Mindfulness

According to Pantanjali, one of the mind’s fundamental characteristics is that it normally refuses to stay in the here and now.  The mind is like a monkey that jumps back and forth from one branch of thought to the next, it is constantly and relentlessly on the move, easily distracted, habitually dealing with thoughts of the past and worries or plans for the future.  So as humans we are often 'not present' in our own lives and fail to notice the good things about our lives, fail to hear what our bodies are telling us, and continually pollute ourselves with toxic self criticism. 

Mindfulness is a practice that enables us to be fully present, aware and comfortable with our moment to moment experiences. It is a skill that we can learn, in which we purposefully pay attention in a non-judgmental way to our current circumstances.  

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally.”  (Jon Kabat-Zinn)

It’s about bringing us into the here and now, rather than habitually falling into our tendency to live too much in the past, worrying about things that have already happened, living with past regrets etc. It also teaches us about our tendency to live too much in the future , anticipating what might happen and worrying about what is over the horizon. These are things we have no control over, so can lead to negative ways of thinking and exhaustion. They can cloud our judgements and vision of reality.

“The secret of health for body and mind is not to mourn the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly” (Buddha)

In order to practice this skill we meditate.  Meditation allows us to relax and become calm in both our bodies and in our minds. We can learn to be with and to tolerate all of experiences, including difficult experiences with a kindness and compassion towards ourselves.  

Mindfulness is not about clearing the mind because that is virtually impossible; it’s about creating some spaciousness within our mind so that we can see more clearly.  When we create more space in the mind we can observe and understand more objectively how the mind works. In doing so we are enabled to manage our emotions better and respond more skillfully to life’s demands.  

The great thing about mindfulness is that it is accessible to all through a variety of practices from sitting meditations that last from anywhere between 1- 30 minutes to body scan relaxation exercises, walking meditations and gentle movement and/or yoga exercises.

Benefits of Mindfulness:

  • Reduces stress

  • Improves concentration and focus

  • Improves sleep

  • Helps cope with anxiety and depression

  • Reduces impulsive behaviour

  • Improves general well being

  • Promotes greater happiness and contentment

Services we offer: 

One to One Sessions - Please contact me privately to arrange a consultation.

Corporate: 

Focusing on the health and well being of your staff can reduce stress, sickness and ultimately absenteeism.  Stress and sickness not only has an impact on the individual and their families, but also puts added pressure on colleagues who have to undertake the additional responsibilities during the absence of that staff member. This can result in the inability to deliver quality services.  Addressing health and well being is therefore paramount in how you connect with your staff and ensures a high performing workforce, with strong engagement and a supportive culture.  

Make your company a great place to work and bring mindfulness to your workplace. 

I am an Associate Trainer for Wellseeing Consultancy – www.wellseeingconsultancy.co.uk which offers a range of Mindfulness courses and packages to both voluntary and private sector businesses tailored to meet the organisation’s individual requirements.  Please click on the above links to view my profile and discover more about Wellseeing Consultancy’s Mind Training. 

Wellseeing Mindfulness offer taster/Introductory sessions – one or two half day sessions providing a foundation into the theory and practice of mindfulness. Covering in full the origins, misconceptions, benefits, emotional intelligence and practical tools to enable staff to develop a meditation practice. It will bring mindfulness into both their professional and personal lives. 

Yoga and mindfulness package – I can tailor my packages to combine yoga with Well Seeing Mindfulness Taster sessions/ 8 week courses/ leadership courses etc.  See Wellseeing website for more details of courses.  

“Now is the only moment you will ever really have. Mindfulness is about waking up to this.  It’s about becoming aware of the life you’ve already got, rather than the life you wish you had” (Mark Williams). 

“Happiness is looking at the same thing with different eyes” (Mark Williams)

“Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives” (William James)