Pause & Breathe CIC

We know that change happens constantly in our lives, yet it can be so difficult to navigate it. This is particularly true when we experience change that we hadn't foreseen, or chosen. In this workshop we learn how to navigate change mindfully, dropping our resistance and finding our balance. 

This workshop includes some journaling, and a meditation. So bring paper and pen, and be somewhere that you can meditate in comfort.

Susie will be your facilitator for this workshop.

It's £10 to attend, or it's possible to make a donation if this is unaffordable. This workshop is included in the cost of our monthly online membership.

Do you find life a bit of a challenge? Maybe your mind is super-busy all the time. Perhaps you find yourself reacting to circumstances in ways you wish you hadn't. We can spend so much of our lives feeling overwhelmed, or exhausted.

Perhaps it doesn't need to be like this.

Mindfulness isn't all about sitting on a cushion meditating for 15 minutes a day. It's a tool that we can use to navigate life more easily. It helps us to regulate emotionally, to find balance.

In this 6-week mindfulness course, we find out how to bring mindfulness into our lives to bring more ease into our days, by learning how to be less involved with our over-thinking minds, and less reactive to our emotions.

Week 1 - Introduction to Mindfulness (6th April)

Week 2 - Focusing on the Body (13th April)

Week 3 - Mindfulness in Daily Life (27th April)

Week 4 - Calming the Mind (4th May)

Week 5 - Working with Emotions (11th May)

Week 6 - Compassion to Self and Others (18th May)

The sessions will be recorded, and so it is possible to watch them back if you miss one, or would like to revisit it. However, you will get the most benefit from attending the sessions live.

The aim of the course is to give a good overall insight into mindfulness, and how it can help in daily life. Participants will be given a handout for each session, and audio tracks that they can listen to in their own time. It is suggested that participants begin a daily - or regular - mindfulness practice, to embed the teaching further.

We do have a small number of spaces available on a pay by donation basis. If you cannot afford the full price, select the free option and I'll be in contact to let you know how to make a donation to attend.

This course is run by Susie Hooper of Pause & Breathe. Susie is a certified Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness practitioner, who is on the register for the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches. She was a Criminal Justice Social Worker for 20 years, and has been facilitating Mindfulness sessions for over 6 years. She is a certified Daring to Rest facilitator, and is passionate about bringing more rest into everyone's life.

Please note that there is no session on 20th April.

Our Online Book Club meets every 6 weeks, usually to discuss a book based around wellbeing.

In this meet-up, we're going to be discussing "The power of Letting Go" by John Purkiss.

Fancy joining us? This is free to everyone who pays for a monthly subscription in our online community. Otherwise, it's just £5 to join us.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions coming to Bonnybridge Community Centre. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions will be held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. The first six are advertised here, and future sessions will be advertised on an ongoing basis. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

Are sessions will be held in Bonnybridge Community Centre, on Fridays, from 10am-11.30am. The session will be an hour, with time afterwards for refreshments and a chat.

Our first six sessions look like this:

14th April: Feeling Stuck? Mindfulness can help with that: Discussions and Mindful Meditations - with Susie from Pause & Breathe

21st April: Accessible Chair Based Yoga - Informed Movement and Relaxation with Lindsey from Yoga-Nu-U

28th April: Exploring and Experiencing Rest - with Susie

5th May: Gentle Chair and Mat Based Yoga with Sound Relaxation - with Lindsey

12th May: Bringing Mindfulness into Daily Life - learning to be more present throughout the day - with Susie

19th May: Gentle Yoga - focusing on the breath, some yoga poses and improving our balance - with Lesley-Anne Martin from The Yoga Tree

It's possible to come along to just one, or to all sessions. Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitators:

Susie Hooper from Pause & Breathe CIC worked as a Social Worker within Criminal Justice for 20 years, and is passionate about helping people to make difficult changes. Since the beginning of 2017, Susie has been delivering mindfulness within her local community in Falkirk.

Lindsey Porter from Yoga-Nu-U has been teaching yoga since 2006 after studying Yoga in India and supporting others on their journey to teaching yoga as a Tutor on the Yoga Scotland Foundation course since 2018. She is a qualified and experienced NLP Practitioner, Reiki Master and Holistic therapist. Based in Falkirk where she lives with her family, she is a SEN parent. 

Lesley-Anne Martin runs The Yoga Tree Stirling and has been teaching yoga for 12 years.

Embracing Change - often the weather in April is changeable, perhaps this mirrors the changeability of our emotions. During our time together we can embrace however we feel, and allow it to be.

Both Yoga Nidra and Sound Healing practices embrace mindfulness - accepting what's going on in our bodies, mind and emotions without judgement - just being and going with the flow.

Join Morag and Susie for another evening of relaxation combining a Yoga Nidra meditation (no yoga postures involved) with a relaxing sound bath.

After the sound bath, there’s an invitation to stay for a hot drink and some cake – a chance to further unwind and relax.

Our session will be held on Friday 14th April 7-9pm at Reddingmuirhead Community Hall (FK2 0DT). It’s £25 to attend (£22.50 for Pause & Breathe online subscribers). If that feels too much just now, get in contact – we have some donation spaces available - if you select these, we'll be in contact to let you know how to make payment.

Any questions, get in contact: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk 

About Us:

Susie Hooper has been teaching mindfulness for several years, in her local community and online. More recently, she has been exploring a yoga nidra practice herself, and has been delighted to undertake training to deliver this. The benefits of a yoga nidra practice are diverse and, in the current climate, much needed.

Morag Wylie holds a Diplomas in Integral Sound Healing (1 to 1 clients and groups) with the Sound Healing Academy and a Certificate in Creative Therapeutic Sound with the ANSU School of Sound. She has a wide range of experience in working with individuals and groups as a Transformational Breath® Facilitator/Co-trainer and Laughter Yoga teacher.

Yoga Nidra for Getting Unstuck: in our deep relaxation practice, we bring in themes of hope and moving forwards. 

This deep relaxation practice will encourage us to welcome all aspects of ourselves, to open up to ourselves with love and forgiveness. 

This session is being held by Susie. It's £7 to attend, or it's possible to make a donation if this is unaffordable. This session is free for those who subscribe to our online monthly membership.

We are returning to Loch Monzievaird (near Crieff) for a retreat in 2023. Staying in log cabins situated around a Loch, it’s a beautiful place to spend a weekend.

We are looking forward to being joined at this retreat by a range of facilitators. Phil will be offering Qi Gong, and Susie – Mindfulness and Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation). Our Guest Facilitators include Lesley-Anne from the Yoga Tree and Morag from Sound Balance Scotland. More will be revealed too.

Part of the attraction of Loch Monzievaird is the beautiful site that we stay in. There will be the opportunity to try wild swimming in the Loch, there are paddleboards that can be rented out, a zip-wire for the brave and a Frolf course (frisbee golf, in case you didn’t know!). It really is a good opportunity to try something new – to stretch yourself out of your comfort zone, if even just a little.

Our retreat starts on Friday 5th May – arrivals from 4pm, for dinner at 6.30pm. We’ll be together until Monday 8th May at 3pm.

Our accommodation consists of adjacent log cabins, which overlook the Loch. The cabins sleep a maximum of 8 people with two bathrooms.

If you would like to book, we will send you terms and conditions and take a deposit, which is 20% of the full cost. The deposit is non-refundable. We will be in contact to arrange payment. Full payment needs to be made by 10th February 2023, if you are booking after this date we will be in contact to discuss making the remaining payment as soon as possible.

Please contact us if you'd like to see a full brochure, the terms and conditions before booking, or with any queries: pause@pauseandbreathe.co.uk