$145 FOR A FULL 4-WEEK COURSE INCLUDING 4 CLASSES WITH AN EXPERIENCED MINDFULNESS TRAINER, THE MINDFULNESS APP AND 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 practise mindfulness, your 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

BOOK HERE | COURSE LOCATIONS | ALL COURSES ARE $145

“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

FREE 4-WEEK GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO THE CALM PREMIUM APP INCLUDED WITH THIS COURSE FROM 2019

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.

25% DISCOUNT ON PREMIUM VERSION 12 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION

At the completion of the 4-week gift subscription to the Calm premium app, you will have the option (opt in) to subscribe to the premium version for 12 months at a discount of 25%.

• 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 wellbeing.

• Time out for you and your own wellbeing 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 practising mindfulness after the course finishes 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 their lives. 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

YOUR FACILITATORS

Lynne van Bilsen

Lynne van Bilsen is a British trained cognitive behaviour therapist from 1979. When her professional organisation began promoting training workshops, she immediately signed up. She has done this for the last 12 years but prior to this, had the opportunity to complete a month-long course at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. The main focus, however, has always been teaching the 8-week Mindfulness Stress Reduction programme created by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, initially for pain management.

Lynne’s interest in mindfulness came through reading the work of Prof. Mark Williams who along with others, developed the use of mindful practice for severely depressed people. She has seen the benefits of this as a relapse prevention strategy in her own CBT practice.

Lynne returned to NZ five years ago and has continued using her CBT skills, firstly in community mental health in the Coromandel and more recently as a Health Improvement Practitioner at Invercargill Medical Centre.
Lynne also works privately as a CBT therapist.
Lynne@cbt-partnership.org

Tammy Magness

Tammy is a yoga practitioner with nearly two decades of study, teaching and practice. Considering yoga as a mindful movement practice, the step towards mindfulness meditation was inevitable. Formal mindfulness practice and study began 4 years ago. Tammy continues to receive mentorship through Natasha Rix of the Mindfulness Education Group and is a Pause, Breathe, Smile facilitator.

Tammy is fortunate to live in Fiordland with her husband and two sons. She takes every opportunity to get out into the rugged beauty in her backyard.

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