Lockdown 2 – here we go again!

Lockdown in winter, instead of spring – does it make a difference? Oh yes, it does.

In winter the natural world takes a breath; it is time for rejuvenation, nourishment, self care and the periods of daylight are shorter. Yet in our busy lives we do not recognise the seasons, we push through ignoring the natural rhythms of the environment and our bodies. This puts our health and wellbeing under stress in the best of years.

In 2020 we are going into this time of year carrying the burden of stress from a global pandemic. The potential for walks in the sun, exercise in mild or even warm weather, the increasingly lighter days lifting our mood is missing in this new lockdown. We have lockdown fatigue, pandemic overload and the impending uncertainty of how long this latest lockdown will last.

So what can we do to help ourselves in this period of heightened anxiety? There is scientific proof that Mindfulness training helps change our brain capabilities. After a course of 8 weeks of mindfulness training and frequent regular practice (17 mins per day) studies have shown positive impacts on key areas of the brain. (Take a look at Mindfulness Science for some study examples.)

By changing our ability to respond to our anxiety and stress through the seven attitudes of mindfulness:

• non-judging
• patience
• beginner’s mind
• trust
• non-striving
• acceptance
• letting go

we are able to take a moment and use that moment to mindfully choose our response to our situation. This allows us greater control over our stress reaction, moderating and adapting our management of our anxiety. Doesn’t that sound like something that will be useful as we enter this winter season during these extraordinary times?

Like any other exercise, this approach to managing ourselves takes practice and training. You would not expect to be a skilled athlete without using a coach and lots of preparation. Mindfulness and educating our brains to function differently requires the same tools – a coach and preparation.

Explore your capabilities and make those changes to enable you to manage your COVID lockdown response. Join us for an 8 week mindfulness course and learn the techniques to support your mindfulness journey.

NEXT 8 WEEK GROUP SESSION STARTS DECEMBER 2020

INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY

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