Mindfulness

mindfulness as a word has some new-age stigma - that's why I called this section "wellbeing"

it's really good for you so i made a section here on what it is and how u can try it

What is mindfulness?

ever been told to "be mindful of the time"? mindfulness = awareness. when ppl talk about mindfulness, they're talking about learning to be aware.

while the practice has spiritual roots, it can be secular

mindfulness isn't about being "grateful" for everything. it's about noticing what is going on in your body and mind.

How does that work?

mindfulness can't change our circumstances, but helps us to slow down and introspect. the more we practice noticing, the more our brain perceives our experiences of pain, anxiety, planning and threat differently. life actually begins to feel different.

Benefits

studies show mindfulness alters your actual brain structure, and reduces inflammation in your body. there's evidence following an 8-week course can reduce anxiety, panic attacks, low attention span, and food cravings. it seems to help with addiction, as well as decreasing depression, insomnia, and chronic pain

idk, it's not a miracle cure, but considering its just a technique of your mind (!!!) i think it's really cool.

Precautions

for some, the introspecting is a scary idea. teachers should be cautious and progress gently. the best practice is the one that works for you.

if you are doing mindfulness online, in person, or just from recordings, consider if the class is trauma-sensiive, disability aware, and whether the teacher can speak with you before/between sessions

some basic ideas that may be of some help:

• if ur worried about difficult thoughts or traumas, consider mindful movement. there are classes/courses for it specifically, or you could try qigong, taichi, or yoga.
• if ur dealing with loneliness, in-person meetings may be of particular help - being around people really provides specific nourishment.
• if ur using recordings, start with little practices you can do during the day, sometimes called habit releasers; e.g., notice how you feel while doing dishes or laundry (e.g., sight, touch, smells, any tension in the body, ur mood). there are apps (on the app store, or f-droid) that can send you gentle reminders
• if u need help asap, can't get outside and are struggling, online courses are easy to access
• try grounding techniques (5 things u can touch, 4 things u can see, 3 things u can hear, 2 things u can smell, 1 thing u can touch)

Resources

organisations all over the world offer mindfulness courses, some cheaply or even for free. in the UK, i recommend BAMBA-certified organisations (these are orgs certified to teach new mindfulness teachers).

globally this list shows teachers and orgs certified by MSBR.

though i'd recommend going to a course in person/online, or a short session in person, if these aren't accessible to u, consider some short recordings online

• Meditations by Colette Power
• BSL meditations for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
• Meditations by Mark Williams. I've done these first few meditations many times now. They seem very similar to meditations by the University of Bangor (for whatever reason).
• More meditations by Mark Williams. Some of these seem slightly intense (I wouldn't start here for a couple months of doing meditation regularly IMO).
• Meditations by Tara Brach. Her meditations are more spiritual, and aesthetically give me yoni egg energy (!!) but if you can get past that, they offer specific help for those working with trauma.
• Weekly meditations by Vidyamala Burch. These are aimed at those who have meditated before.

Tips

• avoid AI. by its nature it cannot be trauma-sensitive.
• do seek out your niche - there are meditations for many different groups - from eczema sufferers to amputees, as well as things like meditations by and for POC etc.
• if ur spiritual, and ur spirituality has practices that are inherently mindful, try them out.
• ppl love the insight timer app, and headspace (i've done some, they seem OK) - be wary of profit driven organisations like these, as there's often not a lot of transparency about whether someone is trained, or who by.
• i avoid meditations by jon kabat-zinn: he's taught groups on american bases and i see this as disrespectful to the buddhist teachers that entrusted him with this knowledge
• email ppl a lot and ask what's available for free/bursary rates, any upcoming events, etc.. these courses are usually charity run and ppl will direct you to available resources they know of.