8-week mindfulness and meditation course starting Friday 24 September 2-4pm at the Copleston Centre with a break in the half term week.
There will be 12 people per class and a few spaces are still going, with more courses to be introduced in the New Year for anyone interested. Email vicar@coplestoncentre.org.uk to register your interest.
The course will follow the pattern and structure of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre and London Mindfulness Project’s 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) courses.
This is the 5th time the Copleston Centre will run this course and Edward has really seen people take to it and it have a positive effect on their life. I spoke to Edward, who will be delivering the course, to find out more about what makes it so helpful and why he is keen to share with his community.
A mindful journey
Edwards journey into mindfulness and meditation started 3 years ago when the Diocese of Southwark offered 10 places on an intensive 3-day mindfulness and meditation course. He snapped up the opportunity and has continued to practice ever since.
‘It was absolutely amazing and wonderful. In 3 days it wasn’t possible to do more than dip my toes in the water so I took myself to the London Mindfulness Project and did the 8-week course myself. For me it opened up a new dimension to life and greater depth to spirituality.’
Effect on health and wellbeing
‘You learn to reconnect to your body and physical sensations, helping you connect to the physical world and not live in your head. Which can be a useful tool in time of immediate or ongoing stress.’
Meditation and mindfulness is secular (non-religious), however Edward felt this practice related to a common prayer from his Christian faith: ‘Give me the grace to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.’
'What we do when we have anxiety or pain we can’t control is we often just latch on to it and there is no space for anything else. By learning appropriate acceptance of things we cannot change we can open our mind space and our perception of the world so that anxiety or pain doesn’t dominate our life. This mind space can help you put your attention to practical solutions or aids, which can improve your situation enabling you to live a fuller life.
Previous students say they have used mindfulness to deal with difficult situations calmly, have felt a significant improvement in their mental wellbeing, they sleep better and can deal with long-term chronic pain better. Even passing the skills on to other members of their family:
“The course has really helped me, and my children are also benefitting from using some of the practices”. Course Student