Mindfulness and Concentration

Following a recent Thursday evening online sit, we started discussing the role of concentration in our practice.  Afterwards it was suggested to me that I write a blog about this, as we talk a lot about mindfulness in our training (for obvious reasons), but it’s possibly not always apparent where concentration fits in. The first…

A Report From Croatia…

Mindfulness, like all other human activities, occurs within a socio-historical cultural context. By this I mean that people’s attitudes towards mindfulness are informed by perspectives and traditions in their community, culture and society. The socio-historical cultural context for secular mindfulness in contemporary UK is, I believe, generally conducive. In the UK, contemplative and meditative practices…

Mindfulness and Health Care

The modern day working environment can move at a relentless and demanding pace. Increased administrative responsibilities, real time connectivity and the complexity of issues that employees in certain jobs may face, name but a few of the issues that may cause employees to work beyond their capabilities for sustained periods of time. This may in…

Sort of Back to Business as Usual

After the conference the MAHQ seems quiet, as we get back into the usual routine of sending out course timetables and manuals, organising room hire, answering e-mails on everything you could imagine to do with mindfulness, and a host of other little jobs that generally keep us busy.  Writing this blog for example! Overall, I…

Don’t Stay in School?

In February last year I embarked on a journey of study for a PhD in Education, studying mindfulness and self-compassion in schools. My quest has led me to ask questions about the very nature of education… when we send our kids to school, what is it that we are hoping for? The preoccupation with ‘effectiveness’ of our…

Importance of Sangha

I’ve really come to realise lately how important it is to have a community of like minded people around you. The word we use for this is sangha, which is a Pali word meaning  community of practitioners, people we share our lives with. It is our network where we find others on a spiritual journey…