Comments

With thanks to all previous Mindfulness and Autogenic Students for allowing me to use their comments anonymously – Ian Ross

Part I: Mindfulness Students Feedback

Feedback on Specific Questions:

1. What are the most important / helpful things that you have learnt on this course?

• I have learned that it’s about me becoming more aware and awake to every emotion and situation I find myself (in both Positive and Negative), without judgement or criticism.
• Clearing my mind and enjoying the moment more, feeling my body reacting to the sensation of calmness and my inner self feeling peaceful.
  Closing out distractions of everyday life and focusing more on everything around me….i.e. Birds, clouds, flowers, smells
• I think the most beneficial thing I have learned is that we have the ability to the change the quality of our life through mindfulness, meditation and meta awareness.
• Mindfulness is something that can/should practise every day…. not just when certain situations arise.
• It has been hugely helpful to learn about mindfulness. The A,B,C states are a clear learning tool, which help to emphasise the importance of being in a mindful state as often as possible.
  • Editorial comment: The A,B and C states refer to the three basic Autonomic Nervous Systems of Dorsal Vagal PSNS (C State), Sympathetic Nervous System (B State – Beware), and Ventral Vagal PSNS (A State). The ABC notation of these allows these three States to be understood much more readily. See B 28 on web.
• Mindfulness is about me being fully engaged in what is happening to me and around me (my surroundings) as well as being mindful of what internal state I am in and aware of the state of others.
• Another important learning for me was to beware of the second arrow. I had never heard of this before, and I have to say it really resonated with me as something I have done and still do, but with knowledge and practice I hope to do less!
• This has empowered me to realise I can control my body with my mind to release tension and anxiety and negative thoughts.
• It has greatly improved my day to day living where I look at everything around me in a different perspective.

2. What were the best things about the course?

• Meeting lovely people
• Awe – expansion of mind
• Calming of the mind and feeling my entire body relaxing
• I really enjoyed the whole course; it was a really relaxed atmosphere.
• I particularly enjoyed the different meditations.
• The Story telling and the exercises we were given as homework.
• I felt that there was something that would resonate for everyone.
• Increased my curiosity to learn more.
• Did something for myself – feel good
• Helped me to feel less depressed (C State)
• Loved all the poems and stories

3. In what ways, if any, has the course changed your outlook ……?

• The course has really opened my mind to the benefit of regular meditation and mindfulness.
• It has helped me to see the impact my state has on my life and also how it can impact my whole family.
• The skills learned on the course have helped me to try to do better and live with more peace in my life.
• This had empowered me to realise I can control my body with my mind to release tension and anxiety and negative thoughts.
• It has greatly improved my day to day living where I look at everything around me in a different perspective.

4. Are there any other general comments you would like to make about the course?

• This course at first was so new but with a great teacher I found skills within myself which I didn’t know was there.
• I would definitely recommend this course to others; it has been my pleasure to have participated in this course.

 

Part II: Autogenic Training Students Feedback

Feedback on specific question

“What is the most important thing that you have learnt on this course?”

• How to keep calm in stressful situations
• How to treat people in a non aggressive way
• How to focus on now and not the future too much
• Confirms my belief in appreciating simple things
• To be more aware of my emotions and to begin to be more mindful.
• I am able to recognise anger / stress before it builds too much.
• I notice when I am “not in the moment” much more than I did before.

 

General comments re course

My outlook is more positive and hence I find myself able to tackle things better – I “allow” myself to complete them!

The course exceeded my expectations.

I’m much more aware of my need to care for myself and my need to communicate clearly with others regarding this.

Highly recommended – did more to help me than months of CBT Counselling…

I am slower to anger, my stress levels have reduced considerably and my alcohol intake has reduced by at least 70%.

I think the course should be more widely available…….. it would benefit so many.

For me, having a GP facilitate a holistic approach to well being was extremely encouraging and refreshing – would be great if this was part of a traditional medical training.

An extremely stimulating experience in addition to being very useful in practical terms. I am also much more sympathetic and open to the viewpoint of others.

I think it was great and am recommending it to my friends who I think may benefit.

Autogenic Training works, and its benefits are remarkable in terms of outlook on the world and sense of “wellness”.

When I wrote down my aims at the beginning I was sceptical and even half way through I felt it was maybe to subtle to work for me.

But by the end it was very interesting to get my card back because I have achieved them all:

My partner definitely notices a difference in me

I was slightly sceptical but I was pleased to find that the system worked for me.

The course really met my expectations. It came at just the right time for me [after grief counselling) and the combination of theory, practice, peer support, careful facilitation worked really well; I often felt vulnerable but also felt supported in my vulnerability.

I enjoyed the group element and the group leader was excellent and sympathetic to each individual.

Overall I would say that this has been one of the most useful and effective courses I have taken part in and I feel it has made an important positive change in my life.

I am generally less stressed / less reactive

I am much more aware of my emotions and have begun to be more mindful.

All these things combined have given me a more positive outlook on life

I have become more able to allow myself to relax and not feel “guilty” about doing so.

As I have slowly become more mindful I realise that I do have time available

I wish it was more widely practised as I think society at large could do with being more mindful.

With thanks to all of the above for allowing me to use their comments anonymously – Ian Ross