Mindfulness and meditation

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a therapy that helps you to pay attention to your thoughts, sensations and feelings in a non-judgemental way. Mindfulness is the opposite of being on autopilot and enables you to take control of your mind rather than allowing your mind to be in control of you.

How can Mindfulness help me?

Mindfulness aims to support people with mild to moderate symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.  Perhaps you have been made redundant or are experiencing pain, you may have panic attacks or medically unexplained symptoms? There are a number of areas where mindfulness may help you to manage better.

Mindfulness therapy can be delivered over the telephone or in person at your GP surgery or other local venue with sessions lasting up to 50 minutes.  Contact Newcastle Talking Helps or North East Counselling Services.

Mindfulness Therapy can help you to develop techniques that helps to weaken old, unhelpful, negative and automatic thinking habits and and support you to take positive action.

Mindfulness Apps

There are a number of Apps available on ios or android that can be downloaded onto your smartphone or tablet.  Some apps are available for free and you can search Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to find them. It is worth thinking about what you need and there are a wide range of options.  A few Apps give you free, basic, mindful strategies and then require you to pay to get more in depth, ongoing support.  It is worth trying several apps for free before you decide which you prefer.

Examples include: Headspace, and Aura.

There are a number of articles and reviews available online; just search “mindfulness apps” to find a range of options.

To find out more about getting online, visit our section on the website.

Meditation

Meditation can, in theory, be practised anytime and anywhere – but it usually helps to choose a time and a place that is reasonably quiet and where you are unlikely to be disturbed or interrupted. It is not essential to meditate in a location that is completely silent but it may help at first.

One of the easiest ways to meditate is by using the simple, natural process of breathing in and out as something on which to focus your attention. Without breathing in any particular way, or trying to control the breath, but just breathing normally, try to keep your attention focused on your breathing. Be aware that as you breathe in you are breathing in, and that as you breathe out you are breathing out.

Similar to mindfulness, meditation is not about trying to stop the mind from thinking. Instead, as thoughts arise – which they will, don’t try to suppress them, but become aware of them.

Mindfulness sessions

There are some sessions ran by local groups. Visit our Events & Activities section to find Mindfulness sessions near you.

Take 10 minutes Mindfulness in parks

You can scan a QR code using a smart phone when you visit local parks to listen to a free guided meditation session as you walk.

There are different guided meditations to choose from.  Simply hold your camera on your phone up to the QR codes on the totems placed in the parks. You can then choose the meditation which best fits your walk. Some phones will need you to download a QR reader app first. The guides help you to: focus on the present, pay attention to the sights and sounds you experience in the park with increased awareness of your thoughts, physical movement and breathing.

• Castle Farm (opposite the Freeman Hospital in High Heaton)
• Iris Brickfield Green Space in Heaton
• Hodgkin Park in Benwell
• City Stadium Park in Shieldfield
• Tyne Riverside Park in Newburn

Meditation centres

You may find it helpful to visit or start with a meditation programme.  Places in Newcastle include:

• Newcastle Buddhist Centre, Diamond Way
• Compassion Buddhist Centre

Other useful information

Anxiety  You may like to read out article and contact one of the organisations listed within it.

Mental Health If you are experiencing difficulties in your daily life, relationships or physical health you may like to read our article and contact one of the organisations listed with it.

Complementary Therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy and reflexology can be used to improve mood and wellbeing.

Mindful Therapies offers a variety of mindfulness courses and events throughout Tyneside.

Life Coach Directory provides information about different types of coaching including coaching for wellness.

Last updated: September 28, 2022