Clive Bennett’s guest post explores haiku as a mindful practice emphasizing present-moment awareness and nature. Originating from Japanese poetry, haiku captures fleeting experiences through structured form. Modern haiku celebrates simplicity and sensory language, inviting readers to reconnect with the world. The practice encourages observation, reflection, and emotional engagement with life’s beauty. Continue reading Haiku – A Mindful Practice
Personally I have used a few different browsers while surfing the internet and I am always looking out for a browser that can offer a better experience, whether that is one of greater security or a faster more user-friendly one. If I am honest, it would be good to have a browser that was more relaxing to use. While not wishing on AI to take over, I often get more stressed trying to navigate the interface, finding the ‘print’ or ‘download’ icon, or staring at the screen which shows screensavers that are dull and boring. Oh, how I wish for … Continue reading Mindful Browsing
Setting an intention for the day is a great habit to get into. I do this as part of my daily morning meditation. I also visualise what I would like to happen during my day. Being thankful for everything that I have experienced, even the negative ones, as they are life’s lessons to be learned from so as not to repeat them. Think of an important goal that you have for the day, anything at all, and focus on that goal. See it, by visualizing the goal and tell yourself how you are going to achieve what you set out … Continue reading Set an Intention
My favourite part of the day is the Morning, the earlier the better. It is usually anywhere from 6am to 7.30am, before the neighbourhood starts to get busy getting ready for their day ahead. There is a calm around my property, with the noise of the birds still singing their songs, and somehow the weather fronts feel far away; almost like there is a kind of bubble surrounding this particular part of my world. This feeling of security comes about through my daily practices of Meditation, two or three at different times of the day. I would like to share … Continue reading Morning routine
When we use a Focus Meditation, the object here is to concentrate on one object, for a short time, while immersing yourself in the experience. This helps give you a sense of calm, peace and for balance that can benefit your emotional well-being and your overall health This mediation invites you to tune into your environment by focusing on a simple object. You can use any object you wish. Perhaps an object close to you on your person, like a key, paper or phone? A Focus Meditation is a great exercise to learn. Do you have 2 minutes to … Continue reading Focused Meditation
The work I do every day makes a difference to others – mostly, I hope, for the better. Take a break from your routine and practice slowing down during this unique Guided Mindfulness Session. I was the first therapist to offer Mindfulness Walks in this part of the UK and many others continue to follow my lead in this field, which began around the start of the 2003. There is a difference having someone who is a highly qualified Psychotherapist and Counsellor by your side. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honours, in Psychology and Counselling, and I … Continue reading Mindfulness Walks
Personally, I used to find the experience of having a blood test quite uncomfortable, and at times found that the journey there could be unsettling to say the least. It has only been through using distraction techniques, like playing music or mindfulness meditation that have got me over the fear, and over time, it is became much easier. Blood tests at your medical practice can be quite uncomfortable to some, neither here nor there to others, but to around 20% of the population, a very nervy experience. It is the latter category that concerns me, and I include some suggestions … Continue reading Blood Test Phobia
“Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation and healing” – Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction comes under the umbrella of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBI’s) which are intended on helping people improve their health and wellbeing. Change Therapy delivers MBSR Certification courses – get in touch for more information, using this link. Intended to increase consciousness and encourage the connection between your body and mind, MBSR uses techniques that target negative subconscious thoughts, behaviours … Continue reading Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
It’s Not Happiness That Brings Us Gratitude, It’s Gratitude That Brings Us Happiness. If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed that the million who will not survive this week. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish, or moneybox somewhere, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you can attend a church meeting … Continue reading Gratitude
Working in collaboration with Get2gether, we arranged this month’s Mindfulness Walking therapy at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. There are two buildings, named Modern One and Modern Two. Both buildings are impressive examples of neo-classical architecture, with Modern One designed by William Burn in 1825, housing the independent school John Watson’s. Modern Two was designed by Thomas Hamilton in 1831 and was known as the Dean Orphanage in 1833, then became an educational college until 1999 We gathered in mid-afternoon under a warm sun and walked around the grounds with guidance on how to be mindful … Continue reading Modern Art Gallery
Amisfield Walled Garden was our destination for my Walk and Talk therapy for groups. The garden and grounds of are part of the Amisfield House Estate, with the mansion built by the Earl of Wemyss in the 1750s. The garden is tended to by volunteers with the charity Amisfield Preservation Trust and is open to the public. It is early morning, and the sun is out, with a soft glow that is neither warm nor inviting, yet the world always seems more cheerier with this great solar giant so prominent in the sky. It is the anticipation of when the … Continue reading Walk & Talk March 2023
Why not take 6 minutes out of your day, to try out some Mindful Breathing? Make yourself comfortable sitting or lying down, close your eyes and listen to my audio track. If you don’t have time right now, the contents of the audio go along these lines: When you breath air in, you feel and sense the oxygen entering your body, then you breath out the used air. This process of breathing is natural, and one we never really stop to think about. When was the last time you fully concentrated on your breathing? Breathe in through your nose and … Continue reading Breathing – Mindfully
A Mindfulness strategy called “Anchoring” can assist us in focusing our attention on the here and now. We may become unaware of our surroundings when we our feelings are overtaken by our emotions and thoughts. “Anchoring” involves pausing for a second to check in with ourselves. If you think of a boat that throws its anchor over the side, this stops the boat from floating away. Similarly with Mindfulness, we ‘Anchor our Awareness’, maintaining concentration on the present time. This is done by accepting these ‘other’ thoughts and allowing them to pass, and re-focus on our breathing. If we focus … Continue reading Anchoring
Following on from the last Mindfulness Walk in collaboration with Get2gether, we chose Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens as the ideal location for our Walk in September 2022. This fabulous place is very popular for locals and tourists alike, and has so much space to walk around in, with plenty of benches for the weary traveller too. The massive greenhouses that hold hundreds of species of plants from around the world were closed for maintenance when we visited, yet we found that everything around us in nature was plentiful and free. Some fortunate couples choose this location to get married at, and … Continue reading Botanic Gardens
We had a really nice summer this year, and with it the opportunity to get outside more than usual, as more people were mixing outdoors again. Working in collaboration with the well-known charity, Get2gether, I offer Mindfulness Walks in the Edinburgh area, and these have proved very successful. We have visited the beach at Portobello in June, and everyone really enjoyed a couple of hours of mindfulness meditation, talking, and meeting new people. The added bonus of a free ice-cream helped soothe the sore feet from walking too! The next Mindfulness Walk was arranged for mid August at The Thistle … Continue reading A quiet corner in the City
The term “mindfulness” refers to a compassionate and clear-headed awareness, or the awareness of what is occurring simultaneously in the external and internal worlds. The majority of us are more accustomed to its opposite: mindlessness, which refers to situations in which we are not fully aware of what is happening and are therefore more likely to make mistakes. In order to make informed decisions, mindfulness entails waking up and paying attention to the present moment. A specific method of being present in the moment is mindfulness. The mind is less prone to become ensnared in negative thought and emotion patterns … Continue reading Mindfulness
One of the most influential individuals to me and millions around the world, Thich Nhat Hanh, an Vietnamese Buddhist monk, has died at the age of 95. I thought that it was appropriate that I share a little about who he was and what he achieved throughout his life as his work and studies had a massive influence on my own learning of Mindfulness and how to apply this to everyday life. His Zen teaching organisation, Plum Village, said the monk “passed away peacefully” at the Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam on Saturday. A prolific author and peace activist, … Continue reading Thich Nhat Hanh
Recently I held a Mindfulness session at one of the most beautiful and serene places in Edinburgh, and it has had such an impact on many people, that I wanted to share this with you. Thankfully we arrived on a day where the weather was almost perfect, with a little frost underfoot, yet we were fortunate that the usual cold biting wind from the adjacent loch, was not present by late morning. The Secret Garden is formally known as Dr. Neil’s Garden, which lies next to Duddingston Kirk, built in 1124, at the foot of Arthurs Seat, which is an … Continue reading Secret Garden – Mindfulness
Gratitude Meditation – (Being Thankful) By taking a couple of minutes first thing in the morning when I wake, and then just before I retire for the night, I read the following gratitude statements. These help me to put life into perspective. Have a try and see for yourself? I am grateful for the air in my lungs. I am grateful for my heart that beats and keeps me alive. I am grateful for my senses that help me perceive the world. I am grateful for my comfortable bed. I am grateful for my clothes that protect me and keep … Continue reading Being Thankful
I thought I would share one of my Mindfulness Meditations. Close your eyes and ask someone to read this out to you for maximum benefit. Imagine you are a bright and beautiful caterpillar. You are full and resting on a leaf. You have eaten, explored, and ready for a rest. Now, take in a deep breath, and imagine yourself becoming more still. You feel calm and settled. Notice the gentle wind passing your body making you relax and feel sleepy. Your chrysalis is beginning to form and wraps around your body and you notice the sensation of being close to … Continue reading Transformation
Fed up with screen freezing or poor Internet connections? No closure at the end of a session? Missing the personal interaction? Eye contact is just not the same on Zoom or Facetime. Consider a socially distanced meet-up with me, and feel free to wear a mask too. Walk-and-talk therapy has also proven to be a stress reliever for people who don’t consider their home a safe space for online therapy — whether they can’t find enough privacy to feel comfortable opening up, or their family or partner disapproves of therapy, or someone they live with is the reason they’re seeking … Continue reading Online Therapy too stressful?
A friend of mine took up a new hobby to help cope with the boredom of being stuck indoors recently, and decided ontaking up landscape painting, something she always fancied doing. She shared with me that she was becoming very frustrated with making so many beginner’s mistakes. This had led her to consider giving up, on more than a few occasions. She confided that she would spend hours trying to capture some glorious view, only to realise that she hadn’t come anywhere near doing it any justice. This quest for perfection was eating away at her. I shared with my … Continue reading Ever Failed – Fail Better
A man had four sons. He wanted them to learn to judge things carefully, so he sent each of them on a quest to look at an apple tree far away. The first son left in the Winter. The second son left in the Spring. The third son left in the Summer. The fourth son left in the Autumn. After they all returned home , he asked his sons to describe what they had experienced. The first son said that the apple tree was ugly and twisted. The second son said the apple tree was covered with buds and full … Continue reading The Complete Picture
Body image is something that many people are concerned about and which has a negative effect on their Mental Health. Feelings of being low or depressed contribute to anxieties around their appearance, especially when out in the public domain. Finding clothes that change our outward appearance helps, yet it is inside that the greatest challenges are, which thousands of people have to face each day of their lives. Below are some suggestions which may help in coping with Body image: Practice Mindfulness – this involves breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help … Continue reading Body Image
In need of a quick shut-eye? Don’t ignore your body and take some time to re-energize throughout the day. Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep last night, or just feel lethargic and cannot be bothered. There are many positive reasons for finding some time during the day to have some ‘me-time’ by closing your eyes for a quick nap. Naps boost alertness and improve motor performance, which is why you should feel energized after taking one. The length of your nap determines the benefits. 10 minutes to 30 minutes, may make you feel groggy on waking, but your body will … Continue reading Have a Nap
Change Therapy – Ways to cope with anxiety during and after COVID-19 7 – Mindfulness Meditation Thinking back to what we have managed to do in such a short space of time, I would like to talk you through a short mindfulness meditation to help you sleep/rest, as your body adjusts to the changes in your new routine of waking at dawn. Going to bed at a time earlier than you are used to can be a challenge, however you will start to feel the benefits soon, and of top of this, your anxiety level will reduce too. If you … Continue reading Coping with Anxiety – Mindfulness Meditation
Change Therapy 