New mindfulness taster session for Torquay, Devon – Saturday 3 September

If you’re wondering what mindfulness is all about, a new taster session in Torquay should help you. And it costs less than a fiver.

The two-hour session is being run by The Sharpham Trust – a South Hams-based charity that has been offering mindfulness and meditation courses and retreats for more than 25 years.

“You don’t need to have any prior knowledge or experience of mindfulness at all,” said Lynne Roberts, the mindfulness teacher running the taster session on behalf of Sharpham.

“If you’re curious about what mindfulness is, then this session will be useful for you.”

The Sharpham Trust, based near Totnes in South Devon, runs mindfulness courses and retreats, including an 8-week course developed by mindfulness pioneer Jon Kabat-Zinn.

This taster session provides an introduction to mindfulness ahead of further learning, said Lynne.

“If you’re interested in doing the 8-week course, then you’ll get a sense of what it is all about by coming to this taster,” she said.

The taster session runs from 10am to 12pm on Satuday 3 September in FlowPhysio Studio, Tormohun House, off Barton Hill Road, Torquay, TQ2 8JJ. Price is £4.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness techniques can help manage stress, increase one’s ability to relax and cope in stressful situations and boost self-compassion.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.

Mindfulness also involves acceptance: paying attention to our habitual thoughts, our feelings and emotional patterns without judging them. Being able to observe rather than react to those patterns can really help to manage stress and enhance our sense of wellbeing.

The NHS, the Mental Health Foundation and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommend mindfulness as a way to treat depression, anxiety, stress and pain. There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the positive effects of mindfulness.

Who is the teacher?

The taster session will be led by Lynne Roberts, part of Sharpham’s team of experienced mindfulness teachers.

Lynne qualified as a chartered physiotherapist in 1987. She is a teacher accredited with Breathworks – an international organisation that promotes mindfulness for people living with pain, stress and illness. Since graduating she has specialised in the management of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. She has also undergone training at mindfulness centres at Exeter and Bangor universities and completed the Mindfulness in Schools training.

Lynne has been delivering mindfulness programmes at Sharpham since the courses were established in the 1990s. She currently runs programmes in rheumatology at Torbay and has run mindfulness programmes for NHS staff at Torbay Hospital.

Sharpham’s courses

The Sharpham Trust also offers 1-Day Introductions to Mindfulness and 8-week courses in Mindfulness for Health & Well-being, which are being held at Sharpham, in Totnes and in Torquay.

1-day Introduction to Mindfulness sessions take place from 10am – 4pm in FlowPhysio Studio, on Saturdays September 17 & November 26.

The next Torquay 8-week course runs from 9.30am to 11.30am in FlowPhysio Studio, beginning Friday September 16.

The 8-week course uses a framework recognised by the UK’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence and is suitable for those new to mindfulness, as well as those wishing to refresh and practice their skills.

There are monthly mindfulness practice drop-in sessions at Sharpham – usually on the last Thursday of each month (apart from August). See the website for details.

Retreats at Sharpham

The Sharpham Trust runs secular mindfulness retreats in Sharpham House – a grade 1-listed Georgian villa on the banks of the River Dart – and in Sharpham’s tranquil woodland.

The Trust operates the renowned Barn Retreat Centre, where retreats in the Buddhist tradition are held weekly.

Find out more and book at www.sharphamtrust.org or by calling 01803 732542 or emailing bookings@sharphamtrust.org