Katie Sheen Mindfulness Teacher and Speaker

Many thanks to the wonderful Joanne Hill of Amaranth for hosting our sold out ‘Tears Become Rain’ book launch event on Wednesday, and to the 22 lovely people who made it such a special evening 🥰

It was an emotional experience to read out my short story in front of so many precious friends, as well as the new friends who I met for the first time that evening 🤗

If you’d like to join me for the global online launch on October 10th, it would be wonderful to welcome you at either 6pm or midnight UK time. Links to register for free & more info about the book @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/publications/tears-become-rain/

… or order your copy now at all good bookstores or Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tears-Become-Rain-Transformation-Inspired/dp/1952692628/

🙏Parallax Press

Every first Sunday of the month, Plum Village UK offers a Morning of Mindfulness that has offered me invaluable information & inspiration over the years. I am therefore hugely honoured to be the guest this Sunday 1st October.

The theme is Mindfulness in the Midst of Cancer - how can our practice support us during a health crisis?

When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 I found solace, wisdom, support and practical guidance in the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the presence of my Sangha (a mindfulness practice group in the Plum Village tradition)

My account of those first few moments of diagnosis now forms one of 32 short stories of healing and transformation inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh in a new book, ‘Tears Become Rain’. Already available for pre-order, it will be published on Oct 10th by Parallax Press & distributed by Penguin Random House with all proceeds going to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.

For more information & details of how to register for the Mindful Morning, please visit Plum Village UK website Events page https://plumvillage.uk/event/mindful-morning-mindfulness-in-the-midst-of-cancer/

To pre-order the book, please visit your favourite bookstore, online or in person - if it's Amazon, here is the link! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1952692628/

Thank you x
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Very excited to see our first review ~ many thanks to Kait Carson for her wonderful words 🙏
It’s not too late to join me for the launch event at Amaranth in Bramhall on Weds 27th September, 7:30 - 9pm, if you live nearby 🙂

All the info 👉 https://www.soulnutrition.org/events/book-launch-at-amaranth-bramhall-cheshire/

… or to pre-order online at all the usual outlets such as @ https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/tears-become-rain-stories-of-transformation-and-healing-inspired-by-thich-nhat-hanh-jeanine-cogan/7509964?ean=9781952692628

Many thanks to Amaranth in Bramhall for inviting me into their beautiful space for this pre-publication event of ‘Tears Become Rain’ 🌦️The book contains 32 stories of transformation & healing from people in 16 countries, all of us inspired by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s mindfulness teachings.
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As the only UK based contributing author of ‘Tears Become Rain’ I will share my published short story of how I used mindfulness to cope with the moments when I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. Led by any questions you may have, I will then offer an informal talk about the many other ways that mindfulness helped me throughout my treatment and recovery.
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The event is 7:30 – 9pm on Wednesday 27th Sept: tickets are @ https://amaranth-wellbeing.com/products/tears-become-rain-launch-event-with-author-katie-sheen
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All proceeds from book sales are donated to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation in memory of this globally renowned Buddhist monk & peace activist, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King for his work during the Vietnam War.
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‘Tears Become Rain’ will be published by Parallax Press on 10th October 2023, and distributed by Penguin Random House. Your ticket price of £10 for this event is fully redeemable against the cost of the book should you wish to purchase it from our local independent bookstore simply books in Bramhall, and the forms for pre-order that include your £10 redeemable ticket cost will be available at the event.
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If you are unable to make the event but would like to pre-order a copy of the book, you can do so with Simply Books at https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/tears-become-rain-stories-of-transformation-and-healing-inspired-by-thich-nhat-hanh-jeanine-cogan/7509964?ean=9781952692628 or through any other bookstore 🙂
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Event tickets are available from Amaranth @ https://amaranth-wellbeing.com/products/tears-become-rain-launch-event-with-author-katie-sheen
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It would be wonderful to see you there!
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I am honoured to be one of the 32 contributing authors for ‘Tears Become Rain’, published by & distributed by
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My story is the account of the moments when I was first diagnosed with cancer, and how mindfulness instinctively helped me to manage my strong emotional responses
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The book began life back in July 2019 with a global invitation to mindfulness practitioners from the editors, asking us to submit first-person short stories of how we were touched, moved, and inspired by the mindfulness teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh, and of course hundreds of us responded. This book is the result of the tireless work of Jeanine and Mary in bringing some of those stories together into one book, to represent themes experienced by the whole community
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I am deeply grateful for their decision to include me, to represent in some small way everyone who has experienced similar moments of life-changing significance
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All proceeds from the book sales will be donated to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation , to enable his teachings to continue beautifully into the future
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Available now for pre-order from all major booksellers: links to order & more info can be found via https://www.soulnutrition.org/events/book-publication-day-tears-become-rain/
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Happy memories shared by Plum Village UK of our retreat in Hebden Bridge, featuring a beautiful poem from Judith, one of the lovely people who joined us for the weekend.

I'm looking forward to attending a week long Educators' Retreat in Plum Village France in August this year too 🙂 Feeling very grateful for all that I learn from this wonderful mindfulness tradition 🙏

What a delight to talk to the wonderful .chick on the podcast about how mindfulness can help with making nutritional changes, & how nutritional support can help us become more settled & mindful: “It’s a fascinating two-way street we can offer people.”
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I also share how mindfulness & self-compassion helped me deal with my cancer diagnosis, treatment & recovery, as I also share in the forthcoming book :
“…and what was amazing was that in that moment I thought: My poor body… my poor body… I can see how much it’s suffering. And again, what a gift to be able to switch immediately into compassion, rather than fear – and there definitely was fear, I’m not going to pretend there wasn’t fear, there was fear as well, but the fear wasn’t of my own body. And that was one of those doorways for me into really taking care of myself.”
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Themes include deep listening, compassionate speech, how to become more self-aware & use that to show kindness & care to ourselves
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Links to listen @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/publications/how-mindfulness-can-support-our-clinical-practice-podcast/ or just search for the IHCAN Magazine Podcast on your usual listening platform
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It was another wonderful Creative Week led by Pippa Jennings on Friday. This time we were exploring the Breathworks Mindfulness concept of “Sustainers & Drainers” - what brings you joy & energy, compared to what drains your mood & energy?
Can you adjust the way that you engage with these, to make each day more enjoyable & hence build resilience?

Here you can see our lists of sustainers to remind ourselves of what to prioritise & enjoy 😊

Just bringing our mindful awareness to these aspects of life can help us discover small changes we can make to support ourselves through the ups & downs of both physical & mental health.

If you enjoy exploring ideas through creative activities do join us 🤗
Creative Weeks are once a month: dates & booking @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/event-directory/ 🙂

Neat little summary of mindful eating 🍏
- a short video from the Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health, based at Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in Boston, US



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Mindful Eating Mindful eating starts with being conscious of every bite you take. But it's so much more. Learn how to practice mindful eating for your own health, as well a...

Many thanks for publishing this little article on Mindful Walking
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Mindfulness shouldn’t feel separate from the rest of life, so as we walk (or roll along in a wheelchair) we can take great pleasure in the sensations of movement
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Movement can be external; sensations of breeze, sunshine, rain on our skin; the sounds, sights & aromas of nature or city life; familiarity of home; or newness of a visit somewhere
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Internally we can feel our body breathing; muscles moving; heart beating; the ebb & flow of thoughts & emotions
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By tuning in to the rhythm of movement we can slowly settle, our breath becoming steadier & calmer, and our mind gradually following too. 👣😌👣
Photos are of woodland walking in Hebden Bridge with Sister Presence & Sister Joyful Meditation from Plum Village, France, on a recent retreat ~ a wonderful opportunity to practice together
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Many thanks Bramhall Post & Cheadle Post for regularly featuring mindfulness in your wellbeing pages
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For anyone in our local area who would like to explore some of these ideas more deeply, we have a Mindfulness for Wellbeing Meditation Group that meets in Cheadle Hulme from 12-1pm every Friday
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We even have the lovely Pippa Jennings leading us in a mindful creative session once a month
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👉 details of all classes @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/event-directory/
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Another wonderful Friday! If you live near Cheadle Hulme in South Manchester it would be great to welcome you to our regular weekly class, 12-1pm
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We are a friendly, relaxed group that you are welcome to join at any point of the year. Together, the classes interweave to gradually build a broad range of mindfulness practices to support you on your path to a calmer, happier life
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The format of our hour together is:
😌Brief settling meditation
🙂Teaching element
🪑Seated meditation
🚶‍♀️Walking meditation

If you prefer, you are welcome to lie down for the seated and/or walking meditations: in this case, please bring a mat and blanket with you
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We welcome complete beginners as well as more experienced mindfulness practitioners, your first class is free, and there are concessionary rates available – if you have any queries at all please contact me prior to the class for a no-obligation chat
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I look forward to seeing you soon!

[email protected]
https://www.soulnutrition.org/events
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Reflecting back on the learning from last weekend’s Plum Village retreat: I loved this simple anagram in the first photo, but of course there was learning in every Dharma talk by the monastics, each mindful walk in those beautiful Hebden Bridge woods, and every interaction with each person who was there
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By taking time out of our busy lives to slow down, be silent, to listen to ourselves and others, insights arise that show us how to take care of whatever we find and hence discover a happier way to live
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This was challenging as I was part of the organising team, so we had to find a path of “peaceful busy-ness,” caring for others as well as ourselves whilst getting everything done. Oh hang on, that’s just everyday life isn’t it? So nothing special, just countless opportunities to practice mindfulness in every moment. Our practice is not separate. So that was another learning point in action!
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Lucy and I recorded this podcast a couple of weeks ago, but have also just spent the weekend together at the Plum Village retreat in Hebden Bridge, exploring the theme “Living with Compassion and Freedom.”The monastics from Plum Village France who are currently on tour in the UK were as inspirational as always ~ it’s such an honour to be taught by them in person (along with over 80 others!)
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Lucy and I met on our Advanced Teacher Training Module at Breathworks in Manchester, and both attend local Sanghas - weekly mindfulness practice groups in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
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In Lucy’s new podcast we chat about how we use mindfulness in our daily lives to manage the difficult emotions that arise, particularly around grief, but also how we nourish our happiness and treasure the daily moments of joy that we’ve learned to notice more often
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To listen, search for “Holding Space Episode 2” on Spotify or other podcast platforms - or click the link @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/publications/
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For details of other events on the monastic tour, check out https://plumvillage.uk/events/tag/monastic-tour-2023/
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Mindful walking with monastics from Plum Village France & early arrivals for our Plum Village UK retreat in Hebden Bridge.
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The perfect start to a weekend of mindfulness practice on the theme of “Living with compassion and freedom”
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Happy Friday!
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I have no idea what this free training will be like, but it features some of the top names in self-compassion research and training so I expect it will be great!

If you do sign up, I'd be really interested to hear of any "top tips" that you take away from it all....

Free Online Training for Mental Health Professionals! Hear firsthand from the leading experts in the fields of compassion-based therapies, neuroscience, and compassion training.

Cardiometabolic dysfunction (CMD) refers to a pattern of changes in metabolic health that causes premature ageing and a profoundly increased risk of heart attack, stroke and chronic illnesses like diabetes and vascular dementia.

With the escalating prevalence of CMD in the UK, most practitioners see clients who are affected, including individuals of normal body weight.

Early intervention with diet, lifestyle and specific nutritional supplements can significantly alter the health of individuals with CMD.

This full-day seminar will explore such interventions and how to tailor these to the needs of the individual client, so that they feel better and also increase their lifespan.

We'll be looking at underlying drivers of CMD and the options available for targeting these to improve both short-term and long-term health. As always, there will be the opportunity for questions and answers, and plenty of live debate.

More information:
This seminar will be held at a number of locations throughout the UK and will offer networking opportunities, CPD recognition and practical guidance for healthcare practitioners of many disciplines.

CPD Value: 4.5 hours (BANT and NNA approved or pending)

Cost: All live events are subject to a £34.95 booking fee. Upon completion of the seminar you will receive your CPD Certificate and a £15 voucher to be redeemed against any Pharma Nord products purchased directly from Pharma Nord UK.

Times: Tea/Coffee & Registration begins at 9.30 am. The seminar begins at 10:00 am and will conclude at 4:00 pm. Lunch and refreshments will be provided along with a £15 voucher and free products.

Book https://www.pharmanord.co.uk/events/cmd or call 01670 534 900

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all that we face in terms of racial, social and environmental justice, I hope that you find this podcast as thought-provoking and hopeful as I did 🎧🙏🏼🎧

If you prefer to listen on other platforms, the home page for the podcast is https://plumvillage.org/podcasts/the-way-out-is-in/

This is episode 27 https://plumvillage.org/podcast/kaira-jewel-lingo-on-white-supremacy-and-racial-healing-episode-27/

I listened on the free Plum Village App: https://link.plumvillage.app/LYUc

Kaira Jewel Lingo on White Supremacy and Racial Healing (Episode #27) In this episode, journalist Jo Confino is joined by much-loved international mindfulness teacher and author Kaira Jewel Lingo, to talk about her practice and community work, both as a monastic and sub ...

A group of 8 monastics from Thich Nhat Hanh's 'Plum Village' practice centre in France are touring the UK & Ireland in May/June - full details of all the events that you could potentially attend are available via this link .... 🙂

UK and Ireland Tour with Plum Village Monastics | Plum Village Join a group of eight Plum Village brothers and sisters as we crisscross the British Isles and Ireland to lead retreats, Days of Mindfulness, mindful walks…

Mindfulness & compassion based EU Climate Leadership Program for high-level decision-makers was found to have significant effects on transformative qualities/capacities, intermediary factors, & pro-environmental behaviours & engagement across all levels ..... in other words, good for people & good for the planet! 🥰🪷🥰

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36994186/

Interesting article by Dr. Susan Albers about Mindful Eating ....

How To Tell When You’re Full (Before You Feel Stuffed) It can take 30 minutes after eating for your brain to recognize that you’re full, which can leave you feeling. Slowing down and being mindful can help.

Many thanks to Cheadle Post for including these mindfulness features alongside other great articles in their latest couple of issues 🙏🏼

Research with 2 years follow-up published today: "Our study provides new evidence for the long-term benefits of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on white matter plasticity and its clinical applicability as a robust treatment for panic disorder."
- more evidence that practising mindfulness changes both the structure & function of the human brain 😊

Long-term benefits of mindfulness on white matter tracts underlying the cortical midline structures in panic disorder: a 2-year longitudinal study - PubMed Alleviation of excessive white matter connectivity in the CMS after MBCT leads to improvements in clinical symptoms and trait vulnerability in patients with panic disorder. Our study provides new evidence for the long-term benefits of MBCT on white matter plasticity and its clinical applicability as...

Here's a simple way to start each day with a smile ...

Lean Into Good On First Waking Try to influence your mind with positive and loving thoughts, when you wake.

New research suggests that mindfulness can be a protective skill that cardiac arrest survivors use to cope with the physical & emotional challenges of recovery and long-term survival ❤️

The relationship between mindfulness and enduring somatic threat severity in long-term cardiac arrest survivors - PubMed ESTs are common among CA survivors. Mindfulness may be a protective skill that CA survivors use to cope with ESTs. Future psychosocial interventions for the CA population should consider using mindfulness as a core skill to reduce ESTs.

Does your inner critic bring you down?
If you find it easy to be kind to others but are tough on yourself, you may enjoy this free 5-day online Self-Compassion course from Kristin Neff PhD & Chris Germer PhD via Sounds True

- I've found their books & videos incredibly useful in my own life, and hope that you might too 😊

https://product.soundstrue.com/the-power-of-self-compassion/5-day-challenge/

The 5-Day Self-Compassion Challenge–Free Video Series - Sounds True A great introduction to the benefits of self-compassion, The 5-Day Self-Compassion Challenge features lively 10-minute video sessions to help you apply this transformative practice to your life.

Many thanks Cheadle Post for publishing this wellbeing feature about mindfulness amongst all the other great articles this month 🗞️

👉 You can read the whole edition online @ https://beacon.by/resources/iindigo/cheadle-post-archive #

I was so grateful that I knew about mindfulness whilst recovering from cancer treatment back in 2015 that I subsequently trained with the Manchester charity Breathworks, so that I could offer their evidence based ‘Mindfulness for Health’ course to others who may want to explore how to manage pain, fatigue and anxiety whilst experiencing any other kind of health challenge ❤️‍🩹

My next course is on Zoom so that you can relax in the safety of your own home whilst enjoying the course. It begins on 18th April 2023 and runs for 8 sessions, all on Tuesdays 1:30-3:30pm 🙂

Discover more @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/breathworks-mindfulness.../ or feel free to message me with any questions you may have 💭

Thank you so much 🙏🏼

Mindfulness has been invaluable in helping me to accept the long-term effects of my 2015 cancer treatment.
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It’s such a muddle of emotions to be overwhelmingly grateful to have survived, yet simultaneously at times afraid, insecure, overwhelmed or just downright sad about the residual pain and other side effects.
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Mindful self-compassion has been invaluable in helping me turn towards the parts of my body that are suffering, and to comfort them with kind thoughts, words and physical care. I have learned to embrace those difficult emotions too, calming them so that I can think more clearly about how to solve whatever challenges I am facing.
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It’s a lifetime of practice, not just related to my cancer but to all aspects of my daily experience, and I definitely don’t do it perfectly! However that’s also part of the practice, accepting that I’m human so I’m bound to suffer, to make mistakes, to be “fabulously flawed” in countless ways, but still of value.
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I’m incredibly grateful to the artist Rachel Ho Ceramics for her beautiful Kintsugi style “scarred pot” that inspired me in the depths of my recovery and continues to encourage me each day. You can see it here, forming the centrepiece for discussion at one of my Friday mindfulness classes in Cheadle Hulme, where I know it inspired others too.
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I’m so grateful that I’m not alone in this world, and am brave enough to reach out for help when I need it. Aren’t people amazing, even though we all feel scarred and scared at times? Those shared experiences are such a powerful way to connect with each other.
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Is your inner critic constantly undermining you?
Mindful self-compassion helps us to become our own best friend instead - explained here by Dr Kristin Neff (who has loads of great free resources on her website) at https://self-compassion.org

https://youtu.be/IvtZBUSplr4

The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self Compassion: Kristin Neff at TEDxCentennialParkWomen In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TED...

If you’re a health practitioner close enough to to join me on Thursday 19 Jan it would be wonderful to see you! 🐝

Details of this & all other Pharma Nord UK seminars @ https://www.pharmanord.co.uk/events

"Every moment is an opportunity to begin anew" - what does this mean to you?

On Friday this quote by Thich Nhat Hanh was the topic of our Mindfulness for Wellbeing class in Cheadle Hulme. It meant different things to different people, but the overall theme was that it enabled us to simply put down our thoughts, words or actions at any point when we felt that they were causing us (or those around us) to suffer - to take a breath and begin anew without self-judgement or self-criticism. How liberating!

“Around us, life bursts forth with miracles – a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops… When we are tired and feel discouraged by life’s daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (The Sun My Heart)

Do you sometimes get caught in certain thoughts? Here’s a mindfulness game to help you escape…
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Find a pair of sunglasses, the sillier the better
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Now imagine that the sunglasses are a thought that is troubling you in some way. For example “Today is a really rubbish day” or “I am useless”. Put the sunglasses on & see how everything you look at in the world is ‘coloured’ by that thought
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What’s it like to take the sunglasses off again now & look around, imagining that you simply stop looking at everything ‘through’ that thought?
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The sunglasses are still there - in your hand or on the table - but what’s it like to look at the sunglasses / thought & see that you don’t have to believe it?
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Notice any change in how you feel in your body when you put the sunglasses on (and believe the thought) & when you take them off (and stop believing it)
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Grateful credit to my tutor Ginny Wall who shared this idea in the online Breathworks Community of Practice that you can join for free @ https://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/breathworks-community-of-practice
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You’re also welcome to join me in person any Friday in Cheadle Hulme to explore more mindfulness games & meditations. Details @ https://www.soulnutrition.org/event-directory/
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