An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation – 4 Week Course – Melbourne

$125 FOR FULL 4 WEEK INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS COURSE IN MELBOURNE. INCLUDES 4 CLASSES WITH AN EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TRAINER, 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 Melbourne.

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.

Dr. Lee-Anne Armitage

Lee-Anne has been practising meditation and mindfulness for over 25 years and has undertaken many meditation retreats. She has studied and practised across a variety of methods and systems.

Through meditation and everyday activities, Lee-Anne attempts to integrate mindfulness into her everyday life, enhancing and enriching her life with greater mental clarity, spaciousness, a deeper connection with people and the environment, greater peace of mind, as well as mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

The meditative arts have been of great interest to Lee-Anne and she has studied and practised Japanese calligraphy (shodo) and painting (sumie), martial arts, tai chi, qi gong and yoga.

Lee-Anne is a registered acupuncturist in Melbourne, Australia and practises a specialised Japanese acupuncture style called Toyohari, which is a meditative practice in itself. She integrates and teaches mindfulness and breath work into her acupuncture treatments and encourages her clients to undertake some form of mindfulness practice to assist in healing the body-mind.

Karen Bradford

Karen came to meditation and mindfulness in 1994 when going through a very difficult time in her life. She began studying and practising mindfulness, meditation and yoga.

These practices had such a profound and extraordinary impact in her life that she wanted to share these skills with others. So 10 years ago, Karen studied to become a Meditation and Yoga teacher and currently runs a successful Yoga and meditation business.

Karen’s background in science (Registered Nurse) led her to explore and look for evidence-based mindfulness practice. She began studying Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Dr Russ Harris (author of The Happiness Trap), the basis of which is mindfulness practice.

She was looking for a way to make these valuable skills accessible to everyone without having to be traditionally interested in spirituality; bridging the gap between science and spirituality.

Karen also works in the corporate world, training health professionals to become coaches. She is able to deliver a perfect balance to this world using mindfulness practices and combines a wealth of training delivery experience into high-performance group facilitation.

Karen keenly continues her own personal journey and is currently studying with Dr Joe Dispenza (author of Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind) who uses the latest findings from the fields of neuroscience and quantum physics to not only heal illness but also to enjoy a more fulfilled and happy life through meditation

Karen has a great love for learning, applying and teaching and is very excited about sharing these skills with you.

Anita Tesoriero

Anita has been practising as a registered psychologist since 1996. She has extensive experience as a coach, facilitator, trainer and counsellor. Anita has worked with children, adolescents, adults and groups in both private practice and corporate settings.

Anita’s professional areas of interest include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Positive Psychology, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness.

Anita first came to Mindfulness many years ago as a means of managing stress, improving attention and becoming fully present in daily life. Since that time, she has also sought to incorporate Mindfulness into her therapy and weave it into the leadership and personal development programs that she designs. Anita has undertaken formal training in MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and continually seeks to deepen her own learning and practice.

Anita works in private practice in Moonee Ponds (Mindspire Psychology) and also consults to a variety of organisations in the areas of well-being, emotional intelligence, leadership, team development and high performance cultures.

Angie Roach – Melbourne

Angie has been practising mindfulness and meditation for over 20 years and finds it brings a flow and calm to her life. Living life mindfully brings her clarity, happiness and peace and sharing this knowledge with others has become her life’s work.

She has studied yoga and many traditions of mindfulness and meditation; her official training coming from the lineage of Venerable Ayya Khema. With a background in horticulture and permaculture, she brings her mindfulness to her work in kitchen gardens, teaching children mindfulness and meditation techniques and helping them to feel a connection with the earth and each other.

Angie is the founder of Green Heart which runs workshops in meditation, mindfulness, permaculture and earth connection. Her passion is helping people find peace in the present moment and feeling connected to the earth and each other.

Coco Nkrumah – Melbourne

Coco has been involved with mindfulness and meditation for over 10 years. His training began with Chinese Taoist meditation and during his years of training, he accomplished three certifications in Chinese meditation and shaolin qi gong. During this time, Coco traveled to Southern China twice for intensive training camps with qi gong asters. He became a certified Kung fu instructor at the age of 22.

Coco also has a background in MICBT (Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). He regularly attends workshops and retreats in these mindfulness-based modalities.

Coco is passionate about learning the various cultural backgrounds of mindfulness meditation. He is actively involved in other disciplines such as Japanese Zen Buddhism, Indian Advaita and Douglas Harding’s ‘headless way’.

Having spent years teaching as a martial arts and qi gong instructor, Coco knows how to cater his training to his clients’ individual needs. He is also a certified sports coach and his experience informs the way he teaches mindfulness. Coco’s approach to mindfulness is non-religious and he sees mindfulness as a natural process.

Phill Norman – Melbourne

Phill Norman first tried meditation over 20 years ago, and has been practising meditation and mindfulness techniques daily for about 15 years.

In 2002, after completing his undergraduate Psychology degree, he became heavily involved in a Tibetan tradition of Buddhism and four years later ordained as a Buddhist monk; a commitment he would keep for seven years.

In 2012 he first encountered Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MiCBT), which completely changed his practise of meditation and mindfulness. In three months he experienced more results and greater peace of mind practising MiCBT than in the previous 10 years of practising Tibetan methods.

In 2013 he left the Tibetan tradition to pursue a long-standing ambition to become a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist and to explore other evidence-based mindfulness models.

In 2016 he completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Dr Russ Harris. Phill now regards ACT as the most effective and accessible model of mindfulness and his teaching is heavily influenced by its principles. He attends regular peer supervision groups for ACT to keep his skills up to date.

Phill also recently began working for a mental health disability provider, where he provides support to clients with moderate to severe mental health issues, and conducts mindfulness therapy sessions both one-on-one and in groups for the organisation. With over ten years’ experience in teaching mindfulness and meditation to others, he feels confident to deliver this training to the public.

Jennifer Bishop – Melbourne

Jen has worked with corporate organisations, and university and community groups for over 20 years in consulting coaching and training in marketing, social media, management and leadership.

Over the past 10 years she has created customised course content for corporate and SME organisations and facilitated corporate groups to achieve specific learning outcomes. She has also been a guest speaker for corporate/university conferences and events.

She is degree qualified in Business/Marketing, has taught at Deakin and RMIT Universities and is a qualified Workplace Trainer (Cert4). She has also held leadership and executive positions in ASX listed business.

Jen developed an interest in Buddhist meditation 20 years ago to address anxiety issues and has regularly attended and informally studied Tibetan Buddhist practice since.

In 2012, she contracted a neuroimmune illness that left her seriously affected. During this time, she radically transformed her life and lifestyle by researching everything she could about this disease. This included nutrition/meditation and behavioural changes; specifically, using meditation to reduce the stress response to improve her immune system.

She is now a qualified teacher in Mindfulness-Based Stillness Meditation through the Gawler Foundation and has completed the Google Search Inside Yourself Leadership Mindfulness Program. She has also completed the MBSR program as a participant and the Monash Mindfulness for Peak Performance course as well as courses in Neurobiology, Genetics and Neuroscience.

She is the founder of Mindful Life Training http://mindfullife.com.au (under development) which will facilitate Mindfulness training for individuals, leaders and the workplace for mental agility, resilience and compassion.

She is passionate about helping inspire others to positively change their minds, brains and health using mindfulness practices from a scientific and evidence-based perspective to reduce stress, improve performance, enhance happiness and catalyse their lives.

StJohn Miall – Melbourne

StJohn is a designer, coach and facilitator of training programs in the areas of mindfulness, leadership development, emotional intelligence, work-life balance, self-awareness, self-management and sustainability.

StJohn draws on 30 years experience of teaching mindfulness and meditation and supporting individuals as they come to terms with the challenges that life throws up.

He is recognised for his capacity to see through complex issues and bring clarity out of confusion. As a facilitator, he is empathetic and has a commitment to making the teaching space both fun and transformational.

StJohn managed a personal development and life skills training company in Victoria for six years offering a variety of courses to both the general public and corporate clients, before moving back to set up his own company, Keep Evolving, in Sydney. See www.keepevolving.com.au

StJohn works as a corporate facilitator, program designer and executive coach. He has taught over 10,000 individuals meditation, personal development and leadership skills, both within client companies and through a range of programs for the general public. He works closely with Petrea King’s Quest for Life Foundation, facilitating both their ‘Meditate for Life’ and ‘Living Well with Cancer’ programs.

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