What is mindfulness?
14th Feb 2023
Mindfulness is about understanding how the mind works ... the constant flow of thoughts (which is totally natural), and the nature of these thoughts (planning, narrating, judging, criticising, analysing etc.).
Mindfulness enables us to notice our thoughts without being sucked into or overwhelmed by them ... because when we practise mindfulness we can see our thoughts as passing mental events and can instead choose to place our attention on the breath or body sensations (tiredness, tension, strength, hunger, smells, sounds).
If we can practise mindfulness even 5-10 minutes a day (sitting down, closing the eyes) we can feel benefits. It doesn’t mean that our lives are zen and stress-free. But it does help us be more in the here and now, more accepting of ourselves and situations, and better able to face life's challenges – exams, work, parenting, relationships, ... stuck in traffic.
This week's practice is an Awareness of Body and Breathe.
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
How to Practise?
21st Feb 2023
We can practise mindfulness sitting, standing lying down, moving. Neuroscience shows us that even a 5-10 minute mindfulness practice, ideally DAILY, can form new pathways in the brain and develop more helpful behaviours.
Sometimes when we practise we notice the mind becoming sleepy, restless, doubting this is working or wishing for the practice to be “better / calmer”. All of this is totally natural. It can be helpful to remember that none of this is an obstacle to reaping the benefits of meditation and through it we can develop acceptance and patience.
Today's practice is a Body Scan.
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Changing our relationship with our thoughts
28th Feb 2023
Practise: Mindfulness of thoughts (the thoughts stream)
Very often we get sucked into our thoughts, consumed by one thought after another after another. This living in our minds can leave us feeling lost and helpless, even unhappy.
In this practice we learn to reframe our relationship with our thoughts. We learn to see them as passing mental events, creating some distance between us and them, perhaps not taking them so personally. This can lead to greater clarity and calm.
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
The mind, body, heart connection
7th March 2023
Practice: Mindfulness movement
Mindfulness reminds us that we are more than our mind. We are human beings with feelings in a human body and for the most part this body serves us really well.
This practice invites us to check in with the body, how it is right now. This short, slow, mindful movement sequence gives us space to gently nourish the body and reflect on what it needs.
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Mindfulness to anchor
21st March 2023
Our attention is constantly being sought after…the stream of advertisements, the ping of emails, the vastness of social media. As a result our attention can become fragmented and this can leave us feeling a lack of focus, tired, vulnerable, perhaps overwhelmed.
Mindfulness reminds us that we have choices. In our practice we choose where to place our attention and we can let it rest there or return to it whenever the attention is carried away by a thought, a physical sensation, an emotion. This can help us feel greater calm, more grounded, more aware.
Practice: Awareness of anchors
This practice invites us to choose anchors (places on which to rest our attention) We can choose the body, the breathe and sounds to help be in the present moment, to release tension and to feel more at peace.
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
28th March 2023
Animated gifs created as part of a Mindfulness program. by Chris Phillips and Katrina Wiedner. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0