The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast

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:

• How to "read the room" when talking about mindfulness
• Common stereotypes about mindfulness practitioners
• Why mindfulness teachers are still human beings
• The difference between sharing your experience and trying to convince others
• Handling criticism, cynicism, and misconceptions
• A fun challenge: Can you explain mindfulness in 30 seconds without using any mindfulness jargon?

With personal stories, humour, research insights, and honest reflections, this episode asks an important question: can talking about mindfulness become a mindfulness practice in itself?

Whether you're new to mindfulness, have an established practice, or teach mindfulness yourself, this conversation offers a relatable look at what happens when mindfulness leaves the meditation room and enters everyday life.

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 admin@oxfordmindfulness.org

👥 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

 

"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 admin@oxfordmindfulness.org

👥 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.

 

In this insightful session, Mark Williams responds to community questions from our book club–style discussion of his keynote, "Passing the torch".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

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.

 

In this insightful session, Zindel Segal responds to community questions from our book club–style discussion of his keynote, "Interoception, Body Awareness and Mechanisms of Change".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

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.

 

In this insightful session, John Teasdale responds to community questions from our book club–style discussion of his keynote, "Understanding Mindfulness – 30 Years On".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking: “I came to mindfulness to feel better… so why am I noticing more?”, then this episode is for you.

In Episode 6 of ‘Getting Real with Mindfulness’, Claire Kelly and Victoria Fontana explore a question that comes up again and again in mindfulness courses: What’s the point of noticing if we’re not being asked to fix anything?

Together, they reflect on why noticing can feel uncomfortable, overwhelming, or even frustrating at first, and why it’s also a crucial foundation for change.

From trust and patience, to kindness, choice, and agency, this conversation gently unpacks what’s really being trained when we “just notice”.

This is a grounded, honest discussion about:

• Why awareness often comes before change
• How noticing isn’t passive even when it feels like “doing nothing”
• What mindfulness is training beneath the surface
• And how compassion, rather than striving, opens new ways of responding

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 admin@oxfordmindfulness.org

👥 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/

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.

 

In this insightful session, Kristin Neff responds to community questions from our book club–style discussion of her title, "Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout: Tools to Help You Heal and Recharge When You’re Wrung Out by Stress".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

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.

 

In this insightful session, Norman Farb and Zindel Segal respond to community questions from our book club–style discussion of their title, "Better in Every Sense".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

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.

 

In this insightful session, Mark Williams responds to community questions from our book club–style discussion of his title, "Deeper Mindfulness".

 

Our "Between the Lines" events will take place monthly over 2026. View more of our upcoming mindfulness courses and events ▶️ https://oxfordmindfulness.org/courses-events

 

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/

In this episode of 'Getting Real with Mindfulness', Claire Kelly (Oxford Mindfulness) and mindfulness teacher Victoria Fontana discuss the question: does mindfulness make you a pushover?

 

Together they unpack the difference between acceptance and passivity, challenging the idea that mindfulness leads to weakness or compliance. Through real-life examples and reflections from their own work, they highlight how mindfulness can actually support courage, clarity, and more skilful action, especially in difficult conversations and high-pressure environments.

 

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 claire.kelly@oxfordmindfulness.org

 

👥 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/