MY decision for wellness has always taken priority from when I understood that life is lived from within. Through my self-help readings and heightened interest in this topic, I stumbled upon the Mindfulness Beginner’s Programme facilitated by Louise Duys at the Glenwood Loft Studio.
Duys is a consulting project manager by profession who is in the process of completing a two-year Mindfulness-Based Intervention Post-graduate qualification through Stellenbosch University and IMISA.
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Joined by 10 other individuals, we met with Duys for the programme every Saturday for two and half hours from October 28 to December 2.
The group included individuals from different walks of life joined by their quest for wellness. From individuals like me who have just embarked on this wellness journey to grieving individuals and those who are adjusting to changes in their lives.
The programme was intended for people who are looking to: shift out of autopilot, experience more ease and peace in life, cope with stress more effectively and have increased energy and enthusiasm for life.
The six-part beginner’s training offered basic principles of mindfulness and meditation, practising self-awareness and emotional regulation, cultivating self-compassion and empathy and learning to integrate mindfulness into daily life.
In the next six weeks, I will be sharing my lived experiences after having taken the time to not only attend and be part of the programme but also having tried out the activities for the past few weeks.
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Week one
The first week of the programme was to introduce the term or phenomenon of mindfulness and to practise it. Mindfulness is setting forth the intention to pay attention to the present moment – whether good or bad – and taking it in as it is with no judgement.
To put mindfulness into practice, we started with the ‘Raisin Exercise’. We each got two raisins. With the first raisin – which was the first part of the exercise – we were required to hold the raisin and take a proper look at it, being aware of each moment, from holding it in our hands to smelling it. From this, we observed the thoughts, feelings and emotions that arose from paying attention to the raisin.
The second part of the exercise was to be aware of each moment as we put the raisin in our mouths: how it felt and tasted on the lip and tongue and also being aware of the thoughts and feelings that came up in this awareness.
This, for me, was more of a call to wake up to autopilot, at how we are caught up in the busyness of our day, moving from activity to activity, missing out on the miraculous world around us. By becoming aware of this autopilot mode we live in, we set an intention to become more present.
This exercise also demonstrated how you can become aware of their senses – this is a way of becoming more present. Training our attention by using our five senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste.
The second exercise was the ‘Finding Your Anchor’ meditation. The 10-minute guided meditation helps you to direct attention and focus on either your breath or anything that could be outside of your body, like the natural sounds of birds, cars moving / traffic or the sound of the fan or aircon.
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This exercise is aimed to help bring you back to the present moment and away from our ever-active thoughts.
During the course of the week, we were required to put mindfulness into practice through our everyday activities. An example of applying mindfulness in the moment is approaching your first or any cup of tea/coffee that you make and drink every day by savouring your experience (as if it was a raisin).
Become aware of those moments that are pleasant and those moments that are unpleasant, just noticing what sensations, emotions and thoughts arise in you.
In the first week of doing my home practice, I noticed how I was able to figure out my own anchor, which for me was the sound of the clock ticking on the wall above my headboard in my bedroom. I also applied mindfulness during my trips when I drove to and from work. I enjoyed the feeling of the steering wheel in my hands and the openness of the road, being aware of the cars moving on the road with me.
I also took note of the times when I was in traffic, taking note of my increased awareness and sometimes frustration.
The next session was about ‘Cultivating Present Moment Awareness (through our bodies)’. Look out for the next article as we unpack this topic.
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