Filed Under: Change

28 September 2023 | Written by Xenia Ayiotis

I have some exciting news to share with you all! After two years of intense training, I am now a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher. I am expanding my practice of Mindful and Intuitive eating to include general mindfulness. It has been a transformative journey and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to study under Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, two of the most esteemed teachers of mindfulness in the world.

During the course of the training, I was deeply inspired by the teachings and guidance of my teachers and mentors. Their wisdom and insight have had a profound impact on me, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to learn from them. As they say, you cannot teach what you do not know. The program has been transformative for me on a personal level as well, helping me deepen my own mindfulness practice and develop a greater sense of self-awareness. This training has taught me to see the world with greater clarity and empathy, and I feel grateful for the amazing mentors and teachers who have guided me along the way.

As I look back at this journey, I realise that this training has been a true labor of love. It has required a lot of dedication, commitment, and courage. I have faced my fears, doubts, and limitations, and I have learned to trust my own voice and intuition. I have also learned to appreciate the value of self-care, self-compassion, and self-love, as essential components of healing. The training has also given me a lot more insight in my Mindful Eating practice.

One of the most valuable things I gained from this training is how to cultivate a deep awareness of my thoughts, emotions, and sensations, and to relate to them with kindness and curiosity. I discovered how mindfulness can help me navigate through the ups and downs of life with more ease and resilience. And I saw how it can open up new pathways for healing, growth, and connection.

I feel incredibly blessed to have met so many wonderful people during this training. The friendships I have made are truly precious, and I am grateful for the support, kindness, and inspiration that they have given me. We shared many challenges and joys together, and we learned from each other’s experiences and insights. I feel that I have found a community of like-minded people who share my passion for mindfulness, spirituality, and service.

As I celebrate this milestone, I am reminded of the words of Rumi: “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” Through my own wounds, I have been able to experience the power of mindfulness and meditation to heal and transform, to awaken the light within me, and to live with greater love, compassion, and joy.

I want to encourage all of you to pursue your own passions and to celebrate your own accomplishments, no matter how small or large they may be. Celebrating yourself and your milestones is an important part of your growth and development, and it will help you stay motivated and inspired on your journey.

I am excited to share what I have learned with all of you, and to offer my services as a Mindfulness teacher and coach. I hope that I can help you discover the power of mindfulness in your own life, and support you on your own journey of self-discovery and transformation. My hope is that I can help others find peace, joy, and clarity in their own lives, just as this training has done for me.

May we all find the courage to embrace mindfulness and change ourselves from within, so that we may create a more peaceful and loving world for ourselves and for future generations.

Thank you for allowing me to share my journey with you, and I look forward to continuing to grow and learn alongside all of you.

With gratitude,
Xen

✨ If you are feeling disconnected, finding it hard to be present and living on auto-pilot, email me and let’s explore how I can support you.

✨ I would love to celebrate one of your accomplishments with you – feel free to share with me!

“From our first meeting - two faces on Zoom across the world from each other, there was a sense of familiarity and comfort that was a healing balm for a lifetime of food struggles and dieting. Without realizing how much damage I had done to myself by adhering, for decades, to restrictive food plans and rigid diet programs, Xen had a way of redirecting the harsh and negative self-talk and sending me forth each week with compassion, mindfulness and a new way of seeing myself in the here and now. Gone are the maybe somedays, and if-only, and when-I’m-smaller thinking. Now I am committed to the imperfect and rocky path to listening to my body, accepting my perfect imperfections, and rejecting diet mentality. Those negative voices will revisit me from time to time, I know, but Xen has offered valuable tools for meeting each day as a fresh start - another choice, another chance. Her devotion to this work and her belief in her clients is a remarkable gift; I am so fortunate to have found her. It is never too late to let go of the drama and embrace joy, ease and self-acceptance.”

Karen L, Denver, USA

“I felt hopeless and helpless in my daily struggle with mindless eating for many years. Then I found Xen which is exactly what I needed! My decision to work with her helped me to finally repair my relationship with food. It's changing my life for the better, one day at a time. Now I have control over the food, instead of it having control over me, which is the way it should be. I highly recommend Xen to anyone who has a desire to overcome similar food struggles. Xen, thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

Karen J, Colorado, USA

“I reached out to Xenia because 2021 started on a tumultuous note for me. Between deaths, businesses suffering, hospitalizations, and job losses in our personal circle, I felt depleted and found myself being available for everyone but myself. Then I was hit with an unexpected health diagnosis, which was the last straw as it meant giving up “healthy foods” and workouts that I leaned on for my well-being and stability. Despite working in wellness (Yes, coaches and healers are vulnerable too!), I found myself reaching out to desserts for comfort. I like to live a life of permissions (not labels or deprivation leading to bingeing), so I wanted to work with someone who approached healing from a place of mindful compassion. I didn’t want to be my own client. Xenia was great in reminding me to be kind to myself. Working with her, brought me peace and helped shift my mindset. I love how desserts and I look at each other now.”

Sweta Vikram, New York, USA

“Working with Xenia was amazing. She armed me with a bunch of tools to help me through difficult times. Xenia is the kind of person who really cares for helping you in the long run. Her work will forever have an impact in my life.”

Daniela Velásquez, Ottawa, Canada

“Working with Xen was a game changer for me. After working together for a few months my relationship with food radically changed. I no longer felt like a failure. I now have the tools to nourish my body with foods that feel good in my body. I don’t feel guilty about eating cake or chocolate, I also don’t overeat cake and chocolate. I no longer feel the need to exercise to compensate for my eating. I feel much more free around eating and I am more accepting of my body. Xen has a nonjudgmental and compassionate approach to coaching and really supports you in the process.”

Rachel, Dublin, Ireland

“Working with Xen has been very empowering. Her approach is so refreshing from the usual. I have learned that I am in charge and that I get to choose what I put in my body and how to move my body in a way that I like! I get to make my own choices. It’s so liberating. Once you get a taste of freedom with food, there is no turning back to old ways! Thanks Xen for guiding me along the way to freedom.”

Heather B, Cork. Ireland

“This is the answer for those of you that struggle with food and all that surrounds it. Xenia said that I could make peace with food and it seemed at the time like an impossible dream. Turns out it isn’t. I recommend Xen and the mindful eating / intuitive eating approach unreservedly. If you have any questions about my experience, please get in touch. Thank you Xen. My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”

Michelle, Johannesburg, South Africa

“Xenia was a walking, living, breathing example of what can be done. I laughed and cried my way through a short course in this fascinating and invigorating programme with her, and have gained a designer tote full of coping skills that go way beyond containing kilogrammes. I feel infinitely lighter. I am doing this for me and, yes, you can do this for you too! And believe me, I’m cynical!”

Diana, Vancouver, Canada

“I don’t obsess about food like I used to. I am thinking differently about food and feeling so much more relaxed around all types of food. It’s wonderful to have pleasure and satisfaction from eating.”

Sarah, Illinois, USA

“I learned a new way of thinking about food. I have learned that food is not the enemy and that it can actually be enjoyed with no guilt.”

Sandy, London, United Kingdom

Certified by The Life Coach School Certified and Trained by The Original Intuitive Eating Pro Professional Member of The Center for Mindful Eating