Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Just click or tap the following headings, to explore common questions people have about Mindfulness and Mindulness Works.
Questions About Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
It involves paying attention to one’s thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way. The goal of mindfulness is to increase self-awareness and to cultivate a sense of calm and clarity. It has been shown to have numerous benefits, including reducing stress and improving mental and physical wellbeing.
Learn more about mindfulness here.
Practising mindfulness activates the relaxation response, which can slow your breathing, lower your blood pressure and make you feel calmer.
From a neuroscience perspective, regularly practising mindfulness can reduce the reactivity of the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the fight or flight response. This can lead to a reduction in stress and a decrease in the intensity of negative thoughts and worries.
Psychologically, mindfulness can help you develop a sense of self-acceptance and reduce the tendency to try to perfect or fix yourself or your life, which can be a source of stress.
Learn more about how mindfulness works here.
Mindfulness has many benefits including:
- Reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
- Lowering blood pressure and improving your immune system.
- Improving memory and attention and enhancing creativity.
- Improving communication and relationships and increasing feelings of connection.
- Increasing feelings of self-acceptance and self-compassion. Read more about the benefits of mindfulness and the evidence behind it here.
Mindfulness has its origins in the Buddhist tradition. It has been practised in various forms for over 2,500 years.
Since the 1970s, mindfulness has evolved so that there are now many secular, non-religious offerings. Just as many gyms offer yoga in a religion-free manner, so do organisations offer mindfulness in a religion-free manner.
The Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course is offered in a 100% secular, non-religious way using plain English and not referring to any belief system or dogma.
Mindfulness is a psycho-physical technique that provides tangible benefits when practised regularly. Numerous modern scientific studies demonstrate the psychological benefits of regular mindfulness practice.
You do not need to stop thinking to practise mindfulness. With mindfulness, we practise being aware of our thoughts. This means we are less likely to be ‘dragged down’ or ‘caught up’ in our thoughts.
The benefits of mindfulness do not come from ‘stopping thinking’ but through this awareness practice and learning wise and effective ways of regulating our nervous system, even when our minds are busy or thinking.
Learn more about mindfulness here.
It depends on your experience at the time. Mindfulness isn’t one particular state or experience, but rather a deepening in to the feeling of the experience you are having right at this moment — which could be pleasant or unpleasant. Mindfulness is not designed to change our experiences as much as change our relationship to our experience so it is not so stressful and problematical. One thing is for sure though, you can only experience what mindfulness is like by actually doing it.
Questions About The Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation Course
The Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course runs for four weeks. Each weekly class is one hour long. This means the course is four hours in total.
We also recommend you practise for at least 20 minutes every day for the length of the course.
Find out more about the course here.
Wear whatever clothing you feel warm and comfortable in.
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.
Learn more about the course here.
Yes. This course is for those 18 years and older. For people under 18, we recommend the Smiling Mind app and courses.
The course is 100% secular and non-religious. We use plain English terms in the course and there is no belief system or dogma. Mindfulness Works is a 100% independent, for profit organisation and not connected to or affiliated with any religious organisation. Find out more about Mindfulness Works here.
There are many different options to learn mindfulness. It is important to choose the option that is best for you. Here are some reasons you may want to choose the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course:
✅ Only four weeks, but long enough to get benefit. The course is short enough to fit into your busy schedule, but long enough to ensure you learn mindfulness, have time to practise and get to enjoy the benefits.
✅ Over 40,000 people have participated in our courses. Over 40,000 people have completed the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation four-week course. You can trust us to have unparalleled experience and a proven track record in delivering mindfulness courses.
✅ Money back guarantee: In the unlikely event that you attend all four sessions of the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation Course and feel you have not received any benefit, you can get a full refund. And you get to keep all the course resources!
✅ Live courses. Real people. Guidance and support: A small-group with a maximum of 23 participants means you get to meet and practise as a group. Benefit from a positive, affirming and supportive class environment.
✅ Practical and non-religious: No funny positions, no dogma. We are not affiliated with any religious or spiritual tradition. Our courses are 100% secular and delivered in plain English with a practice focus on improving mental health, reducing anxiety and increasing feelings of self-acceptance.
✅ 4-week subscription to the CALM mindfulness app: In addition to the in-person classes, you get a free 4-week subscription to the premium version of the CALM app
✅ 45-page guidebook: Get a hard copy of our exclusive 45-page Intro Course Guidebook packed with information, guidance and articles.
✅ Guided meditations for life: Get lifetime access to a range of guided meditations offered by our Australian-based Mindfulness Works expert facilitators.
Learn more about the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation Four-week Course here.
All Mindfulness Works teachers have received Mindfulness Works teacher training. They come from a diverse range of backgrounds and all have an in-depth, experiential understanding of mindfulness. Mindfulness Works provides on-going professional development for our teachers. All Mindfulness Works teachers emphasise the importance of you learning to trust your own ‘inner teacher’.
Questions About Our Refund Policy and Money Back Guarantee
If you attend all four sessions of the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation Four-week Course and find you have not had any benefit, please let us know and we will refund your money.
Yes, you do have to attend all four sessions of the course in order to be eligible for the money back guarantee.
The reason for this is that you can only make a full assessment of the course if you actually attend all the sessions.
It is like attending a gym. You can only gauge the effectiveness of exercising at a gym by actually attending the gym.
We offer full refunds up until one week before a course starts.
We do not offer refunds within one week of a course starting or during the course.
If you do attend all four sessions and find that the course has not been of benefit to you, please contact us and we will refund you in full.
Transfers can be issued up to one week before the class starts at no cost. After that time, no transfers can be made as there may not be enough time to re-sell your ticket.
100% refunds can be issued up to one week before the class starts. After that time, no refunds are given as there may not be enough time to re-sell your ticket.
Still Have Questions? Contact Us.
Have a question for us, that is not answered above? Please get in contact with us.