Mindfulness Yoga
| Being Peace"If we are peaceful, if we are happy
we can blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace." From: "Being Peace" by Thich Naht Hahn | 
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Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World
Mindfulness gives you a simple yet powerful set of practices that you can incorporate into daily life to help you break the cycle of anxiety, stress, unhappiness and exhaustion. It helps promote a genuine joie de vivre; the kind of happiness that gets in to your bones and allows you to meet all that life throws at you with new courage. Mindful meditations and yoga can help you to live more fully in the present moment and to enjoy life again.
The Benefits of Mindfulness
A wealth of research has demonstrated that mindfulness can improve sleep, reduce physical pain, boost immune system functioning and increase relationship satisfaction.
Research has shown that mindfulness practice can help to decrease:
| Research has also shown that mindfulness practice can help to improve:
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Mindfulness Yoga Courses
Mindfulness Yoga Saturday
| Mindfulness Yoga Evening Class
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| Breathing and Smiling"Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is a wonderful moment. Calming, smiling, present moment, wonderful moment." Poem by Thich Nhat hahn | 
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Mindfulness Yoga Course Manual 2012
If you are doing one of my Mindfulness Yoga courses this year then I recommend that you get hold of this book: "Mindfulness a practical guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World" by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It's a simple, user friendly guide to Mindfulness practices. The accompanying CD will enable you to carry on your Mindfulness practice at home. The beauty of the CD is that quite a few of the meditations are only 8 minutes long, so even in the busiest of days they would be possible to fit one in (and those are the days that you need meditation most!). If you click on the book title above you can find out more on Amazon (other book sellers are available!). If you are only buying one book and you are new to Mindfulness then this is probably your best bet.
The book also has a website: www.franticworld.com
Here are some other books that you might enjoy:
The book also has a website: www.franticworld.com
Here are some other books that you might enjoy:
Books and CDs
"The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness" By Jon Kabat-Zinn + friends
You don't have to be depressed to get a lot out of this book. It's one of my favourite books on mindfulness. It is very simply written and clear. Also the CD with various mindfulness meditations on is excellent- so user friendly (it's worth buying this book just for the CD, I love Jon Kabat-Zinn's voice and I use this CD often).
"The Mindful Way Through Anxiety: Break free from Chronic Worry and Reclaim Your Life." Susan M. Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer
This book comes highly recommended. If like me you sometimes find that anxiety can be a problem, then read this book to find lots of good ideas on how to manage anxiety mindfully, and live life to the full. They also have a website with free downloads of the mindfulness exercises in the book: http://www.mindfulwaythroughanxietybook.com/Mindful_Way_book/Exercises.html The website is worth a visit I particularly like the "Mindfulness of Clouds and Sky Meditation". Don't be put off by the rather grating intro to the meditations, it soon changes to a lovely peaceful woman's voice that will soothe your anxious mind!
"Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy" by Rebecca Crane
If you already know a lot about mindfulness this would be a good book to consolidate your knowledge. I find it very helpful, however it wouldn't be the first book I would suggest on a newcomer's reading list.
"A Mindfulness-Based Sress Reduction Workbook" by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein
"Full Catastrophe Living:using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This is rightly so the bible of Mindfulness Stress Based Reduction therapies. If you are the sort of person (and I am) who doesn't mind working there way through a very thick book, then this might be the book for you. However, the "Mindful Way Through Depression" (see above) is a lot simpler and more user friendly and has an accompanying CD.
"Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"Insight Meditation Workbook" by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein
I really like the "Breath Meditation" on the accompanying CD. I personally don't mind the Buddhist perspective of the book, however if you were looking for a more secular approach this might not be the book for you. It also is probably more appropriate to those with some experience of meditation, rather than beginners.
"The Compassionate Mind" by Paul Gilbert
I love this book- definitely chicken soup (or veggie alternative!) for the soul! If (like me) you tend to be a bit hard on yourself, this is the book for you. Each page is soothing and calming and brimming over with compassion. Probably not for you if you are after a quick read.
"Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath, Body and Mind." by Frank Jude Boccio
I would recommend this book for those with some experience of yoga and mindfulness meditation. However, it wouldn't be a book I'd recommend to beginners. Again if you are the sort of person who pops a yoga book into their suitcase to take on holiday (me too!), this might be a good one for you.
http://mbct.co.uk/cd-set/
A set of 5 CDs used in the Oxford's MBCT programme
I really like the Body Scan meditation on this set of CDs
(Although I like this set of CDs I am now recommending in preference "Mindfulness a practical guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World." See box above:"Mindfulness Yoga Course Manual".)
"Loving Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness" By Sharon Salzberg
"The Miracle of Mindfulness" and "Being Peace" by Thich Nhat Hahn
Thich Nhat Hahn is an inspirational teacher and a wonderful role model of mindfulness in action.
You don't have to be depressed to get a lot out of this book. It's one of my favourite books on mindfulness. It is very simply written and clear. Also the CD with various mindfulness meditations on is excellent- so user friendly (it's worth buying this book just for the CD, I love Jon Kabat-Zinn's voice and I use this CD often).
"The Mindful Way Through Anxiety: Break free from Chronic Worry and Reclaim Your Life." Susan M. Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer
This book comes highly recommended. If like me you sometimes find that anxiety can be a problem, then read this book to find lots of good ideas on how to manage anxiety mindfully, and live life to the full. They also have a website with free downloads of the mindfulness exercises in the book: http://www.mindfulwaythroughanxietybook.com/Mindful_Way_book/Exercises.html The website is worth a visit I particularly like the "Mindfulness of Clouds and Sky Meditation". Don't be put off by the rather grating intro to the meditations, it soon changes to a lovely peaceful woman's voice that will soothe your anxious mind!
"Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy" by Rebecca Crane
If you already know a lot about mindfulness this would be a good book to consolidate your knowledge. I find it very helpful, however it wouldn't be the first book I would suggest on a newcomer's reading list.
"A Mindfulness-Based Sress Reduction Workbook" by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein
"Full Catastrophe Living:using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This is rightly so the bible of Mindfulness Stress Based Reduction therapies. If you are the sort of person (and I am) who doesn't mind working there way through a very thick book, then this might be the book for you. However, the "Mindful Way Through Depression" (see above) is a lot simpler and more user friendly and has an accompanying CD.
"Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"Insight Meditation Workbook" by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein
I really like the "Breath Meditation" on the accompanying CD. I personally don't mind the Buddhist perspective of the book, however if you were looking for a more secular approach this might not be the book for you. It also is probably more appropriate to those with some experience of meditation, rather than beginners.
"The Compassionate Mind" by Paul Gilbert
I love this book- definitely chicken soup (or veggie alternative!) for the soul! If (like me) you tend to be a bit hard on yourself, this is the book for you. Each page is soothing and calming and brimming over with compassion. Probably not for you if you are after a quick read.
"Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath, Body and Mind." by Frank Jude Boccio
I would recommend this book for those with some experience of yoga and mindfulness meditation. However, it wouldn't be a book I'd recommend to beginners. Again if you are the sort of person who pops a yoga book into their suitcase to take on holiday (me too!), this might be a good one for you.
http://mbct.co.uk/cd-set/
A set of 5 CDs used in the Oxford's MBCT programme
I really like the Body Scan meditation on this set of CDs
(Although I like this set of CDs I am now recommending in preference "Mindfulness a practical guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World." See box above:"Mindfulness Yoga Course Manual".)
"Loving Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness" By Sharon Salzberg
"The Miracle of Mindfulness" and "Being Peace" by Thich Nhat Hahn
Thich Nhat Hahn is an inspirational teacher and a wonderful role model of mindfulness in action.
Websites
http://www.bemindful.co.uk/
http://www.mindfulnet.org/index.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/meditation
http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/
http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/books.html
http://mbct.co.uk/cd-set/
http://www.mindfulwaythroughanxietybook.com/Mindful_Way_book/Exercises.html
Visit the mindfulwaythroughanxietybook website for free downloads of mindfulness meditations.
www.franticworld.com
Rumi Poem: Guest HouseThis being human is a guest house
Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they are a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honourably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. | 
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