The Swallows Australian Edition Magazine

Mindfulness is a growth industry and it has
become a popular pursuit. A growing body of
evidence shows that practicing mindfulness
has many benefits – in sport, business,
education and in health and wellness. With
popularity comes misconception.
Mindfulness meditation is not intended as a
blissful expereience. Like exercise, it can be
uncomfortable. In fact, mindfulness is about
learning to recognise, allow and be with all of
our experiences, whether pleasant, unpleasant
or neutral, so that we can begin to exercise
choice and responsiveness in our lives.
Mindfulness is not a panacea for all things in
life. It is not the only way to reduce stress or
increase wellbeing, nor is it right for everyone.
In our program we encourage people to let go
of their expectations and approach
mindfulness as an experiment, emphasising
that what you take away will depend on how
much you put into the program.
Many people who have participated in our
mindfulness program say that they are better
able to be present in their lives. They report
feeling less anxious and worried, more
accepting of the difficulties in their life and able
to better manage their thinking.
You can learn more about Cancer Council
Queensland’s mindfulness programs on their
website: www.cancerqld.org.au or by calling
13 11 20.
Sylvia Burns
Cancer Support Senior Specialist
Cancer Council Queensland
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