What is Mindfulness?
"Mindfulness can be described as being more fully aware of your own experience in the present moment in a non-judgemental way." (Tim Stead)
It is about being fully aware of the world, of other people, of our present experience, of our own reactions and responses at any one moment. It is about accepting what is happening in a kind and non-judgemental, but knowing way. The result of this awareness is to give us greater perspective, more peace and a chance to decide how to act - rather than acting on our normal 'autopilot'.
Mindfulness and Christianity
Mindfulness is consistent with Christianity. Although its roots are in Buddhism, its essential nature is present in all contemplative traditions, including the Christian mystical and contemplative traditions. Mindfulness is a tool that can help us live more fully and more peacefully.
Exercising mindfulness as a Christian, we live each moment in the presence of God, and move forward with God's guidance and in his strength. Christian mindfulness becomes a powerful way of living.
Experiments in Mindfulness Courses in Wymondham from 2016 - 2019
Using the book 'Mindfulness: Finding peace in a frantic world' by Mark Williams and Danny Penman and its accompanying CD, we ran an eight week meditation course seven times.
The format of the hour and a quarter/half looked something like this:
7.00 pm Gathering and chat
7.10 pm Sharing from the week
7.20 pm Participating in the guided meditations for the week
from the CD
7.50ish Feedback and sharing
8.00 pm Coffee and biscuits
The results of these courses included:
- a Mindfulness Network of people who had done the course with the opportunity for regular updates and participation in further events
- the establishment of relationships with 30 or so people outside the normal church circle
- benefits to the people who did the course, most saying they had been helped: they said they were less stressed, more peaceful and more alive to the world and to life
Mindfulness Xtra
Mindfulness Xtra was run once with 5 people who had done the Beginner's Course (albeit in different groups). The Penman/Williams material was repeated but, this time, presented - and more importantly, experienced - Christian content through relating the meditations to Mindfulness. It was very experimental and the writer would do it differently another time around.