An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week Course — Eltham

An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week course. Each class is one hour, once per week. This course is practical, non-religious and designed for beginners. The course includes

• 4 classes with an experienced mindfulness trainer
• 4-week subscription to the full version of the CALM app
• Downloadable guided mindfulness meditations for you to keep
• A 45-page guidebook

“Using mindfulness to help me better manage unrelenting anxiety, obsessive worrying & sadness. I have found that using the apps is helpful when having a stressful day, & I intend to keep practicing daily. Thank you.” — Cecily Wilson

Mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” — Jon Kabat Zinn (Professor of Medicine Emeritus Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine).

The benefits of regular mindfulness are…

✔ Reduced stress and anxiety

✔ Improved sleeping patterns

✔ Less self-judgement and more self-acceptance

✔ Greater feelings of joy and freedom

✔ Improved mental health

✔ Effective ways to work with difficult thoughts and emotions

“Mindfulness helps you to keep your thoughts in the present moment. As you practice, you tend to get better at calming the mind and keeping things in perspective. ” — Dr Grant Blashki is a practising GP and Beyond Blue’s lead Clinical Advisor

✔ Full length 4-week course so you can practise and report back.

✔ No risk money-back guarantee; if you attend all the classes and don’t feel you have received any benefit get your money back.

✔ Includes 4-week subscription to the premium version of the CALM mindfulness and meditation app.

✔ Australia’s number one 'in-person' mindfulness course.

✔ Exclusive 45-page guidebook including weekly assignments, indepth articles and a reading list.

✔ Over 15 guided downloadable guided meditations for you to keep.

✔ No religion. No dogma. No funny positions. Practical and non-religious course.

✔ Designed for absolute beginners.

Week 1: What is Mindfulness?

• What mindfulness is
• The benefits of mindfulness and meditation
• Guided body scan mindfulness meditation.

Week 2: Working with the Mind

• Why thinking can be problematical
• Practical ways to work with difficult thoughts
• Self-judgement and how to intervene
• Guided mindfulness meditation — counting the breath.

Week 3: Working with Emotions

• What are emotions?
• Learning to feel emotions
• The RAIN method
• Non-judgement and acceptance
• Guided mindfulness meditation on feelings.

Week 4: Radical Acceptance

• What it means to be present
• How "wanting things to be different" causes stress
• Developing wisdom and insight
• Authentic self-compassion
• Open awareness guided mindfulness meditation
• Next steps.

YOUR FACILITATOR IS CATHERINE OGILVY

Catherine is a dedicated practitioner and teacher of mindfulness and meditation. She began practising in 2000 and meditation has inspired profound growth and positive change within her life. Catherine completed a meditation course early on in her practice and has expanded this practice through many silent retreats. Catherine began a study of mindfulness and specifically the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. She has completed the 8-week MBSR course herself twice and went on to train as an MBSR teacher with the Mindfulness Training Institute Australia and New Zealand in 2017.

She is extremely passionate about teaching meditation and loves to create a safe and welcoming space for people to connect with themselves and others to learn the wonderful practice of meditation. She has taught the MBSR course for a couple of years now as well as an ongoing Meditation/Mindful Movement classes.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and continues to work in a corporate environment, understanding the day-to-day challenges of these roles. Supplementing her studies, she completed a Graduate Diploma of Applied Psychology and currently volunteers in this capacity. Catherine has a wealth of life experience to draw from, informing her empathetic approach to teaching and being with people.

When Catherine is not working, she likes to hang out with her family and friends, do yoga, meditation, sing and play music and exercise.

Catherine has a strong interest in research-based approaches that bring together the strength of modern science and ancient wisdom to help empower people and familiarise themselves with their own mind and body.

She is deeply grateful to developers and teachers of MBSR/MBCT, and her other precious teachers and friends from various walks of life. Catherine believes everyone has a story and there is an opportunity to learn from every interaction.

A link to her website: themeditationpractice.com.au

Mindfulness Works is the largest mindfulness training organisation in Australia. Over 10,000 people have completed the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week course

Mindfulness Works is committed to:

• Providing accessible and affordable mindfulness courses.
• Offering a diverse range of experienced and skilled mindfulness trainers.
• Providing courses in a practical format with exceptional supporting resources.
• Improving the mental health of all of us and fostering self-love in all.
• Supporting our facilitators with options for further professional development.