We offer a range of programs suitable for beginning and experienced meditators. Most of our programs are offered face-to-face at our peaceful Northside venue, the Gathering Place. All our programs are taught or facilitated by qualified teachers with many years of meditation experience.

Scroll through to familiarise yourself with all our programs, or click one of the links above to jump to that section. 

 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Our foundational 8-week course. We teach the complete and authentic MBSR program, as developed in 1979 by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre and featured on ABC Catalyst, The Mindfulness Experiment. Each class is 2.5 hours and a full day retreat is included.

Mindful yoga

Mindful yoga classes run for 8 weeks each term. We intentionally bring mindful awareness to both movement and stillness. Through the poses and stretches as well as using breathing practices and short meditations, participants cultivate a deeper, kinder, more resilient and conscious connection with their body-mind. There is a strong focus on how to work compassionately with tension, stress, pain and physical limitations.

self-compassion

This 6-week course focuses on cultivating mindfulness and self-compassion together. Together, they are a powerful combination for managing difficult emotions and when dealing with the pressures and strains of life.

positive neuroplasticity training (PNT)

In this exciting 6-week course, learn how to turn everyday fleeting experiences into lasting inner strengths. It is a pre-requisite to have undertaken some training and practice in mindfulness before this course. This is the full and authentic 18 hour PNT program as taught by Dr Rick Hanson.

Our upcoming courses:

day of mindfulness (full day retreat)

Your first experience of a Simply Mindful all day silent retreat will be as a participant in the MBSR program as it is an integral part of the program. The retreat is a full day of meditation practice held in silence under the guidance of the Simply Mindful teachers. The day is intended to make space to simply be and explore further what you have learned in the program in the first 6 weeks. We typically offer one all-day retreat each term.

half day retreat

This four hour silent retreat provides an opportunity to practice mindfulness under the guidance of a Simply Mindful teacher. You must be a graduate of our MBSR course.

weekend retreat

A 3-day, 2-night residential retreat held at our beautiful urban retreat centre in the heart of North Canberra.

Register for a retreat below. We generally run 1-3 retreats per term so please check back if you don’t see a date that suits you.

graduate practice group

Each term our mindfulness practice group meets face-to-face one evening a week for weekly sessions of 1.5 – 2 hours with the primary focus on mindfulness meditation in all its forms. A typical session may include guided and silent meditations, yoga or walking meditation combined with a group discussion.

This group is geared towards graduates of our MBSR program. If you have equivalent mindfulness experience please contact us to find out if this group will be suitable for you.

early morning practice group (online only)

Open to beginning meditators as well as those who have completed one of our courses, this online-only group meets weekly for 30 minutes during term-time.

Register for a practice group below. We generally run 1-2 groups per term so please check back if you don’t see a date that suits you.

In addition to our regular courses, practice groups, and scheduled retreats, we host a diverse range of events throughout the year. We hope to see you at one of our evocative and thought-provoking Art Exhibitions or or perhaps you’ll join us for a Silent Community Practice at the Gathering Place.

We also collaborate with local Canberra organisations to provide innovative, one-of-a-kind offerings that contribute to public wellbeing. These are held all over our beautiful city, from sunny Glebe Park to the National Art Gallery and are often provided at no cost.

If you don’t want to miss out on our special events and new course announcements, we encourage you to sign up for our mailing list below.

upcoming special events

Mindfulness training and practice in organisational contexts can enhance and improve communication, relationships, efficiency, leadership and wellbeing.

Short programs give participants an introduction to mindfulness and a range of skills they can use at work or home.

Longer in depth programs help participants develop new skills and integrate them into their work and life. They lead to lasting and substantial benefits such as improved concentration, focus, clarity, and efficiency, reduced stress, increased self-awareness and improvements in physical and mental health.

We provide 1 hour sessions, half day or full day programs and up to 8 week courses tailored to your organisation.