Mindfulness
“Be here now”
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness quite simply is the practice of training our attention to focus on the present moment and noticing what is happening for you in the here and now. By paying attention to our thoughts, feelings and sensations in a compassionate and non-judgemental way, we can interrupt the automatic habit of getting carried away by our thoughts and the unpleasant feelings and sensations that come with them.
Mindfulness is more than just a meditation practice, it is a selection of practices and attitudes that support you to live your life more mindfully. By living life more mindfully we are able to create some space between our emotions and experiences, developing resilience and compassion.
It is a way of life influenced by the 9 mindfulness attitudes:
Non-judgment
Patience
Trust
Beginners mind
Non-striving
Acceptance
Letting go
Gratitude
Compassion
What are the benefits of mindfulness?
Practising mindfulness can improve emotional and physical well-being by influencing positive changes in health, behaviour and attitudes.
Mindfulness makes it easier to notice the pleasures in life as they occur, by being more engaged in activities and having a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.
By focusing on the here and now it is less likely that the mind will get caught up in worries of the future or regrets about the past. Mindfulness can improve self esteem and emotional regulation.
Mindfulness can help to relieve stress, lower blood pressure, improve sleep and provide a natural coping strategy for chronic pain.
These techniques can also be used for a wide scope of mental health disorders.
What course is right for me?
Mindfulness Based stress reduction (mbsr)
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is a secular, group based program, originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn (PHD) in the late 1970’s to address the negative thought patterns that can prolong stress and lead to depression and anxiety.
30 years of academic research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology document a wide range of benefits of learning mindfulness meditation. As this is such a widely researched and evidence based approach it is recommended as an excellent starting point to learning mindfulness.
This is an 8 week course, consisting of weekly 2 hour sessions. During this time, participants will have the opportunity to explore a selection of mindfulness meditations and gentle physical exercises. Most practices last for 20 - 40 minutes which enables them to form new habits and patterns of thinking. Participants receive information on the neuroscience of stress, learn about stress management, interpersonal communication and develop relaxation techniques.
Compassionate mindful resilience (CMR)
This CMR programme is designed to support your emotional wellbeing, helping participants to feel resourced and connected. This programme will teach participants how to build resilience through a selection of compassionate mindfulness techniques. A blend of learning, through concepts and experiential practice will equip participants to better cope with day-to-day challenges, cultivate self kindness and feelings of empowerment.
This is a 4 week course, consisting of weekly 2 hour sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to explore a selection of shorter mindfulness practices (most practices last for 10 - 20 minutes) to develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves and others. It helps us develop coping mechanisms for stressful situations and supports balance in our lives.
