Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of training our attention to be more aware of what's happening in the here and now as it occurs with a compassionate , non- judgemental attitude. We try to be curious about our experiences. Jon Kabat-Zinn who led the development of secular mindfulness, describes the skill as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003).
Recent studies show that learning to strengthen their attention 'muscle' can have significant benefits for children:
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wellbeing and mental health
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concentration and focus
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emotion regulation
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social learning
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behaviour
Jane focused her MSc research in 2012 on the effectiveness within differing types of mindfulness practices, and her strong personal practice has helped her manage chronic pain arising from Hip Dysplasia. Since then, she has developed playful and practical ways to make mindfulness accessible for children and their parents. Ways to grow your mindfulness 'muscle' are incorporated into all HeartSmart work in light, playful ways that parents and children can easily practise together.
Mindfulness development is part of therapeutic work and is also offered as specific short courses for small groups of parents and children.
