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Thanks to the Nowendoc community people living across the Walcha Shire will have the ability to work on reducing their stress levels with a leader in the practice of mindfulness.
PHN - Hunter New England and Central Coast gave a drought relief grant to the Nowendoc community and after using it to run the recent Nowendoc Summer Festival the locals decided to use the balance to engage Dr Sharn Rocco to run workshops on mindfulness.
"They thought if I ran the course in town in Walcha then it would be accessible to more people," Dr Rocco said.
"It's a four week course that is all about stress reduction and people report real benefits from doing the course - reduced stress, reduced worry and also reduced procrastination which can manifest as a part of stress. The course increases self awareness and self confidence and encourages participants to let go of judgmental thoughts."
Mindfulness programs have also been well documented to help with pain management according to Dr Sharn who has twice been scholar-in-residence for the Garrison Institute New York and has taught mindfulness courses and led retreats in NSW, Queensland, New York, Ubud and Oslo.
This will be the third time Dr Rocco has run the course in the Walcha Shire and she says she is dedicated to bringing mindfulness to life wherever you are.
Mindfulness as a concept and a practice has been around for millennia
- Dr Sharn Rocco
"I am constantly inspired by witnessing how people from all walks of life are able to make changes that positively improve how they experience and respond to daily life," she said.
"Mindfulness as a concept and a practice has been around for millennia and it is something that we all have the capacity for.
"It is a particular way of paying attention, on purpose, in the moment and non judgmentally. The three key elements are attention, intention and attitude. In recent years, interest in mindfulness has skyrocketed."
The ever-changing, often challenging and repeated demands of living lead us to develop habits of mind that become hidden from conscious awareness according to Dr Rocco.
The three key elements are attention, intention and attitude
- Dr Sharn Rocco
"These habits commonly include worrying, fault finding, procrastinating, self-doubt and busyness," she said.
"Overtime we come to confuse these habits with truth and simply who we are: 'That's just who I am. I'm a worrier'. These habits and our lack of awareness, inhibit our human capacity to make conscious choices and to love the life we want."
Each class will run for two hours from 6.15pm on a Tuesday starting on March 3 in the Walcha Home and Community Care room.
Dr Rocco says during the four week course participants will learn skills to: be more calm, focused, confident and joyful; let go of habits that no longer serve them well; reduce stress, worry, rushing and procrastination; improve the quality of their decisions, relationships and communication; appreciate themselves and the everyday pleasures and treasures of life.
"The opportunity to do this course free is great as it is normally $245 per person," Dr Rocco said.
If you want a taste of what the classes will involve there is also a free half day introductory workshop in the Nowendoc Hall on February 29 or consolidate all your learning at day-long retreat in Nowendoc on Sunday, March 29 .
"You can do just the course or just one of the workshops or you can do it all," said Dr Rocco.
"They are all fully funded and free to participants."
Call Dr Sharn Rocco on 0458 111 373 to register or for more information.