Orientation Guidelines for MBSR Participation
Orient- ‘even-playing-field’
Welcome to MBSR
Meeting together weekly has an integrative healing component - see your individual longing in the room with a universal truth, we all wish to be happy.
Intro on Instructor: Diane is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Neuroscience Practical Applications Facilitator, and MBSR UMASS Medical School Center for Mindfulness Trained Teacher. She has been utilizing Mindfulness for over 40 years both personally and professionally. Her intention in teaching is to facilitate in the process of ‘orienting’ people to their inherent wellness.
Brief history of MBSR- Jon Kabat Zinn, PhD, bridged ancient wisdom with modern day medicine in the development of the stress reduction/pain clinic in 1979. The earliest study was on psoriasis showing 4x faster healing rate with the application of mindfulness. From 2012 to present contemplative research increased exponentially showing positive outcomes in body, brain, behavior. MBSR has been the original template for this research and is the primary reason we have mindfulness applied to all areas of society, Health Care, Mental Health, Education, Government, Military, Corporations and more. Since the 1979 Stress reduction clinic, there have been over 23,000 graduates of the 8-week program through the Center for Mindfulness UMASS.
MBSR is an Evidence-based Systematic approach to health & well-being utilizing Meditation, Daily Mindfulness, Loving Kindness, Mindful yoga, Reflective Inquiry to work with pain, illness, and 21st century stressors
Definitions of Mindfulness:
“Mindfulness is Paying Attention on Purpose in the Present Moment Non Judgmentally”-Kabat-Zinn
“Mindfulness is an Open, Inclusive, Relational quality of Awareness”-Renz
Mindfulness is all about the Quality of Awareness
Intention, Attention, and Attitude are the mechanisms of Mindfulness
7 Attitudinal aspects of Mindfulness:
Beginner’s Mind, Trust, Acceptance, Patience, Non-striving, Non-judgment, Letting go
Meditation means “to become familiar with”, here in MBSR, we are becoming familiar with the patterns of mind, emotion, behavior, interpersonal relationship, and body sensation
Mindfulness means “to remember”, here in MBSR, it is the principle of inherent wellness, remembering ‘that there is more right with you than wrong with you”, (Kabat-Zinn).
Guidelines
How to engage in the program for most benefit:
Beginner’s mind
Know your Intention, it will hold your Commitment
Nothing to believe but to meet experience
Healthy skeptic best outcome
Direct experience v conceptual (present v past/future) set down reading about it
This program will require intention & commitment
Setting up new rhythm & space in your life for home practice
Clear understanding of Risks/Benefits (you will feel again both pain/pleasure)
Use the audio v your own practice or another voice
If you meet difficulty in experience, remember meditation is not always the answer, let psychological support be utilized if necessary.
Logistics:
Note Dates / Times of meeting
& Practice Day, clearly in your calendar
Structure=Weekly Class, 8x, + Practice Day, Home Practice-45+ min
What to bring to each class, mat, cushion, blanket, water, (what your body needs for supported, sustainable practice)
Weekly email is your MBSR MANUAL, read it!
Travel/Parking/Weather:
Use driving, parking, weather, all as practice
Parking on the street free after 6pm
If Weather limits in person class-online instruction will be sent
Group safety:
Confidentiality, share your experience, not others
Big group fears we will gather in pairs and pods
No advice giving, let direct experience be our discovery process
Instructor as time manager, you can relax into the context
Mindful speech- Right speech: does it add, is it needed, helpful or harmful, listen
in, listen out, do you tend to not share or share too much, work your edge.
Each supporting the other, your commitment fuels others, your absence is felt
My recording device use is for review of teaching to hold the rigor of MBSR
Names will become known through our awareness and listening
Reach with concerns rather than Ruminate ... don’t wait for final evaluation
It is the Intention to be of benefit, if there is a discrepancy between intention and actual impact, please reach out to discuss, feedback is how we change and grow.
Group health:
No scents please – some have allergies –senses heighten as we practice
Elbow cough/sneeze
Bathroom use as need, (as practice) no formal breaks
Lateness not encouraged but if ….use as practice
No TECH, turn it all OFF, enjoy your freedom
Self-Care:
You never have to say anything in class, but for your name
You as expert of body, take care of it, listen and adjust accordingly
Boundary of self safety, where, when, how much to stretch to risk- to grow
Difference between self-care and comfort-seeking
Jot down questions, pause, if not urgent, see if they get answered as you explore
If you can’t hear or don’t understand, reach instead of ruminate
A word on the Body Scan - it is a slow, systematic reconnection to body as it is, not to make it different, or try for relaxation, but to be in relationship to it, and to learn how to listen to its cues, and re-establish it as ally -(‘body best home your mind will ever know’/ ‘I was told by my doctors what might go wrong with my body, not what might go right’-Mathew Sanford- paraplegic yoga teacher)