The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation

The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation We’re a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness.

We partner with the University of Oxford to develop programmes combining mindfulness and psychological science. We collaborate with a number of international organisations to achieve our vision of a world in which there is universal access to mindfulness and a greater understanding and acceptability of the impact of mindful behaviour.

What can mindfulness offer us in a world we can’t always change?On 15 October, Mark Williams and Danny Penman come toget...
02/10/2026

What can mindfulness offer us in a world we can’t always change?

On 15 October, Mark Williams and Danny Penman come together in Oxford to celebrate the refreshed edition of 'Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World', 15 years after its original publication.

They’ll explore why mindfulness became a mainstream phenomenon, its role in mental and physical health, and how it might help us navigate troubling times with hope, anticipation and even vigour.

Join us for this special evening of conversation and reflection in Oxford ✨

https://oxfordmindfulness.org/guest-talks/mindfulness-in-a-frantic-world-an-evening-with-the-authors-of-the-international-bestseller

25/09/2026

A gathering made special by the people who were part of it 💛

As we look back on this year’s UK Annual Gathering, we’re feeling incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed, shared ideas, asked questions, made connections and brought their presence to our time together.

Our community stretched far beyond those who could be with us in Oxford.

A huge thanks to everyone who shared photos, reflections and special moments on social media. For those of us following from elsewhere, you helped us feel part of the event too 🌍

And a special thank you to everyone who took time out during the event to speak to us on camera and share your experiences and reflections. We captured some wonderful conversations, and we’re really looking forward to sharing them with you in the weeks ahead.

For now, here're just a few moments from a very special few days.

Thanks to everyone who played a part in making this Gathering what is was 🙏

23/09/2026

Yesterday was Day 2 of our UK Gathering and we welcomed voices from across the mindfulness community and beyond to explore the relationship between mindfulness and Lifestyle Medicine.

Alongside inspiring talks from Ben Rein, Dr Dimitri Gavriloff, Christine Ramsey-Wade, Vladimir Zernin, Anshin Ashwood and Karen Liebenguth, we enjoyed poster presentations from the community, creative contributions from our live illustrator Tom McLean, countless conversations, introductions and moments of shared learning.

We captured reflections and insights from our community and will have plenty more to share soon! ✨

For now, here's a quick glimpse of a community coming together around a shared commitment to mindfulness, learning and well-being 💚

Before the conversations, the talks and the learning, we began our UK Annual Gathering by slowing down.Yesterday, member...
22/09/2026

Before the conversations, the talks and the learning, we began our UK Annual Gathering by slowing down.

Yesterday, members of our global community gathered for a Day of Practice led by Chris Cullen and Jake Dartington.

Through practice, silence, reflection and mindful walking, we took time to arrive fully, to connect with one another, and settle into the event ahead.

In a world that often asks us to move faster, mindful walking offers a simple invitation: to slow down and notice. This could be the sensation of the feet meeting the ground, the rhythm of movement or by noticing the sounds, sights and sensations that can often pass us by.

Perhaps today's reflection is this:

✨ What changes when we stop rushing from one moment to the next, and truly arrive where we are?

As our Gathering continues, we're grateful for these special moments with colleagues and friends from around the world.

🌿 Have you ever tried mindful walking? What did you notice?

It's Day 1 of our UK Annual Gathering and we're entering it with a gentle reminder from the weekend: learning happens wh...
21/09/2026

It's Day 1 of our UK Annual Gathering and we're entering it with a gentle reminder from the weekend: learning happens when we're willing to stay curious 🔍

Before the Gathering officially began, mindfulness teachers travelled from South Africa, Canada, Brazil, Slovenia, Romania and across the UK to join Trish Bartley at St Anne's College, University of Oxford, for a two-day workshop on 'Deepening Inquiry in the Mindfulness-based Group'.

Together they explored one of the most subtle aspects of mindfulness teaching: inquiry. Not simply asking questions, but creating the conditions for deeper awareness, reflection and discovery.

As one participant reflected:

"There was room to explore, practise, get things wrong, try again, and really examine what happens when we move beyond simply asking questions and begin to trust the process of inquiry."

Whether you're attending this year's Gathering in Oxford or following along from elsewhere, our gentle invitation today is to consider:

✨ Where in your own life could you approach things with a little more curiosity and a little less certainty?

We're looking forward to sharing more insights from the Gathering in the days ahead!

"I had no background in art..." 🎨Many people assume 'Mindfulness in Art' is only for artists, or for those who'd like to...
16/09/2026

"I had no background in art..." 🎨

Many people assume 'Mindfulness in Art' is only for artists, or for those who'd like to improve their creative skills or craft. However, many people can engage with art mindfully, whether or not they have any previous experience.

As one mindfulness teacher from a previous cohort shared:

"I had no background in art, yet the training gave me the confidence and courage to start exploring how I can work with art in my own mindfulness practice and professional setting."

'Mindfulness in Art' is really about slowing down, becoming curious and exploring new ways of engaging with experience through the senses. ✨

If you're curious about how you could integrate the arts into your teaching, in ways that deepen and expand mindfulness practice, we'd love you to come along to our Information Session on 30 September 2026.

Hosted by , Arts & Health consultant and founder of Mindfulness in Museums (MiM), the session will outline our upcoming specialist 'Mindfulness in Art' Branch Training, starting in October.

Register your place via the link in the comments 🔗

🔗

When was the last time you paused to *really* take something in? 🤔Children seem to pause quite naturally, becoming compl...
15/09/2026

When was the last time you paused to *really* take something in? 🤔

Children seem to pause quite naturally, becoming completely absorbed in the sound of rain against a window, the texture of a leaf, the colours in a picture, or the rhythm of a song.

They're not trying to get anywhere, they're just being curious about the world around them.

As adults, particularly in today's world, we often move from one thing to the next without taking time to fully appreciate our experiences and in doing so we can miss out on opportunities for reflection, emotional awareness and feeling more connected to ourselves and the wider world 🌏

For many people, engaging mindfully with art is a way to slow down and become more present. Whether that's spending a few moments with a piece of art, exploring colour or mark-making or bringing your attention to a gallery or cultural space and noticing what happens when you choose to slow down.

Rather than being about artistic skill, 'Mindfulness in Art' is an exploration through the senses which can open up insights which may otherwise remain hidden.

This October, we're delighted that will lead our specialist Branch Training: Mindfulness in Art for mindfulness teachers. Jolien will also be hosting an Information Session about the training on 30 September 2026 as well as an introductory workshop about Mindfulness in Art on 12 December 2026 which is open to all!

✨ For Oxford Mindfulness members, the introductory workshop is included in your membership - just enter your membership number on the registration form.

Join our Information Session here 👉https://oxfordmindfulness.org/course/information-session-branch-training-mindfulness-in-art-2

What does it feel like to attend the Oxford Mindfulness Annual Gathering?For Lingdan Wu who attended our 2025 event, it ...
27/08/2026

What does it feel like to attend the Oxford Mindfulness Annual Gathering?

For Lingdan Wu who attended our 2025 event, it felt like "coming home." 🩵

🗨️ "We breathed together, walked together, observed, sensed, and rested in quiet connection."

Her reflections capture the warmth of shared practice, inspiring conversations, thoughtful discussions, and the unique sense of belonging that emerges when practitioners, researchers, teachers, and clinicians come together.

If you’re thinking about joining us for this year’s Gathering, we hope her reflections offer a glimpse of the unexpected delights you can expect.

Read more over on our blog 👉 https://oxfordmindfulness.org/an-annual-gathering-participant-reflection-like-coming-home?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=annual_gathering_promo_sept2026

Finding ‘your people’ 🩵For many, the opportunity to connect in person with others who truly understand their work and in...
26/08/2026

Finding ‘your people’ 🩵

For many, the opportunity to connect in person with others who truly understand their work and interest in mindfulness is a rare and meaningful one. Here at Oxford Mindfulness, we feel privileged to be able to cultivate the conditions in which these connections can blossom and flourish.

While arriving alone at an event can feel daunting at first, for 2025 Annual Gathering participant Karin McLeod, familiar Zoom faces and like-minded strangers quickly became treasured in-person friendships.

🗨️ "I realised I needn't have worried. Of course, I knew people there. In fact, I had friends at the Gathering – I just hadn't realised it yet."

Read more of Karin's reflections over on our blog.

How do we sustain our mindfulness practice over time?It’s a challenge that arose again and again in a recent community s...
19/08/2026

How do we sustain our mindfulness practice over time?

It’s a challenge that arose again and again in a recent community survey.

Alongside it was another familiar theme: finding ways to bring mindfulness into everyday life.

Last week, we shared a reminder from Professor Mark Williams that resonated with many people in our community: sometimes we need to "let ourselves off the hook" when it comes to practice.

Perhaps many of us recognised something familiar in that message.

Mindfulness isn't another thing to achieve or get right.

Formal practice is an important part of cultivating mindfulness, but it's not the whole story. Mindfulness can also be found in the everyday moments of our lives: taking a mindful walk, listening fully to a friend, noticing the warmth of a cup of tea, or simply pausing to take a breath before responding.

One of the things we've learned at Oxford Mindfulness is that sustaining practice isn't always about trying harder. Often, it's about staying connected: to our intention, to our learning, and to other people who are exploring the same path.

That's one reason community is such an important part of what we do.

💬 We'd love to hear your reflections. What helps you stay connected to mindfulness when life gets busy?

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