Mindfulness Teaching

I therefore like to teach Mindfulness to people that need these valuable, gentle skills for Pain and Illness management as well as offering the specialisms of Mindfulness for Musicians and Mindfulness for Runners.

I offer courses in person, as one-to-one and also online. These are done with the utmost consideration to how you learn – we are all so different. My previous attendees (and pupils of other subjects) have regarded me as a patient and conscientious person helping them, as is testified in their kind recommendations. 

Green Meditations; Mindfulness with Nature

Ever meditated with a piece of fruit or veg to connect with nature more deeply?  Try one of my 30 minute meditations to relax and inspire a deeper connection with our green world.  Each one may be focused on a plant, flowers, fruits, seeds, earth, a candle or water and each are completely unique and restful.  These sessions are ideal for anyone who’s done at least a little meditation before and may be particularly helpful for anyone who has had difficulty meditating with their eyes shut, because we do them with them open to look at the living world in front of us. 

Goethean science/methodology increases our capacity for inner awareness, intuition and inspiration from nature.  This is exactly what these meditations help us develop; we are not imposing our definitions or critiquing the plant etc., but developing our capacity to witness it with deep awareness of it’s being, (just as we would notice our own in an Insight meditation) and by growing new neural pathways as we go.  We begin to ‘know’ our deepest connection not by studying or learning it, but by letting go of our theories, by intuition and with gentle curiosity in the meditative state.  Ultimately, we are drawn to nurture our plants and ourselves more. 

If you are following a series of my meditations, they will be designed to progress organically like the plants themselves; from leaf to flower to fruit and widen out to the whole environment – always including ourselves as part of nature; intrinsic with each focus.  You can follow them in order to feel this flow, but each meditation will be fine on its own too.

Please email to join my mailing list for the next zoom event and/or to book your own personal meditation.

Mindful Music Workshops

It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or a virtuoso, learning how to bring the spirit of mindfulness and mindful movement into your music making is a valuable practice. 

Experienced music teacher Rowena, who is also a mindfulness teacher, has developed a unique approach that integrates the two to bring more ease and enjoyment as you play, or as you learn an instrument.  You will be invited to relate, in a fresh way, with the movements and sounds you make and be reminded to care about our your own incredible instrument too – the body.

You will be shown specific ways of applying mindfulness to your own instrument and some new techniques to explore with it, including warm up exercises to help engage with the physical nature of playing whilst being deeply connected to the moment and those to help improve our mindset before, and as, we play.  Try each one and take those that resonate with you. 

These workshops are a learning opportunity and involve lots of still, quiet time as well as experimenting with the ideas in a creative way.  Rowena will demonstrate using instruments from the categories of; plucked and bowed strings, wind and keyboards, with a little on percussion and voice too and you will then try them.

Mindfulness work with musicians often focusses on overcoming the stress of professional performing.  Whereas this is very useful to some, what about us all getting more joy from our learning and relieving the tensions from our body as we play or sing?  These are helpful to anyone that makes music, professional or otherwise.

Rowena’s workshops cover:

• The benefits of mindfulness for musicians
•  The paradox of mindfulness as applied to music
•  The difference between Forcing and Forté
•  Integrating ‘doing’ and ‘being’
• Invite us to relate in a fresh way with the movements and sounds we make.
•  Getting more enjoyment out of learning
•  Experience short periods of meditation
• Unique, combined exercises to help existing musicians/singers apply mindfulness to their music making.

To join Mindful Music event, you’ll need your instrument ready with you and be in a comfortable, warm and undisturbed space where you can be quiet and also make sounds. Somewhere you can alternately stand, sit or lie as you prefer in the different sections of the workshop. You won’t be heard as you try the techniques, but will be able to ask questions.

Please contact me to join the mailing list for the next Mindful Music online session or to book your own individually tailored one.

Mindful Running Sessions & Mindful Sports Sessions

Since I’m a runner, gym user and a mindfulness teacher, I teach Mindful Running and Mindful Sports to people and find it has many benefits for us all whatever our level.  Since we build strength, flexibility and understanding of our physical bodies for them to perform well, it makes sense to train our mind to help us perform well too. The two are completely linked. Experienced runners will tell you that running is around 80% in your head anyway – so that’s a great place to start!

Many elite athletes use these principles to enhance their performance, but no prior experience of any sport (or mindfulness) is necessary to benefit from a session – just having more enjoyment and less frustration in you sports makes it worth using whatever level you are at.  It’s particularly helpful for recovery and adapting to running or other training with new limitations. I would like to encourage anyone who may be injured or on a break from running as you will be able to walk and sit during the session.

For example, in a Mindful Running online session with me (or live at your running group meeting or sports hall if local to me) I will explain the principles of mindful running, teach you broadly about mindfulness, how/why it may benefit your general wellbeing, your running, reduce any associated running difficulties running and increase your happiness.  You will then have a go at some guided mindful exercises and also apply them to a run or walk at your own pace outside. 

If our consideration is using these techniques at the gym, the exercises offered will be adapted to those movements. 

Please contact me to join the mailing list for the next mindful running or sports online sessions or to book your own individually tailored one.