mindfulness – West Cork Mindfulness

Mindfulness and the emotional brain

Paola Vais — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:27:11 +0000

Richard Davidson on how mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains.

There are several talks by Davidson available online, today I was re-listening again to this one, a good one to share and to listen to.

Mindfulness tasters

Paola Vais — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 13:36:02 +0000

Starting next week Erin Kelly Ashworth and I are running a free 3 session Mindfulness taster, both in person and online.

These are experiential classes to introduce you to the basic practices of Mindfulness that form the foundations of the MBSR 8 week course, and are developed as an introduction to this more in depth course.

To reserve your place contact me on 0872453292 or e-mail pgvais@gmail.com

You can also book your place using the link on the main menu.

The in person session will take place at Bantry Holistic Centre

Wednesdays at 7:30pm
30th March, 6th April, 20th April

Online on Zoom
Thursdays at 7 pm
31st March, 7th April, 21st April.
Experiential class.
No previous experience needed

8 week MBSR course

Paola Vais — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:17:17 +0000

I’m delighted to be offering an in person MBSR course after such a long time!

The course will be held in Clonakilty, at O’Donovan’s Hotel, starting on the 15th of February, and will take place every Tuesday for 8 weeks, from 6.30 to 9 pm.

A full day workshop will take place on the week-end of the 26-27 March – day and venue to be confirmed

The course is offered on a cost sliding scale:

€ 360 supporter rate – if you chose this rate your generosity will enable someone to attend at a reduced rate

€ 330 – regular rate

€ 260 – concessionary

If finances are tight do not hesitate to contact me.

During this in person course you’ll be introduced to different forms of mindfulness practice and learn how to bring mindfulness in your daily life, to which end a commitment to a daily practice and exercises, for up to 45 minutes a day, is essential to experience the benefit of the program.

The course consists of :
pre-course phone or Zoom one to one meeting,

8 sessions of 2.5 hours each
The programme includes guided mindfulness meditation practices, gentle mindful movement, informal mindfulness practices, and home practices.

Course materials include the course handbook, a workbook and recorded guided practices

Some of the benefits that people experience after attending the course:
* increased ability to handle stressful situations
* more energy and enthusiasm
* greater capacity for relaxation
* improved self-confidence
* better sleep

Cost € 330

Please note that this is not a drop in course.

To book a place please e-mail me or come to the orientation session on the 8th of February

8th February : orientation evening

During this free event you will be introduced to the course , and experience a taster of mindfulness meditation with some guided practices. The orientation evening will offer the opportunity to ask questions and enroll in the upcoming course starting on the 15th February .

The 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at University of Massachusetts Medical School over 40 years ago. This program has been proven to benefit the overall well-being, creating a shift around how we experience stress and the ups and downs of everyday life.

You can book your place for the free orientation here

Moving into stillness: finding calm in time of change

Paola Vais — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:39:28 +0000

Introducing Mindfulness Through Movement. A 4 week course.

Life is a process of constant change and transition but perhaps never so much as during the past year and a half, when change, uncertainty and worry have come to dominate our lives.

Moving into a different environment, going from summer into autumn, from night to day, and now opening up from the restrictions of this long lock down – these transition times can be both exciting and unsettling. We feel an eagerness to move forward but also apprehension and tension that can easily take us out of balance.

Mindful Movement is a subtle but powerful method that helps to find a space where we can – in just a few moments – return to steadiness and ease.

This 4 session course will introduce you to the practice of mindfulness through gentle movements, guided meditation and breathwork.

Each class is 1 1/2 hour long and includes 20 minutes of movement as a basic practice of mindfulness. This is followed by a guided meditation practice, and an opportunity for open dialogue.

An Sanctoir, Ballydehob

4 weekly classes on Monday, starting 27th September to 18th October 2021

Time TBC

Cost € 60

Book now

Fill out my online form.

From Change & Uncertainty to Stillness

Paola Vais — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:31:32 +0000

Introducing Mindfulness Through Movement. A 4 week course.

Life is a process of constant change and transition but perhaps never so much as during the past year and a half, when change, uncertainty and worry have come to dominate our lives.

Mindful Movement is a subtle but powerful method that helps to find a space where we can – in just a few moments – return to steadiness and ease.

This 4 session course will introduce you to the practice of mindfulness through gentle movements, guided meditation and breathwork.

Each class is 1 1/2 hour long and includes 20 minutes of movement as a basic practice of mindfulness. This is followed by a guided meditation practice, and an opportunity for open dialogue.

An Sanctoir, Ballydehob

4 weekly classes on Monday, starting 27th September to 18th October 2021

Time TBC

Cost € 60

Book now

Fill out my online form.

Mindfulness for stress and wellbeing – Online course

Paola Vais — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 21:11:22 +0000

The next Breathworks Mindfulness for Stress and well-being course will take place online.

During this eight-week course you will learn mindfulness skills to cope with the the stress and difficulties we all encounter in our lives, within a small supportive and friendly group setting.

The course will also teach you tools to explore new sources of joy and calm in your life,

Starting on the 22nd of February at 6.30 pm the course will run for 8 weeks, ending on the 12th of April.

The first class will be 2 ½ hours long, to allow time for orientation & introductions, while all other sessions will last 2 hours (6.30 to 8.30 pm)

Cost: € 200

You will learn how to boost your happiness and well-being, find new sources of joy and calm in your life, and to cope with stress and the difficulties we all encounter in our lives.
You will learn the foundational skills of mindfulness, compassion, and meditation, and how to apply them in your life in a way that really makes a difference.

A lot of research has been done on the benefits of mindfulness, like reducing blood pressure, support sleep, reduce stress , improve mood, and boost resilience.

The course includes:
8 weekly online sessions via Zoom, from 6.30 to 8.30 pm every Monday
Material to support your study in between classes
Guided meditations downloads

The course presents a balance of teaching, questions and discussion, and guided meditation
The course is run in a small group , with a maximum of 12 students.
A commitment to a home practice of 20 minutes a day is key to reap the many benefits of this course

WHAT WILL I LEARN?
– The skill of meditation
-Mindfulness and self-compassion skills in daily life
-Greater concentration and focus
– How breath and body awareness can transform stress
– Supportive mindful movement practices
– The art of taking joy in simple pleasures
– How to overcome your ‘negativity bias’
– The many health benefits of mindfulness

Is this course for me?

This course is for anybody that would like to learn skills to reduce stress levels and improve their mental wellbeing, happiness and quality of life.
However, mindfulness can be challenging as we learn and practice ways of dealing with difficulties in our lives. For this reason, this course is best done when life is relatively steady and you are feeling robust enough emotionally to take on the training.

WHEN:
Mondays from 6.30 to 8.30 pm , February 22 to April 12th

COST: € 160 early bird – if booked by16 February
€ 200

BOOKINGS: email pgvais@gmail.com and I’ll send you a registration form

You can find more details about the course here

Reconnecting! Saturday 18th July – a morning gathering

Paola Vais — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:48:26 +0000

Let’s meet up now that we finally can!

After all the hours spent apart it will feel good to come together in person to reconnect with each other and our practice.
We’ll gather on Saturday 18th of July, from 9.30 am to 1 pm, at An Sanctoir, Ballydehob.

An Sanctoir offers a large indoor space where physical distancing is easy , and a lot of the time will be spent outdoors.

There will be some guided practices and time to connect and share a cup of tea. *

Numbers are limited to make sure we can respect each other personal physical space.

And if the weather is good feel free to bring some lunch and we can have a picnic in the meadow after the session.

Open to all, offered on a donation base.

Meadow

Online courses

Paola Vais — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 13:32:21 +0000

There won’t be any in person new courses for a few weeks.
Together with a collective of mindfulness teachers will be offering some new free online spaces, for those of you that if you wish to reconnect with mindfulness practice, and one for those of you who would like to find how mindfulness can support you – especially at times like the one we’re living now we can find new ways to build a resilient community.
I will post more details in the next few days.
Be well, be safe.

Breathworks Mindfulness for stress and well-being

Paola Vais — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 12:03:37 +0000

The Breathworks mindfulness for Stress course starts in February.
Introductory session on Monday 3rd 6 to 7.30 PM , at Lisheen’s House, Bridge Street, Skibbereen
Unease and stress are part of life that we all experience, at different times and to different degrees. The Breathworks approach to mindfulness and compassion as a way to better cope with the hick ups that life throws at us has been beneficial to a large number of people.

Workshops and retreats

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 14:15:28 +0000

Introduction to Mindfulness and Heartfulness – Clonakilty Community College

Enrolment on the 11th September

Classes start in the 18th September

An 8 week course during which you will be introduced to mindfulness and kindness-compassion practices and will have to opportunity do explore how mindfulness can support well-being and bring more ease in our lives.

The course consists of 8 weekly classes lasting 1 1/2 hours, and – to experience the benefits that mindfulness can bring – you will be encouraged to set aside 15-20 minutes per day to practice at home with guided recordings which will be available to download.

This is an experiental course, learning and practicing body scan, gentle mindful movements, meditation and bringing mindfulness in every day life.

It is an ideal course if you are not sure about committing to a more intensive course like the 8 week MBSR or the Breathworks Mindfulness for Health.

This course is both for beginners and for those who already have experience but would like to refresh or establish a regular practice.