An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-Week Course — Sydney and Northern Beaches

Change Your World, One Breath at a Time

Australia’s #1 in-person mindfulness and meditation course.

Reduce anxiety, worry and stress. Improve sleep. Increase self-acceptance.

$145 for a 4-week Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course in Sydney. Designed for absolute beginners. Course includes four classes with an experienced mindfulness trainer, a 4-week subscription to the full version of the CALM app, downloadable guided mindfulness meditations and a 45-page guidebook.

Mindfulness is a simple and practical way to learn to observe our thoughts, rather than be trapped by them and worrying about the past or the future.

Meditation is where we sit still in a relaxed way for a period of time, being kindly curious and interested in our experience.

“Mindfulness helps you to keep your thoughts in the present moment. As you practice, you tend to get better at calming the mind and keeping things in perspective.” — Dr Grant Blashki GP and Beyond Blue’s (beyondblue.org.au) lead Clinical Advisor

✅ Reduced stress, anxiety and worry

With practice and over time, mindfulness and meditation reduce the amount of stress and anxiety we experience. This occurs because a) we are taking time out of our day to relax and not be distracted by family, work and other obligations and b) we learn practical skills for working with difficult mental states so they have less negative impact on us.

✅ Better sleep

Many people experience better sleep when they practice meditation. This is simply the result of relaxing through meditation on a daily basis. The more relaxed we become, the easier it is to sleep.

✅ Greater self-acceptance and self-love

Mindfulness allows us to realise we are perfectly OK just as we are, right here and right now. This OKness includes feelings our feelings of unworthiness, shame, guilt and feeling like we need to change.  We understand and realise for ourselves that is OK to not feel OK and difficult emotions, feelings and life-circumstances are not proof we have somehow failed.

✅ Healthier relationships through reduced reactivity

Rather than getting lost in a ‘fight or flight’ response when we feel annoyed, angry or threatened in our relationships, we have the tools to respond, rather than react. Not every single time, but more and more with practice.

✅ Greater feelings of joy and freedom

When we practice mindfulness and meditation we sometimes experience feelings of joy, calm and freedom. The more familiar we become with these states, the more we can find them and allow them to flourish in our day to day life.

✅ Increased self-awareness and emotional intelligence

As we become more self-aware through mindfulness we develop the wisdom and emotional intelligence to navigate life’s challenges in an easier, simpler and more rewarding way. Life takes on more meaning, greater colour and we discover our ‘inner teacher’.

“I feel calmer. I am able to use techniques when my triggers go off. Using the meditation at night has allowed me to get a better night’s sleep.” — Sue Mathew

“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

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“Using mindfulness to help me better manage unrelenting anxiety, obsessive worrying & sadness. I have found that using the apps is helpful when having a stressful day, & I intend to keep practicing daily. Thank you.” — Cecily Wilson

“I am so glad I did the course and would recommend it to everyone.” — Rosie Smith

“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and am the happiest, authentic and content I have ever been. 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

FREE 4 week subscription to CALM included.

Every participant on the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness 4-Week Course receives a free 4-week gift subscription to the award-winning Calm mindfulness and meditation app (premium version). This app was the Apple app of the year for 2017.

No Religion. No funny positions. No dogma. This course is practical and non-religious.

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.

Course Outline

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.

“Am so glad I did the course and would recommend it to everyone. ” — Rosie Smith

“Huge reduction in anxiety, calmness of mind and body and empowerment over my symptoms.” — Jo Kirwan

“I feel calmer. I am able to use techniques when my triggers go off. Using the meditation at night has allowed me to get a better nights sleep” — Sue Mathew

“Using mindfulness to help me better manage unrelenting anxiety, obsessive worrying & sadness. I have found that using the apps is helpful when having a stressful day, & I intend to keep practicing daily. Thank you.” — Cecily Wilson

“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

LEARN FROM THE BEST

Your mindfulness and meditation teachers

Alison Hutchens

Alison is a former senior executive. Her career of 27 years includes 24 years holding senior corporate positions, running teams in high pressure sales, consulting and service delivery environments. She has also lived and worked across Australia, Asia and Europe in various Business Consulting roles.

Alison is a fully certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and has been teaching classes for more than 10 years. She is an accredited member of the of Meditation Association of Australia (AMA) and a member of the International Meditation Teachers Association (ITMA). She is a certified Emotional Intelligence Facilitator (GENOS), Master Practitioner of NLP and a Professional Coach (London Coaching Academy).

Alison is passionate about delivering the benefits of Mindfulness and Resilience Coaching along with Emotional Intelligence to corporate life.  For more information on the various programs available visit Mind Body Energy.

Catherine Sherlock

Catherine is a certified iRest® meditation teacher, a member of Meditation Australia and a Level 2 Yoga Australia registered yoga teacher. She specialises in applying yoga and meditation for mental health and wellbeing. She owns and operates a centre for yoga, meditation and wellbeing in Richmond NSW known as Yoga from the Inside. She also loves to take these teachings into the community to reach marginalised populations.

Catherine has studied iRest with Richard Miller since 2014. iRest (Integrative Restoration) is an evidence-based transformative practice that is based on the ancient teachings of meditation.

She has had a 30-year career in administration, management and leadership roles in public, private and community settings. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Analysis, a Master of Policy and Applied Social Research and a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management.

Catherine lives in Bilpin in the Blue Mountains of NSW with her husband John. She loves long walks, anywhere, but especially in nature.

Gavin Eichholz

Gavin is a mindfulness-based coach and psychotherapist with a Masters in counselling and psychotherapy.

He is also a Chartered Accountant who has worked in corporates and accounting practices where he has held numerous roles at a manager and senior manager level.

In the last 15 years Gavin has embarked on a personal self-development journey that was sparked by an interest in meditation, mindfulness and how the mind works. He has done numerous meditation and mindfulness-based retreats and workshops all over the world including three 10-day insight meditation retreats.

Gavin’s practice and understanding of mindfulness has allowed him to get an experiential understanding of how it positively impacts his moment to moment experience of life.

Gavin is also passionate about nature and uses his own extensive experience of mindfully being in nature to facilitate experiential Connect Mindfully with Nature sessions.

Gavin operates his coaching and psychotherapy business Empower to Shine to assist people with gaining more clarity and confidence with various life issues and to facilitate mindfulness and meditation sessions. He also does financial coaching for individuals on cash management/budgets and using mindfulness to effectively manage anxiety over money-related issues and decisions.

Helene Orr – MBSR Qualified Teacher

Helene is a mindfulness educator and currently teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the community and in corporate settings and provides one-to-one coaching in health and wellbeing strategies, including meditation and mindfulness, through her company Insight Governance. She completed mindfulness teacher training with the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australasia in 2015, Yoga Teacher Training with Samadhi Yoga in 2006 and is currently completing her Masters in Health and Social Wellbeing.

Helene is also a non-executive board member in the NFP and public sectors and a consultant in governance, risk management, organisational leadership and development.  She is a lover of nature, music, travel and learning.

Lisa Lythall

Lisa is  a Somatic Psychotherapist / Counsellor with over 20 years clinical experience and is currently practising in Caringbah, Sydney.

Lisa integrates a range of mindfulness-based, body-oriented Psychotherapeutic skills to support her clients through psychological, emotional, behavioural and relationship issues and towards greater self-awareness and an embodied clarity which impacts every aspect of their lives.

Lydia Vorona – MBSR Qualified Teacher

Lydia is an experienced mindfulness educator and qualified MBSR teacher with accreditation from the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australasiaa. She is also an iRest Yoga Nidra Instructor specialising in trauma and PTSD.

Lydia also has extensive corporate experience. Her adventurous career has taken her from tour guiding in Europe to corporate management roles in Australia, across a range of industries.

Lydia teaches mindfulness to all sectors of the community, in corporate settings, healthcare and in schools. She offers a range of workshops and courses including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and specialised programs to teachers and students of all ages with her company Be Still.

Natalie Hull

Natalie has been at the forefront of social change for over 20 years working in community and education inspiring sustainable change in individuals, families, communities and organisations.

Natalie has spent most of her life exploring the human condition and how we can create change with knowledge and education. She has formal qualifications in Adult Education, Community Welfare, Meditation Facilitation and Visual Arts and is an accredited NLP practitioner and coach.

Natalie is a self-confessed over-worker and achiever who discovered the benefits of mindfulness in overcoming her attachment to the constant lure of ‘busyness and overworking’, a pattern that affected her health manifesting in chronic back pain. Mindfulness has enabled her to be more present with each moment as it arises, accepting the pain and the joy of life without wanting to fix or improve it. Mindfulness has allowed her to heal her pain and return to her life’s work of supporting others to manage pain and life’s challenges and to experience greater peace, wellbeing and joy. Visit Natalie’s website.

Rita Young – MBSR Qualified Teacher

Rita is a Somatic Psychotherapist with 20 years clinical experience. She uses her knowledge of the body and psychotherapy to ground the skills of mindfulness into daily life.

Rita has completed all levels of training outlined by the Centre for Mindfulness (MASS) for the facilitation of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course and has been facilitating these courses for over 10 years.

Her extensive experience includes teaching MBSR in the fields of health care, corporations and education, most notably to medical students at the University of Notre Dame. Corporate clients have included the Reserve Bank of Australia, Bupa, Schneider Electrics, Taylors Wine and War Memorial Hospital. She has also facilitated workshops at Google and facilitated the first Google Detachment day; a full day mindfulness retreat for Google staff.

Rita believes people are most receptive to learn when they are taught in a relaxed, engaged and lighthearted way. This is how she teaches and it seems to work based on the feedback and referrals she gets.

Mindfulness Works is one of the largest mindfulness training organisations in Australasia. Over 25,000 people have attended the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week course throughout Australia and New Zealand

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

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.