a very brief introduction to mindfulnessadmin.fifedirect.org.uk/weborgs/nhs/uploadfiles/... ·...

A very brief introduction to

mindfulness

Bring your attention to your feet

What did you notice?

Mindfulness is…

Awareness of present experience, with acceptance.

Christopher Germer

Mindfulness is…

a special type of awareness that can keep us

anchored safely in our bodies….It can grow into

a way of life that protects us from unnecessary

suffering. When we’re mindful there’s less need

to escape unpleasant experience – there’s a

little breathing room around it.

Christopher Germer, Clinical Psychologist

Author of ‘The Mindful Path to Self Compassion’

The silence and space all around us is one of the

keys to entering inner peace. In the now, the

present moment, problems do not exist. Eckhart Tolle – ‘The Power of Now’

Mindfulness is…

not some special esoteric practice….we’re all

innately gifted with the ability to be aware of our

own field of awareness. This means that it is

fully within our power to be mindful. Mostly the

key is intentionally choosing to focus on the

thoughts, emotions and sensations that are

arising in the present moment in a friendly, non-

judgemental way.

Kristin Neff

Conscious breathing

Just say

• ‘in’ as you breathe in

• ‘out’ as you breathe out

• Repeat for a few moments until bell rings

What did you notice?

Brain Training

Changes your brain!

Mindfulness is not…

About boosting our self-esteem

Mindfulness is not:

About switching off

It’s about switching on to life.

Mindfulness is not:

About turning negative experiences into

positive ones

So how can mindfulness help us?

Helps us become more accepting of ourselves and others

Allows us to be human and imperfect

Allows us to cope with uncertainty

A bit of mindful movement

How can mindfulness help us to

help others?

The greatest gift you can give someone else is

your presence

Mindfulness is a way of being

Jon Kabat-Zinn