What is mindfulness and the mbsr?
Defining mindfulness can be a bit tricky because it's experiential.
For me, mindfulness is about paying attention to what's happening right now, without judging it or trying to change it.
It sounds very simple, it actually is very simple (if not always very easy!) - and it can be transformative,
especially in a world where we can spend a lot of time on autopilot.
The Mindfulness based stress reduction course is practical and doesn't ask you to subscribe to any kind of religion or belief system.
It aims to give you tools to be more present in your life, and maybe to be a bit gentler with yourself.
We will go through a range of different techniques, and explore the theory behind why our minds and bodies react the way they do.
It's an opportunity to get some insight into what's going on for us in our lives, and to give ourselves more choice in how we can respond to it.
You can expect a lot of discussions and practice during the 8 weeks, but the MBSR is really all about giving you the understanding and the methods to support less stress and more balance in your life well beyond the course.
If you are interested in attending the MBSR online and don't see a current course available, please get in touch, these are run to demand.
READING AND RESEARCH
There is a wealth of research spanning decades on the efficacy and benefits of mindfulness itself, and of the MBSR.
I have listed just a few resources below:
Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world - Mark Williams and Danny Penman
The miracle of mindfulness - Thich Nhat Hanh
TED talk. Self transformation through mindfulness - Dr David Vago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nP5oedmzkM&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Paper published in Psychosomatic Medicine.
http://www.drmccall.com/uploads/2/2/6/5/22658464/alterations_in_brain_and_immune_function_produced_by_mindfulness_meditation.pdf