Come and learn how to
de-stress and keep calm
Drop-In Mindfulness Classes
TUESDAY NIGHTS: Short and easy-to-follow classes that quickly introduces you to the simple but powerful mindfulness practises that are helping people from all walks of life to finally lessen anxiety, stop worrying and get better sleep as well as experience better focus and attention in their everyday life.
Simply call or TXT 021 238 7799 and say what date(s) you want to attend and pay at the door or buy a ticket below.
Practise and Learn in a Safe and Relaxed Setting with other beginners
Classes in Ponsonby every Tuesday between 3 to 31 May 2016
TIME & PLACE
Location: 20 Ponsonby Community Centre, Ponsonby Terrace, Ponsonby Auckland
Drop-In Classes:
Tuesday 3 May
Tuesday 10 May
Tuesday 17 May
Tuesday 24 May
Tuesday 31 May
Time: 7.00-8.00pm
TIME: 7.00-8.00pm
Each class is 45 – 60 minutes.
Cost: $20 per class
What you can expect from this class
The Teacher
Rita Riccola
“Rita is a fabulous facilitator – she made us feel extremely comfortable, was open minded and encouraged us all to share from our diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. I came away with many very practical, easy to use exercises that I have since been using with with my classes of various ages. Thank you Rita for gifting me such a wonderful and enjoyable afternoon of learning”.
-Louise Dore, Auckland
Rita has been a Vipassana and yoga practitioner for 25 years. She has attended many silent retreats over the years to deepen the practice. “I always believed that life is the teacher and was sceptical of dogmatic, religious practices so for me Mindfulness was perfect”. From 2000-2002 She went to a number Barry Long’s seminars (Aust.) on a Course in Being (Barry Long was a teacher of Eckhart Toll). She has completed courses with Mindful Schools USA in preparation to offer schools in New Zealand Mindfulness classes (Mindful NZ Schools) which she has been doing since 2012. More recently she has been training teachers at Diocesan and Dilworth Junior College in Mindfulness in an effort take the practices to their students. She has been running an after-school programme for children and parents for the past 2 years at Grey Lynn Community Center.
Rita loves walking in nature, watching the sea, star gazing and urban life
The Mindfulness Revolution
“Practicing Mindfulness has been shown to alter the structure and function of the brain, which is what allows us to learn, acquire new abilities, and improve memory.” DR. ROMIE MUSHTAQ
Mindfulness trains the mind to be observant and responsive to the many challenges we face every day.
Harvard, Oxford and Stanford Universities offer Mindfulness courses. Mindfulness is not just a trend but a proven method for success.
“Mindfulness makes me get more sleep and helps me to get fall asleep”
Year 5 student, Dilworth Junior, Auckland
“When I am trying to get to sleep I use the body scan. It really works!”
Student, James Cook High, Auckland
‘The body scan felt relaxing and calm which took all the anger away”.
Year 5 student, Dilworth Junior, Auckland
Why Mindfulness?
Evidence based results from around the world continue to show that the regular practise of Mindfulness has ongoing benefits for physical and mental health. Research over the past few decades has found that Mindfulness training helps to;
Relieve Anxiety & Stress
In our fast paced lives, where we rush from one demand to another, there is very little time or space to stop and pause. Mindfulness offer the tools needed to connect with our inner intelligence, where we can access natural calmness beneath the busy minds.
Let go of Anger & Frustration
Coming in contact with your direct experience in the mindful state allows us to become familiar with the patterns that direct our lives; our thoughts, emotions and reactions.
OVERCOME WORRYING
& NEGATIVE THINKING
Pain is an inevitable part of being human but suffering is optional. In Mindfulness we learn how to manage our thoughts and emotions instead of letting emotions and thoughts manage us.
STOP INNER CHATTER
Aimless thinking and inner chatter is draining our energy and clouding over the present moment. One of the most common benefits from regular Mindfulness training is greater mental clarity and a new sense of inner peace.
Have Better Sleep
To be able stop incessant thinking and worrying is one of the great benefits of Mindfulness and it makes it easier to sleep in and have unbroken sleep throughout the night.
STOP LIVING IN THE PAST
Mindfulness practices increasingly bring you more into the present with the growing awareness that going over the past keeps you stuck in the past.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mindfulness is a way of noticing where your attention is in the present moment without judging it good or bad. It’s about not wandering off into an imagined future or going over the past but fully engaging right here right now.
Through guided, simple easy-to-do practisies you are training the mind to be more present in the moment. resulting in it to be less anxious, more alert and alive.
- Who over-thinks
- Thinks anxiously as a regular behavior.
- Stressed people
- People who engage in constant negative self-talk
- People who can’t sleep because of incessant inner chatter
- People who operate on ‘auto-pilot’ and are always ‘on’..
NON RELIGIOUS
There is no religion, dogma or beliefs attached to Mindfulness. Mindfulness has it’s roots in many contemplative practices but doesn’t require or impose on anyones belief systems. It’s a mental activity that has proven to be of great benefit for maintaining physical, mental and emotional balance.
Evidence Based
The many benefits of Mindfulness have been well documented especially in the past 30 years since Jon Kabat-Zinn established the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programme that has led to the wide-spread, evidence based research and the acceptance of these non-religious, practical exercises anyone can do.
MINDFULNESS FOR EVERYONE
Mindfulness practice doesn’t require any preparation or beforehand knowledge about meditation. Anyone can experience the effect from these simple exercises.