I’m delighted to be bringing my interpretation of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction to you!
Together we will work to empower ourselves to become more aware, less reactive and more compassionate. It’s all about practice-and you will be fully supported here with homework and an online community. I am available to you if you need anything.
One of the most important things to consider and devote yourself to for these next 8 weeks is to make the practices your own. I will offer suggestions and guidance, and hope that you will try them on, but don’t imagine that I know the best way for you to practice. Ultimately this work is about getting to know yourself so that you can craft a practice/series of practices that allows you find the ease that allows you to come to life in the most authentic way possible FOR YOU. You are one of a kind and only you can feel when this is right.
Do make a space in your home dedicated to practice. If you can’t do it there….then nothing we do will really change your life. We are learning to create the conditions that allow ease and awareness wherever we go. As Jon Kabat-Zinn titled his second book, it seems true that “Wherever You Go, There You Are!”
You may use these practices as you wish, yet they are the most powerful if you allow a week or so to practice each session as the classes build upon one another.. You will find that the class organically unfold and your experience will deepen with this kind of practice
And please be gentle with yourself as we move through the classes-do your best but try to not be hard on yourself, judging your “progress”…just do your best and notice the small (or large) changes with gratitude.
While Discipline is a word often used in reference to such practices, I prefer the word DEVOTION. Won’t you please choose to DEVOTE this time to your well being and healing? It is not just for you-it ripples out to all with whom you share life.
Let’s do it! For all of us, as a gift to the world.
Week 1
This week is an introduction to Mindfulness and an overview of the course. We’ll also practice a guided body scan so if you’d like to lie down, set yourself up before beginning! You may also like to have a journal …not for note-taking per se, but for some reflective work. I invite you to take this work in through your senses rather than through your head😍
Click here for video of class 1
Click here for 24 minute body scan
Click here for homework ( Remember if you wish to print, you must download first🤗)
“Finally I am coming to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am.
That I will never fulfill my obligation to surpass myself unless I first accept myself; and if I accept myself fully in the right way, I will already have surpassed myself.”
~Thomas Merton
Week 2
(Recording in 2 parts as lost internet midway!) Here’s where stress resilience helps😉
Click here for recording part 1
Click here for recording part 2
Click here for homework
Click here for body scan
Have fun within your practice!💖
How we see ourselves, our problems, our world….determines what we are capable of
~Albert Einstein
Week 3
This week’s class was pre-recorded.
Click here for replay of short introductory call
Here’s the homework for week 3- there are a number of rich opportunities for practice-mix and match and see what you think/feel!
~17 minute Daily Energy Routine-takes the “static” out of the energy body and may well help you settle for deeper practice-don’t believe me though! try for yourself!
~PDF to describe some of Daily Energy Routine
~2 audio yoga practices from Jon Kabat-Zinn’s original work:Mindful yoga 1; Mindful yoga 2
~A guided yoga Nidra-Mirrors into the Authentic self
~And homework! Apologies for quality-scanner ate last original!
Week 4
This week we begin our exploration of stress physiology -your body speaks your mind! Get to know it!
~Part 1 class video: 1:19 minutes
~Part 2 class video: 34 minutes
~Guided sitting meditation-about 23 minutes
~Short Triple Warmer practices-to calm the frazzled nervous system
Enjoy this week-remember to just be curious about your physical body and the “mindfulness bells” that ring under stress
No need for judgment-just notice!
Week 5
More Stress Physiology!
~Brain pic-depicts right and left hemispheres and functions
~Dan Siegel Hand model of the brain-video
~Jill Bolte Taylor Ted talk-video-”Step to the right” and come to your senses when busy-minded or stressed
~Sarah Lazar Ted Talk-video
~Homework part 1-poetry and difficult communications
~Homework part 2-homework for week 5
We cannot solve problems using the same consciousness that created them
~Albert Einstein
Week 6
Wrap up of stress physiology and practicing non-violent communication
23 minute Loving Kindness Meditation
Video-Brene Brown on Charlottesville
Forgiveness is giving up hope of a better past
~Lily Tomlin
Week 7
Start integrating and making the practices your own
Homework and supplemental videos
Martin Prechtel says that violence is an inability with grief….it takes skillfulness to grieve well, to grieve wholeheartedly . It requires us to bravely, nakedly come to face all that is lost, keeping our hearts open to loving just as fully again.
When we make war, lashing out in rage and revenge, it is because we are unwilling to make this full encounter with grief. It is easy to enact the same violence which has taken so much from us-including toward ourselves-but the greater work is to let that which is missing enlarge your life; to make beauty from your brokenness.
~Toko-pa Turner
~
“ You must see how this could be you….”
~Naomi Shihab-Nye, Kindness
Week 8
Final Practices and Wrap up
Yoga Nidra begins at 14:17 and ends at 1hr 10 minutes-sorry didn’t record separately as I had hoped :(
References used in class
…Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us…..
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others
~Marianne Williamson
It has been an honor and a pleasure to share this heart work with you all
Lots of love and gratitude for your presence
May this work be of benefit to all beings everywhere
NO EXCEPTIONS🙏💖
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