Some time back I was asked to write a few words to introduce myself  for the Mindfulness Teacher Association Ireland newsletter, and here it is…

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Growing up that sense of being present started hiding, I found myself more and more wishing I was somewhere else, doing something else, being someone else, and started realizing that it was only when I was present with the whole of my experience I felt at ease.

Re-discovering that innate inner capacity and cultivating it more and more consciously has been the greatest gift the practice of mindfulness and kindness have brought me.

Mindfulness allows me to find a sense of being at ease even in the midst of difficulties, to pause and become fully present with the experience of the moment.

This is why I love teaching mindfulness, being able to share the gifts that mindfulness and kindness practices have given me bring me great joy.

These gift are not only available while meditating, sitting still or practicing mindful movement.

I can pause at any moment of my day : pause if I feel overwhelmed, pause to enjoy a sunset without thinking of the next day, to play with my dogs like nothing else existed in that moment, pause to feel the joy and the sadness, the anger, the pain, without running away from the difficulties of life.

I believe that each one of us can learn to remember how to be present, and finding a teacher that ‘walks the walk’ and can gently guide you on the first steps to mindfulness is the best way to start on the path of living more fully.

After years of practising meditation and attending retreats, I trained as an MBSR teacher, and have been teaching MBI courses and short retreats.

I am also fully accredited with Breathworks, recently trained with Trish Bartley to teach MBCT for Cancer.