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Mindful Gail October Newsletter

Updated: Oct 7


Hello Everyone,

 

Autumn is a season of abundance for all our senses. The leaves of cascading reds, oranges and yellows fill the gaze, warm sunshine rests across the face, and the light and dark begin to merge. Blustery winds sweep across the landscapes and the trees sway, shrugging off their coats of leaves in swirling dances, to gather in rich depth upon the ground. Feet crunching and conker collecting, so many rich aromas and the tang of bonfire, Autumn in full flow.

 

As the light begins to draw away, we are reminded that change is always with us. Learning to be with the uncertainty of change is what is helpful for our well-being, even though our mind will constantly use familiar ways and habits to ‘be safe’, even if that keeps us in a state of insecurity and anxiety, being on guard, just in case something may happen. When we practise being mindful, we can use any and each moment as a new beginning, an opportunity to, just for that moment, be open and aware, to what is present now, rather than engaged with endless speculation and rumination of the mind in the past and future.





 

I find myself ruminating how much I want the light to come back and struggle to appreciate the thrum of Nature in full cycle. And yet, I know these habits are the thieves of what nourish and support me to be helpfully engaged with the moment, which allows joy and replenishment and eases the busyiness of the mind. When our mind and body are off high alert, we tend to evaluate and assess more clearly and choose wiser options and decisions for ourself, irrespective of our situations. Life feels easier, more enjoyable, whatever is happening.

 

To do this, we practice being in the moment awareness ways to activate and maintain new helpful neural pathways. This is what meditation is all about. We start off slow, perhaps choosing to focus and experience one simple activity a day. For example, allowing yourself to notice every aspect of brushing your hair; the weight and texture of the hairbrush, how the hand grips it, the feel of its movement across the scalp, its connection with the hair, etc. In this way, we begin to notice how full each moment is, with thoughts and sensations, how our automatic reactions cut in, such as the busy thoughts and the tightening and holding in our body. If we give ourself space to notice, we can learn to soften into our reactive sensations, release anxiety and tension, and allow space for things to arise and let go. Practising daily one small moment awareness can foster these helpful changes. See what happens if you give yourself one thing a day your mindful attention.


 

Some words to start your day:


Full Poem of John O’Donohue:


I bless the night that nourished my heart

To set the ghosts of longing free

Into the flow and figure of dream

That went to harvest from the dark

Bread for the hunger no one sees.

 

All that is eternal in me Welcome

the wonder of this day,

The field of brightness it creates

Offering time for each thing

 To arise and illuminate.

 

I place on the altar of dawn:

The quiet loyalty of breath,

The tent of thought where I shelter,

Wave of desire I am shore to

And all beauty drawn to the eye.

 

May my mind come alive today

To the invisible geography

That invites me to new frontiers,

To break the dead shell of yesterdays,

To risk being disturbed and changed.

 

To postpone my dream no longer

But do at last what I came here for

And waste my heart on fear no more.



 

Question


I would like to hold an evening session, in person, of an hour and half, exploring mindfulness, in ideas and discussion, and a sharing of short and longer practices. I am gauging interest so that I may tailor the evening to suit the most interest. So, who’s curious about this and would come along? Answer below.


Would a one-hour in-person evening session be of interest?

  • YES

  • NO



 

Mindful Events:


Monthly On-Line Mindful Drop In

16th October 2024, 7-8pm.

Drop me a message via the link to join us.

Just £10 per session or £35 for four booked sessions.

 

 


DAY RETREAT


Saturday 16th November

9:45am - 04:30pm

Hellens Manor, HR8 2LY


Join me for a day of kindly, soothing and restful mindful practices and approaches to improve resilience, nourish the being and ease the chattering mind and tense holding body. Explore the splendour of Autumn in Hellens gardens and grounds, enjoy a freshly prepared simple lunch, restore your energies and quieten your mind in this special day of kindly attention.





 

YOU TUBE

I recorded a few meditation videos during Covid and put them onto a YouTube channel. Their content can be helpful now as it was then, so have a look if you would like to follow guided practices. I hope to add to them soon Follow the link HERE!


 

Mindful Courses/Offers from Breathworks:


Breathworks has a variety of mindful offers, on their Community of Practice page, which is open to anyone to join. It is easy to join this group and I include a link to one of their activities below, a fortnightly get-together of talking and meditation around pain and suffering.

 

 

 


‘If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.’

 

[unknown author]


 

Wishing everyone a season of mellow fruitfulness, and as ever, if you have any questions, please do let me know.

 

Kindest regards,

Gail





 

What I Offer...


 

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Mindfulness crept into my life about 12 years ago after I completed a Mindfulness Based Reduction for Stress Course [MBSR], offered by my workplace, a Hospice. The teachings touched a need in me to want to experience life in a calmer and more enjoyable way; to find ways to be present helpfully to the way my life was unfolding rather than engage in battling with the automatic behaviours with repeating conflicting thoughts and emotions, with all the attendant emotional and physical fallouts.  

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