The day was part of a “Mindfulness’ Course, which I have been attending run by Tina Mogensen here  in Doha.  The course runs for 8 weeks, one night per week and then has the ‘day of silence’ at the over half way stage.  The programme is based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is internationally known for his work as a scientist, writer, and meditation teacher engaged in bringing mindfulness into the mainstream of medicine and society. He is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and founder (in 1979) and former director of its world-renowned Stress Reduction Clinic.

The benefits of the daily practice of Mindfulness are now well documented with measurable results in stress reduction.  For me, my main objective in starting the programme was to find a framework which would help me rediscover the discipline of a daily practice of meditation.

For many years I have struggled with prayer and meditation, not just the struggle with the ‘monkey mind’ which leaps about takes thoughts off on meandering journeys, but also I’ve struggled with sticking to a daily routine.  So in signing up to a 8 week course with other people attending, I hoped I would be more focused and motivated to do the homework!

I have to report it has been working really well.  Most days I manage a 30 – 40 min meditation and have also found my way back to an earlier practice I adopted 15 years ago with Jack Black’s Mindstore System.  Coincidentally, yesterday Mindstore launched its new online website and I am sure I will post more about this as the site develops.

Back to yesterday.  As well as the meditations we had been introduced to over the past weeks, we were introduced to a meditation which was new to me (but is a core Buddhist Metta Meditation).  This is known as ‘Loving Kindness’ Meditation.

The practice proceeds in a very structured and specific way.  After directing ‘loving kindness’ to yourself and close loved ones, you move to a ‘neutral’ person.  Someone you neither like nor dislike.  Then you move to someone with whom you have had difficulty or conflict.  To send loving kindness to difficult or threatening people is not to forget your own needs.  It doesn’t require denial of your own pain, anger, or fear.  Nor does doing this practice mean you’re excusing malicious or cruel behaviour.  Rather you are engaging in a process of discovering and cultivating your inherent capacity for unconditional love.

Over the years there have been people and situations which have demanded my forgiveness.  Sometimes all I have been able to do is say the words and hope that in the end I will come to believe them.  But this practice was much more powerful for me.  It is also a challenge!  However, over the next days and weeks and hopefully months and years, I will incorporating the practice of sending loving kindness to people who have caused me pain in the past.  I am hoping this will be a transformative experience for all involved.

Well I am just finishing my first week with my new friend the ‘fitbug’

I can see why it becomes addictive! I regularly check how many steps it takes me to go down stairs to switch on the PC and don’t moan when I’ve forgotten something and have to go down again!

Then it’s the daily online tracking of activity and nutrition intake.

For those who have ‘techie tendencies’ it’s a great way to motivate yourself.

All I have to do now is what to see what targets my ‘bug’ will set me for week 2

More anon

A very high percentage of women I meet who juggle a busy working schedule and a home and family, put themselves at the bottom of the list of priorities.  Dashing around in the morning to get the kids off to school, or to catch the train mean that often we skip breakfast but grab something mid morning, a danish or chocolates.  No wonder then that recent research has found that people who skip breakfast tend to end up eating more calories during the day than those who start the day with a bowl of cereal!

Not that we are advocating calorie counting – that’s something we really want people to move away from, because all calories are not equal – 1,000 calories coming from fat have a very different impact on your body than a 1000 coming from protein foods.

This emphasis on low calorie diets has had a hugely damaging effective on our health.  As well as damaging the metabolism, osteoporosis, heart disease and the early onset of menopause are also health risks.  Sadly the dieting treadmill can lead to anorexia, this article on ‘how dieting ruined my health’ gives the true picture of the costs of dieting taken to extreme.

So what can the busy professional woman do to ensure she stays healthy, clear focused and full of energy?  My top three tips would be-

1. Always eat breakfast!  If you can, include some protein in the meal – eggs, fish would be ideal
2. Start the morning first thing with a cup of hot water and a couple of slices of hot lemon, in order to get the digestive system going.
3. Cut down on your caffine intake – too much caffine will affect your blood sugar levels.  It may cut your appetite in the short term, but you will be much hungrier overall, it can also cause stress, anxiety and mood swings – so not the best frame of mind to be in when you have lots of business decisions to take!

and lastly - always consider yourself at the top of the priorities, if your health suffers – who’s there to look after you?