ONLINE LIVE daytime 8-week mindfulness course

Mindfulness is a 'gym for the mind' and through regular mindfulness practice people may see an improvement in the following:

 

• stress and anxiety levels

• chronic pain management

• breaking habitual thoughts

• reacting in a more positive way

• less catastrophic

• attention \ concentration

• awareness

• patience

• memory

• sleep

• resilience

• general wellbeing
   

N.B - Whilst a research study shows that regular mindfulness practice can significantly reduce relapse rates for depression, it is best not to take part in an 8-week course whilst experiencing deep depression or other mental health issue and to wait until you are feeling better.  Please feel free to get in touch with Tricia on 07776 132083 to chat about whether now is the right time for you.

This is a comprehensive Mindfulness Based Cognitive Training (MBCT)  course, developed at Oxford University by Drs. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale.  Following the creation of this course back in the early 90's there have been 1000s of scientific studies in how MBCT mindfulness can benefit many of us in many different situations.  So much so that the Government has now pledged to embed mindfulness into the NHS, Criminal Justice System, Parliament, Schools and beyond.  MBCT is the only mindfulness course recommend by The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).

 

The course has been very cleverly designed in layers, with each week revisiting what has been learned, giving people a very comprehensive knowledge base and toolkit for a mindful future.  The first half of the course concentrates more on the basics of what mindfulness actually is, why our minds work the way they do and learning how to use our breath and body to become present.  The second half of the course looks more deeply into what is taking our minds away in the first place, how to challenge some of our thoughts and behaviours with mindfulness and then developing a more personalised plan of how to best take care of ourselves and putting plans in place for a mindful future.

The course outline in brief:

 

• Week 1 - Automatic Pilot
• Week 2 - Living in our Heads
• Week 3 - Gathering the Scattered Mind
• Week 4 - Recognising Aversion and Staying Present
• Week 5 - Mindful Acceptance  
• Week 6 - Thoughts are not Facts
• Week 7 - How do I best take care of myself?
• Week 8 - Your mindful future!

What is the retreat day?

The retreat day will be 09.45 - 13.30 on a weekend, in or on the outskirts, of Maidenhead.  There will be 3 retreat days to choose from in 2019 and you will be free to join whichever day suits you best.  

 

At 10.00 full instructions for the day will be given before we begin the day of blissful silience. There will be lots of fully guided practice throughout the day, which you will have experienced before if you have attended any 8-week mindfulness course, including:

 

• The Body Scan
• Mindful Movement
• Sitting Meditation
• Mindful Eating at lunchtime
• Mindful Walking
• Mountain Meditation
• Breathing Space

 

Most of the day will be in silence but of course there will be opportunities to ask questions throughout and there will be plenty of time at the end for everyone to chat about the day.

Course joining instructions will be emailed to your shortly after payment.

When and where is the course held?

Dates - Starts on the 4th May which is traditionally a Bank Holiday but that thas been moved to Friday 8th May for the 2020 VE celebrations.

Mondays - 4th, 11th, 18th May, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th June and 6th July.  (No sessions on 23rd May or 1st June due to the school half-term)

Time

09.30 - 11.30

Venue

Healthy Yogi

27a Old Post Office Ln
Maidenhead SL6 1JG.

(This little street is situated in between the Jasmine Peking restaurant and the Co-Op Funeral and opposite The Maidens Head)

There are several car parks surrounding the town centre but please do not park at Waitrose as they have a strict 2hr limit and you will get a ticket!