INTRODUCING MINDFULNESS COURSE
A 3-week structured course designed for anyone new to mindfulness.
Dates: Three Saturdays: September 7th, 14th and 21st
Time: 11 am - 12 pm
Course fee: £45
Location: CourtX, Eastern Parade, Southsea, PO4 9RF
Booking: Email Elisa at info@southcoastmindfulness.com or call 079 61 378 891.
Course Overview
Introducing Mindfulness (IM) is a three-week program developed by Oxford Mindfulness Foundation and designed for anyone interested in exploring key mindfulness themes to manage stress better and enhance wellbeing. The course is especially suitable for those new to mindfulness.
What you learn
The carefully structured program focuses each week on a different aspect of mindfulness and progressively builds on the knowledge and experience from the previous week:
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In this session, participants will learn about the mind's natural tendency to wander and how training our attention can lead to more conscious choices in directing our focus. This understanding can fundamentally transform our experience and perception of daily life.
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This session delves into various ways of experiencing and understanding the world around us. Participants will discover how thoughts shape our reality and learn to access alternative, more experiential and observational modes of cognition, ultimately supporting personal growth and flourishing over time.
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The final session emphasises the difference between reacting and responding, offering techniques to create space for making mindful choices. By exploring these concepts, participants can enhance their experiences and improve the overall quality of their lives.
How you learn
Introducing Mindfulness (IM) course will provide an introduction to mindfulness theory and practice. It will explore key themes to support you in both your professional and personal life. You will discover how to train your attention, learn different ways of ‘being’ and recognise the difference between ‘reacting’ and ‘responding’.
The sessions are group-based and involve a combination of teaching, mindfulness practices, trying out what is learned in everyday life, and discussion. You'll receive handouts and short mindfulness recordings to use at home and are encouraged to practise the session themes between our meetings.
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Attend 3 weekly sessions lasting one hour each week.
This is a structured course where each session builds upon what has been introduced before. This is why it is important to attend all the sessions
You will be in a group of up to 12 people, led by Elisa Riutta, a qualified and experienced mindfulness teacher
Each session will have guided and structured meditation practices. Many drawn from modern psychology
Each practice or exercise is followed by a review of what you and/or other participants experienced or discovered in that practice/exercise. This review does not include a discussion of participants’ past history
Each session is followed by suggestions for personal practice. This includes both recommended guided practices, and also ways to cultivate new habits of mindfulness in everyday life
Each session (except the first) includes a review of the previous week’s personal practice
You will have access to a web resource which gives you guided practices and written material to support each session.
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Mindfulness practice can be a gradual process for those with busy lives, as it encourages us to pause and attentively observe the present moment with care and interest.
Contrary to the common assumption of mindfulness as a relaxation technique, it can also reveal feelings of distraction, tiredness, sadness, or irritability, which is perfectly normal. In fact, mindfulness teaches us to recognize these states and develop adaptive responses.
Just like acquiring any new skill, experiencing the full benefits of mindfulness may take time. However, with perseverance and support from the course teacher, and keeping in mind that mindfulness is not primarily a relaxation method but a practice that fosters awareness and self-management, participants can experience numerous benefits.
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Despite the course comprising only 3 sessions, we hope you will start experiencing some of these benefits rather quickly:
A feeling of having more time and space in your day.
A heightened appreciation for life's pleasant and enjoyable aspects.
The capacity to support yourself during challenging moments like distractions, stress, or anxiety.
Improved clarity and compassion in your daily responses, aligning with your values.
Who is it for?
This course is designed for anyone interested in exploring some key mindfulness themes and practices in ways that might support them personally, in everyday life and work. It is suitable for you if:
You are new to mindfulness
You have tried mindfulness before – perhaps listened to an app or read a book – and you want to experience doing a course in a group led by an experienced teacher.
Introducing Mindfulness is an ideal entry point for acquiring mindfulness knowledge and practising essential skills to apply in everyday life. It's also a great choice if you wish to explore the key concepts of mindfulness within a relatively short timeframe before deciding whether you would benefit from a more comprehensive mindfulness program.
Where does the course lead you?
This is a stand-alone course designed to teach basic mindfulness skills for everyday life. The participants may continue practising independently utilising the meditation recordings provided, join a meditation group to support habits or register for a more in-depth course to develop skills further. Some may decide the learning from the Introducing Mindfulness has been sufficient for now, and that is absolutely fine.
Upon completing the Introducing Mindfulness course, participants may choose to deepen their understanding and experience by attending an in-depth mindfulness program such as an 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Course. While the introductory course is not a prerequisite, completing it will give you a strong foundation for further development in your mindfulness journey.
Terms and conditions
Terms of payment
The course is payable via bank transfer or PayPal.
Once I have received your course payment in full, your place in the course is confirmed.
If you cancel your booking more than 14 days before the course start date, you will receive a full refund deducted with a £5 administration fee. Cancellations within 14 days of the course start date are non-refundable.
Eligibility to join the course
Introducing Mindfulness (IM) course is a structured programme that builds on the previous week’s learnings. You are eligible to join the course if you can commit to attending all three sessions. Due to the nature of the course and the group cohesion, I regret that should you not make the first session, you will not be able to take the rest of the course this time. Depending on course availability, you will be offered a place in the next course.
You need to be over 18 years of age.
Please note that this course is not a treatment for specific physical or psychological conditions. Please do not sign up for this training if you are currently experiencing severe problems in these areas.