Is Mindfulness Just Fluffy Nonsense? | Getting Real with Mindfulness Ep. 2
The Oxford Mindfulness PodcastShow Notes
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
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How do you talk about mindfulness without sounding apologetic... or like you're trying to convert someone? In this episode of Getting Real with Mindfulness, Claire and Victoria explore the sometimes awkward, often amusing reality of discussing mindfulness with friends, family, colleagues, and complete strangers. From curious questions and common misconceptions to scepticism and outright criticism, they reflect on the challenge of sharing a practice that's meaningful to you without feeling the need to defend or promote it. Along the way, they discuss:
"I run. That's my mindfulness." It's something we often hear. Whether it's running, gardening, painting, playing music, crocheting, or spending time in nature, many people describe these activities as their mindfulness practice. So is mindfulness really unique? Or is it just another well-being activity? In this episode of the podcast, Claire and Victoria explore: ▪️ Why activities like running, gardening and creative arts can benefit well-being▪️ The difference between mindfulness and "flow"▪️ Whether mindfulness offers something distinct▪️ How mindfulness changes our relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions▪️ Why mindfulness meditation isn't necessarily "better" than other activities 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 [email protected] 👥 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 well-being 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 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 👉 oxfordmindfulness.org
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.
Join us for "Between the Lines", an online series that brings the mindfulness community together to explore the books, papers, and other resources that have shaped the mindfulness field — alongside the authors and thinkers who created them.