I offer guidance on mindfulness & meditation. Founder of Mindfulness Works. Over 40,000 people have completed my Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation course.
π§What if nothing about you needs fixing?
π The Present Perspective Newsletterπ§What if nothing about you needs fixing?Beyond the mental health benefits, mindfulness and meditation can deeply enhance our feelings of connectedness, to ourselves, others and life."Compassion is simply the wish that things be different. Compassion is the wish to give love and attention to that which hurts." β Sharon Salzberg Dear Reader Meditation is one of the most effective practices we have for supporting mental health and wellbeing. Because of these benefits, it makes as much sense to incorporate meditation into our daily life as brushing our teeth. In many ways, it is remarkably simple. It requires no special equipment, can be practised almost anywhere and costs nothing. It's a little surprising that more people don't do it! Yet meditation is about far more than improving mental health. At its heart, meditation is an invitation to form a deep intimacy and connection with ourselves, through being present. From this perspective, meditation is not an escape from the difficulties of our life and this world. It is an openness to them. An acceptance of them. We meet ourselves just as we are, in that moment. A noisy mind in meditation? It's OK. Feeling lost, overwhelmed or uncertain? It's OK. Feeling anything at all? It's OK. Allowing our self and our experience to be just as it is, in meditation it is how we learn to allow our self and our experience to be just as it is in our life. We learn to meet our woundedness, our feelings of failure, shame, resentment, hurt, guilt and anger. This is an act of tremendous compassion. And it is deeply healing. Every one of us has the capacity to do this. To witness, hold and feel ourselves in the present moment. And this witnessing, holding and feeling is, in itself, an act of love. We feel it. As we become more familiar with this way of relating to ourselves, we find it begins to support us beyond meditation practice, where it matters most. In our relationships. In moments of grief and loss. In rejection and disappointment. In failure and uncertainty. In losing control. In watching our dreams change shape. In ageing. In losing those we love. And ultimately, in facing our own mortality. Authentic meditation, which includes all of our life, is not always easy. Turning towards ourselves can feel challenging, especially if we have experienced a lot of self-rejection, searching outside ourselves for answers, or are carrying deep hurt, trauma and pain. But the rewards are immense. The struggle begins to lessen. We stop fighting our mind, ourselves and life. We don't need to spend so much energy trying to control, plan, fix or distract ourselves. Gradually, we discover that we realise we don't need to find something or someone that will finally make us worthy, complete or loveable. Instead, a sense of ease, warmth, connection and intimacy begins to emerge. A deep intimacy with ourselves. A deep intimacy with others. A deep intimacy with life itself. The practice of meditation is simply a way to both practise and remember this. It's a way of remembering who we already are. Because perhaps what we are seeking is not somewhere else. Perhaps what we are seeking has been here all along, within us. This week's newsletter is sponsored by IXL.Helping children enjoy learning isn't always easy. IXL provides personalised learning across maths, English, science and more, helping children build confidence at their own pace. If you have children or grandchildren, it could be worth a look... π Spring Equinox 5-Day Meditation Retreat, Dunedin, New ZealandβA unique and non-religious retreat format with times for mindful silence and times for activities, set on Quarantine Island, Dunedin, New Zealand. Experience five days of calm, connection and personal renewal.
"Second retreat I have completed with Eric, Kovido and Tee. And I have come away with a profound sense of change. Of calm, Of clarity and sense of self." β Lisa, Alexandra "The retreat, led by these 2 kind & loving humans, Kovido & Eric, has allowed me to gain confidence in my practice & gave me tools & keys for mindfulness living." β Alice, Central Otago β
π Awakening to Self-Love
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βIt was like a balm for the soul.β β Carmel Brock
βI loved the silence, the meditative rhythm of the day and the beautiful food. A perfect environment to go deeply within and touch the universal energy of love while doing important inner work.β β Dr Lisa Shortridge
βI loved the retreat, the silence was greatβ¦ Stephen and Karl are very down to earth, knowledgeable and surprisingly funny π I found the whole experience very humbling, calming, restful, informative and soul fulfilling.β β Belinda Dubojski
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βTeachers: Karl Baker and Stephen Archer
βLocation: Maitripa Retreat Centre, Healesville
βDates: Saturday, 3 October β Thursday, 8 October 2026
βPrice: $1,950 all inclusive. Book now with a $500 deposit (non-refundable)
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π The Ease of Being, Luxury Weekend Retreat, Noosa, 11β13 Septemberβ 2026 β
When was the last time you truly stopped, breathed, and let yourself simply be?
This premium three-day meditation retreat offers a rare opportunity to step away from the noise and into a world of effortless relaxation, deep presence and quiet luxury.
βThe Ease of Being retreat gave me the gift of a weekend filled with peace and calm β time out in a beautiful, natural setting away from the demands of everyday life.β β Christine Donnellyβ
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βBook your place now with a $250 deposit.
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Teacher: Karl Baker
βLocation: Senses Beach Rd Holiday Homes, Noosa North Shore
βDate: Friday, 11 September β Sunday, 13 September 2026
βPrice: From $895 all inclusive
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βπ§ββοΈIntroduction to Mindfulness and Meditation
4-Week Course β Buderimβ
Reduce anxiety, improve sleep and increase self-acceptance with this practical, evidence-based beginners mindfulness course in Buderim.
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Facilitated by certified mindfulness teacher, Michelle Eckles, over 40,000 people have participated in this course.
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βWhen: 7, 21, 28 July and 4 August (there is no class on 14 July) 6.30pm β 7.30pm (AEST)
βWhere: Buderim
βPrice: $198
βSee details and book: https://events.humanitix.com/introduction-to-mindfulness-and-meditation-courseβ
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βGet one on one, private Mindfulness Coachingβ
One on one work with a certified mindfulness teacher can assist with anxiety reduction, improving sleep, reducing over-thinking, improving relationships and making mindfulness a habit in your life.
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βFind a certified mindfulness teacher to work with now.
π§ββοΈ Mini Mindfulness Exercise: The Practice of Staying (10 Minutes)
Step 1 (2 minutes)
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Sit comfortably and close your eyes if that feels OK.
Take a few slow breaths and allow your attention to settle into the sensations of the body.
No need to relax.
No need to achieve anything.
Just arrive.
Step 2 (2 minutes)
Ask yourself:
"What is here right now?"
Notice whatever arises.
Thoughts.
Emotions.
Body sensations.
Tiredness.
Restlessness.
Calm.
There is nothing to change.
Simply notice.
Step 3 (3 minutes)
Choose one experience that is present.
Perhaps tightness in the chest.
A feeling of sadness.
Anxiety.
Impatience.
Silently say:
"This too belongs."
Allow the experience to be exactly as it is for a few moments.
Step 4 (2 minutes)
Place a hand gently on your chest or heart area.
Ask:
"Can I allow myself to be exactly as I am in this moment?"
No need to force an answer.
Just let the question rest within you.
Step 5 (1 minute)
Take a final breath.
Notice how it feels to stop trying to improve, fix or change yourself, even for a moment.
Then gently return to your day.
Why This Helps
Many of us spend enormous amounts of energy resisting our experience. We resist difficult emotions, uncomfortable thoughts and parts of ourselves we wish were different.
This practice strengthens our capacity to stay present with ourselves without immediately trying to fix, analyse or escape what we find. Over time, this can reduce inner conflict and cultivate greater self-compassion, emotional resilience and a deeper sense of ease.
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π’ Workplace Mindfulness Training
Nationwide in-person or online mindfulness training for workplaces.
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π€ Mindful Check-In. Vote to See Results.
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Why this reflection matters
Many of us find it easy to be compassionate towards others but much harder to offer the same understanding to ourselves. Becoming aware of the moments when self-compassion feels most difficult is often the first step towards changing our relationship with those experiences.
π Mindful Meme of The Week
π© Ideas? Comments? Complaints?
Karl Baker - Mindfulness Works
I offer guidance on mindfulness & meditation. Founder of Mindfulness Works. Over 40,000 people have completed my Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation course.
π The Present Perspective Newsletter πΏThe relief of being here Our bodies live in the present, but our minds are accomplished time travellers. We revisit conversations that have already happened, rehearse situations that may never occur and try to solve tomorrow before it arrives. Explore the relief that can come when we step out of this mental movement and return to what is physically here. Not by forcing the mind to become quiet, but by allowing the body, the breath and the immediate world...
π The Present Perspective Newsletter π§βοΈWhen βI should meditateβ becomes βI didβ There is a particular kind of frustration that comes from knowing something would probably be good for us, while also not quite doing it. Meditation often sits in this category. Here's how to make that first step smaller, easier and much more doable. βA small daily task, if it really be daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.β β Anthony Trollope Dear Reader Almost everyone is βinterestedβ in...
π The Present Perspective Newsletter π The happiness we keep overlookingβthe delight of being. We spend much of our lives searching for happiness in what we can do, achieve or acquire. Yet mindfulness gently reveals that there is another source of wellbeing that has been quietly available all alongβthe simple delight of being. "The little things? The little moments? They aren't little." β Jon Kabat-Zinn Dear Reader As human beings, we have an extraordinary capacity to experience pleasure....