I thought my mind was always too busy, too stressed to meditate “peacefully”. You taught me to be ok with whatever I arrived at practice with, which instantly took off the pressure to meditate in a certain way and be ok with whatever arose. The body scans taught me to realise where I was holding tension and could I do something in life or at the time of practice to elevate the tension or be ok with it. Your meditations, soothing voice, appropriate pauses in breathing practices would lower my heart rate and I feel, supported, safe and always able to discuss anything challenging or uncomfortable. You never push us to discuss our practices with others but sharing the experience will often open up conversations and deepen them. I’ve learned by meditating frequently it is possible to be more present in life, to notice the changes in my body when faced with something challenging, tension in my jaw, stomach etc and to take the time to acknowledge those changes and how best to navigate the situation. Equally to take time to really appreciate joy and happiness and acknowledge those sensations too. The many different practices for example the safe place practices taught me that even in an unfamiliar situation or place I could go to a place of safety for comfort.

The analogies, quotes etc in your teachings all help to remind me of the tools learned to lead a more mindful life.