Learning mindfulness meditation; a marathon, a jog or a stroll

11/10/2019

The varying styles of mindfulness

I’ve been practising mindfulness meditation for about 30 years. In that time, I’ve come across so many different, flavours, styles and nuances.

Read on to discover 3 different approaches; the mindfulness marathon, the mindfulness jog and the mindfulness stroll.

What psychology says about mindfulness?

11/10/2019

Edition on Mindfulness
The August issue of Current Opinion in Psychology is dedicated to mindfulness and is a resource worth having. The downloads are free till 30th October. There is a zip file of the entire issue at the top of the page so you can avoid downloading each file separately

Great mindfulness podcasts

16/9/2019

I've just had what feels like a mindfulness sabbatical. After 6 years of teaching MBSR I've had 2 terms off. While taking a break, I've been immersing myself in the wonderful world of mindfulness podcasts.

I have listened to some wonderful talks and have been refining my thoughts on teaching MBSR in Sydney, Australia in 2019. Most of the presenters talk about the overlap between contemplative buddhist informed ideas, western psychology and neuroscience.

Many of these podcasts have been thought provoking and I thought I'd share some of my favourites with you.

2 takeaways from "The Mindfulness Experiment" on ABC Catalyst.

22/2/2019

Written by Michelle Carpenter
ABC Catalyst filmed an MBSR class in Sydney in late 2018 and this screened in early Feb. I was impressed to see how many personal stories and how much of the research they were able to cpature and present in just 1 hour. The courage and determination of the participants was humbling, and I found myself cheering them on throughout the program.

It's still on Iview and worth watching if you've done an MBSR course before or if you are contemplating one. I won’t give away too many spoilers but will share 2 things that stood out for me.

Mindfulness for Teachers : What motivates Michelle Carpenter to teach this course?

18/2/2019

Michelle Carpenter has been a school teacher & a leader for over 25 years. She is now teaching the HeadRest Mindfulness for Teachers course. She's written a few words on what draws her to mindfulness in her personal and working life.

I was drawn to meditation many years ago through an interest in Tibetan Buddhism, long before mindfulness hit the mainstream. I loved the teachings about how we could train our mind to become kinder, wiser and more emotionally balanced. Over the years I have continued to study, meditate and try to apply what I have learned from numerous wonderful teachers; sometimes successfully and sometimes not. If nothing else I am more accepting of my own humanity.

Watch "The Mindfulness Experiment" on ABC Catalyst & book into the Feb 27 MBSR course.

16/2/2019

I'm getting very excited about the screening of "The Mindfulness Experiment" on ABC Catalyst this coming Tuesday 19th Feb, 8.30pm.

I'll be sitting nervously with those who attended the class watching to see what Catalyst has to report. I'm hoping that the richness of this 25-30 hour course is captured in just 1 hour.

I'm wondering what the participants will say and whether the scientific results the Catalyst team gather, will match up with my anecdotal experience and past research into the course.

Watch a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course on ABC Catalyst, Feb 19, 2019.

22/1/2019

Have you ever wondered what an MBSR course is really liked? Contemplated booking in but not been certain about it?

ABC Catalyst have filmed an MBSR course. This screens next week on February 19. Our next course starts the week after. So watch and be inspired.

The course was filmed in late 2018. Fourteen people with diverse backgrounds and life experience bravely signed up to be filmed on their journey through the course. I met the Catalyst MBSR class in week 3 of their course when I filled in for their wonderful teacher Timothea Goddard and will be witting with them as they watch the screening.

How mindfulness can stop you procrastinating and help you keep your new years resolutions

20/12/2018

How many times have you made a New Year resolution not to keep it? How often do you think about something you’d like to change and you don't change it or do and you don’t do it? How many times have you resolved to begin or maintain a regular meditation practice and not done it? Perhaps now is the time to book an MBSR course. This 8-week course allows you to start, get hesitant and start again. It offers the time, structure, teacher and group support needed to begin to develop a habit.
One of the writers I love who speaks about making the changes you want to make is a sassy presenter, Kelly Mc Gonnigal. She’s practical, funny, full of ideas and very entertaining. She’s good to watch and good to read.

She has a useful book called ,”The willpower instinct”. She dispenses with words like procrastination and speaks about “willpower challenges”. Try this on! Say to yourself, “I’m a chronic procrastinator” and feel into the impact on you. Now say, “I’m facing a willpower challenge”. Which is the more empowering. For me, it feels like there is definitely more possibility of dealing with a will power challenge.

In 2018, I wrote a 5 week willpower course based on her work for procrastinating university students . The course combined her tips with procrastination, heaps of entertaining research antidotes, bits of procrastination brain science and a weekly short mindfulness practice.

Living Mindfully With Compassion- a follow up course to complete MBSR

21/11/2018

For the last 2 years, I have run a February follow-up course to MBSR - a compassion course. In the first year, 15 people came along. Last year, six of those fifteen came back for the second time and some have said they will do it as a yearly event. So why do people come back?

There’s a Zen saying: “Kindness is the fruition of awareness, and awareness is the foundation of kindness.” The group consensus is that this course adds to MBSR which has an explicit focus on awareness, by bringing an equally explicit focus of kindness to the fore!

The Dutch founders of the course, Eric van der Brink and Frits Koster thought that MBSR/CT was too short for many people. They felt that this was particularly so for those of us who are either experts at being self-critical, perfectionistic, prone to being driven (striving), or uncomfortably familiar with shame. Almost everyone really!

Recent research adds credence to their decision with self-compassion practices being being increasingly documented as having many benefits. I'll speak more about these in future newsletters.

Learning mindfulness meditation; a marathon, a jog or a stroll

21/7/2018

The varying styles of mindfulness

I’ve been practising mindfulness meditation for about 30 years. In that time, I’ve come across so many different, flavours, styles and nuances.

Read on to discover 3 different approaches; the mindfulness marathon, the mindfulness jog and the mindfulness stroll.