‘Mindfulness for Self Care’ – a workshop held in the Irish Province on the 6th March, in St. Mary’s Day Centre Donnybrook. It was attended by Sisters of Charity, co-workers, colleagues and friends. A total of 64 participants were present for the workshop. What was particularly good about the day was that there was a cross section of participants from our various ministries. They had yet another opportunity to meet each other and to share experiences.
The Mindfulness-Based Self-Care (MBSC) workshop helped participants to use mindfulness techniques to become aware of the present moment, to pause and pay attention, and to apply mindfulness-based self-care to prevent burnout and compassionate fatigue. The relationship with the self is core to self-care and mindfulness is one of the ways of developing self-awareness, self-regulation and finding balance. Participants learned simple mindfulness skills such as “mind-states”, 3 minute breathing space and other short mindfulness techniques to enhance the process of managing self-care and staying in balance.
Mindfulness reduces stress, eases suffering and is a way of checking-in with oneself to slow down and take care. The workshop was an opportunity to share, network and remind ourselves of the importance of connecting in with the self and the community of helpers present at the workshop from the areas of health, justice, pastoral and education.
