Workplace Wellbeing

Other people can be a big source of stress in our lives. Many of us have developed deeply ingrained reactivity habits and ways of dealing with interpersonal unpleasantness and conflict.

But we also have the ability to be aware and reflect, and because of this we have the option to cultivate wiser responses.

Session 5 - Befriending

This week we....

Practiced pausing and being present
Considered how difficulties can lead to a sequence of negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that add to our distress.
Considered how we might become more comfortable with all our experiences
Practised Sitting with Difficulty
Contemplated Rumi's 'The Guest House'.
Took a Compassionate Breathing Space
Practised the Befriending Meditation
Considered the benefits of Random Acts of Kindness
Got Creative together

Home Practice Suggestions

If you would like to continue practising some of the mindfulness meditation practices we shared during the session, and the last session, please read through suggestions below and click on the audio links. The session handout also provides some background information, and some hints and tips to support your home practice.

Scroll down to access the Guided Practice Recordings

Random Acts of Kindness

An integral aspect of mindfulness practice is the cultivation of a friendly attitude towards ourselves and others. One of the most powerful practices is simply to increase the number of kind and compassionate actions that we do each day. This could be:

•greeting someone with a smile

•send a thoughtful text message

•helping a colleague / family member with a difficult task

•offering someone a seat on the bus

•making your loved one a cup of tea

You might even experiment with offering kindness unconditionally - not expecting recognition or thanks.

Befriending Meditation

Befriending our experience involves turning towards it and holding it with kindness and care, even when it is unpleasant and painful. The Befriending Practice enables us to explore this when we use the phrases: Safe & Well; Peaceful; Ease and Kindness.

The befriending practice helps to cultivate intentions of good will to ourselves and others, building our capacity to meet our experience in new ways.

Compassionate Breathing Space

Adding gentle and compassionate words to the basic breathing space, enabling us to be friendly and supportive towards ourselves during challenging moments.

Mindful Movement

Practise some Mindful Stretches (10 minutes) followed by a Mindfulness of the Breath and Body Meditation (10 minutes).

There is also longer combined Stretch & Breath Practice (30 minutes) and a Mindful Movement Practice (floor-based yoga) for you to try if you have time.

Take a Breathing Space

To 'get into the habit', practise this 3 times a day, at set times that you have decided in advance. In addition, you might like to begin to take a Breathing Space at times when you notice that you are having difficulty staying present or when you are feeling stressed or thrown off balance to support you responding to these difficulties.

Tree Meditation

This week, we to explored the Tree Meditation, a practice that supports grounding in the present moment. With an upright and dignified posture, reminiscent of a tree's strong and beautiful, we embodied the tree's steadfast calm, openess and flexibility amidst the changing weather of life. You can try this any time you wish to ground and steady yourself.

Mindful Tea Drinking

Bringing mindfulness to simple activities like drinking tea trains us to direct attention consciously. By deliberately choosing to attend to an activity, we slow things down and let ourselves become aware of the process of paying attention and perhaps how little control we have of mind wandering. Try paying attention to making and drinking a cup of tea once a day. Click on the link below, or refer to youir handout, for guidance about this practice.

Pausing and Being Present - Mindfulness of Body and Breath

A short practice to help you to arrive in the present by pausing and noticing your experience.

Body Scan Practice

Reconnect with your body and your present moment experience whilst developing concentration, calm and flexibility of attention. You may begin to notice just how normal the chatterings and wanderings of the mind are. With curiosity and gentleness you can encourage the mind to return to your chosen focus.

Mountain Meditation

The Mountain Meditation is a practice that supports grounding in the present moment. With an upright and dignified posture, reminiscent of a mountain’s enduring presence, we embodied the mountain’s steadfast calm amidst the swirling winds and shifting clouds of life. You can try this any time you wish to ground and steady yourself.

Mindfulness of an Everyday Activity

Bring mindfulness into your daily life by choosing one routine activity in your daily life and make a deliberate effort to bring moment-to-moment awareness to that activity each time you do it. Possibilities include waking up in the morning, brushing your teeth, showering, drying your body, getting dressed, eating a meal or a snack, taking out the rubbish, shopping, and so forth. Just like during the raisin exercise, ‘zero in’ on knowing what you are doing as you are doing it. Notice body sensations, thoughts and feelings as they arise.

Five Finger Gratitude Practice

Bring to mind five things for which you are grateful, counting them on your fingers and opening to and savouring the sensations of gratitude in the body as best you can.

To find out more about why we begin with these practices, follow this link.

Practice Intentions

Session Notes