Testimonials
In the words of our community
“I learnt how to be kind to myself. Be more generous and gentle which were really needed to reduce stress. I learnt to appreciate and be more happy
by being aware and mindful.”
– Hanna Lee
In completing the MBCT course I have a noticeably expanded ability to handle stress, anxiety and depression. The regular meditation practises and other skills we learned mean that I have developed a new set of tools to understand my internal experience. I now feel more present and connected. I notice vivid details in nature, and most importantly, I have rekindled a sense of joy and potential in life.
I had no idea what to expect going into this however what I came out with was a number of tools I could utilize that could be life-changing. I feel that a seed of kindness and acceptance has been planted within myself, and this could be the start of something new, a much more loving path to walk down. I would like to thank Nadav for all of his guidance, patience, love and care that he offered to each and every one of us. He has wonderful calm energy and a beautiful soul. You have nothing to lose from doing this course, only plenty to gain.
In reflecting on my experience of the MBCT programme, I’m drawn to notice the subtle shift that has taken place in how I relate to my thoughts. Instead of falling victim to thinking patterns that reveal false truths, I’ve become more aware of the context in which they occur and how best to navigate them. In conjunction with group participants, Nadav creates a comfortable atmosphere to connect, deepen, and explore the various pathways to awareness. This amazing experience is applicable to all, especially if your in search for mental clarity.
The MBSR course was a journey I deeply cherished. In the beginning, I was nervous about what was going to unfold and how I would receive the components of the course. It became clear to me that I could settle into the practice gently and unleash all the controlling expectations I had on myself when starting the course. A great benefit of the course was also having a group of others who are experiencing the course with you, so you feel a sense of community. I enjoyed getting into the flow of practising throughout the weeks, and I noticed I started finding pockets of the course that stuck with me and became transformative to my stress response and thought patterns. The tools you are able to take away with you in this course are invaluable and have now become components of my life that allow me to manage my stress in a healthy way. I felt like I was guided with so much empathy and understanding. Throughout this course, I was able to reflect on myself and be able to meet myself where I am with compassion and self-awareness. I would highly recommend this course”.
As an experienced meditator with a number of years of practice already behind me, I was really intrigued to see what the MBSR course by Mindfulness Auckland would bring to my practice and my life. I put aside my own personal practices for the eight weeks and dove fully into the course and its teachings, and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. I found it extremely beneficial to be guided through the practices each week by Nadav, who has a calm & genuine presence, allowing you to feel fully supported as you explore the new techniques that are introduced each week. During the course, I found that I can really observe my thoughts without attaching to them and being consumed by them, although I was a long term meditator I still struggled with this a lot when not on my meditation cushion, in fact many of the qualities I harness when in meditation now flow into my daily life far more than before. The course is structured and run extremely well with a fantastic amount of resources and guidance. Each weeks sessions flow beautifully into each other, and you really feel the shifts taking place as the course progresses. I would highly recommend this MBSR course to anyone who is new to mindfulness and wishes to discover the power of living mindfully, as well as more experienced meditators wishing to deepen their practice.
“Mindfulness is an essential skill for happiness in the 21st Century. Our lives are constantly bombarded with texts, TV, Twitter, and To do Lists, to name a few! Nurturing and practicing mindfulness allows us to connect to the moment, and experience a much more meaningful experience with ourselves and the world. The MBSR 8 week course was the perfect programme for me to learn the practice of mindfulness, and then share my learnings with my clients. I can highly recommend this programme to anyone who knows they need to be more mindful, but frankly can’t fit it onto their busy schedule! Spread over 8 weeks, it perfect for meshing mindfulness habits into your everyday life to bring about lasting change.”
I learned that I can calm myself down by focussing on my breath, it’s like and off switch for anxiety.
My aspiration in taking the MBSR course was to better integrate my meditation practice into my everyday life. I now feel much more aware of my body and able to “check in” with myself throughout the day… and also to practice a mindful pause in challenging situations, which can allow things to unfold in new and unexpected ways.
Sound understanding of the causes of stress (thoughts and physical reactions) and how being mindful of these during meditation can lead to reduced stress symptoms.
Gained confidence/knowledge in meditation practices.
I have found that I am much more aware of when I am not being mindful and I now bring mindfulness into my life every day.
Was familiar with MBSR from a book, but found it hard to form the meditation habit. This programme helped a lot. Thanks.
“Huge reduction in anxiety. Generally calmer and kinder to self. Recognising thoughts for what they are. Feeling contented and opening up to opportunities all around me that I’d missed.
My life feels hugely enhanced.”
“I learnt how to be kind to myself. Be more generous and gentle which were really needed to reduce stress. I learnt to appreciate and be more happy by being aware and mindful.”
“Amazed at reduction of stress symptoms and increased sense of calmness and acceptance.”
As the course went on, myself, along with other participants were describing more confidence, more patience and a general feeling of well-being.
My aspiration in taking the MBSR course was to better integrate my meditation practice into my everyday life. I now feel much more aware of my body and able to “check in” with myself throughout the day… and also to practice a mindful pause in challenging situations, which can allow things to unfold in new and unexpected ways.
– Susan C