The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast

Join us for Chapter Nine “Responding Wisely”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explored the power of pausing between stimulus and response to support wise responses. He looked at tools we can use in that space such as grounding in the body, using values as a compass and responsive breathing spaces. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Seven “Befriending Our Minds”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explores the foundational attitudes of mindfulness, contemplative traditions, and practices like the befriending practice to consider the concept of befriending your mind as a lifelong friendship to nurture. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Six, “How We React to Stress and Difficulties”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem Kuyken explores our habitual reactions to stress and challenge through concepts like the 'vicious flower' and 'two arrows of pain and suffering'. Willem discusses how our responses can be supported through practices like the breathing space, the 50/50 practice, and mindful walking. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Five, “Our Most Important Natural Resource: Our “Body-Mind””, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Professor Kuyken discusses the interconnected nature of the body and mind, reframing it as the 'body-mind.' He explores a four-part model to help us unpack our experiences moment by moment so that we can be intentional and resilient in our responses. Practices include a mindful phone use practice and a deep listening and speaking practice. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Four, “Appreciating the Life We Have”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Professor Kuyken illustrated how appreciation is an active skill and a habit that can bring beauty even to life’s complexities. Practical tools included the three-step breathing space to foster presence as well as ideas for broadening and building appreciation in daily life. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Enjoy this conversation between Professors Willem Kuyken and Mark Williams, which took place in October, 2024 in Blackwell's book shop in Oxford, UK as part of the launch of Willem's new book Mindfulness for Life. Hear Willem and Mark discuss what mindfulness for life means, the inner critic and befriending your mind-body and the importance of spending our 'attention budgets' wisely. They also shared two short mindfulness practices.

Join us for Chapter Three, “Coming Home to Our Bodies”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this session, Professor Kuyken shared valuable insights from the third chapter of his new book, Mindfulness for Life, exploring the theme of reconnecting with our bodies. Willem emphasised the body as a source of grounding, awareness, and wisdom, highlighting how mindfulness practices can help us cultivate presence in everyday life. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

“How can mindfulness help me if I’m under pressure to stab someone to join a gang?” Mindful Peak Performance (MPP) was founded to answer this stark question and find ways to make mindfulness more accessible to disadvantaged young people. MPP has pioneered an award-winning approach to combining mindfulness with boxing that has been successfully delivered with a range of communities, including young people at risk gang of involvement, young and adult carers, ethnic minority groups and the LGBTQ+ community. MPP, alongside the grassroots foundation, has also made mindfulness more accessible in elite sports and business through team away-days, 1:1 coaching and courses that fuse high performance with mental wellbeing. In this talk, the founder of MPP, Luke Doherty, will share the origins of the organisation, how its approach was co-created with at-risk youth in some of London’s most deprived areas, and adapted for elite athletes and corporate leaders and teams. Luke will share key learnings around the importance of mindfulness, meeting people where they are and presenting mindfulness in ways that are relatable and relevant to their lives, work and socio-economic context while keeping the core essence alive.

Join us for Chapter Two, “Pay Attention!”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this session, Professor Kuyken shared valuable insights from the second chapter of his new book, "Mindfulness for Life", providing practical strategies for developing and managing attention in everyday life. Willem emphasised attention as a valuable resource and highlighted how mindfulness practice can enhance our ability to manage and direct our attention. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

In this insightful discussion, Willem Kuyken, a leading expert in mindfulness and psychological science at the University of Oxford, shares key principles from his book, 'Mindfulness for Life'. He highlights the significance of identifying personal values and fostering a supportive relationship with one's mind. Listeners learn practical techniques for daily mindfulness, including pausing to reflect and enhancing awareness. Kuyken emphasizes the transformative power of simply 'waking up' to life, encouraging everyone to define what a fulfilling life means to them.