An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation – Brisbane

$125 FOR A FULL 4 WEEK INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS COURSE IN BRISBANE. INCLUDES 4 CLASSES WITH AN EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TRAINER, MINDFULNESS APP, DOWNLOADABLE GUIDED MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONS FOR YOU TO KEEP AND A 45-PAGE GUIDEBOOK.

Mindfulness Works exclusive 4 week introductory courses provide you with all you need to learn and start to experience the benefits of mindfulness. Courses are held throughout Brisbane.

Mindfulness Works is one of Australasia’s largest mindfulness training organisations. Every month over 500 people complete the Mindfulness Works introductory course.

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Mindfulness is a practical and simple practice of being present, relaxation and self-awareness.

Over time and with regular practice, many people find that mindfulness can assist them to experience less stress, anxiety and worry as well as greater happiness more self-acceptance.  You still experience difficult thoughts and feelings, but you have a greater capacity to be with them, rather than be trapped by them.

Sitting mindfulness practice triggers a relaxation response causing your blood pressure to drop, your breathing to slow and deepen and you relax.  As you regularly practice mindfulness, our brain gets ‘rewired’ as new neural pathways are formed, making it easier to experience this relaxation.

With the increased self-awareness that occurs with long term mindfulness practice, people are able to make decisions that are better for them, rather than reactive decisions based on anger, fear or stress. You don’t feel so threatened and have more capacity to respond to a situation, rather than just react.

Many people also discover with regular mindfulness practice and over time that they have a greater capacity for self-acceptance,  self-love and a natural sense of OKness – even with challenges such as relationship, financial, work or family difficulties.

The Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course has been designed to give you a tacit experience of mindfulness and to assist you in developing the habit of a regular practice. It is designed for you to experience the benefits of mindfulness for yourself, rather than just learn about them.

Many people who practice mindfulness regularly, over time find that they:

• Experience less stress, anxiety and worry

• Improve sleeping patterns

• Feel more self-acceptance and self-love

• Reduce reactivity and increase emotional intelligence

• Experience more joy

“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and have the happiest, authentic and content that I have ever been. By learning acceptance without judgement as been an eye opener for me. I’m continuing my journey of self compassion and feel excited and hopeful for my future. But am grateful of the now and who I am today…” – Rebecca Young

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• Track your heart rate using your device camera over time so you can see the impact of your mindfulness practice.

• Follow a carefully designed mindfulness programme in your own time and anywhere and receive recommendations for guided mindfulness meditations (included) based on your mood.

“Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex…This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. …The researchers found that the meditators showed a pronounced shift in activity to the left frontal lobe. In other words, they were calmer and happier than before.” – Psychology Today

• Easy to follow instructions on mindfulness as well as simple, daily mindfulness practices.

• An opportunity to experience the benefits of mindfulness for yourself – in a very real way.

• A safe, confidential environment suitable for absolute beginners and like minded individuals wanting to investigate mindfulness, meditation and ways of supporting their own well-being.

• Time out for you and your own well-being and a place where you will not be judged and a way to foster non-judgement and acceptance in yourself.

• All the tools and support you need to continue practicing mindfulness after the course finished including your own guidebook, mindfulness meditation audios and notification of more advanced courses and retreats (should you wish).

• A no risk money back guarantee. If you attend all course sessions and feel you have not received benefit, you are entitled to a full refund.

“Since doing this course, I have been sleeping much better, I feel much more in control of my emotions, I have enjoyed ‘noticing’ my own state, but also it has transferred to everything around. This means I am re-enjoying many things that I had been taking for granted.” — Sandy Good

Course Contents

This particular course emphasises your own natural wisdom, your own innate OKness, right here and now. The instructions and guidance will be explicitly inviting you to embrace your whole human experience as it happens, moment by moment with a radical acceptance.

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

Mindfulness and meditation are both gaining in popularity as more and more people discover how this simple skill can have a profoundly positive impact on your life. Organisations such as Google, Apple, Nike and Yahoo! now run mindfulness programmes and sessions for staff during work hours. Modern research about mindfulness and meditation shows measurable and significant benefits to people including less stress, less anxiety, greater focus, calm and happiness.

Week 1: What is Mindfulness?

• What mindfulness is
• The benefits of mindfulness and meditation
• How to get the most from the course
• Guided body scan mindfulness meditation
• Questions and answers / discussion.

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
• Questions and answers / discussion.

Week 3: Working with Emotions

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

Week 4: Radical Acceptance

• What it means to be present
• How wanting causes stress
• Developing wisdom and insight
• Authentic self-compassion
• Open awareness guided mindfulness meditation
• Questions and answers / discussion
• Next steps.

“I am more open to life and what is going on around me. I feel more comfortable in myself… “

“I gained tools to help myself become aware of my feelings and how to deal with them…”

“I am learning how to step outside myself and re-assess before I react…”

“It’s ok to be you – with all the human failings and flaws…”

“I have a sense of emerging calm and strength…”

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Refund and Transfer Policy

• Full refunds are available up to one week before a course starts.
• Free transfers to other courses are available up to one week before a course starts.
• Once a course has started, full refunds are only available if you attend every class of the course and feel you have not got value. In this case you are entitled to and will be given a full refund.
• Refunds are not given if you do not attend every class of the course and if you simply ‘do not like’ the course or decide it ‘is not for you’.
• For more details about our refund and transfer policy, please read our FAQ.

How long is each weekly class and what happens?

Each class is one hour long. There will be a guided meditation for a period. This will include meditation instruction. After the meditation and instruction, there will be a talk or discussion. This includes a question and answer time.

Who is it suitable for?

This course is suitable for any of the following:

• 18-year-olds and over
• Beginners
• People who have never meditated or practised mindfulness before
• People who have just started meditating or practising mindfulness.

About Mindfulness Works

Mindfulness Works is one of the largest mindfulness training organisations in Australasia. Every month over 600 people attend the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 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

About The Trainers

The approach of all Mindfulness Works teachers is straightforward, practical and heartfelt and directed towards you discovering your own innate wisdom and authentic experience.

Jonathan Wood

Jonathan is an experienced facilitator who has been practising insight meditation and mindfulness for over 15 years. He trained as a clinical psychologist (focusing on cognitive behavioural therapy) but his mindfulness teaching and practice also draws on secular Buddhist teachings about the nature of the mind and human experience – which is where the Western mindfulness movement began. 

Leaving aside mystical notions such as rebirth, the secular interpretation of this ancient tradition offers down-to-earth guidance about the art of living.  It provides a practical and philosophical context that can deepen mindfulness practice and help establish a pathway towards reduced stress, greater contentment and more genuine relationships with ourselves and others.

Over the past decade he has facilitated meditation and mindfulness classes in Australia and New Zealand.

Jonathan lives with his wife and children in Brisbane where he works for Queensland Health. He offers individual and group mindfulness teaching at introductory and more advanced levels.

Kate Hubert

Kate has been practising meditation for more than 25 years. Over this time, Kate has attended many meditation workshops and classes in a variety of meditation traditions and styles.

Since completing her International Yoga Teachers Association (I.Y.T.A) Diploma in 2005, she has taught a number of yoga and meditation classes. Kate holds a Mindfulness Diploma from The Centre of Excellence, is a member of the International Alliance of Holistic Therapists and has completed Reiki Level 1 training.

Being passionate about the benefits that Mindfulness brings to body, mind and life in general, Kate loves teaching people how to slow down, smell the roses and apply mindfulness practices to everything that they think, say and do.

Kate lives in Brisbane with her husband, their three teenage sons, dog Spike and incorrigible cat Miss Kitty. Kate’s interests include photography, sewing and reading, her favorite colour is green and she has never seen snow.

Jon Unal

Jon is a registered counsellor and the founder of Conscious Beginnings – Mindfulness & Psychotherapy (www.consciousbeginnings.com.au). He works with clients struggling with stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, mental illness and self-esteem issues.

As part of his training, Jon participated in a two-year group therapy that provided incredible opportunities to discover and heal deep traumas and unconscious reaction patterns. Upon graduation, he continued the self-exploration and healing through individual therapy (Gestalt and ACT) for another two years. He believes it is of utmost importance to discover, heal and understand himself before being able to help others.

He has been practising meditation and mindfulness for over 10 years and it became an essential part of his daily life. Mindfulness helps him to live in the moment and be fully present with people he works with.

His passion for consciousness took him to shamanic retreats in the jungles of Amazon, deep experiences through breathwork, and many silent meditation retreats.

He currently lives in Brisbane and runs group and corporate mindfulness workshops in addition to his private practice.

Debbie Lacey

Debbie is an Occupational Therapist with 20 years experience working in mental health and cancer care. She has expertise in the areas of stress and anxiety management with a particular interest in mindfulness and has been trained in mindfulness based cognitive therapy and ACT. Debbie believes strongly in empowering people to get in touch with their own inner strengths.

Debbie has been practising meditation for almost 20 years with a focus on mindfulness for the last five years. She is passionate about mindfulness as she has seen how it has changed the lives of people she works with as well as her own. In particular, Debbie has witnessed how people experience more joy in their lives and develop a more resilient approach to difficulties. She attends regular mindful retreats and has her own mindfulness teacher.

Debbie lives in Brisbane with her adult daughter (in-training!) and extremely spoiled and delightful cat, Truffles. What Debbie enjoys most about life is walking by the beach, expressive dance and yoga.

Lyndi Smith

Lyndi is a Brisbane-based mindfulness trainer with Mindfulness Works Australia and international charity Mind With Heart and is a qualified mindfulness meditation teacher (BSY). She has trained in both secular and traditional mindfulness.

She started practising near burnout ten years ago and has racked up over 3,000 hours of mindfulness practice since then. Lyndi now enjoys a happier, more balanced quality of life.

She has led over thirty mindfulness-and-compassion-based programmes in the last five years.

Lyndi has designed and implemented mindfulness-and-compassion-based wellbeing programmes for the Queensland Dept. of Education and Training, Excite Media and Teachers Health Fund.

She loves nature, especially the ocean… the sound of waves crashing… the salty breeze… relaxing onto warm sand… She also enjoys a good laugh and notes that a sense of humour can sometimes offer a new perspective when she gets stuck.

Learning mindfulness is an opportunity for us to find moments of calm and insight – even at the desk!

Testimonials:
“Now I sleep much better at night and I’m less distracted and irritable during the day.” — Jason
“I really felt the benefit with my daughter. She said, ‘Mummy, when you’re calm, I’m calm.’ ” — Jill

Lyndi offers free consultations, taster sessions and tailor-made mindfulness programmes for the workplace. She looks forward to exploring how mindfulness works, for you.

For more information or to read what people say about Lyndi’s work, visit lyndismith.com.

Jamie Brown – Brisbane

Jamie has created herself a pseudonym called The Happiness Ninja. The Happiness Ninja dons a ninja costume and conducts both conscious and random acts of kindness. The Happiness Ninja hits the streets and attends events with the aim of bringing the world closer together and encouraging greater kindness. She has made appearances in five countries around the world so far. 

Aside from this, the face behind the mask is a coach, emotional health consultant, trainer, facilitator and international speaker. Jamie’s focus is on helping individuals, teams and organisations discover and lead their most happiest, meaningful and authentic lives. Jamie became the 47th person in the world to complete the world’s only government-accredited Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing. She is also working towards becoming a registered psychologist and is half way through a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences degree majoring in advanced psychology. 

After suffering from suicidal thoughts from the age of 12 and a total of 17 years of anxiety and clinical depression, Jamie turned her life around when she discovered the world of Positive Psychology and Mindfulness. Drawing on her previous knowledge and experiences of yoga and meditation (10 years of inconsistent on-again off-again practice), Jamie combined these with her new learnings of positive psychology and neurosciences. She imbedded formal meditation practices and applied Positive Psychology methods into her daily life over two years ago and successfully left behind her long past of mental health challenges. Last year Jamie completed her first 10-day Vipassana course in a remote location in The Philippines. 

Jamie is passionate about educating others to become the best version of themselves possible and to overcome any mental health challenges they may have. She has created an 21-day online program which can be found on her website at www.thehappinessninja.com.au. She also runs a series of workshops based on Dr Martin Seligman’s 5 PERMA principals of happiness and flourishing. 

Jamie’s aim is the make The Happiness Ninja a well-known global figure with multiple revenue streams, so that she can travel the world (her biggest personal passion), conducting random acts of kindness and giving back to communities and individuals in need, and encouraging and allowing as many people in the world as possible to thrive, not just survive!

Testimonials for the Introductory Course:

“The course was very relaxed and friendly, and full of useful practical advice that recognised the limits to time that everyone faces. Also I liked the mix of people attending, with a range of different reasons for being there.” — Rosie Cree

“Since doing this course, I have been sleeping much better, I feel much more in control of my emotions, I have enjoyed ‘noticing’ my own state, but also it has transferred to everything around. This means I am re-enjoying many things that I had been taking for granted.” — Sandy Good

“The course guidebook was a useful guide and very informative. I also enjoyed the formal practice and the way different strategies were explained.” — Linda Daniell