop: Pom Pom Wreaths
Craft Workshop: Pom Pom Wreaths
Thursday March 21, 6-7:30pm
Did you know that you can easily create pom poms of all sizes using some yarn and any old piece of cardboard? Come learn how in this workshop! We will go over a few simple methods for making pom poms and use them to create a wreath. Come by, and leave feeling confident you can create your own pom poms at home!
This is a free community event open to all. All materials will be provided.
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday March 20, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
DIXIE: Palmistry https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/dixie
JAMI: Tarot and Astrology https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/jami
HRAEFN: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
Writing Workshop Series: Storytellers Workshop
Writing Workshop Series: Storytellers Workshop
A Creative Workshop on the Art of Telling a Story
Thursday March 14, 7-8:30pm
An evening of inspiration, support, and some really fun prompts to work with and carry you along your journey as a storyteller.
Just bring your notebook, a pen, and the willingness to discover a whole new passion! Also, feel free to come a few minutes early to grab an iced tea, cookie, or other treat from Oasis to bring into the workshop. There is no cost to joining – just an hour and a half out of your evening and the risk of inciting a passion for telling a story!
Runa-Hraefn Rune Series: Mysteries of the Runes with Hraefn Wulfson
Runa-Hraefn Rune Series: Mysteries of the Runes with Hraefn Wulfson
Thursday, March 7, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
In this second workshop, rune master Hraefn Wulfson digs deep into the myths and secrets behind the runic enigma. What do the Norse myths say about runes? Why and how have runes been suppressed and manipulated through time? What are the true origins of these mysterious characters? Join us for an intriguing next step into wondrous realm of rune lore.
About Hraefn Wulfson:
Hraefn Wulfson is a mystic, clairvoyant and rune master based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Through rune readings and other personalized insight, he offers guidance to help you and your loved ones navigate life’s mysteries and complexities.
Hraefn has, since childhood, been a person who sees images and details about events and places (near or distant, in the past, present and future), without witnessing or hearing about them firsthand. Hearing essential phrases and key words uttered by deceased loved ones or others not physically present are experiences he’s also had from a young age.
AND —
The pronunciation of Hraefn (it’s Anglo-Saxon) is “Raven”.
February Book Club: The Overstory
February Book Club
Thursday February 29th, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
This February, the Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is reading one of our favorite books of all time, The Overstory by Richard Powers
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of--and paean to--the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers's twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours--vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.
Experience Nature through Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)
Experience Nature through Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) with Chris Newton, Certified Forest Therapy Guide
Thursday February 22nd, 2024 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Join us for a magical evening in which we explore the 5 senses through the practice of Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-Yoku. Certified Forest Therapy Guide Chris Newton will guide us through the history and health benefits of forest bathing, introduce sounds and smells associated with the forest, and share a tea ceremony with a special pine needle tea.
About Forest Therapy:
Forest Therapy originating in Japan, where it is called Shinrin-Yoku, is a practice, whose practitioners believe spending time immersed in nature is beneficial to our physical, mental and spiritual health. Forest Therapy has the general goal of increasing the well-being of participants through guided immersive experiences in forest and other natural settings such as Red Butte Gardens. Studies have found that forest bathing has positive physiological effects, such as blood pressure reduction, improvement of autonomic and immune functions, as well as psychological effects of alleviating depression and improving mental health.
About Chris Newton:
Chris Newton's appreciation and curiosity for nature brought him to Utah from Michigan twenty years ago when he accepted a ski job at Alta, Utah. The natural beauty of Utah and his love of skiing and outdoor recreation have kept him here. In 2007 Chris earned his master's degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Utah. He has worked full-time in the industry as a partnership developer in the field since and also began guiding part-time. This is where Chris developed a genuine interest in helping his clients build deeper and healing connections with the natural world through immersive experiences in forests and other natural settings.
Chris is a certified forest bathing guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and also has certified in Wilderness First Aid training. Chris is easy-going yet focused and his training includes special knowledge in guiding people of all ages and all seasons in Shinrin-Yoku, "Forest Bathing" walks and knowledge demonstrating the benefits of spending time in nature as a wellness practice and an effective way to manage stress and build a healthy life balance.
Inspired by the fields of deep ecology and holistic health, Chris hopes to guide people to find their own connections to nature because when people are connected to nature the benefits are not confined to humans but work for the health and well-being of the entire biosphere.
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday February 21, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
Angie: Angel Card Readings: https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/angie
Jillian: Tarot and Oracle https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/jillian
Hraefn: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
An Introduction to Runes
Runa-Hraefn Rune Series: An Introduction to Runes with Hraefn Wulfson
Thursday, February 15, 2024 7:00 – 8:30pm
In this introductory workshop, rune master Hraefn Wulfson delves into the basics. What are runes? How do we know what we know about them? Where do they come from? Who used them and how? A perfect foundation for beginners, novices and the curious.
About Hraefn Wulfson:
Hraefn Wulfson is a mystic, clairvoyant and rune master based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Through rune readings and other personalized insight, he offers guidance to help you and your loved ones navigate life’s mysteries and complexities.
Hraefn has, since childhood, been a person who sees images and details about events and places (near or distant, in the past, present and future), without witnessing or hearing about them firsthand. Hearing essential phrases and key words uttered by deceased loved ones or others not physically present are experiences he’s also had from a young age.
AND —
The pronunciation of Hraefn (it’s Anglo-Saxon) is “Raven”.
Writing Workshop Series: Release Your Inner Poet
Writing Workshop Series: Release Your Inner Poet
A Workshop for Exploring (and Writing) Poetry
Thursday February 8, 7-8:30pm
Join us for an evening of inspiration and guidance to help you discover the poetry that is hiding inside you.
Bring a notebook, journal, or any paper you wish to use (doesn’t matter what – fancy leather-bound with hand-pressed pages or scrap paper from your recycling bin) and a pen, pencil, marker, crayon, random art supplies – whatever will make the marks you want on your journey as a poet. (If you need something to write on or want a clean start, we have a great journal section to find your next vessel.) Also, feel free to come a few minutes early to grab an iced tea, cookie, or other treat from Oasis to bring into the session. There is no cost to joining – just an hour and a half out of your evening and the risk of inciting a passion for poetry!
January Book Club: Remarkably Bright Creatures
January Book Club
Thursday January 25th, 2024 7pm - 8:30pm
The Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is starting out the new year with one of the most thoroughly enjoyable reads we’ve come across, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
About the Book:
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.
Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.
Winter Wellness: Ayurveda Seasonal Circle
Winter Wellness: Ayurveda Seasonal Circle with Courtney Lasker
Thursday January 18th, 2024 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Join Courtney to dive into the depths of winter’s wonders. We’ll activate our senses to commune with nature and explore harmonizing our diet, lifestyle, and movement with the season. Finally, the beat of the drum will drop you into an alpine Shamanic journey.
Please bring pen and paper for the complete integrative experience. Chairs will be provided, but feel free to bring a blanket, eye cover, or cushion if you’d prefer to relax into the journey experience.
About Courtney:
Courtney Lasker is a certified Ayurvedic Health Coach and Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher. Courtney weaves her experience and training as an intuitive guide and energy healer with practical Ayurvedic wellness to provide profound and sustained healing support. Courtney offers healing circles, tea ceremonies, and private sessions. You can find out more about Courtney and her offerings on her website: www.courtneylasker.com
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday January 17, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
Angie: Angel Card Readings: https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/angie
Jillian: Tarot and Oracle https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/jillian
Hraefn: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
Writing Workshop Series: Write Your Memoir!
Writing Workshop Series: Write Your Memoir!
A Workshop on Writing Your Story
Thursday January 11, 7-8:30pm
Join us for Write Your Memoir! A Workshop on Writing Your Story, an evening of inspiration and support to help you write your memoir. Your story matters – it’s time to share it!
Four Questions to Begin Your Best Year
Four Questions to Begin Your Best Year with Sylvia Nibley, creator of Inquiry Cards
Thursday, January 4, 2024 7:00 – 8:30 pm
In this season for pausing, reflecting, and approaching the new year as a clean slate, self-inquiry can guide the way as you begin another cycle of your precious life. There are many insightful questions in the Inquiry Cards deck to support this, so we'll work with 4 of the best questions for reflection, intention-setting, and finding the spark to fuel your year. Simple for anyone to use, Inquiry Cards cards can be meditation tools, journal prompts, conversation starters, problem solvers, daily inspiration, a unique gift, a life-coach-in-a-box.
About Sylvia:
Sylvia Nibley is a local healer of 30+ years and the creator of Inquiry Cards, the deck that asks YOU the questions, because the answers are inside you. With self-inquiry, illuminating information is infinite and Sylvia loves sharing the powerful practice of using questions to create breakthroughs.
December Book Club: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
December Book Club
Thursday December 28th, 2023 7pm - 8:30pm
The Golden Braid Books Community Book Club is wrapping up a year of great reading with a long-time favorite, When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön.
We have lots of copies in stock, so come on by and get yours today! Keep in touch with us throughout the month on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and then we’ll convene here at the Braid for our book club meeting to talk about the book, meet some new folks, and share some insights and mutual love of reading.
You can also purchase the book through our new online shop.
About the Book:
Pema Chödrön's perennially best-selling classic on overcoming life's difficulties cuts to the heart of spirituality and personal growth
How can we live our lives when everything seems to fall apart--when we are continually overcome by fear, anxiety, and pain? The answer, Pema Chödrön suggests, might be just the opposite of what you expect. Here, in her most beloved and acclaimed work, Pema shows that moving toward painful situations and becoming intimate with them can open up our hearts in ways we never before imagined. Drawing from traditional Buddhist wisdom, she offers life-changing tools for transforming suffering and negative patterns into habitual ease and boundless joy.
Psychic Fair
Psychic Fair
Wednesday December 20th, 2023 6pm - 9pm
Come experience readings from one or more of our amazingly gifted psychics. $25 for 20 minutes. Call or stop in to book your time slot! (801) 322-1162
THIS MONTH’S READERS:
Angie: Angel Card Readings: https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/angie
Dixie: Palmistry https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/dixie
Hraefn: Runes https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/hraefn
Writing Workshop Series: Journey in Through Journaling
Writing Workshop Series: Journey in Through Journaling
Thursday December 14th, 7-8:30pm
Have you wished for the motivation to begin your journaling practice? Do you occasionally journal but long for a more consistent and fulfilling flow? Join us for an evening of inspiration, prompts, and encouragement in a safe and non-judgmental space.
Utah Authors Day
Utah Authors Day
Thursday December 2nd, 2-9 pm
This is an annual event put on by the League of Utah Writers, and Golden Braid is proud to be one of the locations this year. All across the state, bookstores will be hosting local authors who will be reading from and signing copies of their books.
Visit https://www.leagueofutahwriters.com/utahauthorsday for more info, and we will announce the authors that will be here at the Braid once we are closer to the event - stay tuned!
UPDATE!
These are the Utah authors that will be at Golden Braid:
• 2 pm - 4 pm - Tiffany Anderson, Butternut to Bionic
• 4 pm - 6 pm - Rachael Bush, children’s botany textbooks
• 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Adeline Lindstrom, Finding Simple Again
November Book Club/Author Event: Through Love Pain Is Healed: 101 Poems of the Heart
The translator of the new book of Rumi poems, Rasoul Shams, will be attending to read select poems and join in the discussion for our first ever book club/author event crossover!
Writing Workshop: Come Write In!
WRITING WORKSHOP SERIES: NaNoWriMo* COME WRITE IN!
Thursday November 9th, 7-8:30pm
We will provide open space for writers to come work with other writers in a peer-supported environment. There will be one or two facilitators on site for anyone who would like support and guidance along their writing journey, or just come to enjoy some solidarity with other novelists along this NaNoWriMo path!
We (the bookstore staff) are doing NaNoWriMo this year and look forward to writing with you all!
*What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? It is National Novel Writing Month, and the challenge is to write 50,000 words of a novel (or memoir or whatever - we embrace all genres here!) during the month of November. Yes, that's a lot of words. And it is one of the most euphorically gratifying challenges for a writer to face!
Golden Braid’s Annual Spookytown Party!
Come join us 10/27/23 to 11/2/23 for our favorite season of the whole year – Halloween and Dia de los Muertos! We will have craft tables set up throughout the store - and ALL sessions with our intuitive readers are 10% off.
October Book Club: Something Wicked This Way Comes
October Book Club selection is Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury and meets from 7pm to 8:30pm Thursday October 26, 2023 in Golden Braid Books.