Mindfulness

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply present-centred awareness. It's when we 'wake up' out of being on 'autopilot' in our daily lives. When we're mindful we may feel more alive, curious and present in the here-and-now instead of overthinking about the past or the future. Mindfulness practice also gives us the opportunity to train ourselves into new habits, tend to our thoughts and emotions, and develop strengths such as compassion and empathy. Mindfulness practice can reveal insights such as awareness of the inter-connectedness of life, and the constant changing nature of reality, which can affect how we relate to and value our experiences. 

Mindfulness is an innate human capacity. We could call it a 'witnessing' function, which concentrates or 'gathers up' the dispersed energies and fragmented consciousness in our brains. We all have a seed of mindfulness in us, and sometimes we experience it sponteneously without any effort. For instance, mindfulness is there when you are absorbed in the beauty of a sunset, or you are internally aware of your anger and are actively calming yourself down, or perhaps when you are listening deeply and offering your stillness and presence to a friend in need. These are moments of depth awareness, moments of mindfulness.

With practise we can grow our ability to experience more expanded, mindful awareness which helps to contain and integrate the fullness of our experiences when relating with ourselves and others. Mindfulness comes to us from many geographical locations and peoples around the world. Aboriginal Australians, Christian desert contemplatives, the Stoics of Ancient Rome, and perhaps most famously, Buddhists, and many others, all share different kinds of mindfulness teachings with the world. Mindfulness naturally connects us to the more-than-human world, and gives us a bigger perspective on life, and is itself a kind of universally spiritual way of experiencing life. (Did you know the word Spirit comes from 'spiritus', which is Latin for 'breath'?' Many mindfulness practices include focused awareness of the breath.)

Mindfulness is an ancient practice, yet in today's world has often been made clinical and reduced down to corporate well-being and psychological relaxation techniques to improve stress management, productivity and performance, but it's much more than this. Rooting yourself in your experiential awareness of life is so much more than an outcome-driven technique, it's a way of being. 

Mindfulness is a way of sustaining a compassionate relationship with all aspects of yourself, and supports relationships with those around you. A conscious daily practice may facilitate conditions for natural, physical and psycho-spiritual healing. My experience is that mindfulness is supportive in taking care of anxiety, low mood and strong emotions - it is a major self care resource that can lead to personal transformation, and can also change how we influence the world around us for more joy and well-being. There is much research to suggest that mindfulness also restores a healthy balance to blood pressure, heart rate and reduces inflammation and complements healing from many other illnesses.

Mindfulness is proven to help with:

• Enhancing mood

• Mental clarity and focus

• Improving sleep

• Emotional self-regulation

• Better overall happiness and wellbeing​

You can practise mindfulness, whatever your personal beliefs, faith, spiritual path or religious tradition. My practice has been most influenced by the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and I also draw on other traditions and have a trauma-sensitive, inter-spiritual and neuroaffirming perspective. I work with people with little to no experience of mindfulness, as well as those who have considerable experience, assisting you to create and sustain a mindful way of life.

Mindfulness Meditation Group Courses

'Be Calm, Be Happy (Online 6-Week Mindfulness Course)' - Regular dates listed on Eventbrite

'Zen Men' - Mindfulness events in Brighton for men on Eventbrite

'Mindfulness in Nature' in Brighton and open to everyone - Please register your interest

One-to-one Mindfulness Practice Guidance Consultations 

By donation, no one turned away for lack of funds. Book a one-to-one mindfulness practice guidance consultation - here