Mindfulness Testimonials

Testimonials from mindfulness

Thank you, Huw. You changed my life for the better.

I can’t say I have ever been spiritual, and before the course, meditation was off my awareness scale. I became interested as I read some of the science behind mindfulness and its benefits on stress reduction and well-being.
I was open-minded enough to know that being less stressed and more easygoing in my outlook would benefit the people around me at home, work, and me. I wasn’t entirely prepared for how life-changing mindfulness would be. Huw is an excellent teacher, knowledgeable and amiable, and I enjoyed each of the eight weekly sessions. Huw concentrated on the science for me. Daily practice has been important too. I have found that I am more grounded, much less stressed
and less judgmental. In a word, more relaxed. Realising that the present moment is the only moment I can affect helped me not to dwell on the past (memories produce so much feeling) or worry so much about tomorrow. Learning how the mind works and seeing it in action whilst meditating to Huw’s Mindfulness tracks is a life changer.
I highly recommend that anyone with a busy life and head full of thoughts attend the Huws course. You won’t be disappointed. Don’t try and change into somebody else in life. Change into yourself!              David Blake (SIRM)

Pushing the bounds of the practice.

Before Huw’s course, I was aware of the evidence supporting MBSR and its increasing use in the NHS, and I had done some mindfulness meditation practices.
This course added so much more than I could have imagined!
I would recommend Huw to anyone considering MBSR. I would also encourage joining the group sessions even if you are not a natural ‘Groupie’. The support from the other group members on our journey was tremendous.   Dr L.T.

Although I have a lifetime of meditation experience and a wealth of other personal development workshops and spiritual retreats under my belt, I found this course greatly deepened my ability to live the practice of non-judgmental loving kindness.
I enrolled simply as a professional exercise to find out what was being offered under the heading of “mindfulness”. Yet the most wonderful outcome was a deep healing of the remaining grief around the death of my wife from cancer 18 months ago.
Over and above the techniques Huw taught us, I found that his kind and gentle presence made the most impact on me. I was able to absorb the silent teaching through a feeling of awareness that cannot be put into words.
Thank you, Huw. May you be safe, healthy, peaceful, and happy.
Leo Searle Hawkins

Having heard about mindfulness from different people, I decided to take the plunge and do the course after recently being diagnosed with MS. My world was shattered in an instant, mostly through ignorance of the disease. Now I am better informed. I feel I will be able to deal with it and understand my body better. There are dark days, but I feel I have a really useful tool in my toolbox to help me through them now that I have completed the course. Thanks. SH

After a period of ill health, Huw’s eight-week Mindfulness course enabled me to clear all the fears and worries about the future from my mind and focus more in the present. As a result, I was able to park a lot of negative issues and feel more positive. If I started to feel low, it was easier to recognise & deal with these depressive thoughts as they entered my mind. My subsequent annual health check-up was a lot less stressful as a result.
Each of Huw’s mindfulness sessions has a separate theme which comes together as a package of techniques to encourage a relaxed, cheerful approach to life in the moment.
I would thoroughly recommend this course to everyone trying to deal with the demands of everyday life, whether or not they have experienced difficult health challenges.
C. B.

Testimonials from mindfulness

This course has been one of the most interesting and rewarding courses I have ever done. It more than fulfilled my expectations, and it has given me the desire to make mindfulness part of my everyday life, for even within eight weeks, I can feel the benefit in my well-being ( both physical and mental) due to its practical application and general philosophy of concentrating on the ‘here and now’.     I found the course to be well structured, with just enough new information introduced each week together with reinforcement of what had been covered in previous sessions. The variety of activities: exchange of information, questions and answers, and practice of mindfulness techniques ensured well-balanced and enjoyable sessions. Each week’s follow-up notes with the suggested home study were clear, well-presented and very valuable in reiterating what had been covered in class.
     Huw is a sympathetic teacher, always well prepared with everything set up before ‘students’ arrive. His friendly, relaxed manner put me at my ease, and the group as a whole soon jelled. I appreciated his willingness to listen and to respond to queries. I know Huw’s enthusiasm and commitment to mindfulness has left a lasting impression on me and I would recommend this course to everyone.

PW.

Having met a number of people who hold eight-week mindfulness courses, meeting Huw was a true breath of fresh air. His passion and enthusiasm for the subject, his belief in it, was infectious. Chronic long term depression is a difficult cross to bear. To “discover” mindfulness a number of months ago, has helped to put me in the best state of mind for over two decades. Not relying on any one person, being able to be proactive in one’s recovery is the way forward. Huw’s unselfish support has been heartening. I really look forward to the rest of my life- with mindfulness in mind. It is a joy to practice every day.

Thanks to Huw for his compassion and caring it has been a pleasure getting to know him. PB

I am a busy person with lots of responsibilities, and this was a fantastic course for me. I have learnt a lot about myself and how to cope with stress situations. The main thing is that I am now much quicker at realising what is happening (when I am getting stressed or anxious and also when other people are), and then I have a number of ways to deal with that which I have been using at work, at home and whenever I can.
I feel that I understand myself and others better, and this has helped me being more assertive too. I can choose how I respond to situations and I have a much better sense of what is going on. I really enjoyed the non-judgmental approach, learning how to and allowing you to be kind to yourself and to others. I feel better equipped to develop myself and support the development of others. Saying that this was a very good beginning. I am very aware that I need to practice and continue learning.
Joao Roe.

I came to the course with a mixture of great expectations and concerns that it ” wouldn’t be for me”. I’m glad to say that the course exceeded my expectations and without using hyperbole, has changed my view of myself and life in general.
Huw is a great teacher/guide and everything he did was done with great calmness and patience, explaining concepts and practices as we progressed through the 8 week course.
Overall this course opened up a new gateway into self-awareness and a new world for me with hope, calm and peace.
I would, and have, recommended this course to all.
Pat Brown

As a busy mum, I felt I didn’t have the time for this course, let alone any additional home practice.
But I am so glad i did!
I have become more aware of myself and more able to be in and enjoy the moment. I don’t have less to do but somehow I feel much less anxious about what I have got to do. I am less rigid and stuck in my ways and more creative in the way I approach things.Mindfulness is a new way of being which has and will continue to enhance my life.
Cath Wilkins