Mindfulness fundamentally means having the awareness about everything that’s going on around you. It’s about focussing on the present and paying attention to how things make you feel. Check out these 10 mindfulness workshops in Singapore to find your inner zen.
(Also read: What is mindfulness, and how to practise it?)
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Shahrul Hussin, regional manager of Swedish stationery and lifestyle store Kikki.k, leads a regular mindfulness workshop in-store. It is meant to act as a guide on how to use Kikki.k’s Mindfulness Journal, which contains short mindfulness exercises one can do daily. During the 1 1/2-hour session, Shahrul, 43, teaches participants how to create their own vision board using quotes and images that inspire them. He also guides them through simple meditation techniques for five to seven minutes. The workshop caters for six to 12 participants a session. Corporate groups and 1-on-1 sessions are also available.
Shahrul goes through mindfulness training at Kikki.k’s Melbourne store regularly. “I try to make it localised. In Australia, they might be able to enjoy a meal or a cup of tea in the garden, for example, but in Singapore, I talk about how to eat mindfully in the foodcourt, or how to meditate in the train,” he says.
Where: The sessions are held at the Raffles City and Ion stores in the mornings at 9am. Special sessions in the afternoons may also be arranged upon request.
When: Upcoming sessions on July 19, September 6 and October 10
Price: $50 for a 1.5h session (inclusive of a Kikki.k Mindfulness Journal worth $44.90)
Sign up in store at Ion or Raffles City or online here
Photo: Kikki.k
Nowyourmind is a mindfulness program run by certified mindfulness instructor Tan Cheen Chong. It focuses on the fundamentals of being aware of the present as well as the importance of showing compassion for yourself and others. Whether it’s spending time with your loved ones or taking time off to relax, it’s all about getting more out of the limited time you have at this mindfulness workshop.
(Also read: Here’s Exactly How Meditation Will Help You Get Slimmer, Calmer & More Positive)
Cheen Chong is a strong advocate of maximising and cherishing life. “If participants can engage with the present and engage with being alive, it gives them the motivation to experience more,” he says. The 60-minute mindfulness workshops will introduce participants to mindful awareness and a series of training exercises like breathing to practise mindfulness. There will also be a group sharing and Q&A session.
Where: Lululemon Duxton, 79 Duxton Road
When: Upcoming sessions on July 14 and 15, 10.30am to 11.30am and 1.30am to 12.30pm respectively
Price: Free
Sign up at here for the July 14 class and here for the July 15 class. Visit www.nowyourmind.com
Photo: Nowyourmind
Mindful Insights was founded by certified therapist and yoga instructor Carmen Teo. She left the corporate world to pursue mindfulness and to spread the benefits of mindfulness to everyone. Mindful Insights now offers various mindfulness workshops for corporations, schools and the public.
(Also read: 4 Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness to Reduce Stress in Your Life)
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course is a eight-week course developed by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn in the late 1970s in the U.S, and is now offered in many medical centres and health organisations. In partnership with the Mindfulness Initiative at Singapore Management University, the public will be able to enrol in the MBSR course to cope with stress through mindfulness. Instead of trying to get rid of stress triggers, this course helps you to understand these stressors better and develop an awareness of how they can impact your lives and approach them with an open mind.
Where: Singapore Management University
When: Every Thursday 7pm to 9.30pm from August 16, 2018. Includes an All-Day Mindfulness Practice on Sep 22, 2018. Includes a free Mindfulness Information and Orientation session on July 26, 7pm to 8pm.
Price: Register here for more details
Visit www.bemindful.sg/courses
Photo: Mindful Insights
Brahm Centre is a registered charity established in 2012 to promote healthier and happier living. They offer a wide variety of talks and workshops for people from all walks of life. Their introductory mindfulness course is designed for anyone who wants to get started on mindfulness. Learn how to incorporate mindfulness in your daily life and live life more meaningfully. The course will guide you to focus on the present and to find the connection between your mind and body. The course runs for two hours over four sessions every Tuesday. You’ll also be glad to know that the course takes place after-work hours – perfect for to relax your mind after a long day at work.
Where: Brahm Centre, 71 Irrawaddy Road
When: Upcoming courses are on July 10,17, 24, 31 (Tues) 7.15pm to 9.15pm and Aug 7, 14, 21, 28 (Tues) 7.15pm to 9.15pm
Price: $160 or $32 for Singaporeans and PR senior citizens above 50 years old. SkillsFuture Credits can be used.
Visit www.brahmcentre.com
Photo: Brahm Centre
With our hectic, face-paced lifestyles, many of us fail to find the time and energy to cultivate mindfulness. Take some time off your busy schedule to attend this 14-day mindfulness programme by The Open Centre. Trust us, you will see a change in your levels of productivity. The workshop not only aims to introduce mindfulness to individuals, it also hopes to inculcate mindfulness in individuals for it to be a lifelong practice. The class is conducted by mindfulness-based psychotherapist and trainer, Dawn Sim. There will be three meetings over the course of the programme where individuals will receive personalised feedback from Dawn.
Where: The Open Centre, #01-2B, 100 Turf Club Road Horse City
When: Upcoming intake August 11
Price: $280
Register here. Visit www.theopencentre.com.sg
(Also read: 6 Quick Ways to Relax and Recharge During a Stressful Day at Work)
Photo: The Open Centre
The Centre for Mindfulness prides itself upon wellbeing and happiness and believes that anyone can achieve them with mindfulness practices. They frequently conduct workshops for the public, corporations and schools. With certified teachers with over 35 years of combined experience, you can be assured that you will be in good hands participating in the workshops organised by the Centre of Mindfulness.
The Centre of Mindfulness conducts monthly mindfulness retreats for you to consistently practise mindfulness. The three-hour retreat allows you to practise mindfulness with like-minded individuals, exchange ideas and grow as a community.
Where: Centre of Mindfulness, 171 Tras Street
When: The next retreat is on Aug 4, 2018, 9am to 12pm
Price: $31.30, all profits are donated to a registered charity in Singapore
Register here. Visit www.centreformindfulness.sg
Bonus: Being the only centre that trains teachers in mindfulness in Southeast Asia, experienced mindfulness practitioners who are keen to pursue teaching can take on the Mindfulness Teacher Training Certification Programme to get certified.
Photo: Centre for Mindfulness
Nirvana Mind, a company that offers various meditation workshops and classes, and conducts weekly mindfulness sessions at co-working space Core Collective.
Nirvana Mind was set up by Helen Clare Rozario in 2014 after she discovered that meditation helped her “find inner peace” and “be a more productive human being”. She found that most meditation centres here were either affiliated with a religious group or tied to spirituality. “I hope to bring meditation to people who are looking for something non-spiritual and non- religious,” she says.
Helen is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher-in-training with the University of California San Diego Medical School’s Center For Mindfulness. Besides the weekly sessions, Nirvana Mind has various workshops that cater to a wide audience ranging from children to expecting mothers.
Where: Core Collective, #21-01 79 Anson Road
When: Every Wednesday 7pm to 8pm
Price: $35 per session
Email support@nirvanamind.net to register. Visit www.nirvanamind.net
Photo: Nirvana Mind
The Singapore Management University (SMU) is currently the only university that holds mindfulness workshops and forums for the public. They offer regular Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses – perfect for busy bees and worry warts who need to relax and unwind. Through the course, you will learn to develop thinking styles and mindsets that effectively help you cope with stress. Also keep your eyes peeled for free mindfulness forums organised by SMU.
Where: Various locations in SMU
When: Registration is open for the August to October intakes
Price: Register to find out more
Sign up here. Visit business.smu.edu.sg/mindfulness or e-mail mindfulness@smu.edu.sg
(Also read: 5 Easy Ways To Eliminate Stress From Your Life For Good)
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These monthly sessions, which started in May, is organised by Light Of Mindfulness, a group of 10 to 12 people in their 20s to 40s who practise meditation at Buddhist organisation Dharma Drum Singapore. The organisers note that the sessions are not religious in nature, but are about helping participants stay calm and relaxed.
Tan Shin Yee says: “All of us have benefited from practising meditation. We got a greater sense of calmness, peace, joy, relaxation and mindfulness, which is very much needed in today’s way of living.” The two-hour sessions for about 30 people are held at Gardens by the Bay. Members of Light Of Mindfulness take turns leading participants through activities such as light exercises, stretching, walking, meditation and sharing.
Where: Gardens by the Bay, SuperTree Grove
When: Held on a monthly basis
Price: Free
Visit www.facebook.com/mindfulnessbythebay
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This monthly support group is for mothers to share their struggles and learn mindfulness techniques which they can practise even with a baby in tow. About two to 10 mothers turn up for each session. The group was set up by Portuguese Silvia Wetherell and Australian Joanna Bush in 2013. Both work as counsellors and each has two children.
When she was based in Britain five years ago, a pregnant Silvia had wanted to find a way to be calm and centred when her baby arrived. Her research led her to mindfulness. Later, in Singapore, she met Joanna, who had once struggled with post-partum depression, and they decided to form a free support group for mothers.
Silvia, who is trained in mindful motherhood and maternal mental health, says that mindfulness is beneficial for mothers to learn how to “let go of things they cannot control” and “use acceptance and curiosity to help them cope with their day-to-day life”. She acknowledges that mothers with young children might not be able to find the time to meditate. As such, Mindful Mums advocate a “mindfulness in the trenches” approach that allows mothers to practise mindfulness even when they are busy.
For example, even changing a diaper can be done mindfully, if the mother focuses on how her baby’s skin feels, or how she is bonding with her child. Says Silvia: “A lot of mothers go on autopilot and say ‘it was all a blur, I can’t remember anything’. “I tell them to remove external distractions, get rid of Facebook on their phones and bring back curiosity into their lives. Everyday experiences can be meaningful.”
Where: The Mother & Child Centre, Tanglin Mall, 03-11, 163 Tanglin Road
When: Next session August 10, 2.30 to 4.30pm
Price: Free
Visit https://www.meetup.com/moremindfulmums/
(Also read: Pregnant And Depressed? You’re Not Alone)
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