Four week Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course in the Greater Wellington area. Course includes four one-hour classes with an experienced mindfulness trainer, downloadable guided mindfulness meditations and a comprehensive 45-page digital guidebook.

“I am so glad I did the course and would recommend it to everyone.” — Rosie Smith

What is Mindfulness and Meditation?

Mindfulness is a simple and practical way to learn to observe our thoughts, rather than be trapped by them and worrying about the past or the future.

Meditation is sitting formally, focusing on our breath or body sensations. As we do this we experience greater ease and freedom. In all Mindfulness Works courses we sit in chairs.

“I feel calmer. I am able to use techniques when my triggers go off. Using the meditation at night has allowed me to get a better night’s sleep.” — Sue Mathew

“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

“I feel calmer. I am able to use techniques when my triggers go off. Using the meditation at night has allowed me to get a better night’s sleep.” — Sue Mathew

“Using mindfulness to help me better manage unrelenting anxiety, obsessive worrying & sadness. I have found that using the apps is helpful when having a stressful day, & I intend to keep practicing daily. Thank you.” — Cecily Wilson

“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and am the happiest, authentic and content I have ever been. 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

FREE 4 week subscription to CALM included.

Every participant on the Mindfulness Works Introduction to Mindfulness 4-Week Course receives a free 4-week gift subscription to the award-winning CALM mindfulness and meditation app (premium version). This app was the Apple app of the year for 2017.

Meditate Learn the life-changing skill of meditation.

Sleep Get more restful sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Masterclass Audio programs taught by world-renowned mindfulness experts.

No Religion. No funny positions. No dogma. This course is practical and non-religious.

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.

Course Outline

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
• Questions 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
• Questions 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
• Questions and answers / discussion
• Next steps.

“Am so glad I did the course and would recommend it to everyone. ” — Rosie Smith

“Huge reduction in anxiety, calmness of mind and body and empowerment over my symptoms.” — Jo Kirwan

“I feel calmer. I am able to use techniques when my triggers go off. Using the meditation at night has allowed me to get a better nights sleep” — Sue Mathew

“Using mindfulness to help me better manage unrelenting anxiety, obsessive worrying & sadness. I have found that using the apps is helpful when having a stressful day, & I intend to keep practicing daily. Thank you.” — Cecily Wilson

“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

LEARN FROM THE BEST

Mindfulness and Meditation teacher,
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.

Mindfulness and Meditation teacher,
Lucy Schwabe

Lucy Schwabe has a bachelor of health science, is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 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 wellbeing.

Lucy started Wholistic Health Works in 1997, enjoys working with people in the community and offering mindfulness-based interventions for individuals and groups.

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. Visit Lucy’s website here.

Mindfulness and Meditation teacher,
Martin Wilson

Martin Wilson is the principal of and a personal / leadership coach with Selfmade Coaching. 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’. Visit Martin’s website here.

Mindfulness and Meditation teacher,
Rachel Tobin

Rachel has been practising meditation for over 30 years and is a qualified teacher in a variety of fields including the moving mindfulness practices of qi gong and Feldenkrais. She is the director of the art of mindfulness, and works individually with adults and children, teaches mindfulness in organisations and to the public, and offers one-day and residential mindfulness retreats at beautiful retreat centres in and sometimes outside NZ. She also facilitates her mindfulness programme for children, Here in this Moment.

Rachel lives in Paekakariki, on the lovely Kapiti Coast. Mākaro Press has just published Say it Naked, her first collection of poetry, accompanied by life drawings. Visit Rachel’s website here.

Mindfulness Works is one of the largest mindfulness training organisations in Australasia. Over 25,000 people have attended the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation 4-week course throughout New Zealand and Australia.

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

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.