Mindfulness for beginners

Mindfulness involves paying close attention to our thoughts, feelings, and actions, both emotionally and physically. The goal is not to change anything but to acknowledge and engage with our experiences.  

This practice encourages us to release our desire for things to be a certain way and to cultivate self-compassion.  

Mindfulness can enhance our ability to cope with life’s challenges and can be particularly beneficialto those seeking greater meaning in their lives or relationships. It helps us identify triggers that lead to unhelpful emotions, enabling us to handle them more effectively.  

In this course, we will: 

• Share techniques to help you recognise your experiences and approach them from a different perspective. 

• Discuss the concept of being on ‘automatic pilot’ and how this can be counterproductive when feeling stressed, down, overwhelmed or out of control. 

• Explore practical strategies to address unhelpful thoughts and engage with your experiences in the present moment.  

• Have opportunities to practice different mindfulness techniques, including breathing exercises, body scans, seated meditation, and mindful movement.  

This course is particularly aimed at people who wish to enhance their wellbeing through mindfulness practices. Alongside the weekly sessions, you will be encouraged to engage in daily mindfulness exercises to gradually develop your skills.  Each week will build on what you have learned in previous sessions.

Is this course for me? 

It's essential to consider your mental health and emotional wellbeing before booking on to this course, as mindfulness practices can occasionally evoke challenging emotions or memories. Being prepared for this possibility is important. If you have recently experienced a crisis or trauma, or if you are dealing with negative thoughts, including self-harm or suicidal ideation, this course may not be suitable for you at this time. 

If you have any concerns, you will have the opportunity to discuss them with our lead facilitator before the course begins. 

To fully benefit from the course, it is expected that you will engage in personal mindfulness practices at home. Therefore, it’s important to assess how much time and effort you can realistically dedicate to this. Mindfulness requires consistent practice, so make sure you can allocate time for it outside of the course. 

Mindfulness is a skill that takes time to develop, and immediate results should not be anticipated. The course builds on learning week on week, introducing new practices as the course progresses. It’s important to be realistic about your expectations for the course as it’s unlikely you’ll experience results straight away, and building confidence in the practice takes time.