Introduction to Mindfulness: the .b course

Mindfulness is all about learning to direct our attention to our experience as it unfolds, moment by moment, with open-minded curiosity and acceptance. Rather than worrying about what has happened or might happen, it trains us to respond skillfully to whatever is happening right now, be that good or bad.  Brain imaging studies show that mindfulness practice reliably and profoundly alters the structure and function of the brain to improve the quality of thought, feeling and concern for others.  In adults, mindfulness training has been shown to improve health and wellbeing. People of all ages report after taking a mindfulness course that they have found that they can learn more effectively, think more clearly, perform better and feel calmer, less anxious and less depressed. Mindfulness is now recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and GPs are referring adults on 8 week courses to reduce stress and help prevent recurrent depression. It is increasingly being used in business to improve staff wellbeing and satisfaction, in sports training to improve performance, and with children and young people and in schools to enhance wellbeing and learning.  At first the mind wanders constantly, but with practice we learn to sustain our attention and direct it more skilfully. This helps break the grip of unhelpful mental habits, judgements and impulses, making way for greater calm, and for more helpful, kinder and rational thinking about all aspects of life. However, it takes practice!  Thousands of research studies have evaluated the effects of mindfulness training in many contexts, and they identify consistent potential benefits to adults’ psychological health and wellbeing, including:

 • Feeling calmer and more positive

 • Helping cope with stress and anxiety

 • Improving concentration and focus

 • Getting on better with others

 This runs over 9 sessions as follows: