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Welcome to my Treasure Trove

This is a great place to start your inner journey. Guided meditations, book lists, videos and retreat listings are all available here. I hope you have a beautiful journey. 

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GUIDED MEDITATION

Let's get started right now. Two things I recommend to begin:
1. Download Insight Timer : a free app with thousands of guided meditations and a useful timer. 
2. Watch this video below.  Dan Harris reminds us very eloquently with a short 90 second meditation on Youtube 
3. Watch a 2 Minute video about rewiring your brain through Neuroplasticity can help motivate you! 
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Have you downloaded Insight Timer yet?
If not please do and begin to try some guided meditations. Here's my top picks:
  • Andy Hix, a close friend of mine, has some beautifully simple meditations here. 
  • Tara Brach (again) is one of my old favourites - American - sometimes a little cheesy!
  • Ram Dass is quite philosophical
  • Mooji is a playful soul
  • Johnathan Lehmann uses music and deep french voice
  • Franko Heke is a NZ man who whispers and uses music to put you in a lovely state
  • Sam Harris is American and he left Insight Timer to form his 'Waking up' Course is great (free app for the first few meditations). You can find him on Youtube too, for an 8 minute sample meditation. Very scientific and rational. 
DROP PERFECTIONISM AND BIG GOALS. Start small. Begin your practice today with these short, simple practices:
  • Neil's 3 minute breath - A 3 step version of a meditation
  • Neil's 5 minute meditation - Counting the breath 
  • Neil's  10 minute meditation - Appreciating the body 
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Don't forget to make the location you meditate as sensual and soothing as possible, at least to begin with. You can play with 'challenging' environments and postures later.  Here is my blog about setting up a space.
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If you get curious you'll see I've recorded other meditations on Soundcloud

In Immediate Crisis? Click here.

READING LISTS

ESSENTIAL MINDFULNESS

The first books I'd recommend if you are new to this, or on one of our courses:
  1. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is a book by Eckhart Tolle - quintessential spiritual basics. My Rating: 9/10​
  2. Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana - Probably the clearest guide I have read to traditional mindfulness, but not commonly available. My Rating: 9/10
  3. ​Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World - these books are perfect companions to our 6 week courses, but sometimes I find them a bit dry. Rating: 6/10 
  4. The Body Keeps Score - Van Der Kolk - A masterpiece of clinical methods at healing trauma. My Rating 10/10
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OTHER BOOKS, I LOVE, BY SUBJECT:

MINDFULNESS & HAPPINESS
  • The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer - A wonderful journey to inspire. My Rating: 9/10
  • ​Solve For Happy,  by Mo Gawdat: Engineer Your Path to Joy: Engineering Your Path to Uncovering the Joy Inside You.  Rating 8/10
  • The enlightenment of work by Steve Nobel - a clever story and look at work/life balance Rating 8/10
  • F**k It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way by John C. Parkin - once you hit a point of being fed up, read this! Rating 7/10
  • Full Catastrophe Living - J K Zinn. An original book about Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Rating 6/10
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METHODS & SELF HELP
  • A Liberated Mind: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Steven Haynes gives a concise and yet thorough method of integrating mindfulness and cognitive skills that helps you live a live of values and meaning. Quite long, but good. Hint: Skip to the 'methods' section on each of the 6 pivots. My rating: 10./10
  • Byron Katie: The work (this is where the STOP technique originates, which you will learn about later). My rating 9/10
  • Feel the Fear and do it anyway - Susan Jeffers: a practical book to help you move forward. Quick and easy to read. My Rating 9/10
  • The subtle art of not giving a fuck by Mark Manson - I love this witty and simple book to pop the bubble of exceptionalism and come back to reality  My Rating 9/10
  • The Easy Way to Quit Sugar (Illustrated) Alan Carr. I love this book - it explains how to change a habit using the mind and not willpower. Rating 10/10
  • I Heart Me: The Science Of Self-Love - This will kick start your self-love practices IF you follow it’s advice, by David R. Hamilton PhD  My Rating 7/10
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Covey. A guideline for effectiveness in life. Rating: 7/10
  • Insanely Gifted - Jamie Catto - A comedic look at healing trauma and getting over our addiction with approval seeking. My Rating 7/10
  • Atomic Habits - The science of habits and a great book to start transforming regular behaviour. James has produced a great list of books and podcasts here. Rating 7/10​
  • The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness Paperback by Prof Steve Peters. My Rating 6/10

SCIENCE & HISTORY
  • The Body Keeps Score - Van Der Kolk - A masterpiece of clinical methods at healing trauma. My Rating 10/10
  • Sapiens: Yuval Noah Harari, author of 'Sapiens' and 'Homo Deus', explains the difference between humans and other mammals very well and helps us to understand the storytelling nature of the human mind. We highly recommend this book to help understand how we have become seduced by stories. My Rating 10/10
  • Hacking of the American Mind: Robert Lustig's website (the 30 minute video is half-way down the homepage). Robert is a leading US academic who studies addiction and hedonic behaviour and explains brilliantly the difference between happiness and pleasure. Myr Rating 7/10
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PERSONAL STORIES & PHILOSOPHY
  • Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine by Derren Brown (Author) - A clear an easy to read philosophy book. My Rating: 7/10
  • Man's Search for meaning - Victor Frankl - This is a story of a man who survived the Nazi death camps because of his self-awareness. His ability to choose his response transcended the situation he was in. The first half is harrowing, but stick with it, the second half is full of insights. My Rating: 10/10
  • The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz - a basic instruction book for how to live well!  My Rating 9/10
  • The Tao of Pooh & The Te of Piglet (Wisdom of Pooh) by Benjamin Hoff, E. H. Shepard - A joyful interpretation of the classic and ancient Tao te Ching Rating 9/10
  • The Road Less Traveled by Scott M Peck - A wonderful read, that inspired me early on. My Rating 9/10
  • Irv Yalom: Various books including 'Love's Executioner' and 'Creatures of a Day'. These give insights into psychotherapy. My Rating 8/10
  • Couch Fiction by Philipa Perry - A great picture book to help understand therapy. Rating: 8/10
  • The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan W. Watts - A philosophical look at why uncertainty is there to help you. My Rating 6/10
  • Good Ideas: How to Be Your Child's and Your Own) Best Teacher by Micheal Rosen : This is lovely and incredibly useful Rating: 5/10 ​
  • Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown - A wonderful book inspired by a poem abourt belonging and how we can pursue this without falling into the fear based strategy of 'fitting in'. 

LEARNING STYLE & COMMUNICATION
  • The Art of Learning: a story with lessons for more optimising / advancing ​(advanced ) Rating: 10/10
  • How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber : Brilliant and easy to implement Rating: 10/10
  • Non Violent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg - A textbook in mindful communication, focused on feelings, needs and requests. Rating: 7/10
  • Time To Think - Nancy Klein - A simple book to show us how to listen and set up thinking environments. ​​Rating: 7/10
  • The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman. A concept in how we give and receive love that enables us to meet our own needs and form better relationships. My Rating: 8/10
  • How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less- by Nicholas Boothman - A clever book that looks at body language and NLP to help us get along. My Rating 6/10
  • The Easy Way to Quit Sugar (Illustrated) Alan Carr. I love this book - it explains how to change a habit using the mind and not willpower. Rating 10/10

Videos and Audio

USEFUL MEDIA LINKS FOR MINDFULNESS COURSES 

  • Mark Manson  author of 'The subtle art of not giving a fuck' - Probably my favourite podcast about communication and emotional litercy. So straight talking and full of insights
  • Esther Perel author of 'Mating in Captivity'- The queen of relationship counselling, which is a huge way to learn about ourselves.
  • Alan Watts on Meditation - a 10 minute explanation as you meditate - Very clear and fun
  • Byron Katie is the most compassionate challenger of thoughts. 
  • Mark Williams,, Mindfulness Meditations on Youtube - For the 8 Week Course MBSR
  • Yuval Noah Harari on humans and stories - Sapiens author is very insightful
  • Brene Brown The Power of Vulnerability,  Brene Brown on Empathy - Two of the best videos to help us open up
  • Mark Dunn’s guided meditations - My colleague is amazing
  • Ram Dass talk in Bristol -  one of my favourite speakers, on taking spirituality less seriously
  • Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight - Brain science meets personal experience
  • Alan Watts - What happens after Death - A wonderfully witty speaker
  • Eckhart Tolle on Anger - Author of Power of Now speaks beautifully
  • Robert Lustig on brain chemistry - The author of 'hacking the American mind'
  • Mo Gawdat’s ‘Solve for Happy’ workshop​ - I love this man's perspectives
  • ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Which underpins all the work I do. The video below is a big part of that work. 
MORE VIDEOS

RETREATS

​Retreat Centres in the UK:
  • Vipassana taught by SNGoenka (donation):
     
    www.dipa.dhamma.org/courses/10-day-courses/ 
  • Gaia House in Devon: Paid retreats in the Buddhist tradition.  gaiahouse.co.uk/retreats/group-retreat-programme/​ 
  • Osho Leela - more playful, wild, sensual and spiritual retreats, in Dorset.  osholeela.uk
  • ​Retreats – Bristol Buddhist Centre
  • Bristol Insight Meditation - Low cost and retreats available
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Course Material

I've got so many tools that I use and have created to help me and my clients. Below I've begun the process of putting them on YouTube
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Request Slides
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The STOP technique
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