6 session Classic Mindfulness Series Autumn

Put simply the aim of these ateliers is to be more aware, more often with kindness towards what we find. Through this awareness we can transform our experiences. We begin to practice stepping out of the habitual doing mode by paying attention, intentionally, mindfully, compassionately, to sensations of the body and to aspects of everyday experiences. Weaving home practice and the teachings into your daily lives offers an opportunity to deepen your experience and support you on this mindful path to self-compassion. Moving towards knowing ourselves and accepting what we find with kindness, opening up to the potential healing that this can bring us.

If this is your first session previous experience is not necessary and beginners’ minds are always encouraged for those who have been regularly attending.

Each week we will build on the practices and committing to a weekly session allows you to maximise the benefits of the techniques, and allows for consistency of social contact and support in our different corners of the world.

The atelier follows the following format:

  • Meditation

  • Poem (you’ll find this included in session notes)

  • Tea meditation

  • Sharing space (opportunity to pause, reflect or journal about your direct experience of the practice)

  • A closing Meditation and invitation for home pratice

What do I need to prepare?

Each practice will be either a sitting, movement or lying down, for meditation hints and tips have a look at this handout HERE. Ideally in advance of the session you’ll need:

  • Use a chair, cushions or a stool

  • Enough space for an exercise mat on the floor

  • Enough space to move your arms around your body from standing

  • Any props for comfort and warmth (see the handout mentioned)

  • A glass of water or warm drink for the tea meditation.

Atelier One

Settle down and fall awake, honour the time and space you have carved out of your busy life to take this an active step in taking care of your health and wellbeing. As we approach autumn we’ll be harnessing that back to school feeling, establishing routines that nourish us preparing for the winter months to come.

We’ll be practicing a body scan this week. You can do the practice from a sitting position, or lying down if you wish, listening to your needs is the most important part of the practice.

The poem this week was The Road not Taken by Robert Frost and the home practice is an invitation to do a this ten minute body scan over the next six days.

Atelier Two

A mindful movement practice, you'll need enough space to move your arms around and stand up. This is a gentle stretching practice, please take care of your needs and listen to your body and what it feels up to today. We're exploring our boundaries and edges and the practice gives us an opportunity to observe our habits and tendencies, do you push yourself too much, too little perhaps. Being interested and curious and kind towards yourself.

We’ll begin in a sitting position and then move into some seated stretched before standing. You can do the practice without making the movements and simply picturing them if that is what feels right for you today.

The poem this week was Mysteries, yes! by Mary Oliver and the home practice is an invitation to do a this ten minute mindful movement practice over the next six days.

Atelier Three

Settle down and fall awake for this mindfulness of breath practice.

You can do the practice from a sitting position, or lying down if you wish, listening to your needs is the most important part of the practice. Towards the end of the practice we pay particular attention to being mindful during the activity of taking tea. Bringing our attention to the sounds, movements and sensations we experience during this ordinary activity. This will be the home practice over the coming week. An invitation to bring mindful attention to an everyday activity you’d ordinarily do on automatic pilot, something such as drinking a cup of tea, watching a bird out of the window, brushing your teeth anything that you can bring regular present moment awareness too.

The poem this week was Sandpiper By Elizabeth Bishop .

Atelier Four

A mindful cultivating compassion practice. Exploring the physical sensations of being with our bodies whilst holding living beings that bring us joy, are neutral to us and bring us difficulty. In this session we place particular emphasis on being with our neutral experiences which make up the largest part of our experiences and often get very little attention.

The poem this week was by Fernando Pessoa, it has not title but begins with the line ‘Calm because I am unknown’. Home practice is an invitation to take part in a daily mindful compassionate walk, every now and again saying the phrase I share in the group, or your own version ‘may I be well, may I be at ease, may I be kind to myself and others’ and when you pass living beings saying to yourself or out loud ‘may you be well, may you be at ease and may you be kind to yourself and others’.

Atelier Five

In this weeks class we practice a mindful compassion based forgiveness practice.

Anchoring in the breath and the body and remembering to take great care of yourself. There is no right or wrong way to do this practice and giving yourself permission to meet yourself wherever you are is very important.

The poem this week was Hope Is The Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson.

Atelier Six

We finish this series with a mindful cultivating compassion practice. Exploring the physical sensations of being with our bodies whilst holding them in a tender and compassionate way.

The poem is The House of Belonging by David Whyte.

For home practice you are invited to undertake an autumnal mindfulness meditation.