The program made me feel connected to a larger group, a new movement. Something that, if it took hold, would make the world a better place. The daily emails motivated me to keep on track and not give up, very helpful. I loved the interviews with the experts. I learned so much and they reinforced my belief that this practice is beneficial and scientifically proven to have benefit.”
I was surprised and appreciative of the guest interviews, I expected the meditation assistance but the overall program offered so much more than that.”
Mindful in May allowed me to take time out everyday and remind myself that the relationship I share with myself is the most important thing. This benefited me in so many ways, as I have learnt to reconnect my head with my heart and remind myself that accepting who I was was the first step to being happier. Not only did Mindful in May help me with self development it helped me reflect on my life in comparison to so many other people who can’t even afford clean water. Ultimately, we are very lucky and being the number one culprit I get bogged down by small things. Mindful in May put things in perspective for me. I would definitely recommend it to other people!
I thought it was amazing making a commitment to mindfulness for the month. I forced myself to try every night of the month, no matter how tired or busy I was, something I would have never done had I not committed to the program. Some days I really struggled and found it to be a really difficult or unhelpful experience. Most days I found it to be very grounding and helpful in letting going of the remnants of the stresses of my days. A few times I actually had some spectacular experiences – including some really strong emotions, some of the most intense calm I’ve experienced (sounds like an oxymoron but really it was full on) and lingering feelings of deep content. Overall, I feel so much more mindful in my everyday activities. I’m better at letting negative emotions go and at taking care of myself when I’m feeling under pressure. I pay more attention to myself and my thoughts and my mind feels clearer and less full all the time. I think this is an amazing program and I’m so glad to have taken part.”
Mim is such a great intro to mediating. Who didn’t have 10 spare minutes? Yet I’m amazed at how those 10 minutes a day collectively add up to such benefit. This year I especially enjoyed the interviews. I would listen on my way to work and start the day in a peaceful place. Thank you for these especially!”
I really appreciated the interviews and perspectives from the guests throughout the month. Hearing from neuroscientists, neurobiologist and other practitioners who meditate and could talk about the way they incorporate a daily practice into their lives was incredibly reinforcing and helpful.”
I really benefited from being committed to 10 minutes of mindful practice a day. I’ve had trouble in the past sticking with meditation. This gave me the focus and encouragement I’ve needed. Now, I’m enjoying the practice and believe it’s become part of my routine. I hope to carry it forward. The daily emails also serve as a reminder. I loved the interviews, and took away some great advice on being present in discussions, and how to be more compassionate with myself.”
Having recently started meditation, participating in Mindful in May connected me to a bigger cause. Sometimes I get so busy I put off my meditation with all sorts of silly excuses. The daily emails were my reminder to find 10 minutes to meditate. I now ensure my morning routine finds this precious 10 minutes. My friends can see the difference in me and how I am coping with huge levels of stress. I most definitely am and will recommend meditation and Mindful in May. I have worked in marketing and I would love to work with for you.”
My fiancé and I did MIM together. We loved getting home each afternoon and chatting about the interviews. We often did our meditation together in the lounge room. We couldn’t believe the almost immediate benefit we received from meditation. We have been kinder to ourselves and each other. Life just got easier! I would and have been recommending MIM to all my friends. I loved the succession of the meditations each week, they were brilliant!”
The MIM program delivered so much more that I was expecting , it has inspired me daily and encouraged me when I needed it. The progression of meditations was so well thought out it allowed me to tune in and gradually build awareness in different ways. The interviews were insightful and inspiring and I loved waking up to the daily email full of something that nourishes me rather than asking something of me. I look forward to continuing my new daily practice and will be signing up next year, thankyou!”
I would highly recommend this to everyone- in fact I tried to tell all my friends. It benefited me so much this year and last – I only hope that I remember to keep up the practice. I sleep better I am happier and I now realise something I never realised- I truly have compassion for myself. Sounds rather dramatic but with the daily reminder to give myself a break and to just be, I’ve actually started to believe it and I am a lot more comfortable with myself.”
Engagement and connection.What I valued most was the sense of connection to a community of like minded people who believe in connection. I am going to miss the interviews and clips, and anticipate rereading the tips. I love the fact that there was something new every day and I looked forward to opening my emails.”
I found this very encouraging and the interviews were so well chosen. I loved the balance of compassion, practical suggestions for our lives and the research that supported these practices in the recorded practices and the interviews. I personally found many of the interviews inspiring and even life changing and know I would love to keep listening to them and following up on their websites and books which I have already started including those of Susan Piver and Kristen Neff. I also loved that gratitude video.”
Of course I was happy to be part of something so wonderful to be able to contribute at least a small portion for people to be able to get water. On a personal level; I was able to find tranquility, peace and time to myself throughout this month of meditation. This has helped me a lot since now with the meditation I find a more restful sleep.”
I got so much more out of MIM than I thought I would. Having the recorded meditations on my phone meant I could access them at any time that suited me. I really enjoyed the variety of the meditations and the structure of how new meditations that built on the previous meditations were added. The guest interviews were all so inspirational & really helped motivate my commitment to the meditation throughout the month.”
I have really enjoyed the interviews, it’s a great way to get introduced to some of the ‘big names.’ I have found the meditation diary very helpful – for example, I was feeling down on myself because I felt like I hadn’t meditated for ages – if you had asked me I think I would have estimated two weeks at least. But when I looked at my diary it was five days. This showed me how much more regular my practise is than I thought, if I notice such a huge difference after five days of not meditating. I have also really appreciated the quotes, and I have several now stuck to my bedroom wall.”
I could not be more impressed with the organisation, breadth and depth of the Mindful in May campaign and associated resources. I felt incredibly well equipped to participate fully in the campaign and I loved the variety – there was something for everyone. I chose to focus more on mindfulness and self-compassion than on the process of meditation and I loved the freedom to choose from such a wide variety of links and sources and find what resonated with me.”
My Mum and I signed up together and its been a real bonding experience for us. We dont live in the same city but we’ve been talking nearly everyday about the different meditations and guests. I also loved how smooth everything ran, the use of social media and the options for short and long meditations.”
The benefits of MIM have been far reaching. I am much more aware of how I communicate and listening when in conversation with others and less judgmental of myself and feel more empathy and compassion with myself and others. I found the guidance to be an excellent way of adding to my daily practice and took the time to really connect with the information shared and incorporated what felt right for me. It was great to also explore speakers that resonated with me and the people I engage with and beyond, to broaden my understanding of meditation for myself and for the benefit of others. I would certainly recommend MIM to others as a way of discovering and enhancing meditation practice.”
I have tried mediation in the past and found it beneficial but this program has taken my understanding and experience of meditation to a new level. I wasn’t expecting the interviews and other information to be so inspiring. I am certain that I will continue a daily or almost daily practice. I feel like mindfulness is allowing me to be more truly and courageously me and to be more connected to people near and far. I like the order of body scan to sound meditation to thought meditation and to lovingkindness.”
I valued the daily reminders to practise! It is usually easy for the days to slip away between my practises but the MIM emails kept me (mostly) on track. I promised myself this year I would read all the emails and follow up on all the links and I have never been disappointed with their content. I have been moved in so many ways by the informative and beautiful talks, interviews and videos offered by Dr. Elise and I am incredibly grateful for the guidance and support offered throughout the month. MIM has helped me to improve my mindfulness practise on so many levels and has reminded me that there is an interconnectedness between everything and everyone and this is a beautiful thing! For anyone who is interested in commencing, reestablishing or improving their meditation practise I would say the MIM program is a wonderful annual event to participate in and a very worthy cause to give others what many of us take for granted, clean water!”
I was surprised and delighted by the interviews. They opened my mind to new ideas from people who I wouldn’t have had exposure to otherwise. I liked the daily emails and looked forward to them even if it might have taken a day or two to get to reading them. There was a good mix of inspiration, information, interviews and interesting video clips. Something for everyone.”
I thought it was going to be difficult to find the time and desire to implement the practice, listen to the interviews and even to read each email. I was so happy to find that I not only thoroughly enjoyed every email, interview, link, quotes etc but eagerly looked forward to them daily. I enjoyed every interview and have purchased the books of a couple of the interviewees. I feel happy, calm and relaxed as well as better equipped to handle stressful situations.I have had friends and colleagues comment on how bright and healthy I am looking and I feel overall genuinely happier about every aspect of my life.”
I would certainly recommend it to others (in fact I already have). I have found it all to be very helpful and inspiring. I congratulate you, Elise, on using the internet in such a positive and inspired way. Your medical knowledge encouraged me to register in the first place because it gave me the confidence that the project was serious and genuine. The spirit of enquiry evident in the interviews and guided meditations emphasises this last point.”
The most important benefit factor was feeling comfortable to “love myself”. I watched all interviews and did daily meditations. This has now become a regular part of my daily routine and I plan to continue this. I would certainly recommend MiM to others, in fact my daughter (a child psychologist) joined after I made her aware of MiM.”
The programme was incredibly inspiring. From the daily guided meditations that grew incrementally enough to absorb them fully into a daily practice, to the amazing teachers that I have discovered along the way. I really do feel that this program has changed my life, and I am so so grateful. Thank you, thank you thank you!”
This was seriously one of the best things I have done to empower myself with tools to proactively seek better mental health. I loved the progression from bodyscan through to loving kindness meditation, and I really thought the interviews were engaging, thought provoking and relevant to this journey. They provided me with many ‘aha’ moments where I was able to learn about myself and how being mindful can improve my quality of life in various ways.”
I valued the daily emails as a discipline that prompted my action. I became more peaceful in my spirit through the daily meditation practice. The links to interviews has opened more avenues of mental stimulus for me to pursue now that the month of May is over. I would thoroughly recommend it to others to help daily empowerment to cope with challenges of life.”
I’m very new at meditation, and this was a good head start for me. Now I know at least four types of meditations I can do. The Australian accent in the guided meditations was very pleasant and soothing. Loved it!! I also enjoyed the interviews and videos and shared some of them with friends.”
The interviews, meditations, quotes, interviews and links were all wonderful. I couldn’t pick a single aspect which was most valuable as it all worked in harmony. I gained deep insight from many experienced practitioners on the most useful topic of all: mindfulness. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who is open to considering it.”
I knew I wanted to commit seriously to this practice. Ten minutes is such a short time and so manageable. I found I was looking for longer sessions on some days, so was able to access the 20 minute sessions which was great. I introduced my 85 year old mother to these sessions, and now she is an absolute convert. She finds it very relaxing. Also at the end of the sessions, we seem to have very meaningful conversations in the quiet space and time that is created by meditating. We wrap ourselves up in blankets before we start. I lie on the floor and mum sits in a chair with her feet up. Even my husband has noticed how much of a convert my mum has become. There seems to be more available good time as opposed to rushed time with not enough time to do anything. I am so grateful for this experience. I cannot see myself or my mum giving this practice up for anything. We look forward to this time – and some days we do it twice. I have also enjoyed the interviews and explanations from the acknowledged experts. Their explanations have made the whole experience come to life providing many useful insights into how mindfulness fits into all of your daily life. How fantastic also that in gaining so much personally we have been able to raise money for the much needed clean water that we take for granted. Bravo to the organisers and all those that participated. Thank you.”
I’ve really enjoyed the practice each day, the 10mins per day has been achievable and I’ve really noticed to clarity I’ve had through a very trying month, enabling me to leave the day behind and start a fresh after the practice. Mindfulness came into my life 2years ago, I did a 6 week course and it transformed my life, after years of battling depression, it made me realise that I could be in control of my my mind. My awareness flourished and for the first time I stepped out and actually felt the sun on my back, breeze on my face and the brilliant colours all around me, I could feel life, this was living. MIM has been a lovely inspirational treat each day. Positive clips and guest interviews that really nourish your awareness. Thank you … grateful to be out amongst the world…”
I found Mindful in May to be an awesome experience, and incredibly educational! The interviews were fascinating- I found it really interesting to hear about the scientific research on the tangible benefits of meditation, and the different aspects of meditation. I enjoyed all of the interviews, but of particular relevance to me were the interviews with Kristin Neff and Carol Dweck. I found the content to be interesting and the whole program was really well put together. I have been recommending it to friends, and those who are using it as their first ever experience of meditating have been loving it too!”
I thought the online program was fantastic. The guided meditations were basic, but very useful and I loved the interviews with specialists that Elise conducted. I also liked the linking to community and all of the event that were created. Unfortunately this year I couldn’t attend any – but I will next year for sure! I even have plans to make my own event next year and gte much more involved. MIM fostered a real sense of connection between people, even if you’re only doing the online component away from all others. I have liked how it has brought a new sense of awareness and openness to my life and I am excited to continue this practise! Thank you!”
I welcomed the opportunity to be a part of a mass mindfulness to be connected with others . Yes my own practice got stronger. I noticed even only occasionally my angry moods with my kids n partner. I felt sensations in the moment and became present and aware of my body and then was able to stand outside of myself and observe. And the interviews esp with the scientists and doctors just confirmed many things and showed meditating to be of huge benefit to all of us. Thank you for the interviews Elise, you found a great mixed bunch of wise and well researched humans. Experts in the field of mindfulness.”
I signed up for mindful on May after my brother passed away suddenly in February. I was experiencing extreme anxiety and insomnia and although I had tried various avenues for relief nothing was working. I experienced almost immediate results from day 1. I was able to genuinely give my busy mind a break and start a new bedtime routine which meant I could actually get straight to sleep after meditating. During May I also found out I was pregnant with identical twins and the Drs considered it a high risk pregnancy and I needed weekly scans. Whenever I was feeling overwhelmed (often!) I would go somewhere quiet and do a guided meditation. I feel like MIM was my crutch during a time of ridiculous upheaval and allowed me to support my family, be there for my children and partner, be able to work and be present without the constant anxiety I was feeling. It didn’t ‘fix’ anything but it certainly gave me some tools so I had the emotional and physical strength to survive day to day (major) challenges.”
I loved receiving an email everyday, it was like receiving a gift! I valued the meditation activity and the interviews tremendously. The interviews and reading were most valuable, learning about mindfulness has been fascinating, and this learning in itself has helped me tremendously, so much that I’m doing further reading. The meditation activity was great, although I wasn’t very good at it, however can see the benefit, I loved doing it everyday. All of the material was relevant. Yes, I would recommend it to others for sure.”
I so looked forward every day to the words of encouragement in each email. The meditation sessions were not too long and yet the sense of centeredness and connectedness I achieved was remarkable and encouraged me to return each day. The guest interviews provided a wonderful balance of theoretical explanation and practical application. My friends have noticed a difference in me over the past month and I have been happy to credit it all to MIM’s encouragement and development of my mindfulness practice. I would highly recommended it to anyone who is interested in finding an answer to the big questions of life from within.”
The MIM program has been hugely beneficial to me during my period of intense grief, grieving the loss of my boyfriend of 5 years who was killed when he was hit off his bike by an alleged DUI driver 22 Dec 2013. Although I had been informed of the benefits of mindfulness by my counsellor and support group, I hadn’t started practicing it regularly. Not only did this program help me to meditate (almost) every day, it also was great to watch the interviews and gain a much greater understanding and appreciation of the benefits of mindfulness. In addition, the many inspiring links that were provided also helped me to find a positive mindset during the hardest time of my life. I have been able to reduce my anxiety that I was having about going out in public and being in groups (something I didn’t have before the grief) and have been able to start to practice self compassion which is a pivotal part of my recovery. I recommended MIM to my network when I joined and will no doubt recommend it to everyone next year if it runs again. Thank you so much, it has been a huge huge help to me as I continue down this new path, one I didn’t choose but one I have to go down and live life fully as that is what my dear James would have wanted.”
I loved the personal feel – that every morning I received new wisdom and felt connected. I loved the meditations and interviews. The meditations for stilling the mind and the interviews engaged the intellect. Fantastic – I meditated every day – it was an incredible support during a challenging time in my life that has been transformative. Thank you!!”
The daily meditations were wonderful. I enjoyed the experience of trying the different mindfulness techniques. The emails, guest interviews and links to information provided me with an enormous opportunity to explore more of what I was interested in within the world of mindfulness. It was a blessing to commit to finding time to learn, discover and reflect as well as to embark on daily mindfulness practice.”
As this was my first MIM I did not know what to expect. I think I valued the talks and interviews most. I guess because it was unexpected and very insightful. Meditation immediately have me a sense of not being out of control. It gave me strategies to let go of emotions.”
The fact that all around Australia and beyond there were like minded people meditating to enhance the lives of others.”
Would highly recommend this program to others. I found it extremely valuable in terms of getting an introduction to some meditation and mindfulness techniques (I love the loving kindness meditation in particular!). The interviews were fantastic too, and on a variety of topics, which kept them interesting and relevant.”
It gave me the impetus to re-start a second daily meditation. The Daily newsletter was great and informative. Your encouragement and gentle reminders were great and valued. I found the reminders to keep to focus on as aspect of the everyday very good. I now set my phone alarm to go off 3 or 4 times a day to pull myself up and just feel the present moment. The different ‘guest’ speakers and their generally insightful comments and observations were interesting and thought provoking.”
MIM was much more than I expected it to be. I valued the guided meditations the most but I also loved some of the interviews, I especially liked Dr Kristen Neff.”
I would highly recommend Mindful in May to others – in fact I did throughout the month! I loved the consistency of the daily email full of insight, quotes and links to other inspirational/informative videos. I also liked the various options of the 2 minute or 4 minute meditations for when I was on the run or not in the mood for the 10 minute one. The entire experience felt very supportive and I loved being guided along the way.”
I very much appreciated the downloadable meditations as I have only just started meditating in this manner. These are highly beneficial to me and I loved the interviews and the the youtubes. I loved the quotes. I these four aspects very valuable with the downloadable meditations as the most valuable.”
The mediations by Elise where so lovely. Her voice is very calming, her creativity with the words themselves and the timing was great. With the guest interviews her questions were very board and I’m sure were on the tips of a lot of our tongues. I thank her for her generosity into the world and for letting us be art of it.”
The daily emails were very supportive and encouraging and I looked forward to them each day. The interviews were very interesting, Great to here different individuals’ perspectives and life experience with both positives and negatives. The meditations were useful especially to start out with. I’d definitely recommend it to others and already have friends keen to sign up next year!”
I loved it! I told so many people about it… I loved the way there were always so many interviews and insightful teachings on top of the daily meditation. Really Elise you have done a fantastic job.”
It was extremely interesting and beneficial. It was empowering process to go through. The teaching, meditations and interviews could be applied to anyone in any situation. I would highly recommend this to others.”
EVERYTHING!! Daily contact is motivation in itself, and the varied messages and topics kept it interesting the whole way through. Thank you so much!”
I was really surprised by how this experience has really effected me. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this and found it easy to commit to (surprisingly) I didn’t always have the time to go through the whole days information but went back to it often on the weekend. Im not overly technically minded and it was easy to access the info/downloads etc. I started to get quite sad that it was coming to an end and had my son put all the downloads onto my ipod so I could continue to practice when I woke up in the morning and went to bed at night. It has been a difficult few months for me personally and I can honestly say that these small practices have had a major impact on my sense of wellbeing. I have discussed the positive outcomes in my work place and next year I am committed to encouraging everyone to join in the challenge! The fact that the money donated will also have a wonderfully positive influence on other peoples lives is fantastic!!”
I was given the link to MIM about a week before it commenced. I’d never heard of it so had no idea what it was going to be like. I practice mindfulness meditation however was starting to “get lazy” with the practice. So MIM came at the right time for me as it explained many things that I was currently experiencing. The different meditations that we could download are fantastic. It’s great to have the short versions to practice when time is limited. The interviews were also fantastic. The presenters were well chosen and spoke in layman’s terms which is great. I have learnt a lot and now go away knowing that what I’ve been experiencing is quite normal. Having it over a month was good as it kept me focused and I looked forward to the daily emails. Even thought I wasn’t able to listen to all the interviews or do the final week’s meditation as I’ve been travelling and out of internet range. However I’ve now learnt not to beat myself up about it which is great. I treat myself with a lot more kindness and compassion. What I learnt over the month are life skills and I’m looking forward to continuing to practice them for the rest of my life as I know they work.Would I recommend this to others, too right I would.”
I’m not a technophile and haven’t ever been able to master checking in for emails every day. Yet, I have found myself looking at the MiM messages first when I do log in! I haven’t been able to meditate nearly as much as I would have liked, but I am grateful that the meditations are available for me to keep – I know I will get to them and practice into the future. This is a long-term opportunity, so I’m not beating myself up for not getting totally involved during these few weeks. (Besides, I joined up late!) I have also realised that sitting at the computer to listen isn’t working for me – it is in a busy part of our home – so I’ll put them onto my little iPod instead. I hope to find a special quiet place to make it easier to be committed. And yes, when I’ve done the meditations, I’ve felt better able to move through my day. My thinking has been more mindful of what’s happening within me and around me – and better able to deal with past memories that come up out of the blue. They don’t take over like they used to. Wonderful!!!!”
Have become quite addicted to your emails, guidance through meditation and have become so excited to be introduced to some of the work of your speakers. I have written essays on mindfulness in the past ( Post Graduate Diploma in MindBody medicine in Auckland NZ) and so am aware of. Lot of the literature, however you have introduced me to some new material which I have so enjoyed.”
I valued the daily email ‘contact’ which motivated me to meditate daily. I also valued the opportunity of attending and holding MIM events (didn’t hold any and attended one).The benefit was much what I was looking for (calm) and a closer, more attuned relationship with my inner self. Yes I think the teaching, meditations and interviews relevant.”
The regular guided meditations were very helpful, and I enjoyed how the program allowed me to build practices across a range of techniques simply.”
