Mindfulness For Beginners

Work and school can be sources of joy and fulfilment but can also be stressful at times. We may have too much on our plate, put ourselves under too much pressure or have difficult relationships to deal with. We may not feel that we have time to stop, but when feeling overwhelmed this is exactly what we need to do - stop and breathe. By taking a break from 'doing' and practicing 'being' we can redu...

Its not always easy to find the time to meditate, so getting your ten minutes a day can be really challenging. However, you can integrate mindfulness into your daily life by learning simple techniques that you can use anytime, anywhere: focusing on your breath, a counting meditation, meditation of mind, meditation of body and listening meditation. Learning and practising these these easy technique...

The problems of the world can seem insurmountable - climate change, disease and war might make you feel that there's little that we can do. But by seeing the interconnections between what think, do and consume with what happens in the rest the rest of the world we can make more informed choices that together have a huge effect. Mindfulness and being in the present moment can help to build this awa...

Its easy when you're in a heated discussion to get carried away - we can say unkind things in the course of trying to win an argument. But giving someone a piece of our mind (even when we think we're right) can escalate a situation and put us in a worse situation than before we opened our mouths. Instead we can try and understand where the other person is coming from and consider our words careful...

We all use social media, TV and other media as a means of occasional escapism - however, taking a break every so often can help us to live calmer, happier lives. A day of mindfulness is a great way to do this and it's easy to organise by yourself or with others. This episode sets out how to do it and includes a calm / ease guided meditation. Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety,...

In this extended episode I have a mindful chat with my wonderful friend Katie Sheen who I met when we set up a sangha (mindfulness group) with others. She's a fully qualified teacher who has been practicing mindfulness in her own life for over sixteen years, including through cancer treatment in 2015. Katie teaches mindfulness courses and has created her own online course and app (links below). We...

Remorse can help us to reflect on errors and avoid repeating them - but its important to keep things in perspective. If we didn't intent harm to others, it's import that we treat ourselves with compassion as we would a friend. We can let go of regular feelings of guilt by looking deeply into it's roots. This episode includes a guided mindfulness meditation supporting you to let go of guilt. Medita...

We can sometimes be led to believe that we need particular things or conditions to be happy - but returning to our breath at various points in during the day and simply being present with how we are provides us with calmness, happiness and stability. In this episode we discuss how you can set a bell of mindfulness as reminder to return to the present from the future, past or mindless consumption....

A great way to relax before bed is a body scan, where we focus our awareness on each part of our body. Many people fall asleep during the practice and it's helpful if you suffer from insomnia. Mindfulness of body beings us into the present moment, leaving our past regrets and anxiety / stress about the future behind. The practice also supports us to return to our bodies when we're working, relaxin...

All of us get anxious thoughts, especially when under stress - trying to ignore them or cover them up with food, alcohol, TV or social media only increases our suffering in the long run. In this episode we explore paying attention to our anxious thoughts - inviting them in, making them a cup of tea and listening to what they have to say. By being present with our anxiety we can reduce the impact i...

Feeling unwell after going to the shop 5 days ago, so it looks like I caught COVID-19. I explore being present with what I'm experiencing with coronavirus and being grateful for how mild the symptoms are. Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety, improve your mood and live a  more peaceful, fulfilled life. If you find it helpful, I invite you to  share with others and say hello!   If you...

Its easy for us to focus on what we've lost or anxious about losing - a relationship, our health, a job or the wellbeing of someone we care about. Gratitude is a key part of maintaining good mental health; mindfulness and meditation can help us to focus on the things in our lives which bring us joy like the people we love, our home and even the simple joy of being alive. Includes a 20 minutes guid...

I spoke recently to psychologist, author, mindfulness coach and founder of Mindbar Kerri Cummings about the benefits of mindfulness, some misconceptions and learning to get comfortable with your thoughts. And how mindfulness can improve your putting game! Website: www.mind-bar.de Blog: www.moderndaymindful.com Instagram:  @mindbar_practice Facebook :  https://www.facebook.com/MindBarPrac...

A great way to maintain our mental health during these difficult times is to set a daily routine - this can include meditation, socialising, exercising and creative activities. This episode talks this through as well as a 'day of mindfulness' and guided meditation focusing on the body. Twitter - https://twitter.com/mindfulness_for LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-at-mindfulness-for-beg...

With the current coronavirus lockdown, it's more important than ever to look after our mental health. A key part of this is coping with isolation - mindfulness can support us to accept our feelings of loneliness, avoid covering it with consumption and use it to motivate ourselves to make real human connections.  Thich Nhat Hanh on Loneliness https://soundcloud.com/thichnhathanh/loneliness-is-...

You may be feeling anxious at the moment given events across the world - the practice of mindfulness can help you to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings, especially if you have to be isolated for a long period of time. Future episodes will discuss this in more detail, with guided meditations.  This podcast news episode also talk about future guests, recommendation of the month and an in...

The worries and distractions of our lives fragment our minds in many different directions, resulting in anxiety and stress. A side effect of this is that we don't see the world as it really is, creating more suffering. This episode talks about how by calming our mind, we can reflect the world as it is, gaining insight and compassion for others. Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxie...

All of us feel sad at one time or another - but how to do we accept these difficult feelings without them overwhelming us? In this episode, we discuss Thich Nhat Hanh's metaphor of the mud and the lotus and how we can use mindfulness to transform our sadness by sitting and listening to it rather than shutting it out. Includes a 20 minute guided meditation. Meditation  can be used to reduce st...

When was the last time you let your creative side out? In this episode I chat to mindfulness teacher Dr Lauri Bower, cofounder of York Sangha and The Creative Space. I've learned a great deal about the practice of mindfulness from Lauri since meeting her in 2016 and we got to catch up during a weekend retreat in Lytham.  We talk about how Lauri started meditating at an early age, her fav...

Its great to find a quiet place and meditate on your own - but there are huge benefits to practicing mindfulness with others.  In this episode I discuss "sangha" - a community or group of people who practice together. Belonging to a sangha can help you to develop your mindfulness practice and offers great support in difficult times. The episode includes a shared calm, ease guided meditation - and...

All of us feel at times as if we could earn more, be better parents, have more successful relationships - but we don't need to be anything more than we are. Much of our suffering is driven by desire - we can live happier, calmer lives by letting go of our desires and being present in the moment with what we feel. Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety, improve your mood and live a  mor...

In this episode, I chat to my old friend Mikey, who got me into the practice of mindfulness. We talk about how we got into the practice, our favourite ways to practice and share a guided meditation. Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety, improve your mood and live a  more peaceful, fulfilled life. If you find it helpful, we invite you to  share with others and say hello!  https://twit...

Could you feel compassion for your enemy? Its not easy of course - we may prefer to feel anger towards those who we believe are unkind to us or others. We may also feel that our anger is helpful and motivates us to act. Thich Nhat Hanh tells us that to "love our enemy is impossible. The moment we understand our enemy,we feel compassion and he or she is no longer our enemy." As difficult as it seem...

Driving can be stressful, but the principles of mindfulness can be applied - by focusing your awareness on the road and other drivers you can drive more safely but also get your daily dose of mindfulness! Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety, improve your mood and live a  more peaceful, fulfilled life. If you find it helpful, we invite you to  share with others and say...

All of us are afraid of something - but that doesn't have to limit us. If you're keen to overcome your fear / phobia, whether that's social anxiety, flying or enclosed spaces, you can take steps towards your goal by practicing mindfulness regularly, visualising your fear and giving yourself permission to feel anxious before letting go.  Meditation  can be used to reduce stress / anxiety, improve y...