mindingu
Frequently Asked Questions
What would I get out of your courses ?
As with any course, the more you engage with it, the more likely you are to reap the benefits. Our lives are so busy, time-poor and frantic. We are often desperately juggling the pressures of work and family obligations with day-to-day living. This course not only gives you valuable skills to help you become more present in your life but it will also give you much needed time and space to chill out and nurture yourself. Our centre is set on 10 acres in the beautiful Ferguson Valley, only a 30 minute drive from Bunbury. So when you commit to the course, you are committing to something even more important: yourself.
Where are the courses held?
All courses are run in our custom built mindingu centre set on 10 acres in the beautiful Ferguson Valley.
What is Unique about mindingu?
Undoubtedly, the setting is magical and a wonderful place to let go of your everyday cares and busyness. Also, the class sizes are deliberately kept small (absolute maximum of 12) so that we can genuinely make the course participation more tailored to you as an individual. Small groups can facilitate good discussions while allowing each voice to be heard. Too often, mindfulness courses have become one size fits all. mindingu creates a space that genuinely nurtures and cares for people. The main facilitator, Lorna is an experienced teacher who likes to create fun, creative and meaningful courses. Most courses are firmly rooted in the Acceptance and Commitment Coaching model which adds both practical and workable approach to life as well as really helping us to connect with what really makes our heart sing. This is an evidence based model which can bring about real, sustainable change.
What type of meditation is taught at mindingu?
The formal meditation practice we follow is Mindfulness Stillness Based Meditation. This meditation technique has been developed and taught at the Gawler Foundation. We believe it to be a systematic and thorough approach to learning meditation which works well for most people.
Are Meditation and Mindfulness the same?
No, mindfulness and meditation are not the same.
Meditation is generally a more formal practice that usually involves intentional sitting (or another preferred posture you adopt) for a set amount of time following a particular method of meditation. This method could be a meditation following the breath, a mantra, etc. Formal meditation usually has some sought-after outcome, whether it be for increased focus and clarity, contemplation, following a spiritual or religious tradition, or healing, as examples.
Mindfulness is a particular attitude and attention process you bring to the present moment. It can be formal or informal, and there are no desired outcomes other than to bring yourself to the present moment.
So what is the difference between your mindfulness courses and meditation courses?
The mindfulness courses have been designed with modern living in mind. Not everyone has the wish to spend longer periods of time in meditation but would like to still reap the benefits of being more present in their lives. The mindfulness courses keep the exercises short; most are practices that can easily be interwoven into your day.
The meditation courses are for people who prefer to experience a deeper and longer meditation session, really allowing for the body and mind to drop into stillness, which is sometimes not so easy in shorter sessions. However, the meditation courses still cover how to bring mindfulness into your daily life, so they are practical too. It is just more of a question of preference.
What is the benefit of attending a course in person?
The last few years have led to an exponential increase in online courses. While these have been so helpful, especially in times when such communications were our only option, there is something lovely about sharing our learning journey with people in person. Our architecturally designed centre is set in a beautiful, natural environment that really can not be replicated in an online experience.
Do you have options for an online course?
At this stage, no, but we will consider this in the future so that people who can not get to the centre have a chance to participate in our programmes. We will also consider a Zoom experience of our live courses for the same reason.
I have special dietary requirements. Can you cater for this?
As part of your booking and registration process, you will be asked about dietary requirements, and every effort will be made to accommodate these.
What kind of food and drink may I expect?
It is our sincere wish for people to experience a safe and calm environment that is truly different from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life. For this reason, we do not provide coffee but have a range of organic teas and herbal infusions instead. All food is vegetarian or vegan.
