In automatic pilot mode, it is as if the body is doing one thing whilst the mind is doing something else.
We do not intend to be preoccupied, it simply happens.
Week 1 - Awareness & Automatic Pilot
This week we....
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Discussed and decided group ground rules
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Introduced ourselves to one another, and shared what we hoped to get out of the programme
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Practiced the 'Raisin Exercise'
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Practiced the Body Scan
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Discussed how we would make time for home practice and manage obstacles that might arise
Home Practice
Before starting this week's home practice, please read through the session notes by clicking on the notepad icon below. These notes will provide you with some background information, and some hints and tips to support your home practice. There is also a record sheet that you can print off to keep notes of your experiences of the practices.
This week's home practice:
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Body Scan Practice - Do the body scan exercise six times before we meet again. You can choose between the longer 40-minute body scan or the shorter 20-minute or 15-minute body scan. Don’t expect to feel anything in particular from doing the practice. In fact, give up all expectations about it. Just let your experience be your experience. Don’t judge it, just keep doing it, and we’ll talk about it next week. Record on the Home Practice Record Form each time you do the practice. Also, make a note of anything that comes up in the home practice so that we can talk about it at the next meeting.
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Mindfulness of a Routine Activity - Choose 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, just as we did in the raisin exercise. Possibilities include waking up in the morning, brushing your teeth, showering, drying your body, getting dressed, eating, driving, taking out the rubbish, shopping, and so forth. Simply zero in on knowing what you are doing as you are actually doing it
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Mindful Eating - Eat at least one meal “mindfully” in the way that you ate the raisin.
To find out more about why we begin with these practices, follow this link.
To access the audio files for the home practices:
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Click on the dark blue play button to listen to a male voice, or the light blue play button to listen to a female voice.
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If you wish to download the track, when the recording 'opens' on your screen, click the three dots to the side of the white play bar and select download to save a copy to your chosen device.