8 week mindfulness course
“In taking life for granted, we fail to notice it.”
– Stephen Batchelor
about the course
The 8-Week Mindfulness Course is a comprehensive educational programme of practical training in simple and yet effective mindfulness meditation exercises, together with presentations on the theory and science of mindfulness. The courses are intended for anyone facing the challenges of daily life who wants to develop new ways of reducing stress and living life more fully.
Over the last 30 years or so the original 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Relief course (MBSR) has been adapted to meet the needs of different groups of people, including employees in the workplace, cancer patients, people in chronic pain, school children, prisoners, and people suffering from recurrent bouts of depression, amongst others. Research shows that mindfulness offers an effective for coping with many of life’s challenges and delivers measurable improvements in our physical and mental health.
The course includes thirty hours of classwork along with a daily meditation practice, and is designed to integrate mindfulness into the everyday lives of the participants where it often has a transforming effect. Participants are expected to attend all eight lessons and to practice 45 minutes of daily mindfulness meditation exercises in between lessons, using guided practices on a CD together with the course handbook.
Please consider carefully whether you are able to dedicate this amount of time to your learning. Paradoxically, an 8-week mindfulness course can be challenging, and committing to a daily meditation practice in what may already be a busy schedule can be stressful. Learning to bring closer attention to our own experience may also be difficult at first before leading us towards a greater freedom and inner balance. However, most people who complete an 8-week mindfulness course report major benefits and the greater your personal input, the more rewarding you are likely to find this course.
Having taught 8-week mindfulness courses to groups in the past I am now focusing on teaching mindfulness to individual clients (or pairs) who prefer a more flexible approach to suit their circumstances. If you would like more information about an individual 8-week mindfulness course please contact me for a free initial consultation or ‘taster session’ to illustrate the different options.
“Consciousness is not a thing that exists, but an event that occurs.”
– Joseph Goldstein
course information
Mindfulness courses are suitable for people who are:
- New to mindfulness and looking for an entry-level course that will alleviate stress and enhance health and wellbeing, at home and at work.
- Experienced and have completed an 8-week MBSR/MBCT course, to refresh their practice and learn about the science and psychology of mindfulness.
It is important to bear in mind that a mindfulness course is not a form of therapy. It teaches important life skills, but there is little opportunity to discuss particular personal situations. It is a good idea to think about your personal support during the mindfulness course, from friends or family or a counsellor/therapist.
You can contact me to talk through any difficulties or questions that arise with you mindfulness practice in between classes. More often than not they will reveal themselves as opportunities for new insights and understanding.
There is also an initial 30-minute Assessment and Orientation Interview to answer any questions you may have, and to discuss whether the course is right for you at this time.
structure & content
- Eight 2.5 hour classes with mindfulness meditation and/or mindful movement, followed by group exercises and discussions.
- Home practice – 45 minutes a day (for 6 days out of every 7) of mindfulness meditation practice, as well as mindful daily life activities.
- Guided practice CD and Workbook to support your meditation practice and learning, and to make notes of your experiences.
- Day retreat – Between classes 6 and 7 we meet for a full day’s retreat at the Abbey House in Glastonbury, practising different meditations together.
- Teacher support is available in between classes. Should you need to talk through any issues that arise with your home practice you can contact me by phone or email.
- Course themes: Awareness of our thoughts, feelings and bodies; Awareness of pleasant and unpleasant experiences; Dealing with difficulties, Self-acceptance; Mindful communication; Taking care of ourselves; Integrating what we’ve learned into our lives, etc.
“The saddest part about being human is not paying attention. Presence is the gift of life.”
– Stephen Levine