There will be a day-long introduction to mindfulness in Esker Retreat Centre in Athenry this Saturday October 28.
If you are affected by stress, anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, mindfulness may offer the help you have been looking for. Much of our emotional distress involves thoughts, feelings, and fantasies about the past and the future. Ruminating endlessly over work, money, friends, family, and the state of the economy is futile. This type of fretting simply gives a false sense of being in control. In fact, mentally gnawing over problems actually results in more persistent and intense stress.
Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a particular way of relating to our experiences that allows us to become free of unnecessary entanglements and to live more fully in the present. It is a skill that can be learned. Mindfulness has been around for more than 2,000 years, and courses which teach it are springing up around the country. This is largely because a growing body of research shows that mindfulness can make a real difference to people's quality of life.
So how does it work? Mindfulness teaches us to pay attention to the present moment rather than fretting about the past or future. It helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, we are better able to manage them.
In this day-long course, you will learn how to calm your busy mind and free yourself from discursive thoughts, mental chatter, stress, and worries.
The day-long mindfulness course will be facilitated by Carmel Sheridan, psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher. For more information call 086 8185974. Pre-registration is essential.
