$110 FOR FULL 4 WEEK INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS COURSE INCLUDING 4 CLASSES WITH AN EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TRAINER, MINDFULNESS APP, DOWNLOADABLE GUIDED MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONS FOR YOU TO KEEP AND A 45-PAGE GUIDEBOOK.

Mindfulness Works exclusive 4 week introductory courses provide you with all you need to learn and start to experience the benefits of mindfulness. Mindfulness Works is New Zealand’s largest mindfulness training organisation. Every month over 500 people complete the Mindfulness Works introductory course.

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Mindfulness is a practical and simple practice of being present, relaxation and self-awareness.

Over time and with regular practice, many people find that mindfulness can assist them to experience less stress, anxiety and depression and greater degrees of self-acceptance. You still experience difficult thoughts and feelings, but you have a greater capacity to be with them, rather than be trapped by them.

Sitting mindfulness practice triggers a relaxation response causing your blood pressure to drop, your breathing to slow and deepen and you relax. As you regularly practice mindfulness, our brain gets ‘rewired’ as new neural pathways are formed, making it easier to experience this relaxation.

With the increased self-awareness that occurs with long term mindfulness practice, people are able to make decisions that are better for them, rather than reactive decisions based on anger, fear or stress. You don’t feel so threatened and have more capacity to respond to a situation, rather than just react.

Many people also discover with regular mindfulness practice and over time that they have a greater capacity for self-acceptance, self-love and a natural sense of OKness – even with challenges such as relationship, financial, work or family difficulties.

The Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course has been designed to give you a tacit experience of mindfulness and to assist you in developing the habit of a regular practice. It is designed for you to experience the benefits of mindfulness for yourself, rather than just learn about them.

• Experience less stress,  anxiety and depression

• Improve sleeping patterns

• Feel more self-acceptance and self-love

• Reduce reactivity and increase emotional intelligence

• Experience more joy

“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and have the happiest, authentic and content that I have ever been. By learning acceptance without judgement as been an eye opener for me. I’m continuing my journey of self compassion and feel excited and hopeful for my future. But am grateful of the now and who I am today…” – Rebecca Young

• See how mindfulness affects your heart rate over time. The Wildflower App uses your device camera to track and record your heart rate. You can see how this is affected by your mindfulness practice over time.

• Learn and practice mindfulness anytime and anywhere  use the  in-built mindfulness course in the app to continue to practice and learn mindfulness at your own pace and in your own time.

• Get support your practice. Get tailor made recommendations for the best guided meditations (included) for you based on your current mood

• Stay interested. Play fun, innovative and creative mindfulness based games to encourage practice and learning.

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• Easy to follow instructions on mindfulness as well as simple, daily mindfulness practices.

• An opportunity to experience the benefits of mindfulness for yourself – in a very real way.

• A safe, confidential environment suitable for absolute beginners and like minded individuals wanting to investigate mindfulness, meditation and ways of supporting their own well-being.

• Time out for you and your own well-being and a place where you will not be judged and a way to foster non-judgement and acceptance in yourself.

• All the tools and support you need to continue practicing mindfulness after the course finished including your own guidebook, mindfulness meditation audios and notification of more advanced courses and retreats (should you wish)

• A no risk money back guarantee. If you attend all course sessions and feel you have not received benefit, you are entitled to a full refund.

“Since doing this course, I have been sleeping much better, I feel much more in control of my emotions, I have enjoyed ‘noticing’ my own state, but also it has transferred to everything around. This means I am re-enjoying many things that I had been taking for granted.” — Sandy Good

Course Contents

This particular course emphasises your own natural wisdom, your own innate OKness, right here and now. The instructions and guidance will be explicitly inviting you to embrace your whole human experience as it happens, moment by moment with a radical acceptance.

Mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.” – Jon Kabat Zinn (Professor of Medicine Emeritus Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine).

Mindfulness and meditation are both gaining in popularity as more and more people discover how this simple skill can have a profoundly positive impact on your life. Organisations such as Google, Apple, Nike and Yahoo! now run mindfulness programmes and sessions for staff during work hours. Modern research about mindfulness and meditation shows measurable and significant benefits to people including less stress, less anxiety, greater focus, calm and happiness.

Week 1: What is Mindfulness?

• What mindfulness is
• The benefits of mindfulness and meditation
• How to get the most from the course
• Guided body scan mindfulness meditation
• Question and answers / discussion.

Week 2: Working with the Mind

• Why thinking can be problematical
• Practical ways to work with difficult thoughts
• Self-judgement and how to intervene
• Guided mindfulness meditation – counting the breath
• Questions and answers / discussion.

Week 3: Working with Emotions

• What are emotions?
• Learning to feel emotions
• The RAIN method
• Non-judgement and acceptance
• Guided mindfulness meditation on feelings
• Question and answers / discussion.

Week 4: Radical Acceptance

• What it means to be present
• How wanting causes stress
• Developing wisdom and insight
• Authentic self-compassion
• Open awareness guided mindfulness meditation
• Question and answers / discussion
• Next steps.

“I am more open to life and what is going on around me. I feel more comfortable in myself… “

“I gained tools to help myself become aware of my feelings and how to deal with them…”

“I am learning how to step outside myself and re-assess before I react…”

“It’s ok to be you – with all the human failings and flaws…”

“I have a sense of emerging calm and strength…”

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Refund and Transfer Policy

• Full refunds are available up to one week before a course starts.
• Free transfers to other courses are available up to one week before a course starts.
• Once a course has started, full refunds are only available if you attend every class of the course and feel you have not got value. In this case you are entitled to and will be given a full refund.
• Refunds are not given if you do not attend every class of the course and if you simply ‘do not like’ the course or decide it ‘is not for you’.
• For more details about our refund and transfer policy, please read our FAQ.

How long is each weekly class and what happens?

Each class is one hour long. There will be a guided meditation for a period. This will include meditation instruction. After the meditation and instruction, there will be a talk or discussion. This includes a question and answer time.

Who is it suitable for?

This course is suitable for any of the following:

• 18-year-olds and over
• Beginners
• People who have never meditated or practised mindfulness before
• People who have just started meditating or practising mindfulness.

About Mindfulness Works

Mindfulness Works is one of the largest mindfulness training organisations in Australasia. Every month over 600 people attend the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course.

Mindfulness Works is committed to:

• Providing accessible and affordable mindfulness courses
• Offering a diverse range of experienced and skilled mindfulness trainers
• Providing courses in a practical format with exceptional supporting resources
• Improving the mental health of all of us and fostering self-love in all
• Supporting our facilitators with options for further professional development

About the Teachers

The approach by all Mindfulness Works teachers is straightforward, practical and heartfelt and directed towards you discovering your own innate wisdom and authentic experience.

Jan Rivers

Jan Rivers came to meditation about 20 years ago through a psychotherapy practice called Psychosynthesis and attended Psychosynthesis  institutes both in NZ and in the UK as a student.

Like mindfulness practice, Pyschosynthesis uses a modern understanding of psychology coupled with ideas about mindfulness that are ancient. Jan later used this training as part of a group of peers which met regularly for several years using meditation and other approaches as a way of addressing life’s big challenges.  Jan meditates regularly with groups  in Wellington and has attended numerous talks and full day retreats with a number of different teachers. Jan has found mindfulness and meditation to be a hugely positive and beneficial aspect of her  life and is keen to share the simple benefits of mindfulness meditation with others.

Lucy Schwabe

Lucy Schwabe has a bachelor of health science, is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher, qualified acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.

She has been practising Taiji since 1987 and meditation since 1995, and is passionate about mind-body interventions as a holistic approach to health and well-being.

Lucy started Wholistic Health Works in 1997, enjoys working with people in the community and offering mindfulness-based interventions for individuals and groups. Lucy’s website is www.wholistichealthworks.co.nz .

She is inspired by being in nature, is often seen practising taiji in the Wellington Botanic Garden and loves exploring the path of simplicity with others.

Martin Wilson

Martin Wilson is the principal of and a personal / leadership coach with Selfmade Coaching (selfmade.co.nz). He’s also an Associate for the Mental Health Foundation of NZ’s Working Well Programme.

Previously, Martin was a partner in a large commercial law firm and then established his own legal practice.

Juggling the challenges of being a busy lawyer, a parent and an over-thinking, over-achieving self, contributed to Martin’s first ‘foray’ into meditation 20 years ago. From there he developed a broader interest and participation in mindfulness work and related self-awareness growth practice, much of which he engages in as a coach.

His principal mindfulness / meditation experience comes from the Vipassana tradition and yet he is a keen explorer of other approaches.

Martin lives in Wellington, is married to Chris and has three younger adult children. Being in nature, travelling and growing self-awareness are his ‘things’.

Rachel Tobin

Rachel has been practising meditation for over 25 years and is  a qualified teacher in a varety of fields including the moving mindfulness practices of qi gong and Feldenkrais. She works individually with adults and children regarding the art of mindfulness,  teaches classes for children and regularly runs one-day and residential  mindfulness retreats.  She finds mindfulness practice invaluable for the cultivation of more ease, wellbeing and spontaneity.

Rachel lives in Paekakariki, on the lovely Kapiti Coast, has a cat called Brinny, and rides her bike, walks or dances as often as possible. Right now she is producing her first collection of poetry.

Christine Balzer-Gibbs

Christine has been a yoga and meditation practitioner and teacher for over 28 years. She studied with teachers in India and has a great love and connection to the spiritual culture there. In recent years Christine has deepened her meditation at silent mindfulness retreats and continues to develop and enjoy this daily practice.

Christine is a naturopath and kinesiologist and runs Lifesource Yoga and Naturopathic centre, a Health and Wellness Business in Upper Hutt. She is passionate about using her skills and experience in assisting people to reach their health and wellbeing goals and find inner happiness and peace.

She lives with her husband Eduard, on a property in the Akatarawa overlooking the river and enjoys nature walks, biking, swimming and learning about life. Christine also loves to travel and runs yoga and meditation retreats at home and in India and Bali.

Testimonials for the Introductory Course:

“The course was very relaxed and friendly, and full of useful practical advice that recognised the limits to time that everyone faces. Also I liked the mix of people attending, with a range of different reasons for being there.” — Rosie Cree

“Since doing this course, I have been sleeping much better, I feel much more in control of my emotions, I have enjoyed ‘noticing’ my own state, but also it has transferred to everything around. This means I am re-enjoying many things that I had been taking for granted.” — Sandy Good

“The course guidebook was a useful guide and very informative. I also enjoyed the formal practice and the way different strategies were explained.” — Linda Daniell