CoSS Mindfulness

CoSS Mindfulness Sessions provide colleagues with the opportunity to engage in informal guided practice, learn new techniques to incorporate into their daily routine and to share their experiences with colleagues in a safe and confidential environment. Engaging colleagues to develop an understanding of the benefits and techniques of Mindfulness. Being more mindful or purposefully engaging with a mindfulness activity can help us to become more present in the moment, to take notice of our own thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental way and also help us maintain a sense of calm.

Vickie Glynn and Georgina Bromley, Trained Mindfulness Practitioners

Vickie Glynn and Georgina Bromley

Engaging with mindfulness has really helped us step away and be more present in our daily lives. We all have the ability to easily slip into autopilot and engaging with meditation and journaling for example has not only helped manage stress levels but to also aid productivity and focus. Simply changing the language we use with ourselves when paying attention to what thoughts or feelings may come up for us can also be useful in helping us to understand and manage them in a positive way. 

We are grateful for being able to support staff with introducing new techniques into their routine to support their mental wellbeing. This could be for a numerous reasons from helping to reduce stress and anxiety, improving 

communication or enhancing creativity. Most importantly it has provided a space for colleagues to discuss their own wellbeing experiences and the impact that mindfulness has had on these. 

Mindfulness encompasses all of the five ways to wellbeing. From the way we use the sessions to connect with others and learning new techniques, to getting outside and taking notice of the environment around us. These aspects come together to allow us to think more creatively and give more of ourselves in an intentional way to the things we are passionate about.

First and foremost, the sessions are supportive and confidential, allowing colleagues to discuss any challenges they may be facing and how mindfulness can help them to handle such challenges. The upcoming sessions will be held online so that they will be accessible to all colleagues, whether on or off campus. Guided sessions are suitable for all levels of experience and we actively welcome beginners. We will have a weekly focus that offers guided meditation as well as tools and techniques to take away with you. Pre-recorded audio and a downloadable resource will be provided for those who register or upon request.

Taking more notice of how we are feeling can also help to create more self-awareness and a better understanding of ourselves and the world we live in. It can be really easy to get lost in our thoughts from making plans, going from task to task to worrying about the future. Having space to take notice of our surroundings and feelings can help us to connect better not only with ourselves but our relationships with others.  By practicing mindfulness it can help us to be more curious with how we respond to our thoughts in a non –judgemental way. If you wish to find balance, increase resilience or boost your mental health and wellbeing, participating in a Mindfulness activity is a simple and proven action to help in achieving your personal goals.  

Mindfulness Practice Group

This weekly group will provide the opportunity to participate in a structured session, with a focussed guided meditation as the core of the session. The 30 minute session will also provide a safe and confidential space for weekly reflection and to look at how mindfulness can help with challenges that may arise. You can join sign up through their canvas page. 

Mindfulness Blog Spot

Mindfulness: Thoughts and Feelings

Everyday we experience approximately 60,000 thoughts. That’s roughly 41 thoughts every minute, but if you factor in 8 hours sleep it’s around 62 thoughts per minute! That’s without taking into consideration all the other processing our brain is doing alongside these thoughts.

 

Read the full article

The Science of Mindfulness

Over the course of millions of years and the process of evolution, our brains have been wired to avoid pain. The limbic system, which is the part of the brain that deals with emotion and memory, is conditioned to avoid feeling strong emotions. When we do feel strong emotions, we often try to override these feelings, but this is actually counter-productive. It takes a huge conscious effort to do this!

Read the full article

Further resources

CoSS Mindfulness Instagram

The following websites and resources are recommended as useful tools to learn more about mindfulness and to use outside of the sessions. 

What is Mindfulness? 

Check your mood by using the the NHS's simple mood self-assessment quiz

Headspace - Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app. 30 days of Headspace lowers stress by 32%, and just 4 sessions reduces burnout by 14%.

Calm - Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety.