The Mindfulness Association programme
This Mindfulness Association programme with Kristine Janson and
Christine Steverson is a comprehensive training in mindfulness that is
suitable for beginners and for those who already have a mindfulness
practice. Participants will be taught progressive skills in mindfulness
through presentations, guided practice and break-out groups. A strong
emphasis is placed on experiential learning and for this reason there
are home assignments between weekends that include daily mindfulness
practice, daily exercises and journal entries. There will be a
certificate for those who attend all four modules. Each module will take
place over a weekend, 10am to 5pm on both days, with the dates for the
modules being as follows:
29-30 September
17-18 November
9-10 February 2013
27-28 April 2013
To book follow this link:
http://www.mindfulnessassociation.net/Courses.aspx
Module One: Becoming Present
Mindfulness is defined as paying
attention to our moment by moment experience in a way that is
non-judgmental and kind. In the beginning we notice how our attention is
like a butterfly flitting from one thought to the next. So we start by
slowing down and settling our mind through regulating breathing and
counting. We then introduce practices that ground us allowing our
attention to drop out of the battlefield of thoughts in our heads into
the sensory awareness of the body. We then learn to rest in the present
moment getting used to disengaging from our habits of compulsive doing.
And then, when we notice our attention drifting away into thinking, we
learn to work with the mindfulness supports of sound and breath.
We are initiated into this graduated process through the core practices
of settling, grounding, resting and mindfulness support. We also
practice bodyscan and walking meditation and simple practices for
integrating mindfulness into daily life. Throughout each of the modules
we work on developing kindness as a basis for self compassion.
Module Two: Working with Distraction
Having had the opportunity
to practice settling, grounding, resting and support on a daily basis
between modules one and two, we are now in a position to become more
familiar with how the mind moves and the unique pathways of habit it
follows. We becoming increasingly familiar with the changing dynamic of
mindfulness and distraction, and begin to see how distraction reveals an
inner world of habitual patterning that ensnares our energies. We also
begin to recognise attitudes of preference - like and dislike - and see
how they narrow and contract our awareness, imprisoning us. In this
context we are referring to our habitual reactions driven by
conditioning, not informed choices based on intelligent discernment.
In this module we also introduce mindful movement as a way of
integrating mindfulness into how we move through our lives, and the
three minute breathing space as a way of breaking the reactive cycles we
get caught in during everyday life.
Module Three: Self Acceptance
Throughout our training we are
working in two areas - redirecting our attention to the present moment
by using a mindfulness support, while at the same time learning to
accept the diverse range of our inner experience. Part of mindfulness
practice is learning to work with strong emotions that arise and
developing the capacity to 'hold' difficult experiences within body and
mind. Identifying our reactive patterns of preference reveals how
working on attitude is all important, and so, through training in
acceptance we learn to acknowledge and come to terms with difficult
thoughts and emotions by paying them close attention with a kind and
inclusive attitude. This leads to a gradual dis-identification with the
contents of our experience and shift in perspective in which we come to
see that we are not our thoughts but the awareness that witnesses them.
We use the RAIN method (recognise, accept, investigate and non-identify)
as a way of progressively training in acceptance, and practice loving
kindness as a way of bringing warmth to our inner environment. We also
introduce a more in depth version of the three minute breathing space in
which we learn to relate with a kindly and accepting attitude to
difficult thoughts, feelings and emotions that arise in our daily life.
Module Four: Undercurrent & Observer
At this point we
introduce the model of 'undercurrent and observer' as a way of mapping
out the inner landscape of our mind and identifying where change can
take place. The 'undercurrent' refers to the continuous stream of
thoughts, emotions, memories and images that stream through our mind
moment by moment, whether we like it or not. The 'observer' refers to
that part our mind that sees the undercurrent and has the capacity to
reflect on itself. As our practice deepens we learn to step out of the
undercurrent and simply leave it alone. Instead, we focus on working
with the attitudes of preference in our observer as this is where
genuine change can take place. During this module we bring together all
the themes from the previous three modules and help participants set up
an ongoing mindfulness practice for going forward in their lives.