What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a natural, cultivatable cognitive skill that is characterised by noticing present moment thoughts and feelings and physical sensations. Introduced into medicine thirty years ago by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, mindfulness has become a successful mainstream influence in medicine, psychology, corporate training, and now education. There are many definitions of what Mindfulness is. In short, it can be described as; ‘to purposefully pay attention the present moment’. Mindfulness can be applied to sensory experience, thought and emotions by noticing what is occurring and with kindness and curiosity and ‘turning towards’ whatever arises in us instead of ignoring or ‘turning away’ from thoughts, ( in the hope ignoring what isn’t pleasant will disappear) memories or feelings that are uncomfortable to face.
When you begin to practice Mindfulness you turning the spotlight of attention on your thinking process’ and learning to observe your thoughts rather than become your thoughts ( fuse with your thoughts) and become entrapped. Mindfulness trains us to become aware of the incessant, often turbulent mind and by putting our attention on physical sensations ( instead of constant thinking) such as breath we can access a place of calmness within.
When we begin to inquire into our own inner experience as it arises, minute by minute, we are better able to uncover patterns of thinking, behaving and reacting that keep us stuck. We learn to recognize this ‘stuckness’ and re-orientate our attention.
Practicing Mindfulness allows us to step back, take a pause and observe with patience, curiosity and acceptance rather than judgment and wanting a different outcome to what is.
In our fast paced, often over stimulated lives, filled minute by minute with ‘doing’ something, practicing Mindfulness can be rejuvenating and restorative. We discover whole new strengths within ourselves that we previously covered over with ‘business.’ We begin to access a gentler way of being with less anxiety and over-thinking and we become calmer, less reactive and more present in our own lives.
What Does it Do?
The aim of Mindfulness is:
- To be present and aware in the moment
- To create psychological flexibility and resiliance
- To defuse from thinking-patterns that keep us trapped
- To live by our core values
- To be in contact with our observing self
- Better sleep quality
- Improved mental and physical well-being
Please contact us if you have any questions or requests.
You can also Call or TXT 021 238 7799
Who we are
Rita Riccola is the director of Mindful NZ Schools and Mindfulness Education . She has been practising mindfulness for over 25 years and has attended a number of mindfulness retreats and seminars. She has also completed the Certificate Course with Mindful Schools (USA). Rita is also a registered NZ Teacher with many years classroom experience in a number of Auckland schools . LEARN MORE
Want To Learn More About Mindfulness?
Contact us to learn more about our Mindfulness teacher programmes and beginners classes.
Welcome to Mindful NZ Schools
Please take a few minutes to learn about our Beginners classes, Workshops and Mindfulness for Children Programmes.
Mindfulness After School Classes
At the Mindfulness for Children classes we learn how to pay attention using fun and easy to follow exercises that children of all ages can understand and enjoy. The classes are Classes are held at the Grey Lynn Community Centre in Auckland Mondays 4-5pm- all ages welcome. Classes are approximately 30 minutes and parents are welcome for free. Here are some of the things we do:- Breathing techniques
- Listening exercises
- Body scanning
- Mindful body practices
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Mindfulness for Children Classes at the Grey Lynn Community Centre with teacher Rita Riccola (Registered NZ Trained Teacher)
Weekly Classes in Grey Lynn, Auckland
Mondays 4-5pm- all ages welcome
COST: $10 per class (parents free)
Register Here
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Mindfulness After School Programme
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One of the greatest challenges for teachers and educators today is increasing behavioural problems in the classroom. Often those issues can be modified with the introduction of simple mindfulness practices such as:
- Breathing techniques
- Listening exercises
- Body scanning
- Mindful body practices
“Suspensions at our school dropped from 14 last year to 6 this year. We attribute this to the mindfulness programme.”
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Introducing Mindfulness to New Zealand Schools
Mindfulness has a great potential for positively impacting on the learning and wellbeing of children and young people in education settings
CONTACT US FOR A FREE PRESENTATION AT YOUR SCHOOL
Live
Learning to stay in the present. Mindfulness is the practise of paying attention to your experience in the present moment and observing your thoughts and reactions without judgement. Evidence based results from around the world continue to show that the regular practise of Mindfulness has ongoing benefits for physical and mental health. LEARN MOREGive
“Teaching Mindfulness to school children is fast growing momentum as the benefits become evident”. (New Zealand Mental Health Foundation) Mindfulness Education is Bringing Mindfulness to New Zealand Schools and Pre School Children. For more information on current projects and to start a programme in your school CONTACT US
Grow
Google, eBay, and Intel offer classes on it. So do Harvard Business School. Mindfulness is not just a corporate trend, but a proven method for success. Proven benefits from regular mindfulness practise are:- Reduced stress
- Improved decision making skills
- Improved work relations
Focus on Mindfulness
The Feb 3rd issue of Time Magazine focuses on mindfulness, the far-reaching effect it is having in all walks of life, and on Jon Kabat-Zinn, who brought mindfulness to hospitals and clinics, through his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
“People come with a huge amount of pain and suffering, both physical and emotional,” says Kabat-Zinn in our Award Winning book, Be The Change. “Through the cultivation of mindfulness, they develop a more functional relationship with that suffering, they turn towards it, open to it, and actually befriend it to a degree rather than insisting that it stop, and in the process, the pain often transforms or even falls away… For the most part, they will tell you that they are more in touch with their own beauty than they may have been since they were children.”
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Want To Learn More?
Contact us to learn more about getting a Mindfulness programme to your business, school or community.