Mindfulness is a way of living that cultivates present-moment awareness. It encourages us to focus our attention on what’s happening right now, without judgment or getting caught up in past regrets or future anxieties.

Mindfulness practice emphasises acceptance. We allow life to unfold naturally, without clinging to desired experiences or pushing away unpleasant ones. This openness allows us to experience the full spectrum of life, both positive and negative, without filtering it through judgment.

Mindfulness helps us become aware of our automatic behaviours. By becoming aware of our automatic behaviours we can choose to repeat them or try doing something different.

Often, we go through the day on “autopilot” missing the richness of each moment. By becoming more mindful, we can engage our senses fully, like noticing the birdsong, the scent of flowers, or the clouds drifting by during a walk. Mindfulness allows us to appreciate the little joys hidden within our everyday experiences.

While mindfulness has roots in Buddhist traditions, it has gained popularity in secular contexts thanks to the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970s. Supported by scientific research, mindfulness is now used to address various physical and emotional conditions, including stress, depression, pain, and trauma.

Mindfulness can be practiced formally through dedicated meditation sessions, either guided or self-directed. Informal practice integrates mindfulness into daily activities, such as eating, walking or listening to another with focused attention on the present moment.

Mindfulness goes beyond techniques. It cultivates specific attitudes that enhance the practice. These include non-judgment, trust, patience, a beginner’s mind, non-striving, letting go, and acceptance. Additionally, gratitude and generosity are often included as beneficial attitudes.

If you’re interested in cultivating present-moment awareness and reducing stress, anxiety, or other challenges, I can help. I will be leading an 8-week mindfulness course from Monday the 11th of November to the 13th of January, breaking for 2 weeks over Christmas at The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham. Join me from 10am until 11:30am, to learn practical techniques and develop a sustainable mindfulness practice for yourself. The full 8-week course costs £250.

Prevention of depression relapse – Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse: June 2016 – Willem Kuyken, PhD1; Fiona C. Warren, PhD2; Rod S. Taylor, PhD2; et al. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656616301118

Improvement of immune function – Demonstrated by a study carried out by David Cresswell, a Research Scientist at Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at UCLA in 2008, on patients with HIV. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/mindfulness-meditation-slows-progression-of-hiv-study-shows

Improvement of chronic pain symptomology – Chronic pain patients reported improvements in pain symptomology and quality of life after completing the MBSR program and improvements were sustained after a 3-year follow-up. Full catastrophe living: using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Jon Kabat-Zinn. Delta Trade Paperbacks. 1991. ISBN 0-385-30312-2.

Improvement of mental clarity and focus – Demonstrated in the research, Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention: MacLean K. A., Ferrer E., Aichele S. R., Bridwell D. A., Zanesco A. P., Jacobs T. L., et al. (2010). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20483826/

Improvement of heart health – Demonstrated in the research, Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction for prehypertension. Joel W Hughes 1, David M Fresco, Rodney Myerscough, Manfred H M van Dulmen, Linda E Carlson, Richard Josephson. (2013) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24127622/

Enabling greater autonomy – The Benefits of Being Present: Mindfulness and Its Role in Psychological Well-Being: Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan. University of Rochester.(2003) https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2003_BrownRyan.pdf