Slow Space is an inclusive space for mindfulness and meditation practice. On and offline - in Brisbane/Meanjin, Australia.
My name is Lauren, founder of Slow Space and prinicpal Meditation teacher. Learning to meditate has been the most important skill I have learned in my life. My deepest wish is for all humans to develop this inner resource that supports you in all areas of life, that gives rise to resilience, wisdom and joy. This is the gift I have received from my own practice.
In 2022 I completed certification to teach and guide mindfulness and meditation through ACMM. My wish is to help you build a lasting meditation practice and to support you to take happiness and peace into your own hands.
At Slow Space, we use a contemporary understanding of mindfulness and approaches to teaching which are consistent with modern living. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, all are welcome to join. We offer weekly meditation classes for community, workshops and corporate programs.
Mindfulness and Meditation
In the Buddhist tradition it is said that “life is suffering” due to being caught in a cycle of constant craving pleasant experiences and having aversion to unpleasant experiences. Suffering, in modern terms this can be understood as being stuck on autopilot, the feeling of not being truly present in your life.
In my own experience I have come to realise that without paying close and curious attention to how I react to thoughts, emotions, or a external situations, my suffering increases exponentially.
Mindfulness and meditation offer a very practical training to help you develop a flexible and open mind. It is only when you begin investigating the way your mind works, using the technology of certain practices, that you will see for yourself the overwhelm and anxieties that can arise in the mind. The good news is that once we know what we are working with, we can begin rebuilding a healthier, happier mind.
At Slow Space we use Mindfulness is to train your awareness to be anchored in the present moment without judegment. We teach very practical ways to open to all experiences with wisdom and non-judgement. When you are regularly practicising mindfulness, not only in stillness but as you move through the day, only then can you open to a new way of being and new possibilities.
While reading this is giving you an idea of what mindfulness is, your direct experience with the practice will give you the best understanding.
“An unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates
We can all build a buddha brain
There is emerging research in neuroscience, which tells us the brains default mode of operation is mind wandering. Our default state of mind is a rumination of thoughts of past and future that may not represent what is actually happening for us right now. This is said to affect our ability to feel satisfied with our lives and attributes to an unhappy mind. Both the Buddha and modern science suggest that the missing piece to lasting happiness is our ability to live with true presence, with mindfulness.
How do we build a buddha brain? It takes time, repitition and some discipline to master the skill of meditation. It’s not a “quick fix” and we can’t expect an overnight transformation. We practice again, and again to rediscover our natural state of resilience, peace, understanding and to anchor this into our daily experience.
Recent Scientific studies tell us that mindfulness can significantly reduce physiological and pyschological pain we experience. “Mindfulness creates psychological distance between an individuals perception of a stressful stimulus and the resulting response, such as thoughts, actions and speech” (Chui, P. L. (2021). Mindful breathing: effects of a five-minute practice on perceived stress and mindfulness among patients with cancer. Number 2/April 2021, 25(2), 174-180.)
