Mindfulness Meditations
— Traditional meditation practices can involve clearing the mind or the mind being still… In Psychology however, Mindfulness Meditation is about becoming more aware… because with more awareness we open up the possibility to have more choice in life!
+ Additional Resources for Mindfulness & Meditations
(our best Recommended Videos, Apps, Books & Organisations)
Tips and Myths answered to get you started!
Tips:
- How do I sit to meditate?
- What clothes do I wear to meditate?
- What app do I need to start meditating?
- What’s the difference between Mindfulness and meditation?
Myths:
- I fidget too much to be able to meditate.
- My house is too noisy to mediate.
- I can’t meditate because my mind just keeps wandering.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness has become a common phrase in our society these days, and the word mindful is being applied to many things - but what is it exactly? There are many definitions of mindfulness, the one that we at the practice resonate with is by Jon Kabat-Zinn
— “It is the practice of paying attention in a certain way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally”
Mindfulness is about bringing your awareness to what you are thinking and feeling and experiencing, and improving/growing your “awareness” muscle so that with that you enhance your level of choice with regards to reactions to your thoughts and feelings and to the actions and words of others. This is why in particular mindfulness meditation has become an integral part of many therapeutic treatment approaches over the past decades, although as a practice it has been part of eastern philosophy for centuries.
What mindfulness is NOT…
❌ Mindfulness meditation is also not about getting rid of all your thoughts or clearing the mind, although you may notice a change in your thoughts when you do a mindfulness meditation exercise.
❌ Mindfulness also doesn’t mean changing your experience such as your thoughts or feelings, and so it isn’t about changing a negative experience to a positive one.
⚠️ NOTE: Please consider that these meditations may not be suitable for everyone, and if you notice any difficulties arising while doing these exercises please consult with a psychologist or your medical professional.
Guided RAIN MEDITATION
Designed to help you bring mindfulness and compassion to difficult emotions.
Loving Kindness | (ACT) MEDITATION
You may find this meditation helpful to practice as a way to get closer to your goal of kindness and compassion towards yourself, or you may also find it helpful in working towards releasing a particular stuckness related to others, as you practice sending loving kindness and compassion to those that are hurting, and who may also have hurt you.
Leaves on a stream | (ACT) MEDITATION
This meditation is one exercise to help you practice cognitive defusion, which can help to soften the attachment you have with your thoughts, and therefore allowing greater choice in your actions related to your values.
Mindfulness of breath | (ACT) MEDITATION
This is a simple, and yet powerful mindfulness practice. It brings our awareness and focus to the physical sensation of breathing, such as the rise and fall of the belly, or the sensations of air as it travels in and out of your nostrils.
Mindfulness of Tea | (ACT) MEDITATION (for beginners)
A simple, and yet powerful mindfulness practice. It brings our awareness and focus to the physical sensations related to having a cup of tea - the feel of the cup, the look and smell of the tea, and finally the sensation of drinking tea.
Passengers on the Bus | (ACT) EXERCISE (specific to perfectionism)
A wonderful metaphor for exploring how our internal experiences (i.e. thoughts, emotions, urges, memories, etc.) seem to drive our lives. Within the ACT framework the metaphor becomes a way to practice 'defusion' as a strategy to consider a life in which our internal experiences do not determine our choices in life, but rather sit in our minds as would passengers on a bus.
Mindfulness of Sounds | (ACT) MEDITATION
A simple mediation to help build your mindfulness skills which you can practice on a daily basis. Training your mind to focus on one sound, and then also expanding your awareness to all the sounds around us can become a valuable skill for life.
Mindful Eating | (ACT) MEDITATION
A Meditation which can gradually help to reshape the “how” we eat, and help us reconnect with the sensations of eating as well as reconnect with our bodies.
Thoughts & Worries | (ACT) MEDITATION
An exercise to help you practice cognitive defusion, which can help to soften the attachment you have with your thoughts.
Self-Compassion Meditations Series
In this series of our ‘Mindfulness Meditations’ you will learn to build your skills in cultivating more self-compassion & kindness in your life. It’s designed for anyone who may be struggling with feelings of being inadequate or feeling like they are not enough.
These 6 Meditations + eJournal will teach you how to look inwards, and be kinder and more compassionate to yourself.
Series Introduction | Ep1. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
Compassionate Body Scan | Ep2. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
Cultivating Kindness | Ep3. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
Self-kindness | Ep4. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
The Compassionate Friend | Ep5. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
Mindfulness of Emotions | Ep6. Self-compassion Guided Meditation
Mindfulness of Emotions | Ep7. Self-compassion Guided Meditation