Monk on a Motorbike

So what is mindfulness?

It’s the practice of bringing a non-judgmental awareness to our moment to moment experience.

Wow!  sounds great! What does that actually mean though?

Good point. Essentially it means we try to notice stuff. Any stuff. Right now. And now. And now. And so on.

More specifically it’s the stuff we perceive through our senses, ie sights, sounds, smells, touch, taste, as well as our thoughts and emotions. In short, everything in our field of experience. We notice this as it happens: in other words, we are not thinking about things that happened in the past or might occur in the future, but paying attention to what is occurring right now

And the non-judgmental bit?

That just means we are not taking a position for or against things. For instance, if we find the mind has wandered we just notice that and don’t get irritated or feel disappointed about it. Make sense?

Yes. But I don’t think I could manage that.

OK. The non-judgemental thing is more of an aspiration, especially in the early stages. It does get easier as we go along. Don’t get hung up about it: if you find yourself judging or criticizing – which you inevitably will- all you have to do is notice that you are judging or criticizing.

Great! So is that it?

No. There’s more to it than that, but that’s the gist of it. The point I’m trying to make is that it’s REALLY simple. You don’t need any special qualities to do it. Just a sense of curiosity and an intention to stick with it.

So far so good.  But why bother? What’s it going to do for me?

Fair point. The short answer is it will make you happier. Who doesn’t want that?

When we look into our minds and get to know our mental and emotional landscape we start to discern what makes us suffer and what makes us happy. Then we start to make better life choices and do more of what makes us happy and less of what makes us suffer

Awesome! Where do I sign up?

Go to the Useful Stuff section of this site and there is info on how you can take this up or have a look at the What I Offer page and get in touch.

Enjoy!

About Danny Hill aka the Monk on a Motorbike

Danny is a registered nurse, happiness coach and mindfulness teacher who is trying help people around the planet make sense of meditation.

He is a passionate advocate of mindfulness as a powerful yet simple and accessible tool for personal transformation.

He has been practicing meditation since 1995. and spent long periods on silent, intensive meditation retreats in Asia and the UK including a brief stint as a Buddhist monk

He is keen to explain this is a straightforward holistic practice that brings greater awareness to every aspect of our lives and with it a sense of calm and joy.

All that is required is a sense of curiosity and a willingness to learn to see great benefits in a short time.

He says: ‘mindfulness is a really easy practice. I’ve found it to be deeply transformative in my own life and the lives of many others.’

He lives in London, loves to get around on his motorbike, and is known to his friends and students as the ‘Monk on a Motorbike’.

Workshops: I run mindfulness workshops in the workplace and outside. These can be tailored to your needs in terms of time and place and level of experience – from beginners to experienced practitioners wishing to go deeper. Contact me to discuss

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Courses: This is a great introduction to mindfulness: 90 minutes to two hours per week for eight weeks with face to face teaching with a group combined with a commitment to regular practice and finishing with a day of silent retreat The MBSR is a great way to get a  grounding in this practice and see real changes in your life.

Mindfulness and Happiness Coaching: Seeking clarity, accountability and a way forward? coaching can be a great way of helping you to find the answers within. One to one or in groups

One to One Mindfulness Sessions. If you want some more personal instruction at a time to suit you one to  one sessions can be great. In person or  by Skype

Retreats. I co-facilitate retreats both in the UK and in Cambodia at Vagabond Temple Yoga retreat centre in Kep

Empowerment Retreats