Playtimes March 2015 - page 51

performing art. You have to practise
it regularly in your daily life. Making
some time to stop and focus on
yourself is not something we are used
to and we easily let our busy lives take
over. So, making time to practise, or
parents making time to support their
children’s practice, is a challenge. On
the other hand, practising a little bit
every day is enough. The practice can
be challenging but you don’t need to
spend a long time doing it.
If you are sold on the idea of
trying mindfulness, there are plenty
of courses you can sign up for, but in
our technology-rich era the most likely
route in for beginners is via YouTube
or an app. Nefs has experience of
two apps. She explains, “The first is
Headspace, which offers mindfulness
exercises and online courses for adults.
Headspace has very informative short
films that explain what mindfulness
is about, and you can download
a free beginner’s course with 10
sessions. The other app is Sitting Still.
Designed for teenagers, it has several
guided (voice led) and unguided
meditations to listen to. After each
meditation you get the option to write
a note or answer a question, a nice
extra that gives you more insight into
your practice.”
It seems like there is a quiet
revolution going on with individuals
taking charge of their mental health
and happiness. People are beginning to
value their own minds. A quick online
search can get you access to these
helpful apps, or head to one of Hong
Kong’s quieter beaches – there is no
price tag attached to clear thinking.
March 2015
51
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