Dear Meditation Friends – Happy New Year!
Welcome to the very first issue of my Meditation E-News! 2016 was a busy year for me, both as a teacher of Mindfulness Meditation and continuing my studies and professional development…
Some highlights in a year of many: in Bendigo, (regional Victoria, Australia) I had the pleasure of leading two beautiful Sunday morning sessions of ‘moving meditation’ with a lovely group of local women in a beautiful botanical park. I presented my workshop Mindfulness and Meditation at Work at The School of Life in Melbourne – an amazing space for learning and meeting lovely people!
And in Berlin I joined forces with MBSR Teacher Signe Glahn, to co-teach eight consecutive weeks of guided mediation drop-in sessions, meeting another brilliant group of people in the process. We called it ‘Open Your Heart‘.
Continuing my professional development, I completed a second module of MBSM Teacher Training at The Gawler Foundation in Australia, and also undertook Mindful Self-Compassion classes for the first time – both in a 10-week online course, and also in a 5-day MSC Intensive in Amsterdam. Incredibly challenging, and incredibly rewarding!
Pursuing this pathway further, in April I will undertake MSC Teacher Training. Of course paying clear, close and kind attention to our experience is important, but I believe that taking good care of ourselves and embodying self-compassion, is essential.
My aim is to be equipped to teach MSC in in addition to Mindfulness Meditation.
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ANNOUNCING SOME EXCITING EVENTS FOR BERLIN AND AUSTRALIA IN 2017!
“Thank you both so much for a lovely and inspiring day! Your gentleness and sensitivity made it a safe space for us all, and it was really beautiful to hear such authentic truths from everyone. It feels great to have self-care approved and encouraged. The day was a joy.” – Tatyana, 2016 Express Yourself participant
BERLIN | After the successful 2016 trial of the ‘Express Yourself‘ one-day mindfulness, movement, creativity and expression workshop, Grinberg Method Practitioner Hanna Nordqvist and I have announced two new dates for it in 2017: Saturday March 4 & Saturday May 13.
Earlybird bookings are now open for both dates, with a further discount if you bring a friend! Places are very limited (10 per workshop). Full details for the Express Yourself workshops are at this link with terms and conditions here. Registrations are by email.
We received very positive responses from the participants of our 2016 ‘beta’ workshop, for what was another rewarding professional collaboration! Hanna and I are very much looking forward to the new dates and meeting new participants. We have a growing community on Facebook and Berlin Meet Up, and we’re also looking into teaching the workshop in Amsterdam.
“Thank you for sharing your mindfulness knowledge with us. I have received more from the course than I thought possible. It’s the beginning of a profound change.” – Fiona, Open Your Heart meditation, 2016.
BERLIN | After a rewarding and warmhearted collaboration in 2016, Signe Glahn and I have decided to continue our teaching partnership into 2017.
On Sunday January 22, 2017, we are offering the Open Your Heart Day Retreat, a day of gentle reflection and guided meditation practices, both seated and moving. Held in a beautiful and tranquil setting in Kreuzberg, this is a unique opportunity to get in touch with the need for inner stillness and reflection we all carry, but often don’t make the time for.
Tickets are at the special introductory price of 35€. Again, places are extremely limited (10 only). Registrations are by email. Full details are at this link, with terms and conditions here. Consider joining our communities on Facebook and Berlin Meet Up. Start the New Year off with a ‘pause’ instead of the craziness we’ve become accustomed to!
“Resonating. Reaffirming. Educational. Mind Opening. Healing. Thank you.” – TSOL workshop participant, Melbourne, 2016
BERLIN | On Saturday March 11, 2017, I’ll be presenting (in English) my workshop Mindfulness & Meditation At Work at The School of Life Berlin, at their lovely room in Prenzlauerberg.
Tickets for this 4-hour workshop are on sale now, with TSOL Berlin offering discount rates for early bookings up to five weeks ahead. It pays to register early!
AUSTRALIA | I will also run this workshop at The School of Life in Australia, firstly in Sydney on Wednesday 12th April at 6.00pm, and again in Melbourne on Saturday April 15 from 10.00am. Tickets for both dates will go on sale very soon on their respective websites (Sydney, Melbourne). The event sold out extremely quickly when I presented it in Melbourne in April 2016.
The workshop received a very high participant feedback rating and excellent testimonials. It is a joyful and special experience teaching this workshop at The School of Life – a fantastic place to listen and learn, both as a participant and and as a teacher!
BENDIGO | Watch this space for more meditation events in Bendigo, Australia, March-April!
“I believe that meditation and mindfulness are the next big public health revolution.” – Dan Harris
Around this time last year I gave an interview to betahaus co-working space in Berlin about why I thought mindfulness and meditation could be of such benefit in the workplace. The post also includes a link to Dan Harris and Katy Davis‘s gorgeous wee animation, “Why Mindfulness Is A Superpower” (above) – I seriously love it! And agree!
Next to its specific application to creativity, mindfulness practice in the workplace – both formally and informally – is a particular interest of mine. The online Q&A is also very relevant to the workshop I’ll be presenting at The School of Life in Germany and Australia.
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Please feel free to get in touch if you have any further queries about these events – and also to share them with anyone you think might benefit from these programs.
Let’s make 2017 a year filled with kindness, care and compassion – for ourselves, loved ones, and strangers.
