The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast

Have you ever felt like mindfulness just isn’t working for you? In this episode of 'Getting Real with Mindfulness', Claire Kelly (Oxford Mindfulness) and mindfulness teacher Victoria Fontana dive into what is means for mindfulness to 'work'. They explore why expectations matter, what “working” really means, and how shifting from 'shoulds' to a sense of curiosity and patience can be really helpful for your mindfulness practice - particularly during the holiday season. 🎧 Listen for honest reflections, practical insights, and a few surprising truths about what mindfulness can, and can’t, do. 👥 About the Hosts Claire Kelly is a mindfulness-based mentor and the Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. With over 25 years in education, she's also passionate about developing and delivering evidence-based programmes to support mental health and wellbeing in education. Victoria Fontana is a certified mindfulness and compassion teacher, executive coach, and educator who helps people cultivate calm, clarity, and resilience in their lives and work. Victoria teaches mindfulness and compassion-based programs internationally through IE University, the Mindfulness and Health Institute, and through her own programs at https://www.mindgazing.com/ Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website 👉 https://oxfordmindfulness.org/ If you'd like to get in touch to share your thoughts, reflections or ideas for future episodes, we'd love to hear from you. 📧 Email claire.kelly@oxfordmindfulness.org 📑 Episode Resources Oxford Mindfulness Resources https://oxfordmindfulness.org/events-and-resources Oxford Mindfulness Podcasts https://oxfordmindfulness.org/podcasts

Is mindfulness just fluffy nonsense?! In this episode of 'Getting Real with Mindfulness', hosts Claire and Victoria take on one of the most common misconceptions about mindfulness - that it’s soft, indulgent, or lacking substance. Through personal stories, practical examples, and a touch of neuroscience, they explore how mindfulness is far from fluffy. It’s gritty, challenging, and surprisingly practical. From mindful colouring to fierce compassion, they unpack what mindfulness really is and what it isn’t. Whether you're a curious beginner, a trained teacher, or somewhere in between, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how mindfulness builds agency, supports emotional resilience, and helps us respond, rather than habitually react, to life. 👥 About the Hosts Claire Kelly is a mindfulness-based mentor and the Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. With over 25 years in education, she's also passionate about developing and delivering evidence-based programmes to support mental health and wellbeing in education. Victoria Fontana is a certified mindfulness and compassion teacher, executive coach, and educator who helps people cultivate calm, clarity, and resilience in their lives and work. Victoria teaches mindfulness and compassion-based programs internationally through IE University, the Mindfulness and Health Institute, and through her own programs at https://www.mindgazing.com/ Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website 👉 https://oxfordmindfulness.org/ 📑 Episode Resources Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT): https://www.mindgazing.com/cbrt Gilbert, P. (2019). Explorations into the nature and function of compassion. Current opinion in psychology, 28, 108-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.002 Desbordes, G., Negi, L. T., Pace, T. W., Wallace, B. A., Raison, C. L., & Schwartz, E. L. (2012). Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6, 23050. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00292 Neff, K. D. (2023). Self-compassion: Theory, method, research, and intervention. Annual review of psychology, 74(1), 193 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031047 Luberto, C. M., Shinday, N., Song, R., Philpotts, L. L., Park, E. R., Fricchione, G. L., & Yeh, G. Y. (2018). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of meditation on empathy, compassion, and prosocial behaviors. Mindfulness, 9(3), 708-724. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-017-0841-8 Charlson, M.E., Loizzo, J., Moadel, A. et al. Contemplative self healing in women breast cancer survivors: a pilot study in underserved minority women shows improvement in quality of life and reduced stress. BMC Complement Altern Med 14, 349 (2014). Https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-349, https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-349 Britton WB, Shahar B, Szepsenwol O, Jacobs WJ. Behav Ther. (2012) Emotional Reactivity to Social Stress: Results from A Randomized Controlled Trial https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3495556/ Mindfulness-Based Interventions and How They Work (Gu et al., 2015) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272735815000197   

Join mindfulness and compassion teacher Victoria Fontana, who has a wealth of experience in transformative coaching, as she shares insights with Claire Kelly, Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. They discuss the unexpected challenges of starting mindfulness, emphasizing its messy nature and the importance of being present rather than perfect. From personal anecdotes about overcoming shame to improving listening skills and workplace dynamics, this candid conversation offers relatable wisdom for both beginners and seasoned practitioners.

Professor Willem Kuyken, Ritblatt Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, dives into the essence of a fulfilling life. He emphasizes the transformative role of mindfulness and personal stories that illustrate self-acceptance and compassion. Topics such as kindness in times of struggle, the importance of relationships, and how small mindful actions can ripple out to effect change in the world are highlighted. Kuyken inspires listeners to reflect on self-discovery and the profound impact they can have on their lives and communities.

Discover the profound connection between self-care, relationships, and our world. Explore the concept of well-being as a learnable skill through engaging practices like the tree metaphor for grounded attention. Reflect on daily choices using a battery-meter approach to determine what nourishes or drains your energy. Delve into the importance of mindfulness in relationships with a focus on wise speech. Finally, embrace a broader perspective, caring for the environment with heartfelt intentions.

Join us for Chapter 10 “Cool Head and Warm Heart: the Art of Balance and Equanimity”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explored the nature of balance and equanimity to cultivate a cool head and warm heart, weaving in wisdom stories such as ‘The Ancient Oak’ and ‘The Flight of Icarus’, alongside guided practices like the breathing space and grounding in the body. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Eight “Perspective: Changing the View”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explores the theme of perspective. He introduces five tools to support us in shifting our viewpoint: grounding in the body, zooming in and out, ‘time travelling’ to reflect on the present from the future, seeing through others’ eyes, and allowing experiences to run their course. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Nine “Responding Wisely”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explored the power of pausing between stimulus and response to support wise responses. He looked at tools we can use in that space such as grounding in the body, using values as a compass and responsive breathing spaces. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Seven “Befriending Our Minds”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explores the foundational attitudes of mindfulness, contemplative traditions, and practices like the befriending practice to consider the concept of befriending your mind as a lifelong friendship to nurture. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

Join us for Chapter Six, “How We React to Stress and Difficulties”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem Kuyken explores our habitual reactions to stress and challenge through concepts like the 'vicious flower' and 'two arrows of pain and suffering'. Willem discusses how our responses can be supported through practices like the breathing space, the 50/50 practice, and mindful walking. Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website