What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is focusing our attention on what’s actually happening in whatever we’re doing at the time, without any judgement. This allows us to create a healthy distance from our thoughts and feelings so we can have more control over them. We can then consciously respond to life in more productive ways.
Why practise Mindfulness?
Most people have heard of living in the moment or being in the present. Have you been told not to dwell on the past or live in/worry about the future? Relax and just go with the flow seems to be a popular cliché these days. With commitment and patience, relating to mindfulness practice with an attitude of care and respect, you can be more in the moment, and find yourself coping better with what life throws at you.
Mindfulness practice enables you to handle problems better and feel less stressed because it balances the mind as well as your emotions. If you stay being controlled by the mind, and therefore not mindful, personal suffering is more likely to continue.
Mindfulness practice reminds us that underneath our troubling emotions and negative thoughts is a deep sense of calm, joy and peace. 
How will it benefit me?
- A greater sense of calm and relaxedness.
- Reduced levels of stress, worry and angst.
- Feeling a deep sense of happiness.
- Reduction in levels of anxiety with significant improvements in anxiety disorders including panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, and phobias.
- Better sleeping patterns.
- Positive changes in troublesome addictive behaviours.
- Better control over habits.
- Less emotional turmoil, namely, unsettling highs and lows.
- Satisfactory resolution of psychological issues like depression, bipolar disorder, and chronic unhappiness, grief, and mid life angst.
- A deeper knowing, understanding and acceptance of who you are as well as of others.
- An increased ability for compassion and understanding.
- Actual structural changes in the brain leading to enhanced mental clarity, memory, and creativity.
- A sense of contentment.
- Enhanced relationships.
- Improvements in particular physical complaints including stress, chronic pain, headaches, hypertension.
- Improved motivation.
- Spiritual enhancement.
Mindfulness Perth | Learn how to be Mindful
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Mindfulness Practice
Here is a 15 minute mindfulness practice I’ve prepared for you. It guides you through being mindful of your body – what it feels like in your body to sit. You’ll hear some useful ways of managing the distractions of the mind – thoughts, allowing you to change your relationship with thoughts over time.
The main reward of being aware of the moment is that it can be the most important key to happiness. Mindfulness teachers have known, for over 2000 years, that the more our minds drift off (the less we’re in a state of mindfulness), the unhappier we are. They believe that living more in the moment leads to more happiness. This belief has also been backed up by many scientific studies. In his most recent book “Why Mindfulness is better than Chocolate,” David Michie (2014) describes how the mind that wanders, is an unhappy mind. One definition of mindfulness I’ve come across is from the book “The Mindful Way through Depression” by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn (2007). They write,(page 47): “Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally to things as they are.” Mindfulness, therefore, is the practice of being mindful or being aware of whatever is happening now, and not wanting it to be different in any way. There is an acceptance of what is there. With mindfulness, we’re encouraging ourselves to be somewhere, i.e. here, rather than trying to get anywhere. Mindfulness Perth will help you achieve this. It’s important to point out that acceptance of the situation doesn’t mean resignation or approval; this would be too passive, and could make us feel helpless. When we accept a situation, we are less likely to reject or deny what’s happening. We can then become free to work positively and constructively towards a resolution without feeling resentful or sorry for ourselves. As Lineham (1995) states: “Mindfulness is learning to be in control of your own mind instead of letting your mind be in control of you”. The Mindfulness & Exercise Self Care Masterclass.For a fitter, stronger body and clearer, calmer mind. I'm offering 🌈 6 FREE spots! Come and join a small group of women participants. 👉 Message me ASAP 👈Why free? This powerful program is different as it combines both mindfulness & cardio/resistance exercise, with a focus on self-care. As this isn't offered in Perth, Penelope would love it if you could experience and benefit from it. Fitness trainer and psychologist, Penelope Lane, has masterfully created a wonderfully supportive program for women over fifty.2 sessions a week for 4 weeks at her Fremantle studio.Get on board with the mind body connection.* Message me for this one time FREE offer!See the program here… www.makemyhealth.com.au/the-program/ Would you be interested in an 8 week online course that combines the powerful practices of mindfulness and self-kindness with cardio and resistance exercise? I've developed this program and offer it at my MaKEmyhealth studio in Fremantle, Western Australia.So, I was just reflecting on the interest if it was offered online. Please let me know your thoughts? Do you want to MaKE positive changes to your physical and mental health? Hello, I’m Penelope and you’d know me from Mindfulness Perth. I have a new unique program- MaKE my health. It combines mindfulness, self-kindness and exercise in a time-efficient & balanced program. IF NOT NOW....WHEN?www.makemyhealth.com.au 𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗞𝗘 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀.𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝟏:𝟏 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗼𝗿 𝟐:𝟏 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀. 𝗦𝗼, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟑 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲; 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱. 𝗔 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗺, 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟯𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝐚𝐬 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡.𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦:- 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗰 (𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗼) 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀; 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀- 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟮 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁.- 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.- 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂.- 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀.- 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀.- 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀.Get 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽-𝘁𝗼-𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.
Are you Mindful?
When we are mindful, there is a strong sense of feeling present and alive.
We develop a sensitivity to what is actually happening around us rather than creating a story about what’s happening, what should be happening, or what we would like to have happen. We notice the finer details of life more whilst participating fully in the current moment, just as it is. Most of the time we live our lives on what’s called ‘automatic pilot’ when our awareness of ourselves and our surroundings is scattered and truly compromised. In this state, with little control over what we attend to, we then allow our attention or focus to drift to whatever the mind finds interesting in either a positive or negative way. We seem to be lost in our mind activity, that is, our thoughts, perceptions, attitudes, judgements and beliefs. We treat these mental events as facts, as the real thing, attaching meaning and importance to our thoughts as if they define reality, and who we are. This, in turn, determines what emotions we feel in a situation, as well as how we behave or what we do.
It’s not surprising then that we feel we have little or no control over our emotions, what decisions we make, or the directions our lives take. Over time, as we practice mindfulness, we develop the ability to see that the activity of the mind with its thoughts, attitudes, judgements, perceptions and beliefs is not reality, not facts that must be acted upon. Our thoughts will be seen as a story about the real thing- an interpretation. They don’t define who we are because they come from our conditioning, our society, and our reactions to experiences. Thoughts are also transient in nature, coming and going like birds in the sky or cars on a busy freeway.
In this way, we’ll have a choice about what we pay attention to. We’ll find ourselves less likely to be dragged involuntarily to wherever or whatever the mind wants us to focus on.
New ways of interacting with the world will then present themselves because we won’t be locked into the unpleasant emotions that seem to dominate our life, or our habitual ways of doing things. A sense of freedom as well as control will prevail.