by Claire Kidd | Jun 9, 2022 | All Blog Posts
This week is national carer’s week, and the theme is about making caring visible!
Caring has definitely become more visible, thanks to the pandemic. Never before have we recognised and appreciated the hard work of those who care for others, than when faced with a global crisis. From clapping on doorsteps to rainbows in our windows, to the photos of NHS staff with their faces marked by the masks, the ‘unsung heroes’ have touched all of our hearts.
But the question on our minds at MindfulnessUK, is who is looking after the carers now? Now that the limelight has died down, now that we are moving back into our old routines, who is picking up the pieces, who is supporting their mental well-being and helping them to recover from the heightened stress that they lived through for over 2 years?
The data is coming through thick and fast about the impact of the pandemic on our key workers:
- 8% of social workers agreed or strongly agreed that working during the Covid-19 crisis had negatively impacted upon their own mental health. (BASW 2021)
- 5% of nurses, believed they were burnt out, or ‘emotionally exhausted’. (Nursing in practice 2020)
We know as humans, that we don’t just bounce back, we need time, tools and support to help our bodies step out of chronic stress, to repair and to come back into balance. Two years of stress does not come undone overnight.
The reality is that our carers need to be ready for the road ahead. The long-term impact of Covid-19 is becoming more apparent with 1 in 6 children aged 6-16 identified as having a probable mental health problem (vs 1 in 9 in 2017) (NHS Digital 2021). So, who’s looking after our children? Parents, teachers, nurses, professionals and the people that have been caring for others continuously and intensely for 24 months.
In recognition of the fact that our health and social care workers are those most in need of support, the Compassionate Mindful Resilience course was created. Karen Atkinson (Senior Partner and Co-founder of MindfulnessUK) knows what it’s like to be at the coalface of caring for others, through her lived experience as an NHS nurse. She designed the course knowing exactly what carers need – self-awareness, permission to stop, tools for self-care and bucket loads of self-compassion!
The course is now reaching carers far and wide, as we work with organisations such as Unison, Somerset County Council and Kidney Care UK, helping them to support the well-being of their employees and patients, and we also continue to teach the course to as many Mindfulness teachers as possible who are then teaching the course to the NHS, to parent-carer groups and those in education.
If you would like to show how much you value and support the carers in your organisation, then please get in touch, we would be more than happy to show how we can help.
If you are a mindfulness teacher, looking to develop your skills and knowledge and share your learning far and wide then why not join one of our teacher training courses – the next one runs in June and July, or you can join us in November.
by Claire Kidd | May 19, 2022 | All Blog Posts
I was lucky enough to join the MindfulnessUK day retreat on Sunday, an opportunity for six hours of self-care. Many people I spoke to have asked, how does that work, does it feel relaxing in your own home, do you feel connected to the other participants?
And the amazing thing is it does work, and even though we were all together virtually, there was a real sense of being connected and supported, and as one participant said the moments of sitting as a group become imprinted in their memory and bring up feelings of warmth and togetherness!
And I find that this happens in the online courses that I run too. A sense of community and camaraderie quickly builds as the participants (and teacher) get to know each other, and I always feel this is one of the top benefits of joining a course, as you really share in the common humanity of you and others.
Being with others as part of a course or retreat, can be a real help to step out of loneliness, and sometimes an online option helps make it feel even more accessible.
To find out more about how you can benefit from one of our immersive retreats click here or to find about any of our courses visit our website.
by Joe Corrick | Mar 17, 2022 | All Blog Posts
Receiving my course work and books for the Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion Qualification Course, it felt like it was time, I was ready to go, prepared for learning – something which has hit me like a train, although a comforting one.
Not since university have I felt this feeling of butterflies and awareness of deadlines approaching. In just 2 weeks I have experienced so many emotions. I have had 2 sessions with the group who are all lovely people. It has been eye opening to communicate with different people who are developing their understanding of mindfulness from different angles, for different reasons yet all carry a similarity in their being that I haven’t yet put my finger on.
Angie Ward (my teacher) creates a sense of calm and an acceptance which is reassuringly safe to be part of. The coursework is refreshing in a sense that I am genuinely interested in doing the questions justice and want to put my all into getting the most out of the course (this is where I have changed since university).
It feels like the questions, the content and teaching is geared towards supporting the learner to succeed but not in a uniformed fashion, without a definitive right or wrong attitude. The questions so far feel like they have been designed to promote self-learning which in turn will produce interesting and differing perspectives, which I guess will ultimately produce unique teachers – albeit who follow the same fundamental mindfulness ethos, just with a hint of ‘flavour’ to enable mindfulness to continue to grow organically amongst like minded people. This makes me excited.
I have even started reading some books, I must be liking it. As I continue my practice I am beginning to challenge my own understanding of mindfulness and explore the realms of my own preconceived ideas. I want to experience what mindfulness can do for me before I begin to support other people. It feels like I am on a journey.
If you are interested in starting your mindfulness and compassion journey with MindfulnessUK then please visit our website to find out more or give us a call on 01823 697890 or email us at admin@mindfulnessuk.com.
by Joe Corrick | Feb 10, 2022 | All Blog Posts
Having completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course I can feel my interest in mindfulness grow, as if a new chapter is starting, looking inwards at the way I treat myself and also how I interact with other people.
My head feels clearer, more simplified but also inquisitive at what’s around the corner in terms of my own learning and development. There is a slight sense of loss, having enjoyed the weekly routine of the MBSR and a creeping sense of self-doubt “can I keep up the practice? Am I doing it right?” The supportive words from Steph (my MBSR teacher) are bouncing around in my head – “there is no judgement, there is no right and no wrong”. This is helping to settle any negative self-talk.
I am about to start the Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion Qualification (IMC) course and I am trying to focus on the positive experience in front of me and not fixate on the self-imposed barriers I present before any new personal challenge.
Self-doubt is something that protects me in some sense and a lot easier to drum up than self-confidence. Deep down I know I will be fine and I am already enjoying the ride. I find myself talking about mindfulness, applying mindfulness and noticing where it fits into my everyday experience.
The really exciting bit for me is to see how I can support others – this is why I want to do the IMC course. I can’t pretend that I have nailed down a rigid routine of practice and I do feel some reluctance to any forced patterns of practice upon myself. This doesn’t mean I don’t prioritise practice, it just means I am still working out what works for me, day to day.
In these early stages of my mindfulness journey I am finding practice is most effective when I check in with myself and ask myself what I need, at that moment, I then schedule in some time in that day to follow the most appropriate meditation from my MBSR course. I intend to find more innovative ways to integrate mindfulness practice into my working day, this way it won’t be marginalised to ‘when I am at home’.
By Joe Corrick, a forest school teacher and manager, supporting kids, parents and staff, both internally and in the council and schools.
by Karen Atkinson | Feb 2, 2022 | All Blog Posts
Where Did The Idea For The Event Start?
The global pandemic hit us individually and as a society, hard. Some have unfortunately experienced greater levels of suffering than others but we have all suffered in so many ways, ways that will take a long time to recover from.
For me, the word that rose to the surface during this time was ‘kindness’; a word that has previously been associated by some as being ‘sickly sweet’ or for ‘do gooders’. It rose to the surface as kindness to ourselves and others is inherent within us, the human body is geared up to ‘tend and befriend’. It’s natural but as a society there are so many barriers to allowing it to manifest in wholesome and nourishing ways.
As we started to come out of the lockdowns, I observed a segregation between those who wanted to stay aligned with this newly-felt association with kindness and others who couldn’t wait for life to return to normal, losing the lessons learnt about how to practice self-care and kindness to others at a deeper level.
How Did This Idea Then Develop?
Kindness is fundamental to everything and I felt compelled to support the flourishing of kindness as we transition to the next stage of the pandemic, whatever that may look like. I was out walking one morning and it came to me in a flash, we should hold an event which could be the start of many to come, showing everyone who is interested how it’s the little acts of kindness that make such a difference and ripple out to wholesale changes within one’s own life, and those we connect with.
In the spirit of connection and feeling congruent with my core values, my next thought was to ask two of the kindest people I know to join me on this adventure, Dawn Lister and Daniel Groom from Anahata Yoga Centre.
We have all known each other for many years and I’ve always resonated with them on a number of levels, especially in their clarity about the power of kindness which they model in everything they say and do, both personally and professionally.
I was delighted and extraordinarily grateful that when I put the suggestion to them that there was no hesitation in partnering with me on the Living Well with Kindness Online Event.
How Can I Join The Event?
This new and unique event brings together a wide range of experienced mindfulness and yoga therapy teachers and inspiring speakers, providing a number of insightful and supportive talks, practices, expert panel discussions and Q&A sessions throughout the day.
Everyone is welcome and our intention is to make it accessible to all. To reflect this, we have a range of prices for you to choose from, depending on your own personal circumstances.
Your ticket not only includes entry for the whole day but also lifetime access to a recording of the event, and ongoing support in the form of a regular newsletter with extra practices, blogs, and articles post event, supplied by our team of experts.
There has never been a time that necessitated kindness on a deeper internal and external level, in all areas of life. Kindness to ourselves, to those around us who perhaps share different views and values, and to the whole world.
Visit our website to find out more and purchase ticket. I really hope to see you there!
by Karen Atkinson | Dec 9, 2021 | All Blog Posts
‘Compassionate Mindful Inquiry in Therapeutic Practice: A Practical Guide for Mindfulness Teachers, Yoga Teachers and Allied Health Professionals’ (Atkinson, K 2020. Singing Dragon).
The impetus to write my book is multifaceted. Personally, inquiry has enabled me to explore deeply ingrained and unhealthy patterns from my upbringing, giving me the opportunity to find ways to change them, to such a degree that I have completely changed my life.
Having honed this self-reflective skill with my mindfulness and other meditative practices, my diagnosis and treatment for cancer enabled me to shine a light more brightly on self-compassion. It became extensively apparent that this was vehemently discouraged in my childhood and had resulted in some resistance to it in adulthood, though I had always been compassionate to others.
Inquiry continues to help me profoundly in developing new ways of relating to myself with kindness, ensuring that the connectivity I feel for myself is extended authentically to others and the choices I make in my life. Offering the opportunity to explore these skills, when I worked for the NHS, to my patients who suffered with chronic pain, trauma, anxiety, and depression resulted in significant shifts within their lives.
Then once I founded MindfulnessUK, offering mindfulness teacher training, it became apparent that this skill could be developed both through theoretical understanding alongside practical application. I therefore decided to focus on how mindfulness and compassion teachers, with no clinical background, could develop these skills in a whole range of sectors to support the health and well-being of their patients, clients, and course participants.
With this knowledge and understanding I introduced a foundational underpinning of the theory of inquiry into our teacher training programmes and developed a one-day masterclass to focus on the Process of Inquiry in more detail.
Becoming aware of the benefits of this approach I realised that a book that focuses on this subject would be extremely beneficial for committed meditators, and mindfulness students and teachers.
As there wasn’t another book dedicated solely to this subject, I decided to write one as an offering to the mindfulness and compassion field. I also recognised the need for information about inquiry to be placed in the secular context and to provide a clear framework from which to guide it.
Initially inquiry can appear scary due to misunderstandings, seeing it as random and boundary-less. This is absolutely not the case, as I explore fully in the book, and to help explain I developed the Iceberg Model, showing the relationship between mindfulness and compassion. Granted, we all need more kindness to ourselves and others but there seems to be a shift towards compassion at present without the recognition of the need for the wisdom and equanimity that mindfulness can bring.
Only yesterday I was talking about this with Heather from the Mindfulness Association, saying how if we open our hearts to our vulnerability without something to steady us, we will become overwhelmed. As with anything in life, balance is key.
I am thrilled that the booked has been so well received with students often saying how informative, helpful and confidence-boosting it has been. In fact one former student, Lena Shah, found the model to be such a pivotal moment in her experience of her meditation practice and life that she included it in her book of poems, “Impetus” (Shah, L. 2021. Austin Macauley Publishers).
It’s appreciated as a guide to the terrain of inquiry, offering pathways and familiar territory, which supports the development of exploration of patterns and new ways of being, through trust, intimacy, patience, and safety.
Joyously my book is being well received in America too, as compassion centres spring up everywhere and the word “kindness” is on the lips of many.
It seems that the subject matter has resonated during this period of the global pandemic. Rather ironically, I launched the book in February 2020, having an incredible launch party at the MindfulnessUK’s Centre, only for the pandemic to take hold in March. I knew the compassion surge was coming but it has been energised by Covid-19 and it’s needed even more than I ever imagined it would be.
It excites me to consider all the teaching of practices and the skillful inquiry that is being offered as a result of people reading my book and putting all that is learnt into practice. The ripple effect of enabling others to gain insights and make sustainable changes warms my heart every single day and I encourage you to try it for yourselves and reap the rich, deep rewards that it yields.
To get your copy click here.
by Karen Atkinson | Nov 26, 2021 | All Blog Posts
Wining the silver award in the Southern England Business Woman of the Year category at the National Business Woman’s Awards is recognition for all the work that we have been doing at MindfulnessUK. This award is for the whole team and everyone that supports us.
MindfulnessUK started when I decided to leave the NHS as I really wanted to set up a centre for mindfulness and yoga. With encouragement and support I found a property in Taunton. When I viewed it, I could feel the positive energy in the property as it had been home to several charities since the 1970’s so there was something really special about it and I knew it was the right place.
This all happened during a recession, but I was determined the carry on, take my business plan and bring it all to life.
It was a remarkably busy for the first 3 years, building the organisation, letting people know what we were doing, offering different therapies with a variety of therapists, and building the reputation of the business.
Then in 2013, I was diagnosed with cancer. This was a really pivotal time for me, a cross-roads really, and after which I came back to work having discovered on a deep level the value of self-compassion.
I knew about self-compassion before, but it then became so important to me because of the compassion I was shown by other people. I knew that I wanted to move forward and focus the MindfulnessUK offer on mindfulness and compassion, and this is when I wrote the Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion (IMC) Qualification.
We have worked with 1000’s of students over the past 10 years, creating a unique teacher training organisation, educating, and empowering students and showing how mindfulness can support mental health and help people to thrive in their personal and professional lives.
The best thing about being the Senior Partner at MindfulnessUK, is that every day I work with a great team who share my vision; building a mindfulness community of practitioners and qualified teachers, sharing the transformational potential of mindfulness and compassion with others.
I cannot imagine my life without a mindfulness practice. It empowers me to make choices on a moment-by-moment basis. It helps me to keep everything in perspective and to be more compassionate to myself and others, always.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a stressful and extraordinary time for the team and the business. In the beginning, everyone cancelled everything, and it looked like that was the end of the road for us, almost overnight. But, instead of giving up, we realised how people would need mindfulness and compassion even more during and after the distress and grief caused by the impacts of the virus.
Therefore, we rolled up our sleeves and took all our courses and training online, as well as developing e-courses for CPD and offering free classes in meditation, movement, and compassion. Our free classes had a donation option, and all proceeds went to the NHS.
We have been able to support thousands of people during this time, both directly and also through training others to teach mindfulness and compassion to their colleagues in the NHS, teachers, fire and police staff, carers and many more besides.
We’re incredibly proud of what we have achieved in 2020, being in a position to utilise our skills for the benefit of the mental health of those not only in the UK but internationally. Specialising in teaching people suffering with pain, anxiety, and trauma I use my expertise to train others to deliver mindfulness and compassion in a trauma-informed way.
I am so passionate about what I do, and all of our teaching and training has my book, Compassionate Mindful Inquiry In Therapeutic Practice. A Practical Guide for Mindfulness Teachers, Yoga Teachers and Allied Health Professionals, and iceberg model at its core.
I am incredibly lucky with all the support that I have, and I could not have created MindfulnessUK, and won this award, without the support of my wonderful team. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved.
by Kate Elliott | Oct 21, 2021 | All Blog Posts
It’s National Adoption Week, and a call to arms to those who could become parents to a child in need, but also to the government to ensure the support for these children is lifelong.
Why do these children need lifelong support?
As an adopted parent, you so often hear comments such as “isn’t she lucky” or “well she won’t remember what happened to her when she was a baby” or “she looks so normal”, which in some ways are true, yes she’s lucky to have the care now that every child deserves, yes she won’t remember what happened to her, and yes she does look ‘normal’, however the thing to remember is that once a child is adopted the trauma doesn’t just leave the body when the new front door shuts.
The first months of a baby’s life help them to learn their role in the world, and the brain develops pathways that are the foundations of how they view the world. A child who experiences love, care and attention learns that when they need help their primary caregiver responds to keep them safe. A child who doesn’t experience love and care learns how to survive in a world that doesn’t care for them. They learn to cry and scream if that helps get them attention (even if it’s not kind attention) or or to be quiet if no-one ever comes, and so the pathways form, and these don’t change as soon as they step across the threshold of their forever home.
Imagine this, one day you are with your family, it’s all you know and you have learnt to be safe there, and then the next day a stranger comes and takes you away and you find yourself in a new home with new adults. It’s a scary thought! This is the reality of an adopted child, from one day to the next they lose everything they know.
What happens to their brain?
It goes into survival mode; the stress response is activated and pathways built that remind the child to be hyper-vigilant and ready for change to happen again. It took my daughter 12 months to have a cuddle at bedtime!
They often say adopted children have 3 ages – their experiential age (old beyond their years, having experienced things we can never understand), their chronological age (the age they are) and their developmental age (often younger than their years due to the gaps in their development). This is why they need lifelong support! In some ways they are always playing catch up developmentally, but also need to be encouraged to be the child that they are, to be free to play and explore.
All of the above doesn’t make for a relaxed nervous system or a calm brain, in fact it makes for a body flooded with cortisol, a highly active amygdala and deeply rooted survival behaviours. Why should we expect them to trust adults, when adults haven’t kept them safe?
Where does mindfulness and compassion come into this story?
As an adopter, it is very easy to fall into compassion fatigue, caring for a child who has experienced early childhood trauma often feels like a one-way street, it’s relentless and you don’t often get much back. For me mindfulness and compassion have helped me, intrinsically, to be aware of the mother that I am (not the mother that I thought I would be), to accept myself as the mum I am (not the perfect parent but I am good enough) and I have enough tools in my self-compassion toolkit to look after myself and be kind to myself when I need to be.
And mindfulness has helped me to support my daughter to explore and understand her feelings, to teach her tools to regulate herself, and also to have the tools for us to connect with each other, even when times are tough. I often use sound to help regulate mine and her nervous systems.
It took 12 months for her to cuddle me at bedtime, and 3 years for her to start to be secure in the knowledge that I am not leaving her. The milestones take a long time to come around, but they are big when they do, and I am thankful for the attitude of patience which helps me to keep going.
Adopted children are warriors. They deserve all the support, kindness and understanding that they can get.
If you are a parent-carer and need some support, then our Compassionate Mindful Resilience course that I teach could be just right for you, visit MindfulnessUK for more information.
by Angie Ward | Oct 15, 2021 | All Blog Posts
Having come from a health, social care, and teaching background, I completely lost my mojo with it and promised myself I would never teach anything other than dance ever again, I was unprepared to feel my passion for teaching others re-ignite in 2014. This is how!
I completed my 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course in 2012 and found it hugely beneficial. Before this I had meditated on and off since the age of 19, but never in the moment. I had always enjoyed visualisations and chakra meditations (I still do).
Being in the moment was challenging, I lived in the past or worried about the future, which I still do but I catch myself now. It had never occurred to me to be in the moment. Like many people I found mindfulness practices challenging in that I realised how stressed I had become, how much pain I felt physically from injuries and emotionally. I started to read and research compassion, something Karen Atkinson, my MBSR teacher had talked about, a lot.
In 2014 I was one of the first cohort to do the Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion (IMC) qualification and it just made so much sense to me, practising compassion literally transformed my relationship with myself and with life.
I never set out to train to teach others, but with my skillset and passion my relationship with Karen and MindfulnessUK just blossomed, and my role grew within the organisation leading to me now working as Head of Teacher Training.
With MindfulnessUK I have had the amazing privilege of being supported to train and teach mindfulness and compassion in so many ways; one to one, 8 week MBSR, Minding your Health in Schools, children and young people masterclasses, bespoke courses, workshops at the Mindful Living Show and the IMC qualification. I have been a part of hundreds of graduate’s journeys and love hearing about the wonderful work they now do in their fields of expertise and communities.
Huge thank you to Karen, Claire, Steph, Kate, Neil, Anna, and our admin support for being such a fab team and to all the people we have taught. My message to you all is to keep practising compassionate mindfulness – it’s the best way to live
by Helen Potts | Oct 12, 2021 | All Blog Posts
Being part of a Mindfulness community is wonderful, nurturing and supportive. It’s somewhere to connect with others and belong. It’s natural to seek out safe spaces and like minded people, we are in truth predisposed in our wish to have these families or associations. It’s also a creative way to grow and develop our mindfulness practice and vision.
I first arrived at the weekly MindfulnessUK meditation session a little fragile. My father had died at the beginning of the pandemic and Zoom held the sad memory of parting from him. It felt at first a strangely distant experience looking into the faces of fellow meditators, without the usual communal presence of body and breath. There was such warmth though, an open generosity, a collectively intimate experience and the pleasure of being skilfully guided by Andy Wistreich, who leads the practice.
Over the weeks and months I developed a joyful bond with this group, changing faces welcomed alongside regular returners. Teachers, students, new meditators intermingle without difference or status. The internet creates the possibility of International members and northerners, like myself, joining from wherever they are based.
Andy has a gentle, wise presence, leading us through an exploration of posture and breath and into a contemplation of the elements: earth, fire, water, air, space, consciousness. Who knows where he will guide us next after his recent retreat break. I know we all wish him well, hoping he returns rested and renewed.
For anyone unsure of the experience of meditating in this way, I’d say… try it you may be surprised. I would never have considered the connectivity, support and community that could be built on a digital platform. We have all had to dig deep and delve into unknown places to flourish and engage within the pandemic. There have been a few unexpected bonuses!
For myself it was the beginning of a journey with MindfulnessUK as I decided to enrol on the Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion qualification in April 2021. Whilst I have been part of a mindfulness practice for many years, the element of compassion has never been so truly embedded as on this course. Not simply as a learnt experience but as a felt one. It runs profoundly through all the teaching.
I really don’t want the course to end, to no longer have the kinship and security of class. But the world is a big place and embracing our multiplicity helps to develop our understanding, cooperation and kindness to others. Mindfulness can provide an opportunity to feel the joys of engaging with difference, taking us from our perceived comfort and safety, to sharing and learning from others.
I however feel great encouragement and solace knowing that the Wednesday meditation session will provide a thread of connection which I can return to again and again.
Maybe I will see you there?
by Mindfulness UK | Aug 26, 2021 | All Blog Posts
Operations and Learning Development Manager Job Description
Our expanding organisation is seeking to hire an Operations and Learning Development
Manager to join our leadership team.
You will be in charge of providing inspired co-leadership for the operation of our organisation’s
business, which involves helping us all to make important policy and strategic decisions, as well
as the development and implementation of operational policies and procedures. You will help
promote a organisation culture that encourages learning and development for staff, students,
alumni members and graduates alike, contributing to the on-going manifestation of kindness in
our society.
You will have qualifications or prior experience in a management or leadership position.
You will have the skills and passion to become a Course Tutor and Supervisor. In-house training
will be offered to you as part of your employment package. Your delivery as part of the role
may include retreats, delivering the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course, teacher
training the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Integrating Mindfulness and Compassion
teacher training. You will also train to become a Supervisor.
Responsibilities:
• Provide inspired co-leadership for the organisation.
• Advise on important policy, planning, and co-develop strategy decisions with the
Partners and senior team.
• Develop, implement, and review operational policies, processes and procedures.
• Help promote an organisation culture of kindness, integrity, inclusivity and
professionalism.
• Liaising with all staff to ensure organisation operations flow smoothly and
economically.
• Liaising with the IT consultant who is developing the Learning Management System
to create a professional learning platform for students, alumni members and
graduates.
• Ensure all legal and regulatory documents are filed and monitor compliance with
laws and regulations.
• Work with all the organisation’s Partners, employees and Consultants to co-develop
short and long-term goals.
• Identify and address problems and opportunities for the organisation.
• Build alliances and partnerships with other organisations.
• Ensure continuity and parity across all of the organisation’s work, to include e-course
development, teaching, teacher training, retreats, masterclasses, course
development and other programmes.
• To have the vision to reach out to other people and organisations, thereby creating
beneficial relationships to build and grow the business.
Requirements:
• Prior qualifications or relevant experience in operational management and
leadership.
• Strong appreciation and drive to offer the best in technical innovation for the benefit
of staff, students and graduates.
• An enjoyment of handling details and the capacity to juggle is essential.
• Ability to build consensus and relationships among Partners, senior team managers,
consultants and those affiliated with the organisation in other working capacities .
• Excellent communication skills.
• Be able to liaise closely with the organisation’s Partners to ensure continuity and
parity in all areas of the business.
• Demonstrable skills in delivering teaching and training to others.
• Ability to co-develop, implement, and review policies and procedures.
• Understanding of necessary legal and regulatory documents and requirements.
• Ability to address problems and create opportunities for the organisation.
• Ability to build alliances and partnerships with other people and organisations.
• To be closely affiliated with the mindfulness world and the changing needs of those
we teach and train, so that the organisation can be responsive to the unfolding
needs of individuals and organisations, thereby enabling the organisation to
continue to innovate in compelling and forward-thinking ways into the future.
• A familiarity with Zoom and other virtual platforms.
Job Description Details
£21,028 – £25,056 per year (dependant upon hours and amount of in-house training
required)
Permanent, part-time, 21 to 24 hours per week
Pension scheme and holiday entitlement of 4 weeks plus Bank Holidays
Working is mainly remote but the senior team will meet together in person at least twice a
year for several days.
The candidate will mainly be delivering teaching online via Zoom but opportunities will arise
to teach in a real venue, such as on retreats as well as potentially delivering teacher training.
The candidate will supply use of their own computer/laptop for their work.
All travel expenses are paid by the organisation.
If you are interested in applying for this post please reply with your CV to:
info@mindfulnessuk.com by Monday 6th September 2021 at 12 noon, with your name and
“Operations Applicant” in the subject header.
Please include:
• Your personal details
• Contact details
• Educational and work history
• Some details as to why you think you should be considered for this post, including
your experience, skills, and background that will add value to the organisation
• Please describe one compelling business idea that would enhance what the
organisation offers to others
• Two referees contact details from previous employers
Thank you for your interest.
Karen Atkinson
Senior Partner
www.mindfulnessuk.com
by Tim Stanyon | Aug 4, 2021 | All Blog Posts
When I started mindfulness practices I was constantly being told, and then told myself, that my mind was a ‘distraction’, something that would inevitably interrupt my practice and something I had to guard against. Without realising it I had set up an oppositional relationship with my mind, at least as far as practice was concerned. This isn’t helpful!
Of course, our mind is ever present. At times it can be very active, and at times less so but always there. It’s what minds do, they think. But can we stop seeing our minds as interruption and instead see it simply as part of ‘what is’ for us and therefore part of our practice?
I have been moving that way over the last few years. I have also noticed that many teachers also use that type of language now, asking me to nod or smile to my busy mind or even to give my mind a few moments of attention before returning to the breath or the body or whichever focus I am practicing that day.
Some teachers even encourage me to acknowledge the mind and re-assure it that I will be giving some attention to it a little later. All of this has helped me to shift my relationship with my mind. It hasn’t reduced the level of busyness or the number of times that I find my attention taken by my mind, but it has allowed me to be much more at ease with my mind, in whatever state I find it on any particular day. That I feel has helped me in my practice and has contributed to a wider acceptance of being with ‘what is’.
Brining my attention to my mind.
One phenomenon which I regularly experience happens when I deliberately bring my attention to the mind. It hides away initially rather like a small animal seeking shelter. Having been busily taking part in my practice when I have focussed elsewhere now it’s in the spotlight it runs away! Usually only for a short while. It gradually emerges again into the light and once again brings all of its wondrous variety and possibility into my attention.
Being able to overtly acknowledge what it is doing, what it is thinking or remembering or worrying about or planning, all of that abundance can be given its own space, smiled at, and welcomed. No longer an unwelcome distraction but a full contributor to my practice, appreciated for what it brings and how it enriches my life.
So, I now feel I am much more friends with my mind and this has enriched my practice not diminished it. Is your mind your friend?
