As you might have read recently in the Cambridge News (read article here), Camyoga are teaming up with Woodlands Surgery on Bateman Street to offer Mindfulness sessions to the general public. After GPs at the surgery tried Mindfulness with Camyoga they simply had to get behind these sessions and offer their support. The first session, an Introduction to Mindfulness workshop, costs just £20 and is open to everyone. Click here to find out more and to book your place.

This week we met up with Dr Emma Tiffin, of Woodlands Surgery, to ask her a few questions about her experiences of mindfulness. Here's what she had to say!

1. Hi Emma! How long have you worked for NHS?

23 years.

2. What is the surgery's main aim and what makes it so special compared to other surgeries?

To promote the health and wellbeing of all our patients and our local community. We have a beautiful, spacious new building which enables us to host an extended range of health and wellbeing service.

3. Why offer Mindfulness in surgery?

We believe that the mental health of our patients is as important as their physical health and that both influence each other. We see the effects of the pressure of modern life and value therapeutic strategies based on relaxation and dealing with stress.

4. How do you keep fit?

Yoga, gardening, using stairs instead of the lift at work, smiling and maintaining a positive attitude!

5. What's the biggest challenge of surgery?

Increased workload, more demands on the health service, shrinking financial NHS pot

6. What do you think is the biggest misconception general public have about GP's?

During the working day (averages 11 hours probably for most of us) and between clinics, GPs are relaxing, playing golf!

Actually we are catching up on administration (hospital letters, blood test results, home visits, phoning patients to answer queries etc) and having to run a business (GPs are independent contractors, ie. mini businesses that have to be financially viable.

7. Based on your experience, what are the 2 main potential benefits of doing Mindfulness?

Managing personal stress during the working day better. This facilitates better team working and a positive attitude with others.

8. If you didn't work for NHS where would your dream job be?

The NHS is my dream job, I live, breathe, sleep medicine. However I am also enjoying my regular radio slot on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and being a PR girl!

9. Tell us in 1 sentence 2 simple things the general public can do to help them maintain good health.

Think positive, eat a balanced diet.

Click here to find out more about Camyoga's Introduction to Mindfulness Workshop at Woodlands.

What Is Mindfulness?

Do you keep hearing the word 'mindfulness' and wonder what the heck everyone's on about? It'd be hard to ignore all of the press attention that mindfulness is getting right now, with recent articles in The Guardian, Huffington Post and The Times. You've no doubt heard about initiatives promoting mindfulness in schools, mindfulness in the workplace, mindful eating... even mindfulness for pets (no kidding)!

So what is all the fuss about? What actually is mindfulness, and why should you be doing it? Here is our simple guide to get you started.

1. Yes, mindfulness is meditation! Mindfulness is a secular (non-religious) form of meditation which can be used by everyone. But don't worry, you don't have to sit on the floor cross-legged if you don't want to - mindfulness practice can happen anytime, anywhere.

2. How does mindfulness work? Most of us don’t realise that our daily lives are dominated by distraction and mind chatter. And that distraction and mind chatter winds up being the force that drives us much of the day in terms of what we do, what we react to, and how we feel. Mindfulness teaches us simple practices to move beyond this, bringing calmness, focus, clarity and inspiration.

3. What do mindfulness practices involve? A typical exercise might involve mindfully eating a square of chocolate or a single raisin. Other exercises involve focussing fully on your breath as it enters and leaves your body, observing thoughts as they arise and practising letting them come and go with ease, without engaging with them.

4. Will mindfulness stop my life from being so stressful? Mindfulness won't get rid of life's stresses and pressures. It will, however, radically alter the way you handle them! It helps us to recognise and move away from our habitual reactions, enabling us to respond to events with calmness and ease.

5. Where's the proof that it works? Mindfulness has been subject to over 600 scientific studies, such has been the academic community's interest in figuring it out. Due to its track record it is now widely used in the NHS as an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. Click here to find out more about the science of mindfulness.

6. Ok, I'm convinced. How can I get started? If you'd like to dip your toe into mindfulness our 4 week Mindfulness ABC course is a great place to start. Or if you want to really get stuck into this practice we're running the acclaimed 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course later this month. We also work with companies looking to incorporate mindfulness into their wellbeing programmes. Email sam.t@camyoga.co.uk to find out more about mindfulness can benefit your organisation.