What we’re about
We're a friendly, local group for anyone interested in Mindfulness, either as a form of personal spiritual practice or as a practical technique for living a better, calmer, more focussed and more productive life.
We hold regular meetups every week which offer (in a friendly, relaxed and informal atmosphere) the opportunity to:
• learn more about Mindfulness
• try-out some Mindfulness techniques and methods of Mindfulness meditation
• meet and get to know other people who are interested in Mindfulness, or in meditation in general.
Our weekly meetings include occasional talks by guest speakers, periods of guided Mindfulness meditation, regular film and video presentations about Mindfulness, information about any Mindfulness-related events, classes and courses that are happening locally, and (at our in-person meetings) there's the opportunity to chat and get to know the other group members socially over refreshments. The meetings are usually led and hosted by Shaun Glossop, our Group director, who is a highly experienced meditation teacher and a trained MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) coach. All are welcome and membership is free.
Our weekly meetings are relaxed, casual and "open", and they provide an opportunity to encounter Mindfulness in an easy and straightforward way. We usually meet every week (except the two weeks containing Christmas Day and New Year's Day, when we take a break). Our regular, weekly meetings take place each Thursday evening from 7pm through to approximately 9pm. Sometimes our Thursday meetings are friendly, in-person gatherings (held in the heart of the Nottingham city centre at a pleasant, contemporary venue) and on other occasions they take place online via Zoom, allowing everyone to participate from the comfort and convenience of their own home (which can be a boon for many people on a "school night"). Please note that, at the moment, all our Thursday meetings are taking place online due to our usual venue for in-person meetings being currently unavailable.
You can find out more by visiting our website:
[www.NottinghamMindfulnessGroup.co.uk ](http://www.nottinghammindfulnessgroup.co.uk/)
or by exploring our pages here on MeetUp.
For more about Mindfulness, scroll down and see below...
About Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an ancient form of meditation practice that is today widely recognised as being a highly effective approach for managing stress, pain and illness, increasing general health and well-being, improving our quality of life, enhancing our relationships... and simply becoming better at whatever we choose to do in life. By becoming more mindful we can create the conditions that give us greater choice in how we respond to our experiences - thereby enabling us to have a rich and fulfilling life, even when we're confronted by difficult or challenging circumstances.
Also, Mindfulness is simple and is for everyone. Whether you want to reduce stress, improve your performance, become a better leader, experience greater well-being, manage pain, or change habits that are difficult to break, mindfulness training and a regular mindfulness practice (even as little as 10 minutes a day) will help.
Our group uses Mindfulness techniques drawn from many different, respected sources and it is aligned to no one school or tradition, however a key inspiration and reference point for our activities is the teaching and work of Thích Nhất Hạnh and the Plumb Village Mindfulness Community.
Please Note: Our open, drop-in meetings are designed to share information about Mindfulness and to offer the opportunity for people to experience and practice Mindful meditation in the company of others. These meetings are not structured to form a progressive course or formal training in Mindfulness, and they do not, in and of themselves, constitute a "Mindfulness-Based" therapy (such as MBSR or MBCT). Our Group publishes and promotes full details of the formal, structured classes and courses in Mindfulness and "Mindfulness-Based" therapies that are available in Nottingham and the wider East Midlands - please ask us for a free copy of this information if it would be of interest to you.
Mindfulness and other forms of meditation are safe and appropriate practices for the vast majority of people and they are proven to offer a wide range of benefits, including the lowering of stress and deep levels of relaxation. Current research indicates that all forms of meditation (including Mindfulness) may be unwise for people with bipolar vulnerability or those who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) unless it is undertaken with medical supervision. If you are currently receiving treatment for any form of mental health issue (or have received such treatment in the recent past, or have reason to believe that you might need such treatment), you should consult your doctor or health care professional before engaging with Mindfulness or any form of meditation.
