Mindfulness: “being aware of your experience, while you are experiencing it.” – Guy Armstrong
Defining Mindfulness
We all have the capacity to be mindful but our attention is frequently pulled away by distractions. While we do one thing we are thinking about the next. We rush through the day, hardly tasting the food we eat, missing half of the things people say, coming home feeling like we haven’t had a minute to ourselves. Mindfulness brings our attention back to the present moment, so we can focus on what we are doing, listen to the full conversation, enjoy the meals we eat, and arrive home into a richer quality of life.
Course overview
This 8 week course introduces the core practices of Mindfulness, drawn from the MBSR format devised by Jon Kabat-Zinn, integrating elements of mindful self-compassion, gratitude and mindful communication. The first weeks introduce exercises for cultivating awareness, focus of attention, grounding and centering. With these basics in place, the course explores new ways of relating to the busy mind, emotions, stress management, self compassion, and overall well being. The course ends by exploring how to integrate a sense of mindful living into your daily activities.
Try: Asking yourself in this moment, “Am I awake?”, “Where is my mind right now?” – Jon Kabat-Zinn Wherever You Go, There You Are
Simple exercises, regular practice
The course teaches the core mindfulness exercises including mindfulness of breath, body-scan, mindfulness of thoughts and feelings. You will learn a wide range of ideas for integrating “mindful moments” into your routine daily activities. 15 minutes formal meditation a day over 8 weeks will begin to “rewire” your brain, enhancing your capacities for focus, concentration, awareness, equilibrium and your life will begin to feel more spacious and enriched.
Coming to our senses is the work of no time at all, only of being present and awake here and now. It is also, paradoxically, a lifetime’s engagement. You could say we take it on “for life”, in every sense of that phrase. JKZ Coming to Our Senses
8 weeks
The course runs for 8 weekly sessions. Each session lasts 2.5 hours to allow plenty space for a variety of practice, discussion and reflection. At the end of the course you are invited to participate in a 6-hour day retreat. You will get a certificate after you complete the course.
Online or in-person
I run this course online, on zoom, giving access for anyone, anywhere in the world. I can also run this course in-person for groups local to the Cote D’Azur.
Azur Living Mindfulness: Mindful Living, working and well being 