Mindful Self Compassion Drop-In Session 

This is a monthly drop-in for people who have completed the 8 week course in Mindful Self Compassion.  This is a  chance to practice together.  To allow ourselves  some time and touch into the well of kindness, we as mammals and humans have inherently and that so often is more easily available those close to us rather than ourselves.

Also making space  to tap into the courage it takes to be befriend  ourselves through the ups and downs of a life that is always challenging and always offering moments of growth and choice.

Free to attend and donations for the teachers and admin appreciated.

If you value the sessions and you would like to make a donation to support the teachers you may do so when you register

Mindful Self Compassion Monthy Drop in

Mindful Self Compassion with Josephine Lynch and Barry Lee

I have taught a good few mindfulness courses over the last few years. Invariably, most of the participants have been women, I’d say at least 80%. Without wishing to make assumptions or generalise, it seems that women are more open to the practices of mindfulness and self-compassion.

Perhaps there is a perception that it’s not masculine to be vulnerable or to embrace ‘not knowing?'  Two things that mindfulness practice asks of us.

I remember when I was first learning to meditate, I purchased a book by Sharon Salzberg called “Lovingkindness and the revolutionary art of happiness”. It is a great book, full of insight, but 15 years ago I was ashamed to be seen in public reading it. As a young man full of insecurity, I didn’t want to be perceived as weak. I felt self-conscious. I used to fold the cover back so no one on the bus would see what I was reading. For years I hid the fact that I practiced. I have spoken with many other men about this and I know that I’m not alone.

I have also been involved with quite a few men’s groups over the last few years and I have always found that there is something very special about a group of men of different ages and backgrounds coming together to speak openly and honestly about what really matters. Willing to drop some of their armour and show vulnerability. Willing to learn from each other and support each other. Willing to stay in the space of ‘not knowing’. Not having to rely on alcohol in order to open up. Not staying on the surface with idle small talk about sport or current affairs. Unfortunately most male friendships remain at this surface level.

So my friend and fellow mindfulness teacher Niall Nolan and I decided to offer a mindfulness based stress reduction course for men. Niall has been practicing mediation for over 30 years and has a wealth of experience. Over eight weeks we will experiment with a variety of different practices together. There is often a misconception that mindfulness is all about managing stress or learning to relax. Sure, that often happens. At the heart of it though, it’s about insight and self-awareness. Seeing our unconscious habits and learning to respond skilfully. Learning to live consciously and in accordance with our values.

If this speaks to you, we would love you to join us!

As Grayson Perry writes in his book, the Descent of Man, every man should have the following rights:

The right not to be ashamed of any of these.

About the Course (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction)

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre in 1979. The course is suitable for those with prior meditation experience as well as those who have none. It introduces participants to different forms of mindfulness practice including sitting meditation, body awareness and gentle mindful movement.  As the emphasis is on bringing mindful awareness into everyday life, a commitment to daily home practice is required. At the end of the course participants should have acquired a set of practical tools that allow them to cope better with stress in the workplace, and in their personal lives, through increased self-awareness, emotional and attention regulation.

·       The Programme is suitable for anyone who encounters stress and wishes to respond to stress in life with more understanding and ease. Not suitable if in the middle of an acute crisis.

·       There will be an individual orientation call with each participant before the start, to enable each person to ask questions and to make sure it’s the right time to partake in this highly experiential programme.

This is an 8 week programme: A weekly session of 2.75 hours for eight weeks plus a silent  practice half day retreat (date to be confirmed) from 10.00 to 3 pm IST. Participants are required to devote approximately 40 minutes per day to mindfulness practice at home between sessions.

The practices in the programme aim to help the participant to:

●      Use mindfulness techniques to relate differently to worry and feelings of anxiety and better manage stressful situations in both work and home life

●      Become familiar with the workings of the mind, including the ways we avoid or get caught up in difficulties

●      Sustain the practice of mindfulness as a self-care tool that can be integrated into their work and home life

●      Explore ways of releasing ourselves from old habits of mind that increase anxiety levels

●      Get in touch with a different way of knowing themselves and the world

●      Reduce the impact of self judgement and increase self acceptance

●      Be able to exercise greater choice in life

●      Manage interpersonal conflict more effectively

●      Experience improved feelings of self-worth and compassion for others

Participants will receive a programme handbook. The main intention of this programme is to offer experiential learning. There will be the opportunity during the training for participants to practice and experience mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques. As mindfulness training is primarily experiential in nature, the main ‘work’ of the course is done at home between classes. Participants will receive a weekly email summarising the content and practice instructions for that week plus meditation recordings. Participants are required to practice at home during the week for a minimum 40  minutes per day.

8 Week MBSR for Men with Barry Lee and Niall Nolan

This is a monthly drop-in for people who have completed the 8 week course in Mindful Self Compassion. At the end of every MSC course one of the most frequent observations we hear from participants is how supportive it felt to be part of a group. For some reason most of us find it much harder to keep the practice going after the course has ended and we are on our own. In this drop-in we will revisit some of the practices from the MSC course and there will also be some optional space to share in small groups.

Practicing self-compassion is quite simple but as we know, it isn't always easy. It means turning towards the difficult. This takes courage and a willingness to be open to suffering. We are learning to be a true friend to ourselves and to respond to whatever arises with kindness and equanimity. In this month's session there will be an emphasis on self-compassion in the context of relationships.

This session is offered on a donation basis. If you value the sessions and you would like to make a donation to support the teachers you may do so here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=AR3MSB7BUQ4RL&source=url

Mindful Self Compassion Drop In with Josephine Lynch and Barry Lee

Mindful  Self-Compassion Weekend Retreat

Mindfulness for Joy and Wellbeing with Barry Lee

An “in person” morning of mindfulness for men – The importance of rest

My friend and fellow mindfulness teacher, Niall Nolan and I are both passionate about encouraging

more men to engage with the practice of mindfulness. Unfortunately, in this space, men are often in the minority! We have been involved with different men’s groups over the years and we have always found that there is something very special about a group of men (of different ages and backgrounds) coming together to speak openly and honestly about what really matters. Willing to drop some of their armour and show vulnerability. Willing to learn from each other and support each other. Willing tostay in the space of ‘not knowing’. Not having to rely on alcohol in order to open up. Not staying on the surface with idle small talk about sport or current affairs. Unfortunately most male friendships remain at this surface level. There is often a misconception that mindfulness is all about managing stress or learning to relax. Sure, that often happen. At the heart of it though, it’s about insight and self-awareness. Seeing our unconscious habits and learning to respond skilfully in the moment. Learning to live consciously and in accordance with our values. This is the first of a series of drop-ins. It is open to anyone who identifies as male and who has some experience of practicing mindfulness. We will experiment with different practices and there will also be space to share in bigger and smaller groups. The theme of this session is the importance of rest. So we definitely won’t be working hard! If this speaks to you, we would love you to join us.

When? Saturday 16 th July 10.00 am – 1.00 pm

Cost - On a donation basis (€15 suggested donation but please don’t allow money to be an obstacle).

Morning of Mindfulness for Men - The Importance of Rest.

Mindfulness and Joy Workshop with Barry 10am - 1pm 

Like most people I was initially drawn to meditation because of suffering in my life. At the time I was working as a newly qualified solicitor. It was a stressful job and I experienced panic attacks. I learned how to meditate and it helped. I was able to stop and breathe. The inner pressure was more bearable. Over the years it completely changed my life for the better, to the point where I ultimately changed career in order to teach mindfulness full time and share the benefits with others.

In the beginning, if someone asked me why I meditate, I would probably emphasise how it helped me to “reduce stress” in my life. That felt like a socially acceptable thing to say. We are all interested in managing stress (particularly in the corporate world). There is something stoic about it. We endure stress because we are so busy.We manage it and we persevere. I would have been very hesitant to tell the same person how meditation made me more “joyful”. At the time, the word “joy” felt self-indulgent and, dare I say, a bit “happy clappy” to me. It didn’t feel socially acceptable to say that I just wanted to be happy… that life sometimes felt a bit grim and grey and relentless and I needed a counterbalance.

I think that in Ireland this attitude still prevails to a certain extent and it’s a pity. What is the point of life if not to experience moments of deep connection and meaning? The good news is that copious research has shown that joy, happiness and gratitude are states of mind that can be practised and cultivated. Neuroscience has shown how our brains have a “negativity bias” – we are hardwired to notice and remember unpleasant experiences and disregard pleasant experiences. If we are aware and we have the right intention we can bring this bias back into balance. We can be more objective. Awakening Joy doesn’t mean that we look at life through rose tinted lenses. Without glossing over the challenges of life which we are always faced with, we can discover that joy is always here in the present moment if we want it.

Mindfulness for Joy workshop with Barry Lee

If mindfulness teaches us to be more aware of our present moment experience, self-compassion teaches us how to relate to our present moment experience in (what is for most of us) a very different way.

It involves treating oneself as one would a friend, being more mindful, and understanding our situation in the context of a larger human experience. When we can be more understanding and gentler with ourselves, identify less with the emotions that surround our mistakes, and understand that failure is a normal part of the larger human experience, we become stronger and more resilient. There is now a significant body of evidence showing that practicing self-compassion is strongly correlated with increased emotional resilience and well-being, in addition to reduced stress and anxiety (Source: Stanford Medicine – The Scientific Benefits of Self Compassion).

In this course participants will learn a variety of formal and informal practices which have been shown to increase self-compassion and resilience. Practicing over an 8 week period gives participants a chance to incorporate the practices into their lives and observe the benefits for themselves.