Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
8 Weeks Mindfulness Course
Is this Mindfulness Course right for me?
This 8 Week MBSR Course is for anyone who wishes to take some time for themselves to stop, pause, slow down & ‘be’ for a while learning how to practice mindfulness & bring it into their daily personal and professional lives.
It involves creating time in your daily life to dedicate to yourself & learning how to tap into your own wealth of inner resources, tools and capacity for greater presence & awareness in the face of all the challenges and stresses you face
What is MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction)?
The world renowned Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR) was founded in 1979 by Dr Jon Kabat- Zinn at the Centre for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Boston, USA. Since its beginnings, it has supported thousands of people from across the globe develop skills that support them be an active participant in their own wellness. The Centre for Mindfulness in Boston is the global home of the MSBR Programme , The MBSR Teacher Training Institute Oasis and a leader in scientific research showing the benefits of Mindfulness Meditation and the MBSR Programme.
What’s involved in taking the 8 Week Mindfulness Programme (MBSR)?
Having a Pre Course Information Session by phone prior to beginning the course. Here you will have an opportunity to meet myself, learn more about the course, what to expect and have your questions answered.
8 weekly 2.5 hrs Sessions.
One Silent Day of Mindfulness Practice
Daily Home Practice for all Non Class Days ( 40-45 mins)
Course Notes & Guided Meditations provided for Home Practice
This course is highly participatory and experiential in nature. The course is not taught in lecture format but rather encourages participants to learn from their own lived experience by practicing mindfulness, by ‘ being’ more present and aware in their lives both in the class and continually throughout their days and week. Participants are learning to listen to their own inner teacher and wisdom of the body, mind, and heart that always knows.
Each week, participants will be introduced and guided through
● A range of Mindfulness Meditation Practices including breath awareness, body awareness and some gentle stretching, hatha yoga & mindful movement exercises.
● We will in engaging in sharing reflections about our own experiences & noticings from practicing and what is being learnt during home practice from week to week.
● Take time for Personal Reflection & Group Discussion about particular topics.
Each week of this course has a particular themes including;
Week One: Understanding Mindfulness
Week Two: Seeing Clearly & challenging and understanding our perceptions
Week Three: Pleasure and Power from being in the Present Moment
Week Four: Understanding Stress and our automatic stress reactions
Week Five: Learning to pause and respond to stress with greater awareness
Week Six: Mindfulness in Communication - learning to listen deeply
Week Seven: Mindfulness in daily life
Week Eight: Endings and Beginnings
The Day of Mindfulness
It is a day of Silent Practice where we were support each other create a very nourishing still environment where we can focus on our practice and explore once more together all of the different practices we have been exploring throughout the course.
Your Commitment involves;
● A Pre Course Orientation Call. You will hear more about the course and what’s involved. This may help you clarify any questions you may have.
● Attending all weekly classes
● Attending the day of Mindfulness
● Engaging with 40-45mins of daily home practice
Something to consider before booking this mindfulness course
It is wise to take the course at a time in your life where you can really dedicate time to yourself & to this process of awareness & self discovery. With busy lives, it can be a challenge for most of us to find extra time in the day so it is important & wise to check in with yourself if this is a good time for you to take the course? knowing that you will be able to give yourself this time and commitment to the course and commitment to daily home practice.
Do you have any questions about
This MBSR course? Contact me, clodagh and I will answer your questions.
What are the benefits from taking this course?
The benefits of Mindfulness are unique for each participant. It is a journey of self discovery, a waking up in one’s life. Participants usually find the course a very enriching and nourishing experience with its challenges and surprises too.
Participants report following completion of the course that they experience:
An increased ability to relax & simply ‘be’ rather than constant doing
An ability to cope more effectively with both short and long-term stressful situations
Improved self-esteem, self awareness and willingness to care for self.
Increased resilience andcapacity to deal with difficult thoughts and emotions and work more compassionately with self and others
Greater energy and enthusiasm for life.
Increased ability for living in the present moment
Greater appreciation and acceptance for oneself and one’s life as it is right now and greater understanding & wisdom of the nature of change, growing and learning.
Testimonials from past course participants:
“I completed the 8 Week Mindfulness Course (MBSR) with Clodagh in Cork at a challenging time in my life where I was seeking better ways to cope with stress, my mind racing at a mile a minute, tough emotions and more. I had never done a mindfulness course before but had read a lot about Jon Kabat-Zinn, listened to and watched some of his meditations, on the recommendation of a health professional. The course with Clodagh was mind-opening and taught me new skills and strategies that I continue to use to enhance my life. I learnt the value of living in the present moment, even when that moment can be the hardest one of your life, and using my breath to stay centered. It continues to help me with changing my mindset from negative thoughts to positive thinking. Clodagh is a very patient, gentle, understanding, welcoming and encouraging teacher. I continue to get tremendous value from what I learnt on the course and highly recommend it.”
“Dear Clodagh
I want to thank you for the wonderful delivery you gave us during this course. I decided to attend this course as a way of taking control of a very stressful lifestyle. I felt this course helped me to gain time for myself back again ! something I missed so much! It allowed me the space to take stock of what life is like now as a mother, wife, sister, friend and colleague. The tools I learnt to make time and space for myself were so beneficial. This course is about being kind and gentle to yourself. I look forward to attending similar courses with you in the future.
”
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a way of living & being in the present moment. Mindfulness is instinctive to all of us but with the rush of modern day living we often lose touch with our capacity to simply ‘ Be’, being present to what is happening right here and now both within ourselves and around us.
Mindfulness is an experiential way for you learn how to take better care of yourself by exploring the connection and interplay between your mind and body.
Cultivating Mindfulness allows you to look at your stressors and habitual ways of responding to stress and exploring new approaches and ideas that help you respond more skillfully supporting you to live with a greater sense of ease, calm and peacefulness.
What mindfulness is NOT about:
Relaxation - although one may feel more relaxed after practicing
Positive Thinking - Only having ‘ nice’ thoughts or having no Thoughts; Mindfulness is about seeing our thoughts as they are... thoughts , coming and going.
Feeling only nice things, being calm and peaceful - Mindfulness is about being awake to our experience however it is.. and being gentle, kind and understanding with yourself in that.