MINDFULNESS An Introduction

Amanda BaileyBright Futures Educational Trust

Milton, 1667

The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a Heav’n of Hell, a hell of Heav’n

?

Discuss in pairs:

• How was that?

• What did you notice?

Yesterday is history,

Tomorrow is a

mystery,

But today is a gift,

And that’s why it is

called the present.

Sensing

Seeing Tasting TouchingHearing Smelling

Thinking

Two modes of mind

ComparingPlanningAnalysing

Goal-settingRemembering

Conceptual

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness involves paying attention…on purpose

in the present moment

with curiosity and kindness

…to things as they are

• Since waking up today, what have you done on autopilot?

• Where do our minds tend to be when we’re on autopilot?

• What’s it like being on autopilot?

• What might the implications of the chocolate exercise and these reflections be for how you go through a day at work?

Why?

Figure 1. An example of growth in the mindfulness research literature across

30 years, 1980 - 2010

Notes. Results obtained from a search of the term "mindfulness" in the abstract and keywords of the ISI Web of Knowledge database on Feb. 5, 2011. The search was limited to publications with English language abstracts http://www.mindfulexperience.org/publications.php

x

PainAnger Eating

Sleeping

Stress

Depression

ExamsRelationships

Bodyscan

Discuss in pairs:

• How was that?

• What did you notice?

Attention is like a puppy

• It wanders around, sniffing aimlessly

• It doesn’t stay where you want it to• It makes messes

• It brings back things you didn’t ask for

firm, patient, kind

REPETITION

Mindfulness available on NHS

Professor Mark WilliamsOxford University

Mindfulness Centre

Effectiveness of the Mindfulness in Schools Programme: non- randomised controlled feasibility study

Universities of Exeter and Oxford

Phil Jackson – LA Lakers Basketball coach

“When players practice what’s known as mindfulness – being more embodied and paying attention to what’s actually happening – not only do they play better and win more, they also become more attuned to each other.”

Congressman Tim Ryan

Stop

Recognise

Breathe

‘Be’

Bodyscan

THANK YOU!