How did I get on with my eight-week mindfulness course?

There's a book that's been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time, as I was waiting for a time when I was going to commit to doing the eight-week course inside it properly.

Recently, that time came, and having completed my eight weeks of mindfulness training, I'm going to share exactly what I thought.

Here's the book:
Mindfulness - a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world
Mark Williams and Danny Penman
- includes a CD of guided meditations


Mindfulness has been something I've experimented with on and off over a number of years, and it's really only been in the last year that it's started to click, for me.

I wanted to see what it would be like to follow a more structured formal practice, to take it that step further towards becoming a part of my daily life.

Throughout the eight weeks, I've kept detailed notes on my thoughts, so this may be a lengthy post but I hope some people find it helpful or interesting!


The techniques in the book are based on MBCT (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) and the pages are packed with information, exercises and case studies. It's very accessible and readable, without feeling too simple or basic for people who are not brand new to the topic.

The first few chapters of the book explore the science of stress and mindfulness, featuring case studies and benefits. This provided a nice overviews and was definitely worth having as a way of leading into the eight-week practice.

'Changing your perspective can transform your experience of life'


And now for the main show: the eight-week course.

I'm going to do a breakdown of what's involved in each week, along with a short summary of my feelings on that week, before a final roundup of my thoughts at the end.


Week 1: 'Waking up to the autopilot'
What's involved? Learning to be fully aware of your actions and the world around you. An eight-minute body and breath meditation to be done twice a day.
How did I find it? I stuck to doing the meditation twice a day. By the middle of the week I was finding it much easier to focus on them and get into the zone, but this tailed off a little towards the end of the week, which I think was as a result of listening to the exact same track 14 times in a single week, so I knew exactly what was coming.

Week 2: 'Keeping the body in mind'
What's involved? Realising the connection between the body and mind. Body scan 15-minute meditation, twice a day.
How did I find it? Meditating for 30 minutes a day felt like a huge leap in week two when before this programme I'd maybe been doing 2-10 minutes a day on average. As a result, I felt quite overwhelmed and reluctant a few days in, so for the last four days of the week allowed myself to do the meditation only once a day. The actual body scan track on the CD, though, I did like a lot and it's one I will continue to use.

Week 3: 'The mouse in the maze'
What's involved? Focusing on the way you do things, not just going through the motions. Mindful movement eight-minute moving meditation followed by the eight-minute breath and body meditation. Added a three-minute breathing space mediation twice a day.
How did I find it? This week, I started to really enjoy it again. The movement was nice, comprised of very simple stretches and the following calm meditation was really nice. The three-minute breathing space was also a nice little pause in the days, and made a nice contrast to the longer tracks from previous weeks.

Week 4: 'Moving beyond the rumour mill'
What's involved? Accepting that the way we interpret the world affects the way we react to it. Last week's eight-minute breath and body meditation followed by an eight-minute sounds and thoughts meditation, twice a day, plus continuing to do the three-minute breathing space meditation twice a day.
How did I find it? I'm really getting into the swing of it again, though have to admit I did the 16-minute meditation once a day and the breathing space twice. I did stick to this, though, and enjoy it. Before moving onto Week 5 I had a three-day break for a trip down South to a wedding, where I knew my routine would be thrown off completely.

Week 5: 'Turning towards difficulties'
What's involved? An eight-minute breath and body meditation, followed by eight-minute thoughts and sounds meditation, followed by a ten-minute meditation exploring difficult feelings. Continue the three-minute breathing space as needed, with or without the guiding track.
How did I find it? I struggled this week, as the mediation was a long one to make time for in a very hectic week. I did it three days of the six recommended, and my main issue was the lack of flow. Because it was made up of three ten-minute tracks, I kept losing my focus and by the third track (the new section) had tuned out.

Week 6: 'Trapped in the past or living in the present?'
What's involved? Learning to move away from your inner bully. A new guided meditation track this week on befriending, using a track from earlier in the course to settle first. Continue with the three-minute breathing space, as needed.
How did I find it? I enjoyed this one. It was a welcome relief that it was a bit shorter, and being unkind to myself is definitely a problem of mine and something I need to work on.

Week 7: 'When did you stop dancing?'
What's involved? Balance is key, so keep doing what you love as well as what you 'need' to do. Do 20-30 minutes per day of meditation, but choose the tracks you feel suit you and that you need the most. Continue the three-minute breathing space, as needed.
How did I find it? This week was a good one as it began to feel more like an ongoing practice would. As you could choose what you needed, it was easier to tailor to your life and felt less life a chore as a result.

Week 8: 'Your wild and precious life'
What's involved? Slowing down, and not always just rushing thoughtlessly from task to task. Week 8 is the start of the rest of your life, so it's about continuing what you've learned and weaving it into your life.
How did I find it? I did feel different to when I started. I felt calmer and was much more inclined to meditate than I have been before. The closing thought was to remember that the breath is always there for you.


Overall thoughts:

  • There's an impressive amount of content and exercises for the cost of a single book.
  • You could reuse the book and CD of guided meditations for as long as you like after completing the course; it's all still relevant and useful as a part of ongoing practice.
  • The course is very well structured, introducing new thoughts and ideas slowly over the time period.
  • The guided meditations on the CD are nicely out together and very calming.
  • I need variety! I really struggled with listening to the same track over and over again within a short time period.
  • I much prefer being able to choose a length and style of meditation that works for me each day. It was hard to feel like I'd 'failed' on days I didn't feel I could manage a full 30 minutes, when pausing for five minutes could have had benefits too.

I'm so glad I took the time to work through this course properly, rather than just skimming the pages to try and pick out the key ideas and think that was enough. It took time and discipline, but there is no doubt about the fact that I felt different when the eight weeks were over. I'm much quicker to turn to the breath in times of stress and panic and I've found it easier to stay calm in certain situations.

I've continued to meditate regularly, but I'm enjoying finding and using more of a variety of guided tracks and choosing a topic and time for meditation that suits me each day.



Sophie x

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