A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled

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conversation. The facilitator may show a white card after 3 minutes to signal the end of a speaker’s turn. Ruby Wax began writing it in 2018 before the outbreak of Covid-19, but ends the book with some ‘Post Covid-19 Good News.’ Whilst researching for her book she found what she calls ‘green shoots of hope peeping through the soil of civilisation’ that ‘may just bloom into a brighter future.’ It’s easy reading, written clearly in a breezy conversational style, covering a large amount of information. She emphasises the importance of compassion and kindness, of community and on working for the good of all. Maybe, above all she focuses on the benefits of mindfulness and on positive experiences.

Instead of yet another bottle or bath bomb, why not give the gift of sanity?! At least it won’t end up in the bin. OK, so even I can’t wrap up sanity but I cangive something to brighten the weather conditions of someone’s mind. And in these dark winter days, that’s a welcome winner. My ‘aha’ moment came when I realised I had used my success as armour to cover the chaos inside me… I was just a front; and, behind the front, no one was at home… I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re all in this together: many reside in the Land of Frazzledom, and we’re all trying to find some kind of exit route. Frazzled Cafe Facilitated meetings run for 45 minutes to an hour and start with a run-through of our guidelines. This is to ensure confidentiality is respected and that there is safe environment for those that would like to share. You would be forgiven for thinking 2020 was not the year for a book about good news. But now might be the time we need it most. Ruby Wax is here to reassure us with her brand new book, And Now For The Good News. This is her positivity prescription, showing us the green shoots of optimism and change forcing their way up and into the sunlight. She has spent the last three years speaking to the inspiring people who are spearheading the latest innovation and influencing a brighter future for humanity. From the communities being designed to eradicate loneliness and the companies putting their employees' happiness first, to the AI technology teaching children with learning difficulties and taking literacy to levels higher than ever before.To let everyone have a voice. Please respect one another by giving everybody the chance to contribute without interruption and by not dominating or disrupting the Widen your focus by tuning into every thought in your mind, inviting them all in and letting them rip: the good, the bad and the ugly. After a minute, let them go… I always dreamed of a group of people to call my own; where I could drop my mask and not have to say “Fine” with a rictus smile in response to the question, “How are you?” Because I felt I had no community, I started one, called Frazzled Cafe. About 12 to 15 people would meet every two weeks in cafes across the UK, supported by a trained facilitator to give the session structure and make it safe. Some of these groups lasted as long as four years. About one in four people have a mental illness, but Frazzled Cafe aims to help those who simply feel overwhelmed.

To listen without offering solutions. Please focus your contribution on personal experiences and not political/thematic concepts. When speaking please focus on what resonates with you personally, not on providing answers or solutions to others. A large Frazzled Cafe meeting with Ruby Wax, held twice a week for around 100 people, and which lasts for an hour. The Facilitator’s role is to ensure everyone that would like to speak gets a chance to, that the topics of conversation are appropriate for the space and that attendees are both present and respectful of the space and one another. We are very excited to confirm our partnership with Harpenden Trust to provide face-to-face Frazzled Cafe sessions for residents of Harpenden / AL5 postcode only commencing from January 31st, 2022. To act with integrity. Please respect one another’s confidentiality and anonymity. Please do not name anyone or discuss anything you may hear in a meeting with others

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Founder Ruby Wax commented: "We live in a time where everything we knew to be normal has been put on ice and, regardless of mental health history, we are all feeling it. Frazzled Café is about people coming together to share their stories, calmly sitting together, stating their case and feeling validated as a result. Feeling heard, to me, has always been half the cure." All of our meetings provide the same safe space to share, talk and listen; and you can find out more about our different meetings by visiting us at www.frazzledcafe.org. She begins with writing about herself and sections about her own story are interspersed between the ‘Bad News’ and the ‘Good News’ throughout the book. In each section she gives a brief history of the topic, along with the story of her own experiences and then looks at examples of how things are improving. Not all of it was new to me, but I did learn a lot, as the book is simply crammed with information. Narrow your focus to just your breathing. Zoom in on a full breath, from nose to throat to chest, feeling your lungs expand and contract. After about a minute, let it go… you will feel encouraged to share your own. Whether you speak or not, please treat each other in a supportive and considerate way.