Current Courses
Waking up to Mindfulness
Every Monday
8-8.45 am
£10 per person
£25 for 3 sessions
In this breakfast meditation class, we practise the fundamentals of mindfulness and meditation. This is a rotating programme of three sessions, and can be booked as a group of three or individually.
Theme 1: The Ground and Body
Paying attention in the present moment, on purpose and non- judgementally. We will learn how to ground ourselves in the present moment by steadying attention in the anchors of the body. We will initially direct our attention to the feet, seat and hands, and tune into the sensations of breathing. This is a foundational practice and will be the point of return for the basis of all practice.
Theme 2: Time Travel – The Busy Mind
We will steady ourselves in the awareness of the body and breath as a foundation for noticing the activity of the mind. We often become ‘lost in thought’ as our minds travel between past and future, pulling our awareness into a rapid thought-stream.
Through meditation you will strengthen the muscle of mindfulness by ‘waking up’ to the wandering mind (the Default Network Mode) and learn to recognise how auto-pilot can help and hinder us in our everyday lives.
Theme 3: Perspective – Integrating Body, Heart and Mind
We will learn how the mind can shift between the modes of ‘doing’, ‘driven doing’ and the wider lens of the ‘being’ mode. We will train our minds through attention and intention to cultivate the harmony of body, mind and the present moment with compassion. We will cultivate a more spacious sense of our moment-to-moment experience to help us make more mindful choices throughout our day. A short take away practice will be available.
Finding Peace in a Frantic World
Start date early 2021
£220 per person
£180 concessions
This 8-week course is taught alongside the best-selling book ‘Finding Peace in a Frantic World’ By Prof Mark Williams and Dr Danny Penman*. It is designed to help busy people build mindfulness into their lives.
The course will be taught in 8 weekly sessions of 90 minutes, each week building on the learning of the previous session. You will be guided in a set of simple yet powerful practices that you can incorporate into daily life to break the cycle of anxiety, stress, unhappiness and exhaustion. It promotes the kind of happiness that gets into your bones and allows you to meet the worst that life throws at you with new courage.
Regular home-practice of the guided meditations is a core part of the programme and is most important in establishing the habit of mindful practice. Experiential learning and reflection in a group brings the book alive and enhances the benefits of bringing mindfulness into our everyday lives to stay. This course is based on the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) co-developed by Professor Mark Williams of Oxford University and recommended by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Please note – the course is designed to be followed for 8 consecutive weeks. It will not be possible to refund any payments once the course has started.
*Participants on this course purchase their own copy of the book prior to the first session. Book available on Amazon.
Breathing Space for Bereaved Parents
Dates & times
TBA
£12 per person
These sessions are aimed at bereaved parents, who have a lost a child of any age and in any circumstances and who have been bereaved for at least one year. When we grieve, we need space, care and kindness to allow ourselves to adjust to our loss and the changed world in which we find ourselves. This session provides a gentle ‘breathing space’ for when life feels overwhelming, helping bereaved parents to cultivate steadiness and learn skills to help ride the waves of grief.
The session will include short breathing meditation practices, body awareness, gentle stretching, readings and space for reflection.
Through Mindfulness we learn a different way to listen to what we truly need, through the way of ‘being with’ our experience, in contrast to ‘thinking about’ and ruminating on our experiences. By allowing what is here to be here, we learn to ask ourselves – “What does this moment need?” and seek to make wise choices that serve our well – being. Mindfulness helps to restore hope in beginning to make sense of life after loss. Participating in part of a group reduces a sense of isolation and provides a supportive space to share and gain strength from others in this community.
These sessions are provided via Zoom video- conferencing.
Dates to be announced on the blog. Please register your interest below.
Mindfulness for Everyday Living 