Hi, anyone had any experience of these… I feel they might help me and know of people who have said they are really good. Where do I find out about courses. Have googled but am struggling to find any in my area. Thanks in advance guys xxxx
Hi lisalou, I became fascinated with mindfulness when I was diagnosed last year. I thought that it would definitely help me as I worried and stressed about everything generally - i think that it is something in my personality! The first person to talk about it to me was my counsellor, I’ve been fortunate to receive counselling though my work place. I then took an evening class in tai chi for wellness and the tutor spoke about it and gave me exercises. You can use u tube to work though some of the exercises, I searched mindfulness for ms and found a site for it, I’ve also bought mindfulness for dummies a useful book. Hope this is helpful and good luck! I have found it very beneficial in my job and dealing with all stressful situations no matter how small or big. Regards Bluebell x
Hi
I took part in a study last year on mindfulness for MS. I loved it , and found it really helpful for both emotional well-being and pain management. I find if I start to get stressed now I calm down much more quickly, and I don’t feel as bothered by pain as much. You’d have thought simply noticing pain and letting go of any desire to change it would make the experience loads worse, but for some reason it helps to turn it down. But I know now that where I used to say ‘I am in pain’, that’s not actually true - it will only be a tiny bit of me that’s in pain. The rest of my body will be feeling all kinds of other things. I find I enjoy my food much more now too - it tastes nicer, as I’m noticing & savouring the taste of it, instead of piling up my fork for my next mouthful like I used to do, barely aware of what’s already in my mouth.
If you want to try an experiment, the next time you get an itch, don’t scratch it. Instead, simply notice how it feels, and then go through the rest of your body & notice how the different bits are feeling. Chances are you’ll find the itch feels more intense at first, but then will quickly ease off and probably stop completely.
The study was funded by the MS Society, and they’re looking for more volunteers for a further study. You can find out about it here - http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-research/get-involved-research/be-in-a-study#MBCT
The study is for people with progressive MS though. So if you don’t fit the bill, a website you could try is getsomeheadspace.com. They have a free course called Take10, which is ten 10 minute long meditations, that will give you some of the basics of it. There’s also lots of info on there about mindfulness too that you might find helpful.
Hope you find somewhere you can start to practise it.
Dan
That’s so weird! I was looking up about Mindfulness yesterday. Found various books etc on Amazon with differing reviews. Some think it’s brilliant, others think it 's a scam, just a way to part people from their money. Also looked up about The Secretwhich I’ve heard a lot about. Heather
I don’t think it’s a “scam”. As I understand it, it has its origins in Buddhist spiritual practice, although you do not have to be Buddhist - or religious at all - to do it. I suppose some people are of the view that all religion or spirituality is a “scam”. If you have to make a large “donation” to be initiated, or are told that only certain (very expensive) courses or learning materials are good enough, then I suppose it is. But I don’t think you need to make a huge investment to try mindfulness at home. I’ve got a couple of books and CDs, which I don’t think were very expensive. I find a bigger obstacle than the expense is the perseverance to just sit down and do it!
Like any exercise - physical or mental/psychological - it’s not going to help unless you do it. And that’s where I always fall down. I suppose I’m just not motivated enough. When I do occasionally pick it up, it all seems quite reasonable, and not too New Age or scammy. But I suppose it doesn’t really strike a chord with me, because I never get the urge to persevere. Rival pastimes like reading a book, or jut listening to the radio, always seem more attractive.
Maybe a class would help in that respect, because then you make a commitment to go, and don’t keep putting it off, waiting for the right mood (which for me is never).
Tina
i was intending to go to the buddhist centre in manchester but it was quite expensive about £300
then the trafford ms therapy centre started running one which cost £50
any guesses which one i attended?
it was really good and i carried on with it for quite a while.
i’m finding this nice weather and a good book is doing it for me nowadays
carole x
Carole do the Manchester one still do it? And is it evening? Xxx
hi lisa
the course ended but i’m sure the 2 ladies who ran it will be doing more courses, maybe not at trafford.
0161 872 9444 is the number for trafford ms therapy centre, you could ring and ask. maybe they could give you contact details for the trainers.
if you live close by it would be worth calling in.
they offer all sorts of therapies including hyperbarric oxygen therapy.
carole x
I went on a Mindfulness course at the John Radcliffe in Oxford - it was excellent and as the others have said, it is essentially Meditation - and how to incorporate it into your life. I bought the original book by John Kabat-Zinn : Full Catastrophe Living which was the first to develop the concept and the courses which still run in America.
B x