Group on 5th May 2016

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We began with a practice where we combined mindful walking in the grounds (a lovely day) with a concentration-type 'Taking in the Good' practice (see Rick Hanson's 'Just One Thing') - a mix of traditional and neurobiologically - inspired practice. It's useful to come back to walking as a practice, not necessarily to treat it as a formal practice, but always useful to ground and reconnect literally with where we are in time and space. By deliberately focusing for 10, 20 or 30 seconds on the good moments & experiences in our life, we are helping to incline our brains and minds towards the positive (see Hanson for more information and ideas). 

Following enquiry from the above practice, we had further discussion around the value of flexibility of practice and the different routes to self-compassion.

There was a selection of poems taken from the anthology 'Being Alive' edited by Neil Astley:-

'The Gift' by William Stafford

'The Mower' by Philip Larkin

'The Bright Field' by R. S. Thomas 

We finished with a short closing practice.