Mindfulness and Nature – Alternative Weekend One

Mindfulness offers the invitation to come into the freshness of the present moment: knowing what is happening, while it’s happening. The experience of this moment can include the thoughts and feelings in our heart-mind, awareness of the sensations in the body, and our connection with nature and the world around us.

Often people mention that the place they are most easily mindful is being in nature, whether it’s walking the dog in a nearby woodland, on the beach or on holiday in a beautiful environment. Research shows the connection between being in nature and a reduction in feelings of stress and depression and have a positive effect on general health and ability to focus. It is perhaps not surprising that similar benefits are attributed to mindfulness.

In this first weekend of our Level 1 course – Being Present, we are using the joy of being in nature and alive on this precious earth as a way into learning to rest the mind in the present moment. Through connecting with nature and the earth beneath and around us, we can reconnect with our inner nature as well, touching in with the ground of our being and starting to train in mindfulness.

The weekend will invite us to settle the mind and come home to our body through grounding practices such as the bodyscan and mindful walking. Throughout all of the Mindfulness Association programs the cultivation of a basic friendliness towards ourselves (and therefore also to others) lies at the heart of our training.

This module is suitable for those completely new to Mindfulness as well as those seeking to reconnect with it and to embark on the different training pathways the Mindfulness Association has to offer. This course is equivalent to the first weekend of the Level 1 course and will be taught by Kristine Mackenzie-Janson and Jacky Seery. If you complete this weekend you can then continue and join the further three weekends of our Mindfulness Level One: Being Present course with Choden and Angie Ball on the 28 – 29 November 2020, 6-7 March 2021 and 15-16 May 2021.

The weekend will be taught online via Zoom and runs from 9.00am-17.00pm on Saturday and Sunday with a two hour lunch so participants can hopefully (weather permitting) spend some time outside.

The course fee is £150.00 including manual.