Brisbane (Brackenridge) – An Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation 4 Week Course

The Mindfulness Works exclusive 4-week introductory course provides you with an opportunity to experience the benefits of mindfulness. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COURSE? * 4 x classes  * 45-page guidebook * 4 week free gift subscription to the Calm premium mindfulness app * Weekly emails with extra articles and instructions * Downloadable guided mindfulness meditations for you to keep ABOUT MINDFULNESS WORKS Mindfulness Works is one of Australia's largest mindfulness training organisation. Every month over 600 people complete the Mindfulness Works introductory course across Australia and New Zealand. WHAT IS MINDFULNESS? Mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.” — Jon Kabat Zinn (Professor of Medicine Emeritus Stress Reduction Clinic and the Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine). Modern research about mindfulness and meditation [http://mindfulnessworks.co.nz/the-evidence-that-mindfulness-meditation-work/] shows that over time and with regular practice, mindfulness offers significant benefits to people including less stress, less anxiety, greater focus, calm and happiness. _“NEUROSCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND THAT MEDITATORS SHIFT THEIR BRAIN ACTIVITY TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CORTEX…THIS MENTAL SHIFT DECREASES THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS, MILD DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. …THE RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THE MEDITATORS SHOWED A PRONOUNCED SHIFT IN ACTIVITY TO THE LEFT FRONTAL LOBE. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE CALMER AND HAPPIER THAN BEFORE.” — PSYCHOLOGY TODAY [https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/the-benefits-meditation]_   THE BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION With regular practice and over time, mindfulness and meditation can offer the following benefits. * Reduced stress and anxiety * Improved sleeping patterns * Increased relaxation * Greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence * Deeper levels of self-acceptance and self-love IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE WITH CLINICAL OR SEVERE DEPRESSION Many studies show that with regular practice and over time (at least 8 weeks), mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety. However if you have severe or clinical depression, it is important that you receive specialist medical advice. For more information and support on depression and to get help, please visit: Beyond the Blue  [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/]https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ [https://www.beyondblue.org.au/]  Phone: 1300 22 4636 FULL 4-WEEK COURSE – DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS:  Give yourself the full experience of a 4-week course rather than just an introductory workshop or a shorter course. Mindfulness takes time to develop as a habit and a full 4-week course allows you to practise between classes; giving you a greater opportunity to experience the benefits of mindfulness for yourself in a real way. NO RISK MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE:  If you attend all the classes (complete the course) and don’t feel you have received any benefit, you are entitled to a full 100% money-back refund. You still get to keep all the course materials, downloadable guided meditations, workbook and app. EXCLUSIVE 45-PAGE GUIDEBOOK: Our exclusive 45-page professionally-designed Mindfulness Works guidebook is for you to keep. This includes weekly assignments, lots of articles and a reading list. FREE 4 WEEK GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO THE CALM PREMIUM MINDFULNESS APP:  All participants on courses  receive a free 4 week gift subscription to the full version of the award-winning Calm Mindfulness and Meditation App. PLUS get a 25% off the price of a 12 month subscription to Calm premium.  NO RELIGION. NO DOGMA. NO FUNNY POSITIONS:  This course is practical and fun with no religious elements at all. We sit in chairs, the language used is clear and modern. EXPERIENCED AND WELL-SUPPORTED TEACHERS:Receive guidance from experienced mindfulness teachers who have received our Mindfulness Works teacher training and partake in ongoing professional development. COURSE TOPICS: WEEK 1: WHAT IS MINDFULNESS AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? WEEK 2: MINDFULNESS AND THE THINKING MIND WEEK 3: MINDFULNESS AND EMOTIONS WEEK 4: MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION WHO IS THIS COURSE SUITABLE FOR? This course is suitable for absolute beginners who have no or very little mindfulness and meditation experience. This course is not suitable for children and is best for people aged 18+. YOUR COURSE FACILITATOR IS SOPHIE JAYAMAHA Sophie is a dedicated Mindfulness practitioner and a facilitator. With her firsthand experience in applying mindfulness to her own life situations, her passion is to empower people to live fulfilled lives. She is also a medical doctor and combines her medical knowledge and mindfulness skills in her teaching of how to apply mindfulness to improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing and quality of life. Sophie sees a huge need in educating mindfulness to improve people’s quality of life in all aspects. She has observed that medical treatment alone is not very effective in treating chronic pain, anxiety, depression and chronic diseases which she believes are caused by a person’s own lifestyle, attitude, beliefs and mindset; that these chronic diseases will not go away until we treat the underlying causes rooted in our minds.  In her experience seeing thousands of patients, Sophie has observed that lack of resilience in coping with life’s stresses leads to anxiety and depression as well as diseases in the body. Unmanaged stress also forces people to adopt unhealthy lifestyles causing weight gain and other chronic diseases. Inadequate recovery from stress causes biochemical and physiological changes in the body collectively known as stress response. As an anaesthesiologist, Sophie is familiar with the body’s response to stress, and she explains the scientific basis of the body becoming diseased when the mind is stressed. We do not pay attention to early warning signals that appear as discomforts in the mind and the body or even weight gain until a life-threatening disease such as cancer, diabetes, heart attack or stroke cripples us. Early warning signals are often suppressed by drugs and alcohol, as well as by the many distractions of busy lifestyles. She teaches MINDFULNESS PRACTICES TO ENHANCE MIND AND BODY AWARENESS AND TO REDUCE STRESS RESPONSE IN THE BODY BEFORE A PERSON BECOMES A VICTIM OF CHRONIC ILLNESS. She can assess a person’s stress and recovery levels during a mindfulness course using a heartbeat monitor. Her mission is to empower people with mindfulness skills to self-manage their own health to recover and reverse chronic diseases and live a better quality of life with fulfilment.   QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION: If you have questions or require more information:  Email: karen@mindfulnessworksaustralia.com Ring 1 800 138 119 Contact Form: Mindfulness Works website contact form [http://mindfulnessworksaustralia.com.au/contact/] TESTIMONIALS FOR THE MINDFULNESS WORKS INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION COURSE: _“Thank goodness I came across Mindfulness Works. I have learnt so much in a year and am the happiest, authentic and most content that I have ever been. By learning acceptance without judgement has been an eye opener for me. I’m continuing my journey of self-compassion and feel excited and hopeful for my future. But am grateful of the now and who I am today…” __– Rebecca Young_ _“The course was very relaxed and friendly, and full of useful practical advice that recognised the limits to time that everyone faces. Also I liked the mix of people attending, with a range of different reasons for being there.” _— Rosie Cree  _“Since doing this course, I have been sleeping much better, I feel much more in control of my emotions, I have enjoyed ‘noticing’ my own state, but also it has transferred to everything around. This means I am re-enjoying many things that I had been taking for granted.”  _— Sandy Good   FAQS   ARE THERE MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER THE EVENT? This course is for people 18 years of age and over.   WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO THE EVENT? Please bring comfortable, warm clothing. If you would like to sit on a cushion or stool, please bring this with you.   WHAT'S THE REFUND AND TRANFER POLICY? We offer full refunds or transfers up to one week before this course starts. If you attend all 4 classes of the course and feel you have not got value, you are entitled to a full refund. We do not offer refunds if you do not attend all 4 classes of the course.   DO I HAVE TO BRING MY PRINTED TICKET TO THE EVENT? No   IS IT OK IF THE NAME ON MY TICKET OR REGISTRATION DOESN'T MATCH THE PERSON WHO ATTENDS? Yes