“The purpose of Mindfulness is……. Mindfulness.”

‘The Observing Self’ - A Deikman

Many people get very confused as to what Mindfulness practice is and what it involves. Click on this link Meditation Basics and you will find some basic guidelines to help you in your practice. It is also useful to remember that the benefits of Mindfulness Practice occur over time so, if you are expecting instant results you’ll probably be disappointed. It’s important to approach Mindfulness practice the way you’d approach any form of exercise. The skill and effectiveness of the practice develops over time and just like any ‘muscle’ the more frequently you exercise it the stronger it gets… Start slowly and follow the guidelines given for Mindfulness Practice. Nothing is to be gained by doing too much too soon.

Below you'll find a series of podcasts for people who prefer to have something to listen to. I’ll be covering Mindfulness and a wide range of subjects. The idea is to provide you with information and ‘tools’ you can use to help you make the best of yourself in both your personal and professional life.

When you listen to the meditations I suggest you listen to one of them each day for at least 6 days before moving onto the next one. This way you develop stronger neural pathways in the brain and will get more benefit from each meditation.

1 - An Introduction to Mindfulness

Ep1

In this podcast I’m going to talk a little about mindfulness and hopefully clarify some of the many misunderstandings that have developed due to people not fully understanding what mindfulness is and what it isn’t. This podcast covers general principles, 'turning on, turning off' Mindfulness practices, guidance on practice, benefits and possible adverse effects of Mindfulness practice. "Mindfulness" - Mark Williams "Meditation and Modern Psychology" - Robert Ornstein "The Observing Self" A. Deikman

2 - Awareness of Breathing

Ep2

A short session to develop your awareness of your breathing and to increase a sense of calm and relaxation. More resources can be found in my book "The Art of Living" and at www.elementals.net

3 - Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Ep3

Progressive Muscle Awareness is an excellent way to help develop physical awareness and a deep relaxed state. More resources can be found in my book "The Art of Living." If you'd like to go straight to the Muscle Awareness session skip to 3mins 37 secs.

4 - Three Minute Breathing Space

Ep4

The best way to develop the skill of Mindfulness or Awareness is to practice on a regular basis. This Short meditation practice contains the key elements of Mindfulness practice and includes awareness of breath, body, thoughts and feelings. It's a short practice and can be used at any time to help bring back your focus to the present.

5 - Sounds, Thoughts and Feelings

Ep5

In this podcast I’ll be introducing a sounds, sensations, thoughts and feelings awareness session for you to add to your mindfulness and awareness practice. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information. There is so much information that it is impossible for us to be able to process it. Our world is filled with sounds, sensations, thoughts and feelings from the outside world and from our inside world.

6 - Exploring Difficulties

Ep6

The Exploring Difficulty meditation gently invites you to bring situations to your attention that may be unsettling or disturbing and then observe how your body reacts. At times It can be more helpful to work with the body because the mind can become too goal oriented when directly facing a difficulty. It will want to help by suppressing negativity or by trying desperately to analyse and solve whatever is troubling you. Working with the mind in this context is just too difficult. Focusing on the body, by contrast, creates a little space between you and the problem, so that you don’t immediately become entangled with it. In a sense, you are using the observing self and your physical self to raise your awareness of bodily associations that are usually connected with any unsettling or disturbing situation . This approach has two other benefits as well. First, the body’s reactions to negative thoughts or sensations often provide a clearer, more coherent ‘signal’, on which it’s easier to stay focused. And second, you’ll come to realise that physical sensations tend to rise and fall in their intensity, and this can help to lead towards a realisation that states of mind also tend to wax and wane from moment to moment.

7 - Care and Compassion

Ep 7

The focus of this meditation is Care and Compassion towards yourself and others Many people may meditate for weeks, months or even years, and never really hear the message of kindness for themselves. Meditation just becomes another thing to do. Ask yourself - How harsh and judgmental are you towards yourself? The ability to treat yourself with care and compassion and ceasing to judge yourself harshly are cornerstones of finding peace in this fast paced world we live in.

8 - Your Brain Has a Delete Button

Ep 8

If you only want to listen to one of my podcasts then I strongly recommend you listen to this one. In this podcast you'll learn about the brain's 'delete' button, discovered by neuroscientists, and its purpose. This is extremely useful information and the guided imagery session at the end of the podcast will give you an opportunity to use the brain's delete button effectively in your everyday life. You'll find lots of useful resources in my book "The Art of Living."

9 - Visualisation

Ep9

In this session I’m going to use a visualisation process which is also known as 'motor memory rehearsal' or 'mental rehearsal'. You’ll get the chance to rehearse and develop a skill or ability in a calm and very focused way. Please don’t underestimate how effective this process can be. Your brain is constantly creating 'simulations' of the world to help you to navigate through your life. By developing your visualisation skills you are offering your brain other, alternative courses of action which will help to change your mood and change the way you experience the world you live in.

10 - Room of Beliefs

Ep 10

This podcast is a visualisation session and will help you identify any beliefs you may have that are restrictive and give you a simple way to get rid of those beliefs and replace them with more helpful beliefs. More resources can be found in my book "The Art of Living."

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