Wellbeing and mindfulness strategies for a happier, healthier and more meaningful life. 'Be that change you want to see in the world' Gandhi Change….how and what? Fold your arms across your chest. We hold ourselves, breathe, move, think, and behave much of the time in an habitual way. It just happens......like being on automatic pilot

How can we make the unconscious conscious? Possible Strategies Formal practices – Getting to know yourself…. – Mindfulness – Breathing awareness – Body/sensation awareness – Mindful movement – Thought and Emotion awareness Informal Practices – Practicing the above in real life situations…speeding ticket example. – Awareness of supportive and unsupportive habits.

‘The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.’ - Marcel Proust Your mind does not know what is real or not real!!!!!!!….think of a nightmare….sports Learn to create supportive and ditch unsupportive habits. Understanding your world from the inside out…and if you change on the inside then outside might change as well

My Journey Business as usual was not an option for me! When I was a young man this how I approached a new day. But with advancing years this is how things changed! Well by this time a sense of hope is replaced by despair!!!

What qualities or attitudes do you feel you need to...let go of... and which ones would you like to embrace and embody. Lists What would the new you look like.... So where do we need to direct our energy in order for change to take place? Dr watkins

So what you are aware of you are in control of, what you are not aware of is in control of you. Standing awareness…… pairs “The mind is everything...what you think you become” - buddha “What you think...you breathe!” - SR Breath awareness normal Vase breath....ease/resistance...where in the body did you experience resistance?

Speaking the language of sensations…..Lists Match the sensations you might expect to feel for your answers to question 1 and 2 What sensations did you experience with ease and resistance? Breathing with positive and negative states of mind…notice the sensations Standing awareness repeated.....pairs Daily routines in which you could practice… Pairs

Bodily sensations The following can be download from ITunes and has 10/20/30 minute recordings, or the same recordings can be found on YouTube for free. Itunes – Yoga Nidra 10 minutes - esktop esktop 20 minutes - esktop esktop 30 minutes - desktop desktop

Cognitive awareness The ego...“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”. Einstein. Drug addiction Emotional addiction Which emotions turn up time and again in your life? see lists Which emotions would you like to see turn up in your life time and again 'We cannot change anything until we accept it.' Carl Jung Acknowledge and accept ….lost in the car Body awareness with challenge and positive quality

So when some of these sensations are added together you may get the following emotions feeling like this in the body? Or not as the case maybe

Challenges we face Repetitive Thoughts Do you ever have recurring thoughts, that go around and around like a sushi conveyor belt. Mindfulness of associations These associations may be considered as 'sticky', we may find it hard to let them go. So for example, when I was teaching 3W…..argh!!!! Mindfulness of interpretations This is the meaning which we put on an event. If a patient is late...what are your thoughts? Oh no they must be worse and are not coming back.....or they must be finding it difficult getting into a parking space? Mindfulness of Judgements Noticing when we make make evaluative judgements, such as good/bad, right/wrong…i.e. the weather

Eight week stress reduction mindfulness courses

Dealing with barriers So when dealing with barriers, its important to understand where those barriers are to be found and how we can instigate change. Level of consciousness Survival mode verses creative mode Brainwaves are very different in each mode. The beta survival mode does not just protect us from being eaten by a lion but protects the self that we have projected to the world, as opposed to the self we really are. The alpha and theta waves are more associated with the twilight zone, between consciousness and unconscious mind. Change takes place in the subconscious mind

How to get into the optimum brainwave state?

What drains…what energises....? What emotional state, thoughts, and sensations do you associate with energised state and drained state? Experiencing the sense of letting go 'We cannot change anything until we accept it.' Carl Jung Affirmations….acknowledgement and acceptance So what sensations do you associate with your drained state…practical? Mindful movements… a good way of touching base. Standing awareness

Optimum state Coherence......connecting heart and head. Clear goals and sense of purpose… identify what you would want to change. Affirmations….embody and embrace….or ones of your choosing Strategies to get into the optimum state..Use of brainwave app, breathing, Yoga Nidra, mindful movements, mindfulness. Obstacles and challenges……?

Values and way you would ideally live your life by. List Lake visualisation What would that feel like to live your life by certain values close to your heart...match to sensations size shape colour. Standing awareness

Plan for Change Simply put…. What would you like to change? What would that change look and feel like? i.e. How would the values,attitudes and emotional states required for this change manifest themselves in terms of bodily sensations. Visualise that change having happened…experience the sensations of that change having taken place, the excitement, gratitude etc of that change taking place. Notice how things change in your life….both internally and externally.

Thank You