What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness has been described as "Paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally". It is a series of simple practices that help us to develop a calm, spacious awareness of all aspects of our experience - body, breath, thoughts, feelings, other people and the world around us - exactly as we encounter them, from moment to moment. In doing so, we can get more out of life, as we savour each moment; we can also learn to relate in a kinder and more equitable way to difficult experiences so that we are less susceptible to low mood states such as stress, anxiety and depression.
For most of us in the Western world, it's only too easy to live life on "autopilot", with our body in the "here and now" and our mind somewhere else entirely. Have you ever travelled somewhere, and arrived at your destination with only the vaguest impression of the journey and how you got there? Have you eaten a meal whilst you were busy doing something else, or simply lost in thought, and barely tasted the food? All of the times that you're "lost in thought" are lost opportunities to engage fully with your life as you are living it, at this moment. And after all, in the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn, the originator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), "We only have moments to live".
The Mindfulness courses that we run are based on the programme developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s, and on a later development, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), that has been shown to be effective in managing chronic depression. The meditation practices have their origins in Buddhist meditation but are entirely secular, with no particular religious overtones; they are designed to be used by anyone who wants to manage stress, anxiety and depression better and improve their overall wellbeing. The benefits of Mindfulness have been well documented, and include:
Before you commit to the course, we will contact you for a short telephone consultation to ensure that the course is appropriate for you. It is not recommended that you sign up for a course if you are currently experiencing a severe episode of depression or anxiety; please contact us if you have any concerns.
Try a short Mindfulness practice here:
For most of us in the Western world, it's only too easy to live life on "autopilot", with our body in the "here and now" and our mind somewhere else entirely. Have you ever travelled somewhere, and arrived at your destination with only the vaguest impression of the journey and how you got there? Have you eaten a meal whilst you were busy doing something else, or simply lost in thought, and barely tasted the food? All of the times that you're "lost in thought" are lost opportunities to engage fully with your life as you are living it, at this moment. And after all, in the words of Jon Kabat-Zinn, the originator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), "We only have moments to live".
The Mindfulness courses that we run are based on the programme developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s, and on a later development, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), that has been shown to be effective in managing chronic depression. The meditation practices have their origins in Buddhist meditation but are entirely secular, with no particular religious overtones; they are designed to be used by anyone who wants to manage stress, anxiety and depression better and improve their overall wellbeing. The benefits of Mindfulness have been well documented, and include:
- Improved focus and concentration
- A greater sense of relaxation and wellbeing
- The ability to "step out of" negative downward spirals of thoughts and feelings
- Greater self-compassion and improved relationships with others
- More enjoyment and appreciation in life
Before you commit to the course, we will contact you for a short telephone consultation to ensure that the course is appropriate for you. It is not recommended that you sign up for a course if you are currently experiencing a severe episode of depression or anxiety; please contact us if you have any concerns.
Try a short Mindfulness practice here:
