Mindfulness Review

I was very lucky to attend a mindfulness class, hosted by Pam Sidhu, and managed to bring myself “into the moment”.

The description of the class says that you can “release the stresses and strains of the day” and is “scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness can also help improve quality of sleep.” So, I went along to learn about the art myself.

I’ve always been interested in the wiring of the brain and the benefits of meditation. The lovely Pam Sidhu welcomed me into the class and gave me an introduction about herself and the class which instantly made me excited to learn more. She said that as it was only me and another kind woman, Lauren*, attending the class that night, that she would give a taster session whilst building on Lauren’s past session.

Pam established her knowledge in the art of Mindfulness and said that she had been practising it for decades. She told us about the meaning of Mindfulness and how it’s all about bringing yourself “into the moment” with breathing and concentration techniques

So, we began with a method surrounding the five senses.

We were told to take a visual picture and close our eyes. Next, we had to recall details from around the room and from the visual picture. I struggled to recall much, whereas Lauren had been to a previous session and managed to recall a lot. Then we worked through each of the other senses; sound, smell, taste and then how we felt, emotionally and physically. I realised how vital this technique could be to improve memory and relaxation. Anyone can easily practice this method with just a spare few minutes!

"We were told to take a visual picture of the room and recall the details". Mindfulness Classes are held in Studio 2 at Déda every Tuesday.

Then Pam moved us onto a body scan meditation. I have practised meditating before, with the Mindfulness app, however it’s not the same as having a professional, guide you. I laid down and closed my eyes and then was told to concentrate on Pam’s very soothing voice. I relaxed my feet first, legs, stomach, and worked up to each individual body part up until my head. I focused on my breathing and concentrated on Pam’s voice, occasionally drifting through thoughts. After about 10 minutes, I was completely relaxed and almost fell asleep. Similar to the Navy sleep technique which also involves relaxing individual muscles throughout the body. I was eager to try this method to help me get to sleep later on, and I can now tell you that it does work! I was fast asleep in 20 minutes!

Participants practicing a full body scan meditation in January's Mindfulness and NLP workshop.

I feel that if you were to attend the classes, you should make it a regular trip as each session builds on the previous whilst introducing new techniques and knowledge. Pam also gives ‘homework’ each time, so you can form a habit at home of giving yourself time to relax and bring yourself into the moment.

I would definitely recommend the class to anyone of any age or level who wants to give themselves time to relax and release stress, or anyone who’s simply interested in the art/concept of mind-body medicine.

*Not participant's real name.

Mindfulness takes place every Tuesday from 6.45 - 7.45pm and tickets are £7 (£6 concession). Tickets are available here.

Pam Sidhu will host a Mindfulness and NLP workshop at Déda on Saturday 6th April from 10.30am - 3.30pm. Tickets are available here.