From Wales

"Mindfulness increases the pause between stimulus and response, and that pause lets us make better choices — for a better quality of life and better relationships. It also brings more compassion and empathy. Together, that's what helps us work towards a more...

“I can’t tell you how much mindfulness has changed my life and viewpoint. It completely changed the way I view my life and is the secret to the way I work so authentically.” (Amanda Roberts, Mindful Matters) Amanda Roberts from Mindful Matters started offering...

‘Supporting people to learn how to step out of ‘automatic pilot’ and engage more fully with the present moment’ (Conwy Mind) Conwy Mind in North Wales was set up 40 years ago. It is a local, independent mental health charity that is part of the 100-strong network of...

Mindful photography enables us to slow down, look, and look again; to see our lives differently; to reframe our experience of life and to take action to create positive change towards ourselves, others and the planet.” (Ruth Davey, founder of Look Again) Ruth Davey...

“Inclusivity and accessibility are at the heart of everything we are doing.” (Dr. Gemma Griffith) At Bangor University’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP), mindfulness is more than a subject to be studied. It is a living practice, a field of research...

 "For years, I kept telling myself that life would feel easier once I'd got through the next week, the next term or the next thing on my list. Mindfulness helped me realise that life was already here, hidden in the ordinary moments I'd been too busy to notice."...

“The way forward is networking, willingness, and openness to engage and collaborate.” (Professor Rebecca Crane) Based in Bangor University, North Wales, the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice has grown from a local initiative into a hub of international...

“A great way of connecting with the moment and with nature and being present.” (Davy Greenough) For Davy, mindfulness began in 2008 as practical help during a period of hard work, stress and anxiety. He joined an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy course...

“Looking back, I used to struggle with calming the mind. I had to pull that puppy back on the leash every couple of seconds.” (Emma Marshman, Head of games, design & animation at the University of South Wales) As an artist, Emma has always found that the creative...

“If I were to choose three words that sit at the heart of my practice, they would be peace, perspective and connection.” (Catherine Waterfall) In 2014, after experiencing work-related stress as the managing director and co-owner of a publishing company, Catherine...

“Mindfulness for me is about kindness and compassion to self and then it expands out to others - even though I am still learning this as every day is a school day.” (Vic Graham – BZ Mindfulness) Vic Graham, founder of BZ Mindfulness, first experienced mindfulness...

“To me, mindfulness is about sustained attention to the present moment. When I’m on the wheel I am constantly tuning into subtle tactile feedback: the pressure of my fingers, the moisture of the clay, the speed of the wheel, I even notice my own breathing slowing down...

“I want to take care of the reputation of mindfulness. I want to present it as something that has deep intellectual and evidence-based foundations, something for the benefit of all people everywhere, something that can just as easily be practised in a supermarket as...

“I’m immensely grateful to my younger self that I was willing to experiment with mindfulness practice and adopt it into my everyday life. It is this gratitude that fuels my desire to keep deepening my understanding, including my PhD research.” (Tom Blackwell) Tom...

“My mindfulness practice has deeply influenced the way I see life and people. It has helped me understand that life experiences and the people we meet often come into our lives as teachers. Even difficult situations can help us grow stronger, learn something new about...

“Mindfulness, when taught, is usually framed as tools for clients, rather than as ways that counsellors in training can embody presence and support our own regulation. I’ve undergone much of my training and placement consumed with nerves or insecurity. A few deep...

“I hope to create images that inspire people to go outside, to see the beauty that surrounds us in every moment, and to feel that sense of belonging and connection to the world. To realise that we are not alone, and we are not separate from nature, that we are part of...

“One of the benefits for me involves the slowing down of many of life’s moments, which otherwise may be missed. Stepping out of automatic pilot to see, feel, hear or just be, is such a simple but amazing act.” (Tess) Tess Sutton is based in Machynelleth. She has been...

“Walking among trees isn’t just a break; it’s a reminder that I belong to something bigger than myself.” (Gary) Since 2018, The Forest Bathing Institute (TFBI) has been nurturing mindful communities by running guided nature-based mindfulness sessions known as Forest...

“Quietening the chattering mind is a difficult skill but enables us in life (and schools) to access learning and usefully manage stress as we go through life’s adventure.” (Penny Moon) A Quiet Place is based in Liverpool but also operates in North Wales. It was...

“Mindfulness here goes far beyond learning to chew our food slowly and taste it, although that’s a start. It means thinking of everyone who helped to bring it to us. It means thinking of all the non-human beings involved in creating our food, from soil bacteria to...

“A way of living our lives with care, attention, kindness and compassion to alleviate suffering and benefit ourselves and everyone else.”  (Mindful Compassion Partnership) David Oldham has been working with and teaching mindfulness for over 25 years. Based in...

“I incorporate elements of mindfulness in all of the singing groups that I facilitate, whether that  is the beginners’ group for lung health, the weekly community choirs or the annual 100+ singer “Sing for Water” fundraiser.” (Susie Ennals, Singing Facilitator)...

“I believe that mindfulness practice and living more mindfully has a trickle-down effect, developing a more positive community in which people feel valued and safe; individuals feel nurtured and confident.” (Gavin Sharp) As a teacher of young people with complex needs...

‘As a uni student, mindfulness is teaching me to sit with discomfort and to notice stress. As a netballer it allows me to notice frustration, let it pass and focus on the next passage of play. Most of all, as a family member and friend, mindfulness has taught me to...

“I have found meditation really helpful in my personal life, and it has benefited my work greatly as I can tune in to certain mindful aspects of my work with the children to make gardening an enjoyable and calming experience.” (Manon Webb ~ Children’s Garden Club...

“I have noticed that all my mindfulness work builds connection between participants. This is particularly rewarding in the workplace and trainee situations, where mutual support and trust grows with the practices.” (Dr Julia Wallond, GP) Machynlleth based GP, Julia...

“When we make a choice to remove the devices from our hands and pockets we remove the barrier to mindfulness.” (Kristy Guest, co-founder Project Holding Space) Project Holding Space (PHS) offers informal mindfulness experiences through nature-connection, ranging from...

The Rock Through Life group, based in the Bridgend area, was set up several years ago to support people who had completed an 8-week mindfulness course to keep their meditation practice going.  During lockdown, to enable connection in those long days of isolation,...

“Bringing relationships alive, with ourselves, other humans and the other beings on the planet.” Wild mindfulness is an exciting project that brings together the lifelong passions of Heather Bolton, an experienced therapist and mindfulness teacher from North Wales....

‘As an informal practitioner, I am very clear subjectively that meditation enormously benefits my life.’ (Alun Williams County Councillor) County Councillor Alun Williams took part in a formal mindfulness course many years ago and has since continued to practise...

Sioned and Elin both grew up on farms in rural north Wales and are old friends. After first meeting while studying for a psychology degree 30 years ago their professional lives took different paths. After a few years working in education and welfare Sioned returned to...

Providing accessible, affordable well-being through mindfulness “Through relational mindfulness we can foster cohesion in communities where there is a desperate need for accessible and practical ways to support mental and physical health. Mindfulness Based Approaches...

Dr Jo Soldan is a Clinical Psychologist and internationally trained mindfulness teacher based in Maggie’s Cancer Centre, Cardiff. Here she offers Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer, both for people living with a cancer diagnosis and for their relatives....

“Every Y7 should do this!” “It calms me down.” “It really helps with school work if you’re not so stressed.” That’s the verdict of pupils at Llangatwg Community School in Neath where the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) .b...

Aimed at people wanting to get fit, get healthy, runners, walkers, hikers, active people, ultrarunners - all of us really, the Cardiff Running Show sets out to build mindfulness into a programme of wellbeing in the context of running. The Cardiff Running Show is a...

Introducing Mindfulness with Future Generations Commissioner’s Team and Leadership Academy A chance conversation can sometimes have unexpected impact proving how our interconnected networks in Wales can contribute to Nurturing Mindful Communities.  Mindfulness...

Juliet Firstbrook discovered meditation as a class teacher and taught mindfulness and meditation to children from 4-14.  She went on to train to teach mindfulness to adults and has continued to develop resources.  Juliet says: “I create Personalised...

Our morning sessions provides a space for connection, company, a variety of mindfulness meditation practices and mutual support.  The team of trained mindfulness teachers offers sessions from Tuesday to Friday each week from 10-11am and with their different...

Theatr Cynefin, in collaboration with Psychologist Sarah Gregg, is proud to announce the rollout of the 'Coming to Our Senses' creative mindfulness course to five health boards across Wales, marking a significant expansion from its initial success at Aneurin Bevan...

Who fancies a Mindfulness Art Trail in the stunning environment of the Art Galleries in the National Museum of Wales (NMW) in Cardiff?  Designed for visitors to the National Museum and art lovers, as well as those who would like to explore art in a more...

The mindfulness we teach is entirely secular but since most religions have a contemplative tradition, it is compatible with religious beliefs and spirituality.  That compatibility is especially strong with the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, a global spiritual leader,...

My name is Paul, and I am a science teacher with experience in pastoral leadership at the secondary school level. My journey into mindfulness began when I attended a Mindfulness in Action course led by Vishvapani Blomfield. This experience sparked a deep...

What started as a means of connection and support during lockdown has, by popular demand, become part of the fabric of the week for staff in Powys County Council providing an opportunity for staff to relax, be grounded and be in the present. Our thirty-minute term...

Mindfulness is vital for healthcare staff: improving the wellbeing and compassion of healthcare staff Healthcare staff, mainly medical students and doctors in Swansea Bay University Health Board/ Swansea medical school have benefited from Enhanced Stress Resilience...

Prisons often house those who have been through very traumatic experiences in their childhoods which have often been missed by society.  A prison environment can be an intimidating and hostile place to visit, so taking time to give people safety and space to check in...

It was a Health and Wellbeing Learning Walk with Governors that brought home the impact of mindfulness throughout the school at Garnteg Primary School, just north of Pontypool in South Wales. Seeing how pupils relate to one another and to staff, their levels of...

Annette Thomas, who is based in Wrexham, North Wales but offers services globally online, has recently established CreativelyReflect to help individuals and communities thrive through creative and mindful tools that foster self-reflection, and connection. She offers...

Thriving Communities is a dynamic not-for-profit Community Interest Company based in Caerphilly and the surrounding area. Its mission is to create positive, happy, healthy, and thriving communities throughout South Wales. It was set up in 2021 and now has four...

Bishopston Primary School in Gower, South Wales began their mindfulness journey in 2021 in response to needs identified by the pupils themselves and observations of the impact of the disruption of lockdown.  As they developed their mindfulness provision they have...