words by Marijke Koster
“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Grab my bag, run for a coffee, finish my make-up on the way to work, go to the gym, see my friends, meet that deadline – wait, what was I doing again?!
Sound familiar? Yes, our daily schedules are very busy, and while we all know that down time is important, it's just so easy to forget to stop. Luckily, there’s Mindful in May.
A 10 minute daily global meditation challenge, Mindful in May makes mindfulness through meditation more accessible, less intimidating and actually doable, while also contributing to a significant global cause.
Through only 10 minutes of meditation a day you can gain more focus and energy in your daily life. It helps you develop more awareness, appreciation and clarity in every day as you raise funds for charity. Not to mention improve your sleep, reduce toxic stress and enhance your overall health. Sounds pretty good, right?
When you sign up for Mindful in May you also get weekly audio meditation downloads to keep you going plus access to video interviews from global leaders in the field of mindfulness, mindset and wellbeing delivered daily to your inbox.
Founder of Mindful in May and local Melburnian, Dr Elise Bialylew, is a professional in the field of psychiatry, coaching and mindfulness. She has practiced meditation herself regularly for almost all her life and says there is compelling scientific research into the benefits of mindful meditation: “It actually can transform the structure and function of your brain in ways that are very helpful.”
Mindful in May also helps you help others by raising money for Charity Water to provide clean, safe drinking water for the 1 in 9 people in developing countries that don’t have access to this simple luxury.
100% of funds raised through Mindful in May go directly to water projects led by Charity Water, so get onto this awesome challenge, and onto your friends to support and sponsor you through the month long campaign starting on May 1.
If you’re looking for a place to practice your mindfulness, we liked Happy Melon Studios in Armadale which blend mindfulness with yoga and fitness classes in a peaceful ambiance – an ideal spot to get your 10 minutes of Mindful in May if you’re in the area.
Mindful in May
Meditation challenge
Commences May 1
www.mindfulinmay.org