I am currently working on a one-day retreat which I hope to be able to offer in June; more details to follow…….
“As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than there is wrong with you.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
A quote from the great Jon Kabat-Zinn who brought the concept of Mindfulness into the consciousness of the Western world in the 70’s.
He defines mindfulness as:
“Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
I have started these courses because when I first studied Mindfulness, it seemed I had to start by committing to at least 45 minutes formal practice every day, and at that point in my life this seemed impossible!
However the further I read I realised that this was not the case, and to quote from a movie ” it just cares that you paid a visit”
What I mean by this is that you have to make it your own and fit the practice into your life, it is no good me telling you that you must practice for 30 minutes on waking, if your morning’s are taken up with getting everything ready to get to work, school or whatever happens in your life; you might find it easier to fit it in before going to bed!
The vital thing is that you practice regularly, even if it’s only a few minutes a day to start with; because the mindfulness benefits have a way of creeping up on you and you suddenly realise that you are not constantly rehearsing and rehashing events, and if you find yourself doing it you are able to take a breath and just step back, then you are able to respond in a measured way rather than instantly react to the situation.
Realising this just makes you want to practice more because it feels so good.
It really is magic! And there’s science to back it up too!
Caveat! Mindfulness has been touted as a wondrous cure-all and while it is wonderful, it is not able to cure all ills; we are all individuals and react differently to different experiences; please be assured that if you are unsure about how you are reacting to mindfulness I can help you to find out where the “stuckness ” is, it may be that mindfulness is not for you at this point and some other form of help is more appropriate, we can discuss this together and if I do not possess the skills necessary I will be able to signpost another service if you wish to explore further.