Thank you, Dr Andrew Lewis, for our mindfulness session this week, where we learned about mindful eating. Chocolate meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation where a piece of chocolate is used as a focal point for all the senses. You hear the wrapper and smell, feel, see, and taste the chocolate as part of the practice. Mindfulness meditation trains the mind to focus and stay in the present. Of course, we all enjoyed the chocolate! In two weeks’ time, we are looking forward to a walking mindfulness session.

Thank you, Andrew, for our fourth mindfulness session this week.  Once again we learned how deal with anxious feelings, and how to relax.  We talked about how animals and children live in the moment – the key to this is to pay attention to what is occurring in the present moment by observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise.  Next week, we will be practising mindful eating with Andrew.  Please contact Caerphilly People First if you would like to join the session.

Caerphilly People First members attended their third mindfulness session with Andrew at Libanus Lifestyle this week.  Andrew is brilliant at helping people to relax and overcome feelings of anxiety.

We talked about practicing mindfulness and how it can overcome anxiety.  Any type of meditation will help slow down overthinking, but mindfulness meditation is a particularly good place to start.  Even a small amount of meditation can be beneficial, so to reduce negative thoughts try sitting and observing your breathing for ten minutes.

This week the group enjoyed another mindfulness session with Andrew at Libanus Lifestyle Centre in Blackwood. The group talked about stress and took part in the Body Scan.

The Body Scan is a mindfulness meditation which involves scanning your body for pain, tension, or anything out of the ordinary. Some of our members were so relaxed we could actually hear snoring (Gethin Chamberlain)!

How do you a full body scan?

1. Get into position. Find a quiet place

2. Breathe deeply. Take a few deep breaths.

3. Take notice. Be aware of all the physical contact your body is making.

4. Start the scan.

5. Breathe through it.

6. Scan your whole body.

We ended the session by reciting the following mantra: I am calm. I am present in the moment. I am at peace. I am conquering my fears.

The music was beautiful and everyone felt so relaxed afterwards.  We look forward to continuing our mindfulness journey every week.