Mindfulness based Stress Reduction

In 2009 it will be 30 years since the first Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) course was held at the University of Massachusetts General Hospital, USA. Since then many thousands have benefited from MBSR and also MBCT (Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy) which is based on MBSR with some additional CBT elements. Although the class at UMASS was the first time mindfulness had been taught in this particular 8-week format, mindfulness is actually a way of investigating the mind that has been around for over 2600 years.

Research has shown that the 8-week course has been particularly helpful for people suffering from:

• recurring depression (although we advise you not to take the course if you are currently depressed)


• anxiety


• chronic pain


• psoriasis


• chronic fatigue syndrome


• life stress

Although the 8-week course was originally developed as way of teaching those with chronic medical conditions how to live with whatever they had, it has since been used for a wide range of different physical and psychological conditions as well as to develop general life skills in the boardroom, the sports hall, schools, prisons and many other places.

You don’t need to be sick to benefit from learning about mindfulness meditation. All of us experience life stress and we all have times in our lives when we find it difficult.

STRESS REDUCTION THROUGH MINDFULNESS

Pre-course Phone Call
This is an opportunity for you to tell us why you would like to do the course. It is a chance to ask any questions and find out more about the course and what it entails and to make sure this is the right time for you to be doing the course.

Orientation Session (7-9pm)
Eight 2-hour Class sessions (7-9pm)
Class sessions are made up of meditation practice, discussion and teaching.

There is no time and nor is it appropriate to discuss about personal issues. The classes are not group therapy and should be approached more in the spirit of adult education classes.

Discussion is done in pairs, small groups and the group as a whole. There is no pressure on participants to talk.

Meditation practices you will learn include: the body scan, movement (walking, yoga, qiqong) and sitting meditation.
Additional practices such as the Mountain or Lake Meditation, or Loving Kindness may be introduced in the All-Day. All the practices we do are the same as those included in the original mindfulness based stress reduction course.

During the 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction programme you will learn to meditate and establish your own meditation practice – both formally and informally – ie. bringing mindfulness into your everyday life at home, work and social activities, not just when you meditate.

Home Practice
Home practice is an important part of the course and participants are asked to commit to doing the home practice 6 days out of 7. Home practice is in the form of listening to guided meditation cds and doing additional activities through the day eg. doing a routine activity mindfully. It takes approximately 30-45 minutes per day.

Everyone finds it a challenge doing the practice in already busy schedules but this is where the majority of learning takes place. It is important that you think about how you are going to do it and if you don’t think you can, it is perhaps not the right time for you to be doing the course.

The All-Day Retreat
Usually held on a weekend 10am-4pm The all-day is an opportunity to engage in a longer period of practice – with participants from the current course but also participants from previous courses. The All-day is included in the cost of the course and is optional but you are encouraged to attend, however, if this proves impossible you will be able to attend another All-Day in the future.

Follow-Up Support
We know how important it is to have on-going support to help your meditation practice. Therefore, after the 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction course is over you will be invited to attend any future all-days and also to attend our Meditation Maintenance Follow-up Sessions which are only open to graduates of the 8-week course. These are 3 month blocks of one session per month.

You can find out more about the instructors teaching this course here

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