Brief Description:

One challenge of maintaining the benefits of mindfulness meditation is keeping up the regular practice. This short course is for those who are missing the support of a group experience and the guidance of a tutor and who want to experience that initial flush of wellness and being back on track with mindful self-care. This would also suit beginners who would like to try a different approach to meditation. David combines his expertise as health coach and mindfulness teacher to train the life survival skills of mindful self-care, with guided meditations, journaling and group inquiry in the investigation of how to better manage stress and the demands of our fast-paced lives.

This could be an opportunity to grow a community of mindfulness practitioners, who support each other to embed life-enhancing survival skills into daily routines. Mindfulness training is as much about learning how to embody our emotions and connect with others, as it is to manage stress and anxiety. This refresher is a chance to start that process and to build a learning caring community.

Learning objectives

• To better understand how thoughts, feeling and behaviours impact on our health and wellbeing
• To develop a regular mindfulness meditation practice in daily routines to reduce the negative impact of stress and anxiety on our mental health
• To explore the benefits of practising meditation outdoors to let nature support the stilling of mind
• To share the journey of self-discovery with others and learn from each other’s insights and experiences

What you can expect

At the outset, you will be invited to create a learning action plan, informed by your reasons for joining the programme. This will help you to make the most of this short refresher and to monitor your experience and outcomes. Each week, the tutor will lead you in a different guided mindfulness meditation, followed by opportunities for quiet reflection and journaling, and a chance to share experiences with others in the group. The approach is experiential and exploratory, rather than academic and formal. However, you will have the option of following a course book, Mindfulness for Life, to support you outside of the classroom. One week, the group will walk mindfully to the local park, Coleridge Rec, to practise outdoors, combining mindfulness with ecotherapy.

ON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, WHAT MIGHT YOUR NEXT STEPS BE?

The Adult Learn and Train team is also able to give course information or search for alternative courses for you. Adult Learn and Train offer courses through-out the year.
Try similar courses or maybe look at learning something completely new.
You will find provision on some Saturdays and Sundays; you will also find courses available in the day and evening at different venues in Cambridge. Courses vary in length from one-off sessions to 10 weeks or more