In this practice Claire-Louise from Mindful Lives leads us through a mindful movement practice that helps us connect to the theme of Nature (This year's theme for Mental Health Awareness Week). We explore how to move our spines like a cat, how to breathe and move like a tree, how to stand tall and strong like a mountain and how to rest and breathe simply with the movement of our fingers. #mindfulness #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealth #physicalwellbeing #mindfulmovement #meditation #meditationpractice #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulnessmeditation #mentalhealthawareness

n this mindful practice, Claire-Louise leads us through some mindful movements which can be done sitting or standing and support us to ease into our upper bodies and release any tension there. Claire-Louise then leads us into a Mindful Mountain Practice which is a visual practice initially, bringing the image of a mountain to mind. We then connect with the qualities of the mountain and bring a felt sense of those qualities into our bodies, helping us to feel strong, rooted and stable. #mindfulness #meditation #mindfulmovement #yoga #restorativeyoga #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #mentalwellbeing #physicalwellbeing #mentalwellness #physicalwellness #mentalhealthmatters #physicalhealthmatters

A full sitting practice with mindfulness awareness where Jacky leads us through using the breath as an anchor of focus, then exploring sensations in the body and listening to the quality and texture of sounds around us. We are then lead into curiously and kindly exploring thoughts and emotions - the weather pattern of the thinking mind and associated emotions. #mindfulness #meditation #meditatedaily #meditate #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalwellbeing #mentalwellbeingmatters #mentalwellness #mentalwellnessmatters

In this mindful grounding practice led by Jacky we are invited to connect with the surface supporting us and release into that. Bringing a sense of grounding, connection and being more rooted to the earth and to the present moment. This practice can help us to feel more present, alive and stable.

This is a mindful sitting practice with Jacky from MPCP that is partially lead at the start and then allows for some self led practice towards the end. Jacky sets up this practice through grounding and finding an anchor to feel supported and rooted. Then gives some instruction for dealing with intense sensations that may arise during the practice, reminding us to return to our anchor of choice whenever we need to. In this way we have the choice and the power to skillfully manage our own experience, moving in close to explore something kindly, curiously, sensitively and then choosing to move back to our anchor when that feels too much or when we get lost or distracted. This can help us develop resilience to be with what is arising but in a held and sensitive manner. Therefore helping us to be in the present moment with the unpleasant as well as the more pleasant sensations.

In this Mindful Grounding Practice we spend some time resting the body into the ground. Allowing gravity to support the body to rest more fully on the Earth. In this way we are able to sit in a supported bu soft manner with a sense of relaxation of the muscles of the body. #mindfulness #meditation #grounded #rooted #presentmomentfocus #clear #relaxed #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Donna from The Mindful parenting and Community Project leads this mindful body scan practice. Here we move the focus through the body, starting with the breath as an anchor. As we explore each part of the body in turn, we simply notice what is here. The focus may wander so then the nub of the practice is to notice it has wandered and kindly, gently but firmly bring the attention back to the part of the body we are exploring. Thsi helps to develop our present moment awareness, our focus as well as our sense of acceptance for things as they are. Therefore we can feel more rested yet alive, more connected to our body and less driven by the contents of the mind. #mindfulness #meditation #bodyscan #practice #focus #presentmoment #awareness #acceptance

Claire-Louise from Mindful Lives leads us in an Affectionate Breathing Practice to help us connect with the breath and the present moment. But to also bring a tender, affectionate quality to this breath awareness, in the same way that we might tend to a young child or a beloved pet. In this way we are developing a sense of kind, affection towards ourselves which helps to bring a sense of softness to the mind, body and heart space. #mindfulness #meditation #breathawareness #grounding #present #presentmoment #selfcompassion #mentalhealth #wellbeing #wellness

This is a 20 min Mindful Movement session that is floor based and uses the breath to breathe into the heart space and back body and then move from that place is a more holistic and effortless way. This practice helps to connect and revive the body and mind through connecting breath and movment together. The result being a sense of being more grounded, softly energised and with more space and fluidity around the joints.