To upgrade my certification as a Mindfulness trainer I’m offering a free 4-week course in Dartford in January.

This is a gentle and very practical introduction to techniques you can use to improve concentration, reduce stress and fatigue, manage your mood, and become more creative. Mindfulness has been adopted as a therapeutic technique for depression, anxiety and chronic pain. But it is also being introduced into schools – to improve behaviour and performance – as well as being offered to employees via businesses’ well-being programmes.

You are probably wondering what Mindfulness actually is. In which case you should come along. But a dictionary definition is:

“… a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations…”

Mindfulness is completely secular – you are not being asked to try out a new religion!

The course will be on 4 successive Friday evenings – January 10th to 31st inclusive – in St Michael’s Church Hall, Wilmington. Sessions only take 45 minutes. I will confirm the exact time once I can check preferences amongst people who sign up.

There is a contribution of £10 to cover the cost of an audio CD and supporting notes – and I may ask for a couple of pounds towards the hire of the hall. But I won’t be charging any fees, because an audio recording of the sessions will be marked by my assessor from the parent organisation – Mindfulness at Work. [The recording is treated in strict confidence and then deleted].

I can take about 16 people [20 at a pinch] and will also be offering places to friends and family. But if you live in the Dartford area and want to sign up, let me know, on a first come first served basis. To do that, or to ask for more information,

e-mail me:  nick [at] soshall.net

tweet me:  @grimbold,

… or leave a comment below.