Mindulness Meditation
Mindfulness is self awareness or paying attention with compassionate curiosity to this experience now.
Meditation is exercising our attention to strengthen awareness, focus and self compassion.
You can be mindful with whatever is here, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
Kind self awareness creates choices for self care and being proactive with what you want and need.
Staying compassionately present with your uncomfortable states for a few minutes can gradually settle them.
Being fully present with your unpleasant internal states does not mean tolerating abuse. Your awareness gives you choice to act for your best health and safety. Without awareness your autopilot will do its best to protect you but it may not be helpful in the long term.
To practice Meditation, choose a neutral focus and return your attention to this focus every time your mind wanders. 10 times or 100 times is not a problem. Returning to our focus multiple times strengthens the attention function of the brain in the same way reps at the gym strengthen muscles or practicing scales improves a musician's performance.
A meditation focus could be the rhythm of the breath, looking down at a stone or leaf, a guided visualisation or an activity like crafts, art, music, gardening, walking, swimming.
Mindful eating is being present when we eat: savour the flavours, chew slowly, enjoy company rather than eating your worries, projects or the past.
Whether you spend 1, 10 or 20 min, start where you can, with what you enjoy and go from there. Mind chatter is normal.
Be kind to yourself. Self compassion is a skill we can learn and improve.
Mindfulness is self awareness or paying attention with compassionate curiosity to this experience now.
Meditation is exercising our attention to strengthen awareness, focus and self compassion.
You can be mindful with whatever is here, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
Kind self awareness creates choices for self care and being proactive with what you want and need.
Staying compassionately present with your uncomfortable states for a few minutes can gradually settle them.
Being fully present with your unpleasant internal states does not mean tolerating abuse. Your awareness gives you choice to act for your best health and safety. Without awareness your autopilot will do its best to protect you but it may not be helpful in the long term.
To practice Meditation, choose a neutral focus and return your attention to this focus every time your mind wanders. 10 times or 100 times is not a problem. Returning to our focus multiple times strengthens the attention function of the brain in the same way reps at the gym strengthen muscles or practicing scales improves a musician's performance.
A meditation focus could be the rhythm of the breath, looking down at a stone or leaf, a guided visualisation or an activity like crafts, art, music, gardening, walking, swimming.
Mindful eating is being present when we eat: savour the flavours, chew slowly, enjoy company rather than eating your worries, projects or the past.
Whether you spend 1, 10 or 20 min, start where you can, with what you enjoy and go from there. Mind chatter is normal.
Be kind to yourself. Self compassion is a skill we can learn and improve.
Benefits of Meditation
Here's what meditators report over time
Here's what meditators report over time
- increasing calm
- sounder sleep
- being more relaxed
- less reactivity to circumstances
- improvement in chronic pain and illness
- better self soothing
- being more tuned into what you want
- better proactivity about what is important to you
- engage more calmly with others
- face difficulties in a more grounded way
- avoid and procrastinate less...
Further reading
Dr Tony Fernando on neuroscience of happiness and how mindfulness makes a difference to our well being.
Jamie Catto's amusing explanation of how being kindly present with our discomfort allows our self-healing process to resolve unfinished stress held in our system.
Thich Nhat Hanh - The Four Qualities of Love
Rick Hanson
"Besides feeling good in its own right, opening to love heals psychological wounds, builds resilience, and supports personal growth. In your brain, love calms down the stress response and reduces activation in the neural circuits of physical and emotional pain. It nourishes moral behaviour and helps keep you out of needless conflicts with others. And cultivating a loving heart is central to spiritual practice in every tradition."
Dr Tony Fernando on neuroscience of happiness and how mindfulness makes a difference to our well being.
Jamie Catto's amusing explanation of how being kindly present with our discomfort allows our self-healing process to resolve unfinished stress held in our system.
Thich Nhat Hanh - The Four Qualities of Love
Rick Hanson
"Besides feeling good in its own right, opening to love heals psychological wounds, builds resilience, and supports personal growth. In your brain, love calms down the stress response and reduces activation in the neural circuits of physical and emotional pain. It nourishes moral behaviour and helps keep you out of needless conflicts with others. And cultivating a loving heart is central to spiritual practice in every tradition."
Book a private session or join a group.
Currently working in person or by video/phone call if needed.
0226507896
[email protected]
Registered Member NZAC
Currently working in person or by video/phone call if needed.
0226507896
[email protected]
Registered Member NZAC
Breathe Laugh Play Love Learn Flow
