What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means being aware of experience in the present moment. On our courses we invite you to learn new skills, to listen to your body, thoughts, and feelings in a gentle and relaxed way so you can choose how best to respond to what’s going on for you. This can help you regain a sense of control and confidence even whilst living with difficult experience. We introduce mindfulness through simple practices and structured support to help you develop these skills.
Who is it for?
Some people come on our courses wanting something that will help with a health condition, but also with the anxiety and other strong emotions that can come with this, including fear about the future. Others come to learn how to manage stress, build resilience and improve their wellbeing.
Often people feel an improvement in their day to day lives as they let go of fear and tension and work with their body’s experience in a more compassionate and responsive way.
How can I learn more?
There are lots of resources and books on mindfulness, but it is easiest to learn by doing a course with an experienced teacher who uses mindfulness in their own life. You will learn how to let your mind settle, working gently with thoughts and distractions and developing a balanced and compassionate perspective.
Scroll down for more information on our courses.
Mindfulness courses
We run 8 week courses based on the multi-award-winning mindfulness program developed by Vidyamala Burch and colleagues at Breathworks, a training organisation and part of the BAMBA network which maintains quality and standards in mindfulness teaching.
Each session is typically 2.5 hrs long in a friendly group of 8 – 12 people, with a mix of short meditations, mindfulness activities, and compassion-based practices, along with ideas and discussion and some ‘home practice’ to do between sessions.
The two main courses we offer are outlined below.
Mindfulness for Health
What will I learn?
- Mindfulness and self-compassion skills in your daily life.
- To live in the present moment and be with your experience, rather than tensing against it.
- How mindfulness can help manage pain, stress and chronic health conditions.
- Greater concentration and focus.
- The art of taking joy in simple everyday pleasures.
- Transformative body and breath awareness for relaxation, tranquillity, and to let go of tension.
What will I get with the course?
- 8 weekly sessions, including guided meditations, gently paced for people with fatigue.
- Guided meditations for home practice, with a suggestion of 20 –30 mins a day.
- Experienced mindfulness teachers to guide you each week and a supportive peer group on the course.
- Become part of an ongoing local community of mindfulness practitioners with invitations to regular day retreats and drop-in sessions.
Mindfulness for Stress
What will I learn?
- Mindfulness skills to help bring self-compassion, calm, and resilience into your daily life
- To live in the present moment and be with your experience, rather than tensing against it.
- Greater concentration and focus
- How breath and body awareness can transform stress and reduce anxiety and overthinking
- Supportive mindful movement practices
- The art of taking joy in simple pleasures
- How to overcome your ‘negativity bias’
- The many health benefits of mindfulness
What will I get with the course?
- 8 weekly sessions, with a balance of teaching, questions and discussion, and guided mindfulness practice
- Guided meditations for home practice, with a suggestion of 20 –30 mins a day.
- Experienced mindfulness teachers to guide you each week and a supportive peer group on the course.
- Become part of an ongoing local community of mindfulness practitioners with invitations to regular day retreats and drop-in sessions.