About Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that involves being open, accepting and curious. We notice sensations, thoughts, and emotions without blocking them out or getting carried away by them. You don’t have to sit cross-legged or be a saint to learn to do this.
Anyone can learn, and there are lots of opportunities to practice in our daily lives. We can all get the hang of noticing what we’re thinking and feeling. It may not be the easiest thing sometimes, if we’re embroiled in some difficulty, or on a nightmare train ride for example, but any time is good for practice.
In time we can learn to be mindful in any situation. And of course, that’s the point – that’s where we begin to get the stress reduction benefits – when we find we can stay mindful and attentive in the midst of a problem. It can be a life-saver.
So whether you want to bank the skills for the future or you need the skills now, Mindfulness can help you when you feel stuck. We can be more alive for our happy times and live a richer life. And we can hold our ground when going through tough times and find our feet more quickly. Add this up, and it means psychological and physical health benefits too.
We’re part of the key professional networks
- Listed teacher, UK Mindfulness Network
- Affiliate organisation, UK Mindfulness Network
- Tutor, The Mindfulness Association
- Supervisor, The Mindfulness Network
Our Courses & Programmes
As you might expect, our approach to supervision and to teacher training in Mindfulness is therefore also grounded in the MBSR and MBCT approaches.
Taught Courses
Our taught courses are offered publicly in north Cambridgeshire and can be delivered in-house for organisations. They comprise:
- 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programmes: these are suitable for beginners or people who have some experience in mindfulness practice or meditation already. Those who come on these courses are looking to turn a corner and equip themselves for meeting life’s challenges. It’s a commitment…
- Short introductory Basics courses: these do what they say on the tin – they give you the basics – enough to get going, see if Mindfulness is for you, or if you don’t have the time yet to commit to the full 8-week course. Not a substitute for the 8 weeks, but a start…
- Workshops and retreats: a range of opportunities for beginners or people with experience to practice. Space to connect, reconnect, be with a group, go deeper…
Bespoke Courses
If you’re an organisation or group who’s looking for something tailored to fit your context and needs, get in touch for a chat. We’ve custom-built trainings and events for organisations as diverse as the Environment Agency, The Careers Research & Advisory Centre (CRAC), Royal Papworth Hospital Trust, Anglian Water, Cambridgeshire schools, Rape Crisis, and Leicester University Hospitals Trust. We love working out how to introduce Mindfulness into different organisational and social settings!
Teacher Training
We provide training to become a teacher of Mindfulness Based Approaches. Our training meets the formal training requirement element of the UK Mindfulness Network’s Good Practice Guidelines for teachers – though you will need to add a few other elements before you can apply to be listed.
Training is in small groups and is spread over a one-year period.
To apply to train, the following pre-requisites apply:
- Participation in an 8-week MBSR or MBCT course
- Regular daily personal practice
- An existing context within which you hope to teach
- Experience and/or qualifications relevant to that context
Mindfulness-Based Supervision
Mindfulness-Based Supervision is a requirement for teachers of Mindfulness Based Approaches and beginning teachers who are in training and who want to have a professional listing with the UK Network.
Mindfulness Based Supervision focuses on your Mindfulness teaching and practice, and is an opportunity to reflect and inquire with a senior teacher/practitioner on issues arising from this for you. Sessions are fitted around your development needs, and depending on where you are with your teaching, could include advice on organising and preparing for teaching, discussion and feedback on teaching practice, inquiry around issues or themes arising from your teaching, discussion of audio or video recordings of you teaching, exploration of your personal meditation practice, or planning for your future development needs.
As a supervisor listed by The Mindfulness Network, we offer Mindfulness-Based Supervision that supports your development as a teacher, wherever you are in this journey.
