Lezione 1
Calming Beach Visualisation
Today’s session is an introduction to the importance of Creating Space, and the benefits of doing so. When we’re overwhelmed with work related stress and anxiety the mind simply shuts down. In this state of contraction there is little point trying to concentrate on something other than our worries, we’re just too full. First, we need to create some much needed space within, and that is the focus of this session. After briefly outlining what you can expect from this course, you are then guided through a beautiful, relaxing beach visualisation leaving you feeling much calmer, more spacious and ready for the practices of the coming days.
Lezione 2
Mindfulness Of The Body
Today is our first foray into mindfulness, one of the foundations of this course and a technique we will return to again and again. In this session we begin to understand what the practice of mindfulness entails, and what some of the benefits are. The entry point of our mindfulness training today is the body. During this practice you gently rotate your awareness throughout the body noticing and allowing what arises as you do so. Because when the thinking mind is fully absorbed in the body and the moment, it creates the conditions for stillness and spaciousness to arise elsewhere.
Lezione 3
Mindfulness Of The Breath
Today we build on the mindfulness skills we started to develop yesterday. In this session we begin to understand the impact our breath has on our health, wellbeing, levels of stress and performance at work. Then we use a simple mindfulness of the breath practice to keep us anchored in the moment rather than lost in the worries of the mind.
Lezione 4
Creating Space For Positivity
In this session we combine the body scan and breath awareness practices from the last two days into the one meditation. We also add a layer to our practice by beginning to reframe the negative thoughts and mindset that can plague us when we’re consumed by worries over work. We do this by using breath and body to guide us into a state of relaxed attentiveness. Then we plant the seeds of our intention deep within the subconscious mind, paving the way for a more positive and spacious mindset going forward.
Lezione 5
Forest Visualization
By now we understand that our thoughts have a direct impact on how well or otherwise we feel, on our levels of stress and our performance at work. So what is it you predominantly think about, have you noticed? Is the conversation you’re having with yourself each day at work kind, helpful or productive? Yesterday’s session helped reframe the mindset to one that is more positive. Today we simply want to notice the mind as it is. This practice combines our mindfulness techniques with a calming visualisation to help us relax, observe our thoughts and then gently let them go to create space within.
Lezione 6
Mindfulness Of The Breath Part 2
Today we revisit our mindfulness of the breath meditation. It’s important we practice this technique again and again so it becomes ingrained to call on it when stressed and anxious. We may not always have time during our busy working day to return to our beach, forest or do a full body scan. But no matter where we are and what we’re doing, we can always breathe mindfully, and thus instantaneously transform how we’re feeling and responding to whatever is in front of us.
Lezione 7
Creating Space Through Gratitude
Given the rapid pace of working life it is all too easy to become future focused - obsessing over what we’re missing, what comes next, what we think we need in order to be happy and fulfilled. We’ve forgotten how to truly live in and appreciate the here and now. And as a result, our levels of job satisfaction and enjoyment of life are at record lows. Today’s gratitude meditation helps retrain the mind to notice the abundance in our life, and to embody a state of contentment and joy with life as it is, rather than how we think it should be.
Lezione 8
Healing Through Loving Kindness
The quality of our relationships with our colleagues, loved ones and ourselves can be a huge source of stress in life. And when we’re overwhelmed at work this is only exacerbated. In today’s session we use Metta or Loving Kindness meditation to heal and bring balance to our relationships and create space within.
Lezione 9
Using Mindfulness To Transform
Our thoughts and feelings about past traumatic events don’t just live on in the mind, they also get stored in the body. So we can utilise our mindful awareness of the body to process these experiences. By learning to lean into the sensations that accompany our memories then bring our relaxed attentiveness to what feelings, thoughts and memories lie beneath these sensations we may notice they shift into something less potent, or even release altogether. And with practice we build our capacity to sit with uncomfortable or challenging situations, rather than suppressing or avoiding.
Lezione 10
Yoga Nidra For Relaxation & Stress Management
Today we close out our time together with a relaxing Yoga Nidra practice, bringing together all the elements we’ve been practicing over the last 9 days into the one meditation. Yoga Nidra combines the power of intention setting with breath awareness, body scan and visualisation to guide the body and mind into a profound state of rest and relaxation with eyes closed. When practiced regularly, Yoga Nidra has also been shown to be highly effective in creating the conditions for lasting change and transformation to occur with eyes open.
