The Friars Aylesford Priory

DETOX YOUR MIND IN 2018 In January gyms and diet clubs gain huge amounts of new members as everyone starts the new year full of good intentions. We want to be body perfect outside and conscience of what we put inside our bodies. All this is good for us, it gives us a healthy lifestyle and we can transform the way we look. If we reach the level of perfection we crave what part of us might still not recognise it, or still not allow us to be happy, to be free of worry. What part of us do we neglect consistently yet really is the most fundamental part of us. It what makes us who we are…… The Mind Our minds are full. They are full of the endless supply of information, images, videos, bloggers, vloggers, youtubers. In fact we walk around with the knowledge of the world in the palm of our hands and we are losing the ability to put it down. Our every waking moment is connected up to something which can be a marvellous thing, until its not. Our minds, like our bodies need a break, a rest, some timeout. If you run a marathon you run until the finish, then you rest, if you work out at the gym or a Zumba class you do your exercises and then you rest. When was the last time you gave your mind a rest? When was the last time you sat down and did absolutely nothing, no TV, no facebook/twitter/Instagram, no radio, no reading just nothing. Not looking after your mind leads to depression, anxiety, stress, and many other mental health issues and yet most of us do not even realise that you can do a workout for the mind. It’s called Meditation. Meditation is sitting or lying down, with your eyes closed and focusing on your breath and being guided by a single voice. It enables your brain to breath, to grow and literally rewire itself. Meditating daily for around 20 minutes, makes a huge difference in how you approach life, how personally you take things and how you interact with others. It enhances compassion, allows you to see things more clearly (including yourself) and creates a sense of calm and centeredness that is indescribable. There really is no substitute. I am running Detox your Mind days monthly throughout the year. You can come along once, or every month or as many times as you like. Think of if a Gym membership for the mind. These days are dedicated to guided meditations, a mindfulness walk and just a place to calm your busy mind and learn new ways to deal with thoughts of the past or future. I hold these at The Friars, Aylesford. A more tranquil place is hard to find. I also run 8 week Mindfulness and Meditation courses in the evenings and 4 week courses on Sunday mornings. All these are held at The Innovation Centre, in Chatham. Give your mind the break it deserves. Deborah McCabe www.meditatetosilence.com deborah@meditatetosilence.com 073421303343