... and how it can help you, whoever you are
Level 1: Establishing a Practice - 22/2/22 - 29/3/22
Level 2: Developing the Inner Witness - 10/5/22 - 14/6/22
Level 3: Fruits of Resilience - 13/9/22 -18/10/22
Mindfullness virtual sessions - TBC - Register your interest
Mindfulness Full Day Retreat- Sunday 4 September 2022
Royal Domain Building, Rooftop Function Terrace
What is mindfulness
Since mindfulness.org.au was founded in early 2000’s,
mindfulness has become very fashionable with lots of good information becoming available. However, lots of misinformation and misrepresentation also arose.
So let’s get the basics straight
with two definitions to help you get started:
1. Something short:
An open hearted awareness of experience as it arises (C. Walsh, 2004).
A training method that builds neuronal connections resulting in calm, clear presence in various situations, including excitement, joy, agitation and adversity.
2. Something a bit longer:
‘A complex and multi-dimensional concept’ (Dhiman, 2009). A way of being which involves ‘rigorous mental practice’ to develop ‘focus, awareness and living in the moment’ (Sethi, 2009)” by “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose,... and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994).
It frees us from autopilot mode, reactivity so that we can “come closer to clear comprehension of any situation’ (Barbezat & Bush, 2013, p. 96; Sauer & Kohls, 2011)”.
Why do mindfulness?
Many people do mindfulness for different reasons, depending on who they are. Here are some overarching ones:
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To fully enjoy life
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To manage stress & conflict
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For more satisfying interpersonal interactions
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To manage thoughts and emotions better
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To manage complex human interactions at work and at home
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We can develop the necessary mental strength and flexibility
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By training in mindfulness
See below for further details on how it impacts varies group of people.
Are there any downsides?
Yes.
When mindfulness is taught by inexperienced teachers* bad habits can be reinforced. Sometimes people can experience agitation and distress
or worsening of some psychiatric symptoms.
Often the people who have these issues benefit the most. BUT they need skillful experienced teachers
*click here to find out how to assess a suitable mindfulness teacher.
Who can mindfulness help?
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ANYONE including:
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the stressed, those who want to excel
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academics, professionals, business people athletes and artists
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from primary school students to parliamentarians to army officers to CEOs our training can help?
General public
Our daily lives can confront us with an intense mix of emotions, challenges and pressures. We are often just coping and desperately wishing we could do it better. It is easy to become jaded and to feel as if life has lost its freshness. With mindfulness, we learn how to relax into efficiency. We learn how to let go of striving and find ourselves becoming more flexible and creative. This sense of ease comes from building internal strength through mindfulness. Just like exercising our muscles to becoming better at a sport or getting fit, mindfulness is a mental training that enables us to live more satisfying lives, fully enjoying life’s pleasures, whilst becoming more effective in managing life’s challenges. You will rest better, experience better health and enhance your EQ and interactions with your family, friends and colleagues.
Click here for useful Resources (incl. multimedia) and here for mindfulness articles for the general public
Carers
Carers devote their lives caring for the dying, sick and disabled. They often experience compassion fatigue, emotional contagion, emotional cut-off and undertake impossible rescue missions to the point of exhaustion. These unseen and often missed challenges take a significant toll on you. Mindfulness trains you to remain empathetic, letting you feel other’s pain and suffering WITHOUT absorbing it as if it were your own. You can develop an inner steadiness and resilience, as well as the ability to effectively prioritise to look after yourself well enough so you can look after your loved one.
Click here for our useful Resources and here for mindfulness articles for Carers
Health care professionals
Health care professionals (HCP) have a critical role to play in using mindfulness as another valuable to tool to help their patients and clients in a variety of medical conditions, including but not limited to stress, relationship challenges, pain, palliative care, mental health, addictive behaviours and sleep disorders. You can actively teach or guide them through mindfulness practices or techniques, or refer them to a qualified mindfulness practitioner (how to assess a mindfulness teacher or refer to Dr. Walsh).
Furthermore, HCPs are faced incredible pressure and stress some of which are very similar to those experienced by carers and families. HCPs can get burnt out with so called compassion fatigue. Mindfulness can also help HCPs to manage this stress and to maintain a good work life balance whilst remaining both effective and compassionate.
Click here to access our Health Care Professionals resources (we also strongly recommend you to use General Public resources to help yourself and your patients/ client here)
Educators
There is now powerful evidence that mindfulness can enhance learning by improving concentration,memory and by nurturing an attitude of open hearted curiosity. Educators at all levels from kindergartens to universities to corporate coaches can transmit use mindfulness techniques in the classroom to enhance the learning experience. They can also practice it themselves to handle stress better, to open up to being more creative and to give themselves more presence so they can be better pedagogues.
Click here for useful Resources and here for mindfulness articles for the general public
Corporate professionals
In today’s highly pressured work environment that is facing constant change, your mind and that of your team’s will make all the difference in the ultra-competitive market. There are over a couple hundred scholarly articles published on mindfulness and business, which show that when taught by an experienced professional, mindfulness can enhance emotional awareness, composure under pressure, as well as the mental clarity, calmness and resilience. This leads to to better problem solving with an inclusive leadership approach when faced with uncertainty and challenges. Mindful leaders create a culture of curiosity and openness to opportunities when dealing with ambiguity and change, giving their organisations an exceptional competitive edge.. Outside work, it rebuilds the ability to switch off, relax and recharge resulting in a better work-life balance.
Click here for our useful Resources, here for Dr. Walsh's corporate offerings and here for mindfulness articles for Professionals
Elderly
Ageing can be a mix of emotions, such as happiness, nostalgia, fear, sadness and loneliness. Mindfulness exercises can strengthen the mind, building neuronal connections as well as social connections with your peers, making you more compassionate and open hearted and most importantly, bringing you into the here and now. From this place of the here and now, the elderly are in a powerful position to transmit the wisdom and experience of the past to the younger generations to take into the future.
Click here for useful Resources
People affected by depression & anxiety
Depression and anxiety affects many Australians and their families. Destructive habits of thoughts and emotions such as excess worrying, getting stuck on the negative, blaming and catastrophizing lead to destructive downward mental spirals. Mindfulness practices trains one to deal with those thought behaviours with open-hearted curiosity, compassion and resilience This changes one’s relationship with them Ultimately arresting these destructive spirals or even preventing them altogether.
Click here for useful Resources and here for mindfulness articles for People affected by depression and anxiety
People affected by addictions
Addictive behaviour such as gambling, substance abuse, overeating inappropriate sex or any other destructive impulses can be detrimental in oneself and their loved ones. Mindfulness brings clarity and self-awareness to one’s addictions and minimises the internal struggle, which often feeds the cravings. It changes your relationship with the cravings and other aspects of addiction thus helping you to manage it more effectively.
Click here for useful Resources and here for mindfulness articles for People affected by additions
Contact
Royal Domain Building, Level 1, Suite 108,
370 St Kilda Rd. Melbourne, Vic, 3004, Australia
Paid street parking along
St Kilda Rd, Albert Rd, Park Street and Wells St
Trams: 3/3a, 5, 6, 8, 16, 55, 64, 67, and 72
Tram stop 20, named Park St.
P : 03 9699 9374 | F: 03 8677 9363
M, T, Th | 8:30am - 5:30pm
Except days of mindfulness courses