The gift that keeps on giving – Frank Liddy
The gift that keeps on giving
Recent findings in Stanford university is that the practice of mindfulness is an act of self compassion for ourselves and others.
The more we practice, the more we open to the moment – this moment which has never happened before. It is here that we discover the miracle of mindfulness practice. Giving ourselves permission to shift from doing to being. When it comes to compassion, we now know that you have to give it away in order to keep it. That’s the simplicity of our daily practice and if it’s not simple it’s not practice.
I recently found myself attending a lunchtime classical music recital. I can honestly tell you that classical music would not be my genre of music, but I chose to go in order to challenge myself and do something different. I was absolutely amazed at what I discovered as I sat in the pew of the church where the recital took place. I adapted my non judgemental awareness as soon as the singer sang. I found myself being transcended to an experience which I never experienced before and the result was both enlightening and transformative.
I would suggest that just for today, we try something different and low ourselves to be open to the experience. Just for today, let’s reach out to someone with an act of kindness.
Remember, you have got to give it away in order to keep it.
Frank Liddy, Lead Mindfulness Practitioner for Inspire Professional Services | B.A, A.Dip.
About Frank Liddy
Frank has worked in the community care voluntary mental health sector for over twenty-five years and currently delivers Mindfulness Programmes for Inspire.
He is the founding Director of the Belfast Mindfulness Centre, co-founder of Compassion City Belfast and Northern Ireland’s representative for The Mindfulness Initiative.
Frank studied mindfulness at the University of Wales and is a qualified integrative humanistic Counsellor and holds certificate of registration for NI social care Council.
As well as teaching mindfulness compassion through the life-long learning programme at Queen’s University Belfast, he has also successfully delivered experiential and practice-based training programmes to mental health and allied professionals working in psychiatry, nursing, social work and the criminal justice system.
Inspire Wellbeing is an all-island charity and social enterprise and their aim is Wellbeing for all. They work together with people living with mental ill health, intellectual disability, autism and addictions to ensure they live with dignity and realise their full potential.