Madeleine Eames

- Psychotherapist
- Mindfulness Teacher

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on email
Share on linkedin

Mindfulness is only good if….

That’s right…you practice!  It’s like exercise. You can talk about it until the cows come home, but the cows will come home and you will see no change.

You don’t need to learn anymore, you don’t need to know anything special, you don’t need a special spot or place or time. You don’t need to be smart, healthy, young or relaxed. You don’t need to be able to meditate, you already can. You don’t need to empty your mind, that’s a myth. If you are alive and breathing you can do this. You just need to practice.  Mindfulness is 1% theory and 99% practice. Pattabhi Jois also said that about yoga 🙂

 

I have been to a lot of conference and workshops over my career and I have learned a lot. I have gained a lot of knowledge, facts, and useful information, tools and techniques. But unless I am a mindfully attuned, practicing therapist and yogi, it all means nothing. We need to be what we teach.  

 

Everyone has someone in their life who would benefit from mindfulness. But dragging them to a class or telling them to calm down… has it worked? Of course not because:

 

No-one in the history of being told to calm down and relax has ever calmed down and relaxed.  Am I right?

 

So, stop what you are doing. Pause. Take a deep breath. Now 2 or 3 more. Close your eyes (well, you can read ahead first) and without judgement, just notice:

How are you feeling?

How is your body today?

What is the feeling tone of your mind? Is it stressed and racing or at ease today? No judgement.

Breathe deeply. Feel into your body from your toes to your fingertips. Love this moment.

 

… and proceed from there. Have a wonderful day being you, in your body, breathing.

If you want more, try this short audio practice: It’s called the Three Minute Breathing Space but it’s actually 4 minutes: 

 

IMPORTANT: Mindfulness classes are changing from Thursdays to Tuesdays. There is NO class this Tuesday. We will break for a few weeks and then resume classes on Tuesday April 3rd. 12-1pm, Askews Community Room.

Warmly,

Madeleine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Madeleine's Most Recent Posts

The Dark Night of the Soul

When I awoke this morning the sun was streaming in my window at our small cabin. Outside, the leaves were gently falling from the giant chestnut tree, wave were lapping at the shore and I could see a slight breeze was blowing.  This time of year is magical for me.

Read More »

Moving Through the Stuck Places

You were never meant to get it right. Like there is a right to get. You are created to be here, to live and breathe here, to love and be loved, to suffer and experience joy. And to let go of all you have learned that you should be. What

Read More »

A New Kind of Anger

Most of the women I work with who are stuck in people-pleasing mode, have difficulty expressing, or even locating the emotion of anger.  There is a link. A very important one.  Seeing as anger is a life-force energy designed to protect and alert the system that something is wrong, not

Read More »

How Do You Age Gracefully When You’re So Angry?

You don’t, is the short answer.  First of all, the phrase “aging gracefully” just pisses me off. Why? Because it sends a message that women are supposed to age in smooth, flowing, ballet dancer style.  Not the stop-and-start, messy, sometimes scary and angry and often hilarious way we live.  Oh

Read More »

Subscribe For Peaceful Insights

Top Posts

Want To Know The Truth About Anxiety?

Madeleine’s Archived Posts